Wednesday April 29

When I called to check on dad early this morning the nurse said he had had a good calm night but early this morning he got across that he wanted to go home and he started messing with the bandages on his stomach. They had to give him a little sedation and restrain his hands once more. He had the restraints off for 2 or 3 days.

The nurse didn't say I could not come see dad today but suggested maybe I needed to take a day off to rest. I think what she was really saying is that they finally got dad calmed down and maybe seeing me would get him all riled up again. That's ok, I totally understand.

I called to check up on dad several times today. The last time Nurse A said that dad had been calm and then agitated. Finally she had to give him a mixture of Versed and Fentanyl. (I am not sure when they stopped the Fentanyl drip so I was a little surprised when she mentioned this.) Nurse A couldn't tell if dad was just agitated or in pain so that is why she gave him some sedation and pain medicine.

I totally forgot to ask if they had dad off the vent and on oxygen today. I'll try to remember to ask when I call and check up on dad tonight.

Since dad was making it clear that he wanted to go home I would say that he is getting better. I am hoping that once they are able to take the trachea out and he can talk it will be easier to calm him down. And who doesn't blame him for wanting to come home?

Keep those prayers going up for dad and me.

Kathy

Tuesday April 28

Dad started out really great today. When I got to the hospital today they had dad's hospital bed made into a sort of chair. I had no idea they could get the bed in such a shape (I found this drawing connected with a patent, couldn't find a real photo). They also had dad off the vent and onto just oxygen. Nurse P said that dad was asking about me and some other stuff that Nurse P couldn't figure out what dad was trying to say.

After I was there for a little bit dad started trying to tell me something. I could not figure out what he was trying to say. Several nurses tried to help me but we just couldn't figure out what he wanted. As time went on the more agitated he became. Long story short......I left because I thought maybe me being there and not able to understand him was upsetting to him. I called a few hours later and Nurse P said they got him calmed down but then he got agitated again and it kind of cycled like that for a bit so they finally decided to put him back on the ventilator and that helped him to calm down.

Dad's blood pressure went really high sometime this afternoon so they had to give him something for that. Oh and they gave him some Xanax earlier today which helped to calm him down (this was before I got to the hospital). So they are trying different drugs and amounts of them to try to keep dad calm without sedating him too much.

Keep those prayers going up for dad and me.
Aunt Betty is home from the hospital, but keep those prayers going up for her also.

Kathy

Momday April 27

When I went to see dad today the first thing I noticed was they had taken off his hand restraints! And then I noticed how the swelling had gone down in his hands! Majorly down! His patient arm band had been really snug and today I could put my hand through it, I could probably slipped it off dad's hand if I had tried.

Dad was on CPAP for 9 hours today. This is really great.

The nurses cut back on the "feeding" and the feeding tube has quit leaking. Yay!

I didn't stay too long today because while I was there dad starting getting really agitated, his blood pressure was already up but then heart rate went up to the 130's even hit 140 so I called the nurse and she had to give him some Versed to get him calm. As he started calming down I decided maybe it would be best if I left. I don't know if I was the cause of the agitation, the nurse said it wasn't me that some patients just get excited when family comes to visit. I don't know. I'll go back tomorrow and see how he does.

Keep those prayers going up for dad and me.

Kathy

Saturday April 25

Today dad has been on CPAP for the biggest part of the day. Nurse J said the doctor left orders to leave dad on it for as long as he could take it. This is good, but last time he was on it for over 24 hours he had trouble with his blood pressure and agitation, they also couldn't put him back on CPAP for long the next day.

I spoke to Dr H (the ICU doctor) and he said that they were still working to find the right medicine and the right dosage to help keep dad calm without sedating him. He also left orders not to sedate dad unless necessary and only give him a small amount. Dr H wants them to use as little Versed as possible. He said he wants dad to be easily awaken so that means less Versed.

Dad also obeyed commands for Dr H today.

Dad was really upset this morning so I waited until about 2 PM before I went to visit, and dad slept through the entire visit.

Keep those prayers going up for dad, me and Aunt Betty.

Kathy

Friday April 24

Yesterday they put dad on CPAP because he just wasn't breathing with the ventilator (sounds weird but that is close to what they told me). They left him on the CPAP from like 8 AM yesterday until 11 AM today. Dad's blood pressure started going way up so they switched him back to the ventilator and his blood pressure went down some. He has slept a lot today, I think being on the CPAP for so long -- while good for him -- just wore him out.

Today dad is following commands better Nurse D said. He still gets really agitated at times so they have had to give him some Versed, and Nurse D doesn't think the Precedex is doing dad much good. I just don't know. I know they can give him some Ativan and I tried to tell the nurse that it might help his blood pressure come down some. Nurse D said she didn't think the blood pressure was up because of agitation so she was giving him everything else in the world.

The thing is that the nurses rotate within ICU and some within ICU3 (where dad is) so he never has the same nurse more than 4 days in a row then he may get that nurse again in another week or not. Each nurse treats dad different, one notices something might be working and another nurse sees it differently. I really wish dad could have the same nurse/s more consistantly. I think his care would have better continuity if they did.

Still those teeny tiney baby steps. A step forward and 2 steps back. But overall dad is doing lots better than he was say just a week ago. But he still has a long way to go.

Keep those prayers going up for dad and me, and Aunt Betty.

Kathy

Tuesday April 21

I have talked to the doctor about the Versed and today I found out that they will be using a new medicine on dad something called Precedex (the information I found on it here on the web is not the same as what the doctor told me) which Dr H said should help to keep dad calm without sedating him. The Versed may still be used as a back up if the Prededex does not keep him calm. Dr H said it was the same stuff they give alcoholics who are going through withdrawal. (I don't find that mentioned in the sites I looked at about this drug but I just found this about the drug) Confused? Me too. I will just have to wait to see what happens and go from there.

Dad was given 2 more units of blood today. I asked Dr H why does dad seem to need blood so often and he said it could be the because of the blood thinners they have dad on because of the blood clot in his arm and they are cutting back on that drug. I asked if they could check to see if the blood clot is still there (which I had asked Dr B about before but I guess I wasn't as straight to the point or maybe it's just a difference in doctors) and he said yes. When I called to check up on dad Nurse S told me that they had come in and did some sort of scan on dad's arm to see if the blood clot was still there and that the results weren't back yet.

Because they hadn't started dad on the Precedex early this morning they evidently gave him a huge dose of the Versed because he slept the whole time I was there and when I called to check up on him he was still sleeping. Nurse S said dad was really agitated and wound up this morning and it took a long time to get him settled down. I still think all the sleeping via Versed is keeping him confused and might be causing all the agitation.

Waiting to see what happens. Right now all I want is for dad to be awake (and not in pain of course and not highly agitated). It has only been the past few days that I have gotten a glimpse of him recognizing me and I don't want to lose that.

Keep those prayers going up for dad and me. Keep them going up for Aunt Betty too.

Kathy