Update #7 on Bob - I know, I know, I know. Its been 6 hours since I posted anything. When I got a bite of food with Kulin, I thought I would come back and find him in ICU. Not so. They didnt call me up to ICU until 6 PM, was told he would be on the respirator for at least another 2 hours and then start weaning him off. They had his hands tied down and the tube down his throat that, when the meds were reduced, he didnt like either of those realities very much. Then the price of admission to get the tube out of his throat and his hands untied was to keep his oxygen level up and his CO2 level properly down unassisted by machinery. Had to prove he could breathe on his own. He did amazingly well (of course), but the ICU folks insisted on 30 more minutes of this and a test and then 30 more minutes of that and a test and then finally 3 big inhales and exhales on his own with a machine measuring all kinds of things. Meditative type, calm breathing was the key. Bottom line - at straight up 10 PM, the breathing apparatus is out of his throat, his hands are free, he is sucking on his first ice chip and thrilled to be doing it. Now all he has to do is prove he can swallow on his own so he can take a pain pill, which will last longer than the short-lasting IV proponol he has been taking (a la Michael Jackson) all day. A bath to get OR junk off his skin is next. And the every-2-hours roll to one side, then his back, then his other begins. Tomorrow, the move to a regular room and the physical activities required to expedite healing begin. I have already gotten permission to bring him a fresh, cold-pressed, organic green vegetable shake to jump-start the process. Overnight ICU nurse, Chris, agreed to provide the $5 hospital straw. Nighty-night!
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 05:22:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015