Monday, January 30, 2012

Where to begin...

This blog serves the purpose of keeping friends and family up-to-date with Carol's status as she is currently in the hospital in critical condition battling against a raging infection that has spread into her brain as bacterial meningitis. For those of you who have stumbled across this blog or have heard of Carol and do not have the privilege of knowing her or the Poston family let me begin by saying I do not know a more Christ-centered family and Carol is the most gracious and compassionate woman I know. She has 5 girls at home that she pours her heart and soul into raising, and a loving husband who is the pastor of a local church.

Carols sickness started last week as what doctors thought was influenza. She started taking tamiflu on Wednesday (1/25), but continued to get worse. She went back to the doctor on Saturday because she was experiencing left lung pain and wasn't improving, so she was prescribed antibiotics for a pneumonia diagnosis and started to feel better and even ate dinner Saturday night (1/28). Sunday morning Craig found Carol to be lethargic and in excruciating pain, a much different person from the night before. Craig carried Carol from their upstairs bedroom to their car, as she was unable to walk and yelling out in pain and took her to the emergency room after dropping off their 5 girls with a friend. Praise the Lord the ER was completely empty and Carol was able to be admitted and taken care of immediately. At that point her neck was becoming increasingly stiff, her level of consciousness was altered and she had to be held down by 4 people in order for nurses to start her IV due to her confusion and inability to hold still from the pain. It was within the first 15 minutes of being in the hospital that the ER doctors told Craig that Carol was presenting with classic meningitis symptoms and that a lumbar puncture was needed to get cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to confirm the diagnosis. Due to Carol's lethargic state the doctors didn't think it safe to give Carol pain meds and risk the chance of the meds depressing her respiratory system further, so they had to complete the lumbar puncture without medications, a very uncomfortable procedure, but absolutely necessary given the circumstances. After the doctors were confident that Carol had meningitis she was transferred to a bigger hospital that has neurologists 30 minutes away via ambulance and was put in the neuro ICU. By the late afternoon Carol stopped breathing and had to be intubated to keep breathing. Again, thank the Lord she was in the hospital when she stopped breathing so she was able to be intubated immediately and was not deprived of oxygen for a long period of time.

Today, Monday (1/30) doctors have confirmed the diagnosis of pneumococcal meningitis that started from the bacterium streptococcus pneumoniae in her lungs creating the pneumonia, which spread into her blood stream and carried the infection to the meninges in her brain. Currently, Carol is receiving high doses of antibiotics to cross the blood-brain barrier to stop the infection. Doctors suspect it will be 2-3 days before her brain has received enough antibiotics to fight the infection and Lord-willing Carol will begin waking up. She is not under any sedation, but she is obtunded and lethargic. She did have purposeful movement and was attempting to remove the tube down her throat which is a instinctive movement as the tube is uncomfortable, but is a good sign. High-doses of steroids are also being given to her to stop her brain from swelling.

The latest update from her pulmonologist was promising. He did a bronchoscopy and was able to clean out a significant amount of pus and a mucous plug from her left lung and didn't need to insert a chest tube to drain fluid (all a good sign because they were able to start antibiotics and prevent the infection from getting so bad that it filled her lung with fluid). Neurology did not order an MRI, because her CAT scan showed that both of her ventricles (the openings at the bottom of her brain) are still completely open (sometimes this type of infection can fill your lungs with pus and cause pus in the brain and block the flow of CSF through the ventricles), also a good sign, because the doctors would only order a MRI if they suspected her brain to be swelling more and getting worse.

At this point it is a time of waiting and praying and ask that you pray for a full-recovery for Carol, wisdom for the nurses and doctors and peace and comfort for her family. Anytime the brain is sick it takes a long time to heal and has A LOT of God-given self-protective instincts to guard itself so the healing and rehabilitation of the brain is a slow process. The doctor today described this time for Carol as "the bottom"... meaning she has not gotten worse throughout today, and hopefully will slowly start getting better, but she is still has a long up hill battle ahead of her with the infection being spread throughout her body. The doctor followed this by saying they are hopeful that Carol can fight the infection as her white blood cell count is elevated, a good sign that Carol's body is fighting the infection.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my dear friend Carol Poston, I will keep you updated on her condition as any information becomes available.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

we continue to pray! love this woman so much! please update us on any family needs or a number we can call to help us help the Postons!! love, auntie debbie

Anonymous said...

This is very sad. Praying for her.

Anonymous said...

I am so saddened to see this news about Carol. I worked in the same office with Craig as an admim assist for Larry Walker back in the GMF days. I will continue to pray for healing for Carol and peace for Craig and the girls.
Ali Acevedo

Mark said...

Thank you Katie for presenting and coordinating this site. By the information you so well presented I feel better equipped to pray specifically for Carol. Today I was led to contemplate Acts 9:36-42 as praying for Carol. (Text below.) Carol has so consistently said yes to God in her family, in the church, in ministry to the women's prison, in sharing the gospel in word and deed. And we know whatever the outcome of this current sickness, God is and will be glorified in her life through Jesus our Lord.

Acts 9: 36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Anonymous said...

As the Newsboys sing" God's living on the inside-ROARING like a lion" He is with her!!!!!

Kelly C said...

I don't personally know Carol or her family but I wanted to send my love and let the Poston family know I will be praying for Carol and for the family. I know how hard this is for everyone right now. My son had bacterial meningitis at 10 days old. He is now 7 years old and by the grace of God he is 100% healthy with no lasting side effects. God Bless you Carol, stay strong. You are in my prayers!

Kelly

Anonymous said...

Praying for Carol's complete recovery, and for her family. We have a son who had this when he was only a year old, so we realize the seriousness of the illness.
Bev Johnson

Richard Gay said...

Craig,

I want you to know that we are praying for you and Carol, we love you guys so much and are praying for healing, for peace for you, and supernatural strength for you and the girls.

Love to you all!

Dick Gay

Anonymous said...

We love you all very much!!!
We are praying and fasting.
John and Rosa

Mark and Julie Villa said...

My Niece Lyvett sent me an email humbly requesting prayer for her friend and Pastor's wife. She also sent me the blog. Your family is so beautiful, and know that here in Sonoma County we are thinking and praying for her.

Wendy said...

Praising God for His power and might! We love your family and will continue to pray on your behalf. John and Wendy