Here is what happened today:
When we got to the hospital he was in kidney failure (4:30 a.m.). He is on Dopamin to keep his blood pressure up and another medication to keep his heart rate up. He had told the night shift nurse, myself and my father (who is not bearing up at all during this) that he did not want to go on the ventilator and he did not want dialysis. They put him on Dopamin to keep his blood pressure up until we could all get there. The nurses changed shifts at 7 am and we had to wait for the doctor's to make their rounds and also to talk to the new attending doctor on duty. He brought us in and explained that our option was to stop treatment based on what my brother had said or to go ahead with dialysis anyways despite my brothers' wishes. We said we wanted our brothers' wishes to be upheld and then we made a BUNCH of very HARD decisions regarding a DNR - codes, CPR, shocking, antibiotics, Dopamin turned off, etc. The doctor went in to explain to my brother that he would be kept on the ventilator, but no other treatment would be given (IVs, feeding tube feedings, etc.) based on his wishes and my brother at this point changed his mind and asked them to start dialysis if there was any chance it would save him. A complete change of events. So when we left, they were inserting a Swan-Ganz catheter, an ATR (?) and starting a type of dialysis that might start his kidneys working again (50-50% chance). I went ahead and brought the kids back home. The emotional drama and the lack of no sleep is just too much right now.
IF the treatment works, they will know by tomorrow, but honestly I will be AMAZED if it does. He is swollen up SO large, that he is barely recognizable. At that point if his kidneys are not receptive, we will most likely have to go through all of this again. He is on 100% oxygen (full ventilator settings) and his lungs are failing as well. PLEASE be in prayer for my brother's salvation and also for my father. It was horrendous to go through this and I don't think he can go through it again emotionally.
Philippians 4 verses 6-7:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
