Saturday, March 1, 2008

What a difference a day makes

Just so everyone knows her current condition from Kristina’s last post. Her temperature is down, she is no longer coughing up blood into her vent tube, and she is communicating with eyes wonderfully, and finally the color is back in her face.

I made the drive out to see Sara; I had talked to Kristina last night and got the latest info on her. I was not a happy camper. I expected to see her in real bad shape. Well I found her room and walked in and the Girl was pink again. Her skin color looked so much better than it was last weekend when I saw her. Her Breathing was great and she wasn’t covered in sweat. The best part was the big smile I got from her when she saw me walk in the room. It took me a minute to understand, but the ventilator was turned off. I looked at it like a monkey looking at a road map for I guess about a minute. I understood it was off, but wasn’t getting it at first. Then I talked to the nurse about it. She explained that Sara is on 35% oxygen and that she is off the ventilator. I was completely shocked. This girl has had a machine helping her move air now for 5 months and then to see her breathing just fine on her own. I didn’t believe it at first. They explained that she had been taken off the vent at 10 that morning and she had been breathing on her own for 3 hours now. I watched her real close for the first 30 minutes I was there. Her breathing was smooth and easy. It was a huge difference from last week when she was struggling so hard. They will be putting her backon the vent tonight, but plan on taking it her off again in the morning. They want it on her tonight just to be safe.

Well we hung out and talked for a while then settled down to our Saturday afternoon bit of watching a movie on my laptop. She picked the 5th element. She has seen that movie so many times it not even funny. The DVD has cracks on the center circle from being played so much. While she was watching the movie, I got a hold of Kristina and brought her up to date. She was just as shocked as I was. It was a great relief for her to hear that Sara was doing much better. Kristina has had a hard week and she needed some good news.

Sara was complaining about her leg. I would move it to a more comfortable position and she would feel better for about 10 or 15 minutes. After that she indicated that it would hurt again and I would find another position that felt better. The pain is centered on her knee. There is a yellow mark just below her kneecap and swelling just above it. I talked with the nurse about it, and we think it might be from one of the many moves she has had in the last few days. If that leg has hanging over when they moved her, it could have done something to it. The doctor is going to have a look at it in the morning. For tonight the nurse will work with her on pain management. I Asked Sara how bad the pain was and she stopped me at 4. So it’s not too bad. I think it just bugs her she can’t move it herself when it gets tender.

We finished our movie and Sara was getting tired.Tracy had been there that morning and I was there for the rest of the day. I left her at 7 so she could get some rest. We can all take a deep breath now that she is stable and doing much better. I called Kristina when I left the hospital and give her all the details. It really raised her spirits. Daniel and Kristina will be seeing her tomorrow. She can see for herself how awesome Sara is doing.

Mike

2 comments:

  1. I havent closely inspected the mark on her knee, but the thought occured to me that perhaps someone over at rosmoore gave her a shot there. I don't know if people actually do that or why they would be giving her one. but it popped into my mind so i figured i'd at least mention it.

    Also, 5th Element was a favorite moive for Sara and I to watch together. Although she really hates Chris Rock's character "Ruby Rod" or at least his voice.

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  2. They did not give her a shot in her knee area.
    The most likely culprit was a bad move in the sling. They were very bad with that patient mover and I am sure they must have done it when putting her back in bed. It looks to me like her leg must have gotten under her, and they kept lowering her to the bed, bruising her knee above and below, and pulling muscles in her thigh.

    That was probably the same day they moved her and hurt her ribcage/sternum. They compressed her so much it hurt her for hours. I guess since it was also the day she was in so much pain just to breathe that she didn't communicate about her leg.

    Once she is a few more days out of there, and easily communicating, I will get from her the details of just what the heck happened over there.

    In any case - she'll never see Rossmoor or any place like it again.

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