Sept 20, The treatment continues

The treatment continues: Sept. 20, 2014

     Kati has been out of town for the last two days so I thought I would update you on Randy’s  progress.  On Friday they started his Plasma Phreresis treatment.  They also did an EEG to check on his brain function.  I had to leave before they did it so didn’t get to see it done.  On Sat. they did the second treatment.   This machine is amazing.  The red cross owns it and has it’s  own technicians to run it.  The nurses don’t even know how it works.  This treatment is so rare.  Basically Randy has a portal like a dialysis machine uses.  They pump Randy’s blood out of one tube, mix it with an antiquagulating agent and then spin it to divide the plasma out of the rest of his blood.  Then his plasma is pumped into another bag.  His blood, minus the plasma, is mixed with albumin. (Like plasma that is made in a lab, not from someone’s  blood donation)  Then it goes through a heating coil and pumped back into Randy.  It takes a little over an hour to do the procedure.   They do it five times over at least a five day period.  It is better if you take a rest between treatments.  Randy now has 2 treatments.  They are giving him Sunday off.  Will do the next 3 on Mon, Wed and Fri.  

     Randy is still unresponsive.  He tried to open one eye, I think.  It opened half way for about  5 seconds during the treatment. 

      His feeding tube has to be replaced tomorrow.  They have to take him to radiology tomorrow to put it in.  It is blocked off and no longer works.  It’s been in 16 days so that’s not too bad.   They started an IV until he gets his feeding tube replaced.    Thank you for keeping  him in your prayers.