updates on David Venanzi in hospital 8-9/07

update 9/5/07 We have received a miracle! Dave returned home on 9/5/07 after 15 days in the h0spital with severe bilateral fungal pneumonia known as PCP (Pneumocystis jirovecci)! He is feeling much better and continues to progress with physical therapy. He is eating quite well and gaining weight. We are really appreciating the small pleasures of life and are very thankful! His medication was changed 8/29, as he had not been responding to antibiotics previously, and the new ones were the correct ones! He was hospitalized 8/22/07 in Intensive Care AGAIN with unresolved severe bilateral pneumonia, low blood counts, and other health issues. Dave's latest lab work had showed a HUGE reduction in his cancer marker, which was really good news! Unfortunately, the chemotherapy has been really hard on him and he still has major bone pain and it is difficult for him to walk unaided due to a lesion on his lower lumbar spine pressing on a nerve. Dave's lab reports from this spring had showed a very high/quickly escalating cancer marker that had risen significantly this spring. He has been very ill this year with a lot of bone pain, and he has suffered more pathological bone fractures of his clavicle, sternum, and ribs. We saw a Multiple Myeloma specialist, Dr. Robert Vescio, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center on 5/31/07, and he recommended VAD iv chemotherapy . This therapy has been apparently working, but the chemotherapy was extremely debilitating. Pease click here if you wish to read about Dave's allogenic stem cell transplant for Multiple Myeloma in 11/05.

Dave on 9/3/07

9/4/07 If all goes well, Dave MIGHT be able to go home tomorrow! He had a lot of physical therapy today and I think the doctor was surprised at his rapid progress.

9/3/07 Dave has been sitting in a chair and walking a bit today and will begin rehabilitation tomorrow.
The doctor says he will likely go home by the end of the week! hooray!


Dave and good friend Tom Vegors on 9/1/07

9/2/07 Dave has made an absolutely amazing turnaround! He is still on oxygen but at a reduced flow and no longer has to use the oxygen mask. He has been sitting up in a chair today. We are so thankful and delighted with his progress, and I'm thinking he might be able to go home within the next week!


Dave in ICU on 8/26/07

9/1/07 Dave has shown us yet again that no one will predict his demise! After nine days of dismal prognosis and no improvement, he has shown a very rapid turnaround after receiving the correct medications to combat his pneumonia (presumed to be Pneumocystis jirovecci)aka PCP). His appetite was good today and his pulse and respiration rates are much improved and he just LOOKS better! He is not out of the woods yet but I have a good feeling about him for the first time in days and we are so very thankful for the care he has received at Little Company of Mary Hospital in San Pedro, CA. The staff have been very caring and efficient and we are very grateful!

8/31/07 Dave says he feels much better today and he has an appetite! I think the doctors have finally put him on the correct medications and I feel very hopeful at this point! more later...

8/30/07 Dare I say it, I think I saw some slight improvement in Dave today! He was still groggy and kept asking me what happened to yesterday. He remembers very little of it. His pain meds have been reduced and he was more alert today but still very tired. His appetite is better and he ate a bit today. His breathing seems less labored and he seems comfortable. The doctor said that he should show improvement rather quickly if indeed we have the correct diagnosis/antibiotic. Here's hoping!

8/29/07 I am getting a lot of emails asking about how things are going with Dave and me. I am spending as much time with him as is possible. He is extremely ill and I need to be with him as much as I can be. Therefore I do not have time to answer emails, return calls, etc. I will post updates on this page whenever I can/when there is anything significant to report.

Today, Dave was moved to the 3rd floor from ICU (after seven days in ICU) as his doctor said he is "stable" but I think that this was a huge mistake. We had a horrible day. He was overmedicated for pain relief and was complelely out and incoherent when I arrived and there were a few incidents that made me very nervous that he is not still in ICU, (one very frightening incident when he nearly aspirated vomit in his oxygen mask), and I tried to have him returned to ICU to no avail. He was moved to the room right beside the nursing station and I liked his night nurse so I let it go until tomorrow morning. He never did eat anything today. He received a blood transfusion this evening.

His pneumonia is bilateral and severe and there has been no improvement in the eight days he has been in the hospital (in ICU until this AM). Today the doctor decided to change his medication to treat a possible fungal pneumonia called Pneumocystis jirovecci.. The current antibiotics/meds are Bactrim, prednisone, Primaxin, and Vancomycin (plus a bunch of other various meds). We hope to see some improvement soon, as Dave is very weak. I wish I had better news.

We must limit visitors and telephone calls at this point. I will let everyone know when he feels stronger and
can receive visitors, thanks! We so appreciate the kind support from everyone!

Thanks to everyone for all your concern and kind wishes!