Day 7 - there is hope

Hi - this is JoAnn - I finally have a few minutes to update the blog. There are computers in the waiting rooms, and Don is going for a routine xray, then respitory therapy and then probably a nap.

First - let me thank Franni for the updates - she's really been a help during this all - she lets me blab on and on and never tires.

And then let me say - if you are a fan of Splenda - you won't want to read any farther - I am not trying to change anyone's mine about it - just telling our experience - so please - no flames - I've had about all I can take and I just want to say what is in my heart.

There have been some hard times - Don was having some awful diarrhea, vomitting, weakness, chills, disorientation and sleeplessnes, and it could be traced to nothing except that it started with the first "protein shake" that they gave him - laced with sucralose (splenda). He could barely get out of bed because his muscles became so weak, he never made it to the restroom without a horrid mess in the bed - he even had troubles while walking and had to have the aids clean him up. All very embarrassing for a very private man - and at the same time scary for all of us. Last night I researched the brands he had been given, of pudding and protein drinks and found them laced (as in laced with poison) with sucralose (splenda). Just google sucralose and read the horror stories - so we are not the first. And if you go to the splenda site you find a small paragraph from splenda saying that they know there are some huge problems with splenda - but not enough people have written in to complain. Ohhhhh don't get me started!!!!!

I got up at 4:30 so I could get to the hospital by 6 a.m. when the doctors make their rounds. I told the doctor of my concern and about the diarrhea - and he said this was the first he'd heard of this - the nurses had not even mentioned the diarrhea. And on the whole they've been good nurses - I just wonder what they thought - he is an old man and this just happens??????? He is only 64 - so not that old. I told the doctor to have NO splenda items on his tray - and if there was something that looked like it was sweetened (in a bowl) and we couldn't read it, Don was not eating it.

Since Don was having so much trouble with eating - because of the nausea and vomiting from the sucralose - the doctor had said that whatever Don wanted to eat, he could. He doesn't have heart disease - his cholesterol is great and no hardening of the arteries, he just had to have the valve repaired - so diet basically isn't an issue. So last night he had a cheese burger (no bun) with salad and strawberries - just plain food. The doctor agreed that if Don is to get well he has to eat protein or his bone and incision will not heal. This morning he had a piece of sausage and half a biscuit - again -plain food.

He is doing so much better - we took a walk and he walked 2 loops around the floor with no problems. And now that his is off splenda his mind is working clearly again. When physical therapy came yesterday we could not wake him up - and when he finally woke up after about 20 minutes of really trying - he was completely confused. The PT said, "oh that is the problem, he is in the early stages of alzheimers". I was shocked - he is NOT - he was just having a reaction to the splenda. They attach three chlorine molecules to white sugar (which we never use at home anyway)tomake splenda and so your brain is being bombarded with chlorine - and we all know how bad chlorine is for humans.

And the super great news is that his heart is working perfectly - not one problem. At least that is working. They were talking yesterday of sending Don to a nursing home to recuperate and get stronger. You shouldn't have to go to a nursing home to get over being in the hospital. Today Don is feeling so much better that they say maybe stay in the hospital today and then go home tomorrow. I would really like that, and so would he, he is tired of being in the hospital - and I've certainly had more than enough. I'm thankful for what they did for his heart - make no mistake - but I'm appalled that they feed patients something that is known to mess with your nerves and brain -not to mention all the other known side effects.

So that's my story - hope your days are all sunny and bright and your stitches small and perfect. I've been working on the new Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt while sitting with Don.