THE ELEPHANT SAID "OUCH!" & THE INCHWORM SHOUTED "FORWARD!"

What you see here is an empty screen.  What does it mean?  John is off the ventilator!  No more breaths provided by a machine.  My man is doing it all on his own.  WOW!  And he is so relaxed!  No anxiety at all.  Just peaceful - and most of all thankful!  

Trachea Collar

Since he is off the vent. that means he has a trachea collar.  The collar has an opening for moisturized oxygen to flow into a small chamber.  The trach.  will be removed only when John can breathe natural air and maintain the oxygen level. 
Look inside the white bubble's opening.  That is a valve that allows John to talk.  When he speaks, little flaps open and close allowing air to pass as he breathes and closes as he talks.  Or is it vise versa? 


 This is determined by that little thingy that patients wear on their finger and is attached to the monitor that notes all vital signs.   Here you can see that his heart rate is eighty-nine.  The oxygen level is 98!  And the blood pressure is not being checked in this picture. 


Here is the happy man resting after being in a chair, having a physical  and occupational therapy sessions  all for a total of four hours! He sure looks good, doesn't he.  

Quite a change from this photo.  This was taken on day one immediately after being admitted to the Adult Intensive / Acute Care unit.  Day one was exactly four weeks to the date that he was taken off the ventilator.  


This has given John and I some food for thought.  We have advanced directives that state "no machines."  The physician in the Emergency Room informed us that this was a temporary measure, to give John's body time to heal from the trauma he experienced in respiratory failure.  We agreed to the intubation and ventilator with that understanding.  Our advanced directives will be changed to allow for such an incident.  Hopefully. this will never happen again.  


Real food was another big step for John.  He had steak, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, applesauce, iced tea and milk on his tray.  Can we say puree?   All served with a knife, fork and spoon.

The reaction to his first spoon of steak was SALTY!  We learned that is the reaction that everyone has after they have not had "solid" nutrition for weeks on end.  Those taste buds a very sensitive.  


Dinner consisted of pasta and spaghetti sauce - pureed.  John looked at me and said "this isn't like what we make."  I had to giggle.  He also had pureed mixed veggys.  He did not want to eat them, but almost finished his Italian dinner while we gave thanks that he was able to have food.  


It was a great day!  They said that he will be moved out of the intensive care area soon.  I am guessing tomorrow or Monday.  Of course when John heard "move," he assumed he was going to be moved home.  


We did set a goal of being out of there on or before May 4th, in time for grandson Ross' birthday party.  Oh what a celebration that would be!  You know, I truly think he will make it!  But if not, God is the blessed controller of all things.  


OK, this is probably too long already, so I will shower and head for Kindred Hospital once again.  Today, I take him a sport shirt, a bowl and some Quaker instant oatmeal.  All are requests from John and his wish is my command......at least for a little while.  hehe  


God bless you all and thank you again for your best wished, your thoughts and your prayers.  I continue to give thanks for each and every one of you.