Hmmmmm

The day's nursing staff was an abomination. I'm glad that Denise and I were here. There were three nurses attending to our end of the wing. One female, our nurse, and two males....and all of them SUCKED. you felt your blood pressure rise continually as they sat around and did nothing or surfed the Internet meanwhile monitor alarms sounded in other patients' rooms. We had one go off in our room which took over 45 minutes for the nurse to manage to come in and reset the monitor despite our repeated requests. Fortunately, the alarm was not an emergency - it was because a device on Roger's finger which reads blood oxygen was not working. Absolutely ridiculous. I've been keeping my notes and will be going back to the nursing administrator with the goods, the bads, and the uglies. Not going to do it now as we still have time on this floor with these nurses. I can't imagine being a nurse and not taking your job seriously.... these are people's lives.

Happily, the night nurse, also named Angie, is wonderful. Its amazing to see the difference of a really good nurse verses a really bad nurse. She completely assessed him when she started the shift, layed out all of his meds in anticipation of the nightly doses to be administered, and finally albeit a small detail, she helped position him in bed so that he was COMFORTABLE. Sadly this is NOT something every nurse does. Some flop him around like a piece of luggage and then don't take the time to position pillows, sheets, etc. It makes a huge difference with patient comfort.

During the day shift, there was one good person....also named Angie. She was the respiratory therapist. She really worked with Roger and his ventilator settings. I give her complete credit for how well he has done this afternoon and evening and hopefully tomorrow. The other positive for the day is that Roger sat up again AND even stood up next to the bed. He was completely exhausted afterward, but it was a monumental moment for a patient on a ventilator!!! Roger continues to be amazing.

Roger is doing well tonight. He has had very few coughing fits. Fortunately, with the few he's had, he's been able to regain control without as much physical trauma to his system. You see, when he starts coughing there is a chain of events that happens. First it shakes his rib cage (remember his ribs were spread for the original surgery), then it rattles this lungs and surrounding area which is trying to heal from the stomach bile leak, then the coughing takes his breath away, and finally it all adds up to complete exhaustion. If the coughing is bad enough it may cause fluids to shake loose in his lungs - which has to be suctioned out via the ventilator tube. Likewise fluids have to be suctioned out of his mouth sometimes. Unfortunately, it can feel like you're drowning and throw you into a panic if you can't gain control and settle. Roger has been amazing at doing this. Since Angie figured out the right settings, he has been able to sleep pretty soundly.

I've told you that we measure success now in tiny steps. Now at the close of the day, I can reflect back and conclude we've had a successful, good day....controlled, slow deep breathing and deep sound sleep. Makes me smile to think of it. Cross your fingers for tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe Roger's system/lungs will be strong enough to come off the ventilator.

The shareable (not TOO embarrassing for Roger) Roger Moments have virtually stopped since he has been on the propafol. (though there have been some doosies that I can't share here until I have his permission). Having said that, I will tell you that he is a model patient even on this heavy-duty-knock-your-butt-out drug. He is sweet to all the nurses, he raises an eyebrow with a look of skepticism, he'll shrug his shoulders with this "hmmph, don't worry about it expression" on his face. Really, he is altogether too sweet. I think I've seen him a little frustrated once or twice - but that's it. I stop and try to think about what I would be like on the same drugs with the same pain....I'm afraid I would be the polar opposite of Roger with my head spinning on my shoulders ala Linda Blair/Exorcist. Not a pretty image.

I'm hoping tomorrow continues to be a good day for Roger.

All our love. ~ajw