Medical Update, Friday, January 24, 2014 (Please include date when cross-posting) Up until this week, the tubes that have been keeping Master Feral fed and oxygenated were positioned in his mouth and into his throat. This is a very short term solution as it is very irritating to the throat, and the irritation in turn can create a poor seal, leading to aspirating fluids and poor oxygenation. Although on good days Feral has breathed on his own for up to 8 hours, we really need him to be able to handle 24 hours consistently, even on bad days. So, in the last few days a trach tube was placed to allow ventilator assistance to continue. This is still considered temporary, but buys him as much time as he needs to breathe comfortably on his own. In addition, a tube was placed in his stomach to allow feeding without the need for a tube in his nose or throat. This is more comfortable, and will allow for better therapy and practice of eating and swallowing when he is ready for it. Nurses have commented that he seems brighter each day, when he is awake, though he has slept more the past few days. This isn’t surprising given that he needs to continue to heal, and he has had two surgeries, minor though they are. His response to commands has been inconsistent, but a “two steps forward, one step back” type of progress is to be expected, especially given how sleepy he has been. There has been no reason to update his CT scan, so there is nothing new to report on brain alignment. Any sign of infection has been minor and short-lived. If you are at Birka, there is a well-wishing book (or cards can be left for him) in the Merchant’s Area.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 05:14:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015