Hospital Stay - Day 29 - Headaches, Nausea, Weakness

Right after I posted the update last night, Jodi had a vomiting spell. She lost everything that she had been able to eat and drink yesterday, which wasn't much in the first place. She has gone a week now with very little nourishment. She's basically surviving on the IV. She was in pretty rough shape late last night, so Sherri stayed with her all night. Right now, Sherri is asleep on the couch in Jodi's room.

Today, the headaches continue unabated. The nausea is also continuing. She is very weak and only moves when she has to go to the bathroom and then she's not going to the bathroom. She either uses a bed pan or a portable potty placed next to her bed. It's hard in either case, because the headaches are so strong, even though they aren't the spinal headaches, they are still punishing in their effect. She is still receiving valium for the headaches.

She is having spasms in her neck. We're alternating heat and ice in hopes of reducing those spasms.

They've taken her off of the three strong anti-biotics as of 8:00 a.m. this morning. The anti-biotics were contributing to the nausea. We're hopeful there will be a gradual improvement now in that arena. She continues to receive nausea medicine, but Jodi whispers that she is "gun shy" and hesitant to try much of anything, because she hasn't been able to keep anything down.

It seems that the cumulative effect of three surgeries in such a short time have taken their toll. The feeling currently is that these after-effects should begin to lessen today or tomorrow.

Jodi is very weak and literally only whispers when she speaks at all.

The "bouncing back" from all of this is a longer and more difficult process than we had anticipated or hoped. We're still expecting improvements today and tomorrow. We'll keep you posted.