Admitted

Quick update -

Thank you all so much for your prayers.  God has certainly blessed us over the past few hours.

Our initial ER doc was... not a great listener.  He got the ball rolling with urology, but didn't hear us that we had other concerns - namely her pain and digestion.  Urology is planning to do a procedure to help Katie's right kidney drain properly (a tumor is pressing on one of tubes).  This could be done outpatient, but since we're here, they would 'admit for observation', which is different than admitting to he hospital proper.  They would do the procedure, make sure it worked, then send her on her way. This is where God apparently decided to step in.

Katie happened to notice the doctor who had treated her when we came to the ER back in February roaming outside her ER room (Dr. C, if you recall from my first post).  I didn't mention at the time that she was a real source of hope and peace.  Back in February, when I brought Katie in, she was in rough shape - vomiting and writhing in extreme pain, and we had taken a leap of faith by coming to MDA without having been a prior patient there.  By all rights, MDA could have told Hermann that Katie was their problem and they needed to fix her.  Within about 2 minutes of meeting us, she assured us that they had seen Kate's symptoms hundreds of times and are able and ready to help.  Later, when it was still in question about whether Katie would be allowed to stay at MDA after they'd stabilized her, Dr. C stopped in to mention casually that patients have the right to refuse transfer, which we did.

So when we saw her this evening, we flagged her down to thank her for all she did for us back then, with no other agenda.  She asked how Katie was doing and began to ask more pointed medical questions.  Within a couple minutes, she decided to place orders for a CT scan without contrast ( because Katie couldn't possibly drink that stuff right now) to check for a blockage.  She also placed an order for a nutritionist to meet with us in the morning, she added a few medications to Katie's approved list, and she gave us her card with her direct line.  As she was leaving, she assured us that she'd be praying for us.

Apparently God was just warming up.

Katie was transferred to her room in the hospital.  We expected the same kind of room as before, but this room is much nicer - more recently renovated it seems.  I get an actual real live bed to sleep in (its a murphy bed) instead of a chair that folds flat and spends all night mocking your back with false hopes of comfortable sleep.  The room is quieter and better laid out than our February room.  The nursing staff is very nice, and many of them are Catholic.

And now for the kicker.

After getting settled, I went out to the car to get my pillow and blankets (I had run home to tuck the kids in and had gotten some stuff).  I was also meeting our good friend Tricia who was delivering some holy water and St. Peregrine oil.  We chatted as I walked to the car and back, and while we were finishing our conversation in the hospital lobby, we spotted a Catholic priest walking out.  I flagged him down and asked if he had time to give Katie a blessing.  He agreed cheerfully.  On the way, assuming he was the chaplain assigned to MDA, I asked if perhaps he could come back the next day for the Anointing of the Sick.  The sacrament requires a couple things that (to my knowledge) most priests don't carry around with them all the time - The Holy Eucharist and Anointing Oil.  He said, "I do now.  I have the Lord with me."  Turns out he's not the chaplain here - he was visiting a friend who is dying.  He performed the sacrament and Katie and I were both able to receive the Eucharist.  What a blessing and source of strength.

The CT scan was performed this evening, and we'll get results tomorrow.

Thank you again for your prayers.  Please continue, and may God's blessings be on you.