October 4....Day 27 Reflections on the Weekend
It has been a tough, challenging, emotional weekend. I spent the weekend here - did not go home Saturday night just to stay in touch.
First, we have been trying to diagnose the neurology stuff. The neuro docs have talked of blood clots and evidence of a small stroke in Vikki's brain (very small and not significant). They did another scan late Saturday afternoon to check the blood flow in her carotid arteries, worried about possible blockages that could lead to more problems in the future. We have been waiting that one out. We saw the neuro attending late Sunday morning and learned there is some blockage but not enough to cause concern and not enough to require intervention. Vikki takes aspiring and they think that is enough to prevent any possible complications at this time. Another bullet dodged!!!
Next, we have the GI stuff. They have been looking for pancreatitis and trying to determine how severe it might be. She has several enzyme levels and other markers in her lab work that suggest she may now have this problem. They did a CT scan with a contrast dye late last night, and we have also been waiting that one out. We haven't seen the GI attending today, but the ICU team went over the test results as they interpret them. The tests confirm mild pancreatitis....cause unknown. It's a digestive disorder, so they have stopped her tube feeding. That is apparently common treatment. They also changed one of her antibiotics. Her numbers were closer to normal today, so they are "fingers crossed" that this will be resolved in a few days.
Meanwhile, she is in pain....and its limiting her desire to work with rehab and her ability to do pressure support trials for any extended period. In addition, they have determined she has an uncomfortable amount of fluid around both of her new lungs. That is going to have to be drained...as soon as they feel the pancreatitis has been resolved. The drains involve a trip to interventional radiology, where they will put in a couple of small catheter tubes and keep a drains going for a while.
There is no shortage of challenges trying to recover from this surgery!!!!
The good news of the day is that Vikki is feeling good. She asked if we could put her in a wheelchair and take her out of the room for a while. That involves getting a special portable, battery operated vent and getting an escort from respiratory therapy. But the staff made it happen and we took a long ride around the 4th floor and then the 6th floor. All Vikki did was ride, but I think she was so happy to be out of bed and out of the ICU room. Big smile!!! And she had a chance to exchange High 5s with some of the nurses who have taken care of her in the past. It was a great feeling to get out and she how much the staff in the hospital care and how excited they were to see her out and smiling!!!
Now, if the Vikings can just find a way to beat Denver
It has been a tough, challenging, emotional weekend. I spent the weekend here - did not go home Saturday night just to stay in touch.
First, we have been trying to diagnose the neurology stuff. The neuro docs have talked of blood clots and evidence of a small stroke in Vikki's brain (very small and not significant). They did another scan late Saturday afternoon to check the blood flow in her carotid arteries, worried about possible blockages that could lead to more problems in the future. We have been waiting that one out. We saw the neuro attending late Sunday morning and learned there is some blockage but not enough to cause concern and not enough to require intervention. Vikki takes aspiring and they think that is enough to prevent any possible complications at this time. Another bullet dodged!!!
Next, we have the GI stuff. They have been looking for pancreatitis and trying to determine how severe it might be. She has several enzyme levels and other markers in her lab work that suggest she may now have this problem. They did a CT scan with a contrast dye late last night, and we have also been waiting that one out. We haven't seen the GI attending today, but the ICU team went over the test results as they interpret them. The tests confirm mild pancreatitis....cause unknown. It's a digestive disorder, so they have stopped her tube feeding. That is apparently common treatment. They also changed one of her antibiotics. Her numbers were closer to normal today, so they are "fingers crossed" that this will be resolved in a few days.
Meanwhile, she is in pain....and its limiting her desire to work with rehab and her ability to do pressure support trials for any extended period. In addition, they have determined she has an uncomfortable amount of fluid around both of her new lungs. That is going to have to be drained...as soon as they feel the pancreatitis has been resolved. The drains involve a trip to interventional radiology, where they will put in a couple of small catheter tubes and keep a drains going for a while.
There is no shortage of challenges trying to recover from this surgery!!!!
The good news of the day is that Vikki is feeling good. She asked if we could put her in a wheelchair and take her out of the room for a while. That involves getting a special portable, battery operated vent and getting an escort from respiratory therapy. But the staff made it happen and we took a long ride around the 4th floor and then the 6th floor. All Vikki did was ride, but I think she was so happy to be out of bed and out of the ICU room. Big smile!!! And she had a chance to exchange High 5s with some of the nurses who have taken care of her in the past. It was a great feeling to get out and she how much the staff in the hospital care and how excited they were to see her out and smiling!!!
Now, if the Vikings can just find a way to beat Denver
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