Dad Update XIII

So...we've FINALLY moved out of the ICU!  I think it was MOSTLY because they needed the bed (holiday weekends are REALLY busy in the ICU...heart attacks from too much food and family...car accidents...etc.), but we'll take what we can get at this point!

He's now in the "transitional vent unit".  Seven beds, three nurses, and specialized care, as far as tracheotomy/respiratory issues are concerned.  It's definitely not a step up, facilities-wise (as Robin so accurately put it...we've moved from the Hilton to the Motel 6...).  Older part of the hospital, small, dark room, one UNCOMFORTABLE chair, older, grungier...etc. etc. etc.  It's DEFINITELY where he needs to be now, and he's getting EXCELLENT care, but, after 30 days in the big new snazzy remodel, we definitely feel like we're "low rent"...ugh!

His first night there was a little "rocky".  The nurse had to call us because he wanted to go home "RIGHT NOW"!  She got him to stay put by agreeing to call us to let us know that he wasn't happy.  We had to assure her that she'd need to use "tough love" to get him to cooperate.

When we got there this morning, we weren't sure what we were going to find, but he seemed to have mellowed overnight, and we have HIGH HOPES that he will cooperate, and work hard to continue to recover.  Robin kept reminding him that it was a MIRACLE that he was still alive, and that he should do all he could to make sure that all of those prayers were rewarded.  I was somewhat less "eloquent" with my "this last month has been CRAP, and you need to work hard to get OUT of here, so that we don't have to eat any more of that DISGUSTING cafeteria food" comment...

His nurse today said that he could spend up to FIVE weeks in the vent unit.  We were under the impression that he could be out in about a week, and then move to transitional care, but, that seems to be an impossibility at this point.  He's still on the respirator, and they are going to attempt to "wean" him from it over the next couple of weeks, but don't think that he's strong enough to do it all on his own at this point.  Time will tell.

So...things are DEFINITELY better than they have been, but we still have a REALLY long road ahead.  He needs to get off the vent as soon as possible, so that they can start working the "physical therapy" angle.  He's been lying in a bed for WAY too long, and has atrophied in many parts of his body.

We got smiles, and saw eyeballs (which we haven't seen for WEEKS), and attempts at telling us stuff today, which was LOVELY (even though we all SUCK at lip reading...), and poor Robin had to wash his feet TWICE (he's hot, and keeps asking to have them washed...not sure WHAT that's about...!)(I was QUICK to remind her that Jesus washed feet, but that was as far as I went towards helping out...).

Keep praying/sending good thoughts...they are working!!!!!!

Dad Update XII

So...I've been assured by Robin, who, with the Nordhues clan, went back down to Iowa yesterday, that dad is, truly, doing better.  I will reserve judgement until tomorrow, when I go back myself.

We will be spending most of the "holiday" weekend in that DREADED ICU waiting room, but, my aunt Sharon, who usually has the Thanksgiving dinner, and who lives in Des Moines, is again hosting, so we will be able to leave for awhile to celebrate the holiday with family, and NOT have to suffer through "Thanksgiving in the hospital cafeteria".

I'm thankful for all of your love, prayers, and support during this INCREDIBLY difficult last month.  Keep it coming, because we still have a REALLY long road ahead, but, at least at this point, things look like there MIGHT actually be a happy ending...!

Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends!

Dad Update XI

So...apparently some GOOD NEWS for a change today!  They've been slowly decreasing the amount of sedatives they've been giving my dad over the last week, or so.  Mom said that today dad recognized her.  She said that he puckered up his lips when he saw her, and later, when she was reading a book, pounded on the side of the bed to get her attention.  Not a MAJOR advance, but, at this point, we'll take ANYTHING that isn't bad news!

Dr. Koslo said that this made him "happy"...we would tend to agree.  Dr. Flower said that, barring a heart attack, or more lung issues, or blood clots, things seem to be taking a turn for the better...it's about TIME!!!!

Maybe it won't be such a DREADFUL Thanksgiving after all...

Dad Update X

As far as I've heard (as of 10:23 today), there isn't really anything new to post.

We met with the ICU team for the "family consult" on Thursday.  They didn't really tell us anything new...except that dad's "odds of survival" are now waffling between 50/50, and 25/75.  The doctors seem to think that IF he doesn't take any more "hits" to his lungs (more infections, more trauma, more fevers, more etc.), that he COULD survive.  If he DOES take another hit, however, the odds of survival are "very low".

His fever continues to spike and decrease, but to a lesser degree (the last I heard was 102).  He's still ventilated, he's still somewhat sedated, he's still unconscious, and the doctors think he'll be in the ICU for another THREE weeks...if he survives the "lung thing".

Yesterday, mom stayed home (after 23 days of driving 90 minutes back and forth to and from Des Moines it was TIME for a "day off").  Robin, Dave, and I stayed until about 3:00, then headed back to the cities.  They'll go back down Tuesday, and I'll head down on Thursday (happy Thanksgiving...).

Here's what I posted as my "status" today on Facebook...24 days in the ICU...$800,000.00...tanks of gas amongst the four family members driving back and forth to Des Moines...$700.00...crappy food from the hospital cafeteria...$300.00...optimism...PRICELESS! Keep those good thoughts and prayers coming, friends!

Dad Update IX

So...not sure what to post at this point...we've heard from the "lead" doctor today.  We've heard from the "vascular" doctor today.  We've heard from the "infectious disease" doctor today.  We've heard from the "neurologist" today...and NONE of it was "new" information.  Some of the stuff they said was "more hopeful", and some was "less hopeful".

His "vascular" doctor was FRUSTRATED that things with dad weren't better (we laughed...HE'S frustrated??!!).  His "infectious disease" doctor REALLY likes to talk, and went ON and ON and ON and ON about what was going on.  He was a LITTLE condescending, and negative, but, at this point, we want to know WHAT'S GOING ON, so were glad to hear what was happening.

They've "revised" his chances of survival from 50/50 to 50/50 or 25/75 (NOT in our favor), and have said that, basically, his brain is swimming in a toxic bath (the "official" name is toxic encypelitic...something or other...but we couldn't write quickly enough to get the official terminology).

His fever has been vascillating between the high 90's to 104 (last night), but the doctors don't think there is any permanent brain damage.  They aren't SURE, but will be doing a CT-scan and brain wave measurement test as soon as he is stable enough to do them.

They think he might now have a SUPERBUG from the stuff that aspirated into his lungs, and stuff that was already in his lungs, and are adjusting his antibiotics to HOPEFULLY knock it out.  They are concerned that it is "antibiotic resistant".

So...another THREE weeks in the ICU (imagine our glee), and, IF he can fight the infections clogging his lungs, we'll go from there.

One of the doctors DID say that, theoretically, a year from now, everything could be MOSTLY back to normal, and this could all just seem like a bad dream.  He said that dad will wake up, and not really remember ANY of the last month (but we'll all be SURE to fill him in on the details), but that the rehabilitation will be LONG and PAINFUL...if he survives, which we REALLY aren't sure of, at this point...

Keep praying!

Dad Update VIII

So...today was not necessarily a good day in the Mercy ICU.  In fact, the WORST of our 22 in the ICU.

Apparently, dad pulled out his feeding tube sometime during the night, and some of the "feeding solution" made it's way into his lungs.  Robin said that they showed them an x-ray of his lungs, and, at this point, they are 1/4 "okay"...which means that 3/4 of his lungs are congested, infected, and/or collapsed.

When Robin called me at school this morning, his fever was 106.  They were burying him in ice, and had him on a cooling blanket set at 40 degrees.

His legs have also started "mottling", which  is a bad thing.  It could be blood clots.  It could be lack of blood flow.  It could be any number of things....ALL BAD.

A neurologist will be coming in tomorrow to look for signs of stroke or brain damage.  They also need to surgically insert a gastric feeding tube, but he's not stable enough to handle the surgery...

He's not completely "stable" at this point, and we will be staying at a hotel nearby tonight, in case there are any new developments.

Keep praying...thinking happy thoughts...offering whatever to the universe...

Dad Update VIII

Actually...not much new.

Dad was off the respirator for most of the day, which is a good thing.  They are going to put him on it again overnight, so that he doesn't have to work so hard to breathe.

They took the staples out of his legs today, so that's a step forward.  It was a little bloody, because some of the staples are still imbedded fairly deeply.

At this point, he'll probably be in the ICU for another three or four days, then either transferred to a "regular" room, or maybe the respiratory ICU.

Dr. Koslo said the legs are healing well, and dad was moving around A LOT today.  He still has a bit of a fever, and must be hot...as he keeps kicking off the blankets that the nurses keep trying to cover him with.  This would be GREAT...if he wasn't wearing a hospital gown...he tends to keep FLASHING the room...

They've taken him off the sedatives, but the doctor said that it could take as long as he was ON them, to RECOVER from them, which, in this case, would be about two weeks.

At this point, he's lost about 20 pounds...NOT the diet I would recommend for "quick weight loss"...at this rate, he's going to weigh less than I do by next Tuesday.  I'd better get to work on that diet!!!

We found out that insurance WOULD cover 90 days in a "transitional" care facility (rehabilitation, therapy, etc.), and we met with a lawyer today to figure out the power of attorney/guardianship stuff.

So...things are moving foward, and after being told this morning that dad would be "booted out" to a nursing home after 28 days in the ICU (by some MORON infectious disease doctor), and that people generally didn't recover after that point anyway (again...MORON), we have a little more positive news to end the day.

We'll see what tomorrow brings...