Fluctuations

The post today is to share what information we have about Patrick's status- he has been hospitalized  three times in the past week due to high blood pressure. He is in Rex hospital at the moment, in Raleigh, and we don't know when he will be discharged. It seems that his b.p. will not regulate. Each time he's been sent home from the hospital, he's had to return the following day.

Last Wednesday morning, September 19, he had a couple of seizures due to high b.p. There was some swelling in the back of his brain, known as PRES syndrome. He was in the hospital for several days, and his b.p. fluctuated a great deal. On Monday, Mom brought him home from Rex. He will not be able to drive for several months due to the seizures. On Tuesday (today), she took him to dialysis and his blood pressure was very high, so he ended up back in he ER. Please pray for Patrick and send him positive thoughts, strength, and healing energy.  His high b.p. seems to be linked to a nervous condition- he's experiencing a lot of anxiety and trauma. This is definitely an example of an imbalance in the mind-body-spirit connection. So Patrick has a lot of healing to do, and he is in good hands at Rex.

Without kidney function, the body has no way to regulate blood pressure. His doctors have been adjusting medication over the past week, and still don't know why it continues to fluctuate when he is on so many meds. Ultimately, the b.p. will not regulate until Patrick has a kidney transplant. At this moment, we don't know if/ when that will happen. Wake Forest Baptist Hospital seem to favor Morgan as a donor, and he should be hearing from them soon regarding the final phase of work-up. This is a really stressful waiting period, because we are trying to be optimistic, but also realistic and be prepared for whatever the future may hold.

Patrick has some awesome friends like Morgan, of course, and friends from elementary and high school, and college who keep in touch and have traveled a long way to see him.  That friendship, love and support means everything! Please, keep it coming!

With love, as always, and more updates to come soon...
Kate