07/19/2026
Today’s update on Ian:
We reviewed the Renal ultrasound results . His kidneys look about the same as they did six months ago. As many of you know, Ian already has stage 4 kidney disease, so his kidneys do not look perfect. They are misshapen and have some scarring, but thankfully, there were no significant changes and no blockages were found.
There are also no obvious signs of infection. The doctor said it is truly a miracle that, with as distended as his bladder was and the amount of fluid being retained, it did not back up into his kidneys and cause more damage.
They have started him on a medication called Flomax, which helps relax the muscles around the prostate and bladder neck so that urine can flow more easily. They did let us know that when he is discharged, he will have to go home with the Foley catheter still in place.
His pain is still being managed, although it remains on the higher end. He has not had any more vomiting, but the nausea is still present—just not as severe as it was at the beginning of the week. They are continuing to give him Zofran around the clock.
His appetite is still very small, but we are making progress! This morning, he ate a whole bagel and some fruit. Yesterday, he ate half of a grilled chicken filet, a few spoonfuls of greens, and a few cubes of watermelon. We are celebrating every little improvement.
According to his labs, he is getting very close to the hydration level they want—no longer dehydrated, but also not overloaded with fluid. It is a very delicate balance, especially with his heart and kidneys.
They will be checking his blood again because his white blood cell count dropped yesterday and dropped again today. They want to continue watching for any signs of infection, but they also believe it could simply be his body reacting to the new foreign device.
Most importantly, the device is working and pumping for his heart the way it is supposed to.
We are still taking everything one day at a time. Thank you for continuing to pray for Ian and for keeping our family lifted. ❤️
