Lungs need more time to get better
After talking to the main ICU pulmonologist we decided to go back to hospice today. Her lungs are having a hard time clearing themselves after getting fluid filled during/after the surgery. That is why they left her intubated for so long.
Trudie and I talked it over. ICU is not a good environment for Trudie nor me. Hospice was a much better place and will be more comfortable place. More people will be to come see her any time of day or night and be able to stay for as long as they want to stay. I will be able to bring Sari to her. We will see where God is leading us next. This appears to be the right next step.
She will back in the same hospice and the same room as before. Here's a link to the previous blog entry with the details of the hospice.
This isn't where I thought/wished we would go next but it seems that this is where God is leading and so we will just show up and trust that He knows what is right.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Extubated!
One more step
Today we took one more baby-step toward moving along today. Right before lunch they were successful in extubating Trudie. They now have installed a BiPAP mask that is giving her assistance. This is another great big Praise God!
She's real tired and needs to rest. She also won't be able to talk well for a day or so. But after that, she should be back to her chatty self.
Thanks again for the prayers
Thank all y'all who have continued to keep us in your prayers. We've certainly needed them. Thank You!
Today we took one more baby-step toward moving along today. Right before lunch they were successful in extubating Trudie. They now have installed a BiPAP mask that is giving her assistance. This is another great big Praise God!
She's real tired and needs to rest. She also won't be able to talk well for a day or so. But after that, she should be back to her chatty self.
Thanks again for the prayers
Thank all y'all who have continued to keep us in your prayers. We've certainly needed them. Thank You!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Still Intubated - Still in ICU
Exercise in Letting Go and Letting God
To say I'm frustrated is an understatement.
I talked to our hematologist and the pulmonary physician and expressed my extreme desire to get out of ICU. I believe they heard me. It is just in their opinion that she is just not ready to be able to breath on her own and cough up junk on her own. They believe that she would quickly deteriorate and be worse than where she is today. This isn't what I wanted to hear.
This isn't the way I want things to go. I am sorely tempted to try to force a solution by putting more pressure on the docs, techs, etc. But I doubt if that would help. And I possibly could make things worse and be unhelpful.
So I get to let go and let God. God has the situation in hand; He knows what is going on and will continue to monitor the situation much better than any ICU flashy monitors or buzzers.
I am choosing to trust His will and will wait until another day to see Trudie leave the ICU.
To say I'm frustrated is an understatement.
I talked to our hematologist and the pulmonary physician and expressed my extreme desire to get out of ICU. I believe they heard me. It is just in their opinion that she is just not ready to be able to breath on her own and cough up junk on her own. They believe that she would quickly deteriorate and be worse than where she is today. This isn't what I wanted to hear.
This isn't the way I want things to go. I am sorely tempted to try to force a solution by putting more pressure on the docs, techs, etc. But I doubt if that would help. And I possibly could make things worse and be unhelpful.
So I get to let go and let God. God has the situation in hand; He knows what is going on and will continue to monitor the situation much better than any ICU flashy monitors or buzzers.
I am choosing to trust His will and will wait until another day to see Trudie leave the ICU.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
ICU Again - Day 4
Running in Place
Well, they again didn't remove the breathing tube today (extubation). They weren't sure that she had a strong enough cough to clear out the fluid buildup. So it feels like we are running in place. I was very disappointed; I was so looking forward to talking with her again. For now we have to settle with hand signs and sometimes a written sentence. She is breathing on her own - mostly. Sometimes they have the machine just giving O2 and sometimes it helps her breath one breath for every four that she breaths on her own.
Hopefully, tomorrow she will be extubated. I will get to speak to her regular doctors tomorrow to find out what is the deal.
Well, they again didn't remove the breathing tube today (extubation). They weren't sure that she had a strong enough cough to clear out the fluid buildup. So it feels like we are running in place. I was very disappointed; I was so looking forward to talking with her again. For now we have to settle with hand signs and sometimes a written sentence. She is breathing on her own - mostly. Sometimes they have the machine just giving O2 and sometimes it helps her breath one breath for every four that she breaths on her own.
Hopefully, tomorrow she will be extubated. I will get to speak to her regular doctors tomorrow to find out what is the deal.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
ICU Again - Day 3
Almost Completely Off the Ventilator
Today, they scaled way back the support that the ventilator is giving her. Between the 10 AM and Noon visits they had stopped her sedative and stopped the machine from pumping. She was breathing on her own completely and she was awake. She couldn't communicate because she had this big hose down her throat. But she could make gestures. At one point, I said something smart-ass (yes me) and she indicated to me that I was still number one by pointing one finger up at me. Isn't that sweet?
But not quite yet ready
Tomorrow morning they are going to try again and most bets are that they will be confident enough in her breathing and coughing ability to take the tube completely out. She is slowly getting stronger.
I'm very tired. I spent a good deal of the day at the hospital. She was SO glad to see me and be able to gesture with me. I was excited to have her back again. So tonight I am really ready to get some good sleep.
Giant Cudos to Brother-in-Law Drew! He has spent the majority of most of the days since and during the Wednesday surgery at the hospital. He has been a real trooper. He has been a great blessing to Trudie and I. Thanks Drew!
Today, they scaled way back the support that the ventilator is giving her. Between the 10 AM and Noon visits they had stopped her sedative and stopped the machine from pumping. She was breathing on her own completely and she was awake. She couldn't communicate because she had this big hose down her throat. But she could make gestures. At one point, I said something smart-ass (yes me) and she indicated to me that I was still number one by pointing one finger up at me. Isn't that sweet?
But not quite yet ready
Tomorrow morning they are going to try again and most bets are that they will be confident enough in her breathing and coughing ability to take the tube completely out. She is slowly getting stronger.
I'm very tired. I spent a good deal of the day at the hospital. She was SO glad to see me and be able to gesture with me. I was excited to have her back again. So tonight I am really ready to get some good sleep.
Giant Cudos to Brother-in-Law Drew! He has spent the majority of most of the days since and during the Wednesday surgery at the hospital. He has been a real trooper. He has been a great blessing to Trudie and I. Thanks Drew!
Friday, November 16, 2007
ICU Day 2 - Again
Breathing is Hard
Trudie is still on the ventilator. In fact, her O2 level dropped today so they had to increase the amount of oxygen that the ventilator was feeding. She has quite a bit of congestion in her lungs which I'm sure doesn't help.
She is aware of her surroundings. She makes various facial expressions, nods her head, and wiggles her toes when we ask her to. So she is "in there" but she is still very sedated.
New Infection
She has gotten a new infection. She has Vancomycin-resistant entercocci (VRE). See the WebMD article or the Wikipedia article about it. So now we have to don a protective coat and gloves when we go visit her. The nurse has not shown much concern about it although the article she gave me didn't sound good.
Please keep praying. She has done so well up to this point and we give thanks for that. Please pray that progress will continue to be made.
Trudie is still on the ventilator. In fact, her O2 level dropped today so they had to increase the amount of oxygen that the ventilator was feeding. She has quite a bit of congestion in her lungs which I'm sure doesn't help.
She is aware of her surroundings. She makes various facial expressions, nods her head, and wiggles her toes when we ask her to. So she is "in there" but she is still very sedated.
New Infection
She has gotten a new infection. She has Vancomycin-resistant entercocci (VRE). See the WebMD article or the Wikipedia article about it. So now we have to don a protective coat and gloves when we go visit her. The nurse has not shown much concern about it although the article she gave me didn't sound good.
Please keep praying. She has done so well up to this point and we give thanks for that. Please pray that progress will continue to be made.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
ICU Day 1 - Again
Not out of the woods yet
Trudie is still in ICU. She is in room 243. Visitation is on the hour for 30 minutes every even-numbered hour starting a 6 AM and ending at 9 PM.
They tried to remove the ventilator today but she wasn't ready yet. So now they are slowly decreasing the support it provides and will remove it in a couple of days. They also have her heavily sedated so that she isn't bothered by the ventilator. She can do some basic responses to stimulation such as squeezing our fingers or nodding her head. So we know she is still in there.
What's in you will?
One of the things we have done in the last couple of weeks is that we have both revised, signed, had witnessed, and notarized our wills. Let's face it - we will all someday leave what toys we have amassed to our heirs. My father died without a will and it was a legal mess to get straightened out. A handy site for quick and easy wills is Dave Ramsey's recommended site US Legal Forms.
The hardest part is getting started. But we held our noses and we both dove in. Now we have it taken care of and we are glad we've done it. Think about it.
Trudie is still in ICU. She is in room 243. Visitation is on the hour for 30 minutes every even-numbered hour starting a 6 AM and ending at 9 PM.
They tried to remove the ventilator today but she wasn't ready yet. So now they are slowly decreasing the support it provides and will remove it in a couple of days. They also have her heavily sedated so that she isn't bothered by the ventilator. She can do some basic responses to stimulation such as squeezing our fingers or nodding her head. So we know she is still in there.
What's in you will?
One of the things we have done in the last couple of weeks is that we have both revised, signed, had witnessed, and notarized our wills. Let's face it - we will all someday leave what toys we have amassed to our heirs. My father died without a will and it was a legal mess to get straightened out. A handy site for quick and easy wills is Dave Ramsey's recommended site US Legal Forms.
The hardest part is getting started. But we held our noses and we both dove in. Now we have it taken care of and we are glad we've done it. Think about it.
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