My Boet child to undergo operation

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Just to inform you all who do not know....

Boet has been ill for the past three weeks.  He has a very bad bacterial infection in his kidneys, two different strains of bacteria for that matter and has also developed pneumonia on top of that.  The pneumonia has been treated and cleared now.  However, the bacteria infection has caused his kidneys to enlarge (left kidney 16cm and right kidney 14cm) and has also caused absesses forming in and around the kidneys. 

A raised bacterial count of above 10 indicates infection.  Boet's bacterial count went up to 283, so you can imagine how ill he was.  The count came down to 105 with the treatment of very heavy antibiotics, but has again risen in the past week to come to stand on 167.  Doctors have been trying to avoid operations on him, due to the fact that it is such a high risk, but it now seems that there is no other option to operate on the kidneys to drain and remove the absesses, for the bacteria does not react on the atibiotics as they had hoped.  The antibiotics is now affecting the rest of Boet's system -  has caused diarea, mouth sores, total lack of appetite and all of this has a heavy impact on Boets mental state.  He has lost a lot of weight, is very thin and weak and he also has a pressure sore (they did not turn him 2 hourly at night as I had instructed them to do) that we are fighting.

Tomorrow they will do an operation on his left kidney to drain and remove the absesses.  They are bringing in some professor from the univarsity to perform the procedure, for it is very risky.  They are not going to cut into him first, but are going to try a scope procedure in order to see if they can do what they want to that way, but if that does not work, then they will have to cut into him.  After the operation we will have to see what the bacterial count does and if those absesses are the cause of the continious raised counts.  If not, then they are not going to do the procedure on the right kidney as well and then they will have to start digging much deeper into his system to see what the cause is and where this ugly bacteria are hiding in his system.  If this is where the problem really comes from and the bacterial counts do come down drastically, then they will give him time to heal and recover untill next week and then do the same procedure on the right kidney.

Please keep him in your prayers for tomorrow and pray with us that this scope procedure will be a success. Pray for the medical people who will perform the procedure.  And pray for Boet for a speedy recovery.

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

Dearest Dalene, it was very sad for me to read about your ordeal. My thoughts and Prayers are with you all. I Pray that God will Heal Boet and have a speedy recovery. God Bless you all.

[Patricia Lotte]

Dalene, you and Boet will be in our thoughts today. I pray that everything will go well.

[Michael Alexander]

Sterkte vir al twee van julle vandag Auntie.......

Thinking about you all today!

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

You've been in my thoughts to-day....

[pam spackman]

Dear Dalene,my thoughts are with you and Boet,hope all goes well for you  guys   

[Gerda Cloete]

Sterkte vir julle.

[Cherry (Alcock)]

If that young man is half as tough as his Mom, he will be fine!  You are so in my thoughts Dalene and Boet; please let us know how you all are as soon as you can!  Much love, good thoughts and may all the white light and angels protect you all.  xxx

[SandyB]

Thoughts and prayers with you  Dalene ... sure if he was allowed  to come to  Christiaan Barnard  memorial , he would be better cared for ...

[Rhona]

Thinking of you all - praying hard too 

[Bertie Horak]

Thoughts and prayers were with you all day, and still are!
Al enige nuus, Dalene? Hoe gaan dit daar met Boet?

[Cheleen Koekemoer(Pretorius)]

Hi aunty, How is Boet doing?  Are you also doing ok?  I know this is also exhausting not physically but mentally on you.  Thinking of you all 

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Thank you all.  I do not get much time to log in here.

We are still in Bloemfontein.  The kidney procedure went very well and Boet took is real good.  He is still tired and the bacterial count has come down a bit. 

Boet has always had moles on his torso, but some of them seem to be not so very friendly at this stage, so the dermatologist has decided to remome some of them with the help of a plastic surgeon tomorrow (Monday) and then they will also analyse it as well as do some more tests to determine if the melanoma has spread into his system and if this might also be the cause of the high bacteria counts.  I believe that they have 'caught' it in the early stages and that once they have removed it, all will be fine and we will soon be able to go home.

He is a fighter and for the past two days he has his charming smile back, sits up a bit more and talks a lot more. He still tires very easily and is not awake for long times, but when he is awake he is positive and has even started eating !!  Hooray for that.  I believe we are on the road to recovery and soon he will be rolling at full speed again.

Thank you all for the support and love!  Keep him in your prayers for the procedure tomorrow and pray with me that all will be well and that the melanomas has not spread.

Will keep you informend and updated on it.

xxxx  Boet also says thanks to you all and he appreciates all the support and prayers.

[Michele Alexander (Voden)]

Thanks for the update Dalene. It's good to hear that the bacterial count has come down and that he is starting to get his appetite back. A positive attitude also counts for a lot!

You are all in our thoughts and prayers, we know you've been through so much this past year but you are all fighters and remain to be an inspiration to all of us around you!

[Patricia Lotte]

  very encouraging news indeed.