Thursday April 2

Dad had emergency surgery last night because part of his bowel started coming out of the wound. While in surgery they also took the ventilator out and put in a trachea.

Today: dad is running a fever of about 102. He has some super bacterial infection in his lungs. They are giving him 4 different kinds of antibiotics for it. His blood pressure is low. Higher than it was last night but still really low. His heart is beating fast. They are giving him medications for all that. Last night dad tried to pull his trachea tube out so they had to restrain his hands.

Today: They are putting in an arterial line (this goes into the under side of your wrist into the artery) this will help them keep a better eye on his blood pressure and they can use it to draw blood gases without having to keep sticking him with needles. Because of all the IV's they are giving him they are putting in a central line. This goes in his neck some how. They will probably take the pick line out of his arm.

Before I left the hospital I talked to dad's surgeon and to the ICU doctor about dad. They say he is very sick. When he did surgery last night they all saw a very little bit of healing in dad's wound. Doctor said some people heal great and others just don't want to heal.

Both doctors agreed that as of right now dad has a 50/50 chance of making it. He needs to show some improvement by the weekend or the first of next week. If he doesn't then they will have to reassess the situation.

The doctor told me I needed to take care of myself and not let this get to me. He said it would if I didn't do things to take better care of myself. He said dad is unconscious and he and the nurses are taking care of him. He said I needed to leave the hospital for a while, in fact to stay away for a day or two. I need to let them take care of him now and me take care of me so when/if he gets better I will be able to take care of him.

Keep those prayers going up for daddy and me. I need him. I can't lose him yet. I can't.

Kathy