Thursday July 4, 2013

8:30  PM and this is my daily update. 
I feel like I should be saying something profound like the news casters do, not the everyday news casters, but the important ones: Andy Ronney, Walter Cronkite, Ted Koppel.  I'll have to think up a catching phrase...  or maybe someone can suggest something.

Anyway  here is the update on Paul.
Late last night we experience an episode.  For lack of what else to call it, I am calling it "an Episode"
I did manage to lay down with Paul for an hour.  He and I held hands.  Since he was still under the effects of the medicine  given to keep him relaxed and sedated during the bronchoscopy, there wasn't much communication.  I got up after an hour, went to get my night time drink before checking emails and trying to relax.  I tried getting Paul to acknowledge me several times, but thought to myself that he was extremely tired so i did not pursue getting him to respond.  At approximately midnight, while I sat reading I noticed that Paul was staring up at  the ceiling, I noticed this went one for about 15 minutes so I went over to the bed and tried to get his attention.  His eyes would not focus on me, he did not respond to either the nurses or the charge nurse.   He did not respond to pain, light or touch either.  His blood pressure was dropping and so was his oxygen level.  They up'ed his oxygen since since he is still on the ventilator and gave him a medicine to counteract the pain medicine he has been on.  Very slowly his eyes cleared and he responded to his name.  It was like walking into hell and back.  I stayed awake all night as I was terrified to go to sleep. 

The doctor this morning did another bronchoscope to clear up the fluid in his lungs, being on the ventilator prevents him from coughing.  The doctor does have pneumonia.  They currently have him on six antibiotics.  They have changed the dosage and combinations.  So far so good, Paul has not had a fever over 101.4 all afternoon.

This afternoon they did put in an arterial line to replace the one they had removed at the beginning of the week.  This is so that they do not have to stick him every time they want to draw blood.  This was a challenge as Paul still has the blood clots in either arm, but the doctors feel that they are low priority at this time.  They were able to do this with the help of using an ultrasound machine to guide them into the artery.  

The most important is getting Paul off the ventilator so that the repair in the trachea can heal.  There is a small leak in the repair and it is leaking air into the chest cavity, but the doctor feels that getting him off the ventilator will allow the repair to heal and close that leak.

On a very good note, Paul has slept a good rest filled sleep this afternoon.  His eyes have remained clear and he is alert when people speak to him and he can follow commands.

Tonight I will try to sleep.  With all the emotions and my brain not being able to shut itself off, sleep eludes me.

Good night and thank you for all the comments, well wishes, good positive energy and prayers.  I do actually feel the love and peace that is being sent to us.  It surrounds us with a beautiful energy that continues to keep us both hanging in there!

Jo