Saturday April 4

I haven't been to see dad today. I am exhausted and don't feel well. I think going to the hospital everyday since March 16th finally got to me. I will go tomorrow though.

I have talked several times (lots of times) to dad's nurses.

Last night one of the nurses was concerned that dad's right foot had turned colors and was looking kind of ashy. She called the doctor who called another doctor who ordered tests done. The results aren't back yet. His foot looks a lot better today. "They" think the color change was caused by the blood pressure medicine dad was on and that dad has PVD (or read here -- peripheral vascular disease). This sounds logical to me because I know dad has been having trouble with his legs before he got sick. It fits.

A few days ago they took out the tube that was in dad's nose (down to his stomach) but they took it out when they put in a feeding tube directly into his stomach. Well the nose tube is back because they needed to suction out dad's stomach and was unable to that through the feeding tube.

They have taken dad off the blood pressure medicine because his pressure finally came up and wasn't way to low. And now it seems to be holding on its on without help from medicine. The doctors want dad on the least amount of medication as possible because that is what is better for him. But they are taking care of him and if they see he needs a medicine he gets it.

Dad's temperature has been up and down. As high as 102.3 as low as 98.6. When it gets high they put a cooling blanket on him.

Yesterday they changed the breathing machine from bi-level to pressure controlled. The nurse really didn't know how to explain it to me but assured me this was a good thing. FINALLY A GOOD THING!!! I have tried to research this a little here on the web but just get confused.

I think that's it. If I think of anything else or get more updates today I will let you know.

Please keep those prayers going up for dad and me.

Kathy