Saturday: Just realized that the post I wrote late last night was only saved as a draft, not posted. I keep losing Internet connection here in the hotel, so the connection probably went off and I didn't realize it. So I am combining both days here.
Friday's Post:
They have been trying to wean Redjeb from the ventilator, which now goes into the trach. Yesterday he could only breathe on his own about 2 hrs. Today when I left at 7:30 pm he had been breathing on his own since 8 am. So that is real progress. They do supplement this though with oxygen as his breathing is shallow. He had a collapsed lung and broken ribs, so hard to breathe.
Today he was well aware that I was there, and that my niece was too. But he is unable to speak with the trach, though they hope to rectify that one of the soon days. I am a bit concerned though that he doesn't seem to comprehend what I say. The nurses say that may be because he is heavily medicated, as has been for some time. Let us hope that is all. But he looks well--so to speak. The doctor said that in terms of someone his age they've never seen anyone so fit...that he is off the charts, very unusual.
I was very pleased today that someone, who was trying to reach Redjeb, left a message saying that he had built one of Redjeb's Uqbar dinghies 25 years ago in a weekend workshop at the YWCA in NYC. The boat has been in use since, and just now needs a bit of repair. He had a question about the epoxy. Redjeb would be so pleased. I tried to tell him about this, but have no way of knowing if he understood. But I'm saving the subsequent email correspondence for him.
Saturday eve
They did not have to put Redjeb back on the ventilator, and have now taken the ventilator/respirator away. So he is "breathing on his own." But they still are giving him oxygen and humidity through the trak and I'm told will continue to do so. He is still minimally responsive but is on pain killers, so that may account for some of this. I talk to him a lot anyway. When he gets better he'll probably tell me that he wished I had been quiet. But I try to keep it to a beneficial minimum.
They also took out the tube that was draining the abdominal fluid from the lung. That is a big step too. As of Monday will be 3 weeks since the accident and he is still in the SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit). I am losing all track of time; every day rolling into the next. And I am getting tired of the hospital...hopefully he'll be out sooner than later. He will have to go to some kind of rehab center after the hospital.
Just to let you know that on Monday and Tuesday eves I plan to stay with friends in Port Jeff. I'll be back though for a few days, when my nephew Will arrives on Wednesday. Don't expect to hear from me necessarily every day next week, as moving around may interrupt my routine a bit.
It really does sound like there is a bit of progress every day. I hope that continues more and more! Breathing with a collapsed lung and broken ribs must be incredibly difficult and painful. If that were me, I would say, "Just leave me on the machine, thank you very much!" But of course, I don't have the right attitude to survive such difficulties... Redjeb does, so good for him!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're giving yourself a break from hotel living. Do let your friends take care of you a bit. You know they'd be taking care of Redjeb if they could!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that they've been able to remove the ventilator, and it's said that oxygen is "the best medicine," so it's good that he's continuing to have it.