Monday, November 11th, 2007

7 PM Palo Alto, CA time.
We are finally all here in Palo Alto, checked in, and starting to settle in. Let me back up and tell you about the last two days, I didn't have a computer, sorry.

Saturday, November 9th:

When Steve and I arrived at David's room there was some chaos as the nurses and drs. were getting all his meds, records, and paperwork ready to go. During our conversation, they asked if I was worried about anything. I mentioned that I couldn't sleep well the night before. I continuously worried about David and his trachea, and when it gets clogged he has a hard time breathing. His oxygen level can be OK., his lungs can sound clear, but he is sweating, sounds like he has emphysema, and is very upset. I asked if his inner cannula (tube in his trachea) had been cleaned or switched, and another nurse answered, "Yes". The nurse I was talking to said, "Well, let's check it so you don't worry." It was a little clogged up so he changed it out and put several more in the medical bag going with us. On the plane, he began having the typical complications as I said above. Several nurses were trying to figure it out, even though I was giving my input over and over, and being ignored. They messed with humidification, gave him a breathing treatment, took away the blankets and everything else that David was throwing off of himself. When we made a stop at Scott AFB, they gave him morphine and some other drugs, which didn't help. They continued to be perplexed, I continued to tell them about my lengthy experience with this situation and my remedy: change out the inner cannula, and gently at first, tried to hand them the replacement part several times. One nurse finally explained to me that it isn't a sterile atmosphere in the plane, and they didn't want to change it because of that.

We arrived at Travis in the early afternoon PST. At the hospital he still seemed to be in distress. I continued to tell them he needed a clean inner cannula, and even show them where the replacement one was, and they continued to say he was fine! Next, (now 4:30 PST), they tried another breathing treatment. No change. I asked if they would just change the freakin cannula. Oh.......guess what......they did and he started breathing easily and went right to sleep! I am learning to be more assertive and am realizing that I do know what he needs -sometimes!!!! :-)

That night also had a couple heart stopping moments. Literally! As Kristie, the nurse, and I were in the room talking about her years in Turkey, David stopped breathing! We shook him and yelled at him, and he came back. That happened twice before 10pm. Plus, another time he just froze and had a blank stare. I yelled his name again and put my hand in front of his face. He snapped out of it after a few seconds. I slept in his room that night! He was fine until he just about slid out of the bed! He wants out! But when he lies flat, he has a harder time breathing, so I woke up to his loud breathing again. The nurse helped my straighten him up in the bed, and after a couple coughs, he was fine. We woke up at 5 or 5:30 again to the same thing. Now it was time to start getting him ready to leave by 8 am for Palo Alto!

Sunday, November 10th, 2007

Palo Alto is amazing! I met 2 doctors and several nurses, who had fantastic attitudes about his coming experience and what they want to do. They will begin changing him to some different meds that won't sedate and confuse David as much. David raised his right arm, right hand, and held up one finger, and then two. He can raise his hips up off the bed now. He is pointing to specific people when shown pictures of family and friends. :-) He remembers you!!!!! He has nodded his head now several times for a yes answer. He clicks his fingers. Thumbs up and thumbs down are improving in coordination. The left knee is bending. Speaking of thumbs, his left thumb and pointer finger are more relaxed, instead of clenched. One dr. said he is very tight on the left side and will especialy need that worked on. He mentioned specific drugs and therapy to help with that issue. Laying a couple of cards on David's lap, I asked him to give me one. He did, but then got the next 3 wrong.

They have officially moved him to Level IV of the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Scale! Yeah!!! Well, this is the confused and agitated level! His senses are really coming around and he can't sit still at all! He is using the repirator tubing as a sling shot (with his foot!) to shoot the cover off his trachea cover!! Pretty funny actually! He got extremely creative while I was busy putting up pictures around the wall and not watching. I tied some extra tubing that I found on the side of the bed for him to pull at, instead of the other tubing attatched to him (well not after I ignored him and put up pictures). Now they have someone to sit with him constantly to coach him not to pull at the tubes! OOps! Now I can play with him and the "coach" reminds him not to pull stuff off. He sure is getting quick at pulling of the tight socks and blood clotting gadgets velcroed around his legs! LOL! Here's another funny!: I was sitting at the foot of his bed talking to the nurse, and David puts his leg on my shoulder and justs starts shaking it. He repeated that a few times, and then I turned my back to him and said if you're going to do that, why don't you massage my back? He put his foot on my back and started moving it in circles to massage it! I guess the foot in my face and on my shoulder was probably more "pay attention to me" then just an involuntary reflex!

Monday, November 11th, 2007

Another good day. I woke up to the phone ringing. My almost 1 year old granddaughter, Tobey, called me on her mom's cell phone while getting her diaper changed. She is a smart one!

When I went to see David today, we looked at more pictures and he continued to point out everyone correctly. I took out the cards and today he knew them about 85%! How about that for progress! I met Dr. MacDonald, and discussed with her if I could take David outside. Maybe soon...... We now have to gown up and wear gloves and masks to see him since he is testing positive for the acin...bacter thing. So she needs to see if we can take him out and expose him to others. Steve arrived about 11 am and since David only slept two times last night for 30 minutes each, he was pretty tired. He continues to give high fives and hugs goodbye. The nurse just called and said David was awake, so Steve has gone over to visit some more. Our room in the Fisher House is almost directly across the street from his Rehab Ward. It is so convenient. I can't wait to see what the therapists all think and do tomorrow!
God has been so faithful! We are so excited about his progress. Continue to pray for his healing, and specifically from this stupid germ. I don't want anyone else getting it but it would be nice to take David outside. Thanks for your encouragement and your faithfulness to pray for David and the family. We enjoy and check the blog for comments and guests all the time too. Love, Patty

Ohhh.....P.S. I just remembered that David helped me shave his face today. Not only did he hold the electric razor longer and better, he stuck out his tongue by his lips to shave that area better. I'm sure there are more improvements from today that I am forgetting. He is doing so great!