Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Tiny Baby Steps- Millimeters


I wonder if Mom is ever going to unwrap this package.


Yesterday, the nurse told me not to expect to see an improvement for several days. Limbo.  Today his chest x-ray finally shown some improvement.  Yay!  The Dr. finally gave him a good dose of steriods and they think that's what did it.  I was wondering why they hadn't given them sooner, and figured it was because they were trying to figure out what was wrong and didn't want it to mask any of the tests.

Starting on Sunday, he had started taking breaths on his own, between the ventilator breaths.  Last night they turned the machine down from 16 bpm to 11 bpm (breaths per minute.)  They have also been slowly decreasing the O2 flow down from 100% to today 70%.  His blood gasses are coming back good with the decrease.

They have the tilt going at 30% for 2 minutes each side when I left this afternoon, and so far tolerating that well.  They want to get it to 60% tilt.  Not sure for what duration each side.  The nurse had his sedation down to 3 when I left.  She said she doesn't want to turn it down too much while on this bed as it gives the patient a sensation of falling.

He's a science fiction fan (the quality kind, not syfy channel crap).  I'm reading him a book by Roger Zelansky.  I told him to pretend the bed was a space ship and he's towards Mars.  He would like that.

His blood pressure is still requiring quite a bit of medication support.  That concerns me as they don't have much to play with should something happen.  The dr. wants to do a bronchoscope tomorrow and make sure he doesn't have a super infection in there.  Crossing my fingers that he is stable enough to tolerate that.  I would hate for them to do something to send him backwards.

So, while I remain hopeful and celebrate the tiniest improvement, I'm also a bit apprehensive about what unknown monster might be lurking around the next corner.  I'm still a bit nervous about his being conscious while on the ventilator, though I know it's necessary.  I'm looking forward to the day he's conscious and can respond to me.  Wish this were a book so I can skip ahead a few pages to see what happens next.

Oh boy, these bunnies of mine.  Nippit was good about going to her cage for a few days, then last night she made me chase around the living room several times. Betty was just a little bad the morning, that is in comparison to Dammit.  Oh my, it was like he was young Dammit again, when he made it so hard for us to get him back in his cage, we just left him out.  He ran circles, round and round the living room, then he ran circles around under the futon.  He had so frustrated, I called him by all three of his names GFD. (Figure it out and don't be offended.)

Bootsie is so desperate for attention she actually let me, the cat slave, pet her last night.  Then got upset that I wasn't D and bit my arm.  Hang in there, Bootsie.

I took the bus this morning.  A was going out of town, I wasn't able to leave as early as she would need me to and I wanted to give her break since she has been transporting me back forth the past three days.  Not that it's that far.  She live 5 minutes north of the hospital and I'm 5 minutes east from there.

The bus came down the street and was just arriving at the stop at the same I did.  What a refreshing change.  On the way back, a car shot out around the corner just as I stepped off the curb when the light changed, almost made me a grease spot.  Her window was open and so was her mouth shouting something.  I shouted a few curses, and was glad I didn't trim the inch long nail on my walking finger (same as most people's driving finger. *grin*)  Got on the wrong bus back, jumped off at the next block and crossed the street just in time to catch the right bus.  I thought only the one bus went down that street. Oh well, lesson learned.

That's today's update.  I hope to have more good news tomorrow, even the tiniest bit is welcome. I read to for five straight hours this morning.  Headed back up now for my evening session.

 Thank you all for sticking with me and letting me know you are thinking about us.  Amazed.... me....   I have started reading blogs again, the very rare few moments I have a chance.  Eventually I'll get around to you all.  Need to get a bit normalcy to my life and the world at large.  Hope everything is going well in your world.

13 comments:

Teresa Kasner said...

Hi Denise, thanks for the update, sounding better all the time.. I have to admit I was worried. I will cross all my digits that the report tomorrow is even better. Pet the bunnies and whistle at the birds for me.

Hugs, Teresa

Rudee said...

That's all good news, Denise. I wonder why they didn't initiate a septic shock protocol sooner, too. I hope it's solucortef they have him on. Sometimes I think it's a miracle drug.

Thanks for the update. I've been thinking of your situation all day.

Carol said...

HOORAY! It's baby steps, but we'll take it. Keep reading to him, that seems to be the ticket.

nursenikkiknits said...

So great to hear a little good news. Hopefully the steroids will help his kidneys too. I'm assuming they ruled out H1N1. We had a couple kids in ICU last year in similar situations with it. (Long roads but they all did fine : ) I know that they were very reluctant to give my dad steroids for his kidneys when he had his post-op infection for fear it would worsen his sepsis. It can be a bit of a catch 22.
Keep keeping on but make sure you get your rest too.

Wanderingcatstudio said...

So glad he's improving, even if it's just a little.. just think.. now the glass is half and just a tiny bit more full!

Anonymous said...

Glad things are starting to look up. Hopefully he'll be improved again tomorrow

Susie said...

Oo, this is sounding good. Thank you for keeping us updated, I bet you're knackered. Hang on in there.

Chrissy said...

Everytime you update something good, I give a little cheer. It sounds like he is starting to do better, even it only seems like a baby step, it is in the right direction.

Keep on reading to him, I'm sure that is helping, but remember to rest your voice every now and again.

Sorry the fur babies are playing up, but it is not surprising given their changes in routine.

Big hugs from the UK.

Julie said...

Sending you lots of positive thoughts and prayers for further improvement at your visit today.

Our local hospital has 4 ecmo machines, they have been used to capacity when we had the swine flu outbreaks last year

Take care of yourself too xx

Melissa said...

Oh! This is wonderful! You must learn to crawl before you can walk and that's what D is doing. He's crawling right now so that when he's better, he can walk. I can't tell you how happy this ray of sunshine made me feel! Keep the updates coming.

behind the ivy said...

I haven't been checking in with my blog feed lately, so I've only just caught up with all your posts.

I'm so so sorry to hear you're going through this, but I'm glad that there have been some small improvements.

My thoughts are with you both from the UK xx

Cookie said...

Wonderful new! I hope there's more good news today. Still thinking about y'all and sending love.

xo

Tami Klockau said...

Denise, please continue to update his progress! So glad to hear he has progressed a little. Let me know if you need anything and a care package will be sent your way!