Friday Evening

Sorry to be so prolific, it seems. It's just an outlet for me, and I do get calls from many who want to know what's up.

I went back in to see Jim at 4:30. I had been waiting at home to hear from his GI DR, but he hadn't called. I had wanted to get a "2nd opinion" on what the internist said this morning.

When I came into ICU, I saw the GI guy there, and then the nurse rushed me out. Turned out she wanted to put me into a private room with Dr. Lobis.

Dr. Lobis is a sweet man. He was the one who squeezed my shoulder the other day. He's not in the same position as Jim's internist that we should prepare to give up on Jim. Even though Dr. Lobis won't be around this weekend or next week, he thinks there is still room for Jim to improve. He says that Jim's liver values are in the normal ranges; it's just other things out of whack.

The DR said that a liver transplant was still a possibility for Jim. I told him hospice would release Jim if he made the transplant list because hospice is pallitative, not curative. He said we could play hospice's game as long as we needed to (to get the covered health care).

Dr. Lobis also agree to be Jim's private GI specialist. We had seen another in the practice, but she hasn't been in to see Jim all week, so I feel Lobis has more of a connection.

Jim was very alert this evening. I asked him to tell me how he got to where he is, and he did a good job at it. He was very loving to me, and didn't beg to be brought home. He seemed to understand that there is a process.

I told Jim his estranged brother had called me this afternoon, trying to find Jim to wish him a happy birthday, and Jim said "the buzzards are circling." Jim thinks his brother's only interest is in his estate. I laughed that Jim would be that fast on the uptake about his brother.

Jim had solid food for dinner tonight and did pretty well. When I left, I told him I hoped to see him as improved tomorrow from today as he was improved today from yesterday.

He was there, truly there, with me this evening.

Thank you all, so much, for your prayers/thoughts/wishes/comments/hopes for us.

~~V