Paul walked from his room in ICU to the doors of the unit and back.  It was an amazing feat.  He did struggle and had to stop frequently, but he made it. 

Paul walked all the way to the double doors and back!

It seems as if the reward for his labor was getting one of the two remaining chest tubes removed.  Now mind you, the chest tube goes into his side and is the diameter of my thumb, so this is not as innocent as removing an I.V.   Dr. Tatum was great, he told Paul, "I'm going to count to three, you need to hold your breath so you don't take any air into the chest cavity"  "I will pull the tube out and then pull the stitching to close the hole"   "It should take about 2 seconds"  Paul said "Okay, I'm ready"  Well.... 1, 2, 3, tube out, some very loud moaning, stitches pull to close the wound, some more moaning and DONE!  Paul looked at Dr. Tatum and said "That was more than 2 seconds!"  Got to love my husband.....*smile

Leaving ICU.

We are out of ICU.  Paul stayed off oxygen all morning and into the afternoon, his vitals all are holding steady, he is coughing better so out to a regular room...Finally!!!  The nurses sang him a "Graduation" song.  It was bittersweet to leave ICU.  So sweet that Paul has mended enough to go into a regular room but so sad to leave the nurses and ICU doctors that had given awesome care and encouragement.  The staff on 7 West ICU are to be commended for their dedication and hard work.

I have learned how to put on an ostomy bag to the stoma on the side of his neck, which is currently where his esophagus ends.  And I am getting better and better at it every time.  I have also learned how to suction his tracheotomy when he can not cough up what needs to come up and also how it will have to be cleaned on a daily basis.  The nurses in ICU have been kidding with me that I should get CNA certification and come work here.   I've graciously declined and told them that taking care of Paul is enough for me.

We are on a roll and making progress to going home.   I know it will be a lot of intense work to get him strong enough for the next surgery, but I am confident that being home and surrounded by the love of family and friends will do more good then all the medicine in the world.

We continue to have Hope and Strength....
Hope that things will improve every day and Strength to hold on until it does.

Love and hugs to all our friends, families and loved ones.  
Jo and Paul