Rice krispies all gone! I couldn’t find a single one as of last night. Weird, though, to think of air dissolving through his skin like he’s a frog.
BP and heart rate are OK, and he seems to be tolerating the interferon well. All the blood he’s received (thank you, to whoever out there donated it!) has made him a nice, healthy-looking pink color again. He has quite a bit of edema (fluid-retention swelling) in his arms and hands, but he’s still getting the Lasix treatmens to help move fluid out of his lungs and other tissues. Hopefully he’s still on track to start being weaned off the respirator and sedation over this week - time will tell, and all those other usual platitudes.
I’m eating! I’m eating! I even decided to treat myself and took myself out to a Chinese buffet last night - haven’t eaten at one of those in ages.
Waiting for someone to come off a respirator is agonizing. It’s two steps forward, one step back. “Today we may turn down the settings! Oh… we’ll nudge them back up again. He may come off tomorrow! Well, maybe the day after…”
The important thing is that he’s getting better, not worse, and will continue to do so!
He’s being prepped for a tracheotomy as I type. Scary, but they say it’s a good thing since he’ll have the giant thingamajig out of his mouth and off his vocal chords. Will post more later.
Trach went in successfully. Gonna go visit in a bit. Going to the office after that - a few pending things to attend to - but will take tomorrow off work.
Sending healing thoughts for Schmoopie and supporting thoughts for purplehorseshoe.
You know he’s going to get well, don’t you? An entire network of internet strangers now knows his nickname is Schmoopie. He will get well just to get even for that.
Poor Schmoops… going to come raring back for his revenge!
My son was on the ventilator after a bad bout of “RSV-like virus” when he was a little preemie 4-pounder. He had those little skin air bubbles too, though they were blamed on whatever fancy bubbling CPAP thing he had after the vent.
Anyway, best wishes for Mr. Shoe… I feel like it must be only a matter of days before you start seeing big progress.
No spraying yet in north Tarrant county yet, though I understand some areas like Benbrook are getting it soon. Lots of areas in Dallas county, especially the east side are getting aerial spray.
Yoiks. Just now saw this thread. I’m glad he’s doing better finally, hopefully the interferon and blood etc. will help turn the tide so he can bust outta there.
As everyone else said, take care of yourself too. He will understand!!
Ffffffffffffftttttttttttt what an emotional roller coaster. I don’t like the regular amusement park kind - this kind does very much suck even more.
Last night was … difficult. He was pretty awake and aware, but he kept crying. His face would squinch up, and tears kept rolling down his cheeks. This is so difficult for me to put into words, but … I understood intuitively why he was crying, but couldn’t for the life of me explain it to anyone. Not even myself, really, not in words. Worst of all, when the visiting hour was over and I had to leave, as I walked away, he was wide awake and watching me go with the most devastated expression on his face. I felt like Lot’s wife or something.
Walking into the ICU this morning, I passed a dying person. I guess. I overheard a nurse telling a few family members, "We figured we’d let you say your goodbyes, while you’re all here. Later on, we’re going to disconnect the – " and then I’d walked on.
… And into my husband’s room - his eyes were open, he was looking around more (as opposed to a pretty fixed stare) and when I took his hand he gave it a solid-feeling squeeze. His dad brought up Groucho Marx at one point and Shoe gave the most intricately comical eyebrow waggle I’ve ever seen.
His mouth keeps moving, but not distinctively enough for me to read his lips. And … that terrifies me on a deep reptile-brain level. You know those recurring dreams that a lot of people have, where their teeth fall out or they try to run but can only move slowly, all that? For months and months now, long before he ever got sick, I’ve had dreams where I desperately need to tell someone something, and my mouth moves, but no sound comes out. I can’t communicate with this person that’s right in front of me.
I wish there was more that I could do for you, but at the very least I can listen. Here, you can pour out all those fears you dare not speak aloud, you dare not mention in the daylight.
This will be, unfortunately, a marathon and not a sprint. That he is aware is so very much better than a few days ago. Be there for him as much as you can, but also take care of yourself as well. We will be here for you when you need to talk or to vent.
The ICU is hard. When my son was there, it was really difficult, visiting him every day and knowing that there were babies in nearby rooms that weren’t going to get to go home. It made me feel devastated for the other families and yet grateful for whatever turn of fate made it them and not me. And then I’d feel bad for thinking that.
Anyway, hang in there. He’s in the right place and he’s being well taken care of.
Is he bored? Maybe you could hook him into an audio book with some earbuds when you leave, if the nurses don’t mind?
He’s probably worried about YOU, maybe a few comments about how work is fine, you’re following a good schedule, sleeping and eating, etc., might help put his mind at ease?
Poor Schmoopie. I hope he starts feeling better soon. Glad to hear that he’s aware again, though.
There is so much news about the virus out right now. At this moment there’s an interview on HLN with someone who’s finally recovered. It’s doubly hard to watch, knowing you’re going through this right now.
(((((Purplehorsehoe & Schmoopie))))) I know it makes it harder in some ways, but I think the awareness is a step in the right direction. Hang in there you guys! Still praying for you!
A few steps forward…baby steps, but at least in the right direction!
I was going to suggest the white board thing, too. Do you have some system like that so he can communicate more than nodding or blinking?
I just found a whole box of good wishes and good thoughts. Sending them your way!
I can’t post here everyday, but please do know that I think of you both every day.
I think that Schmoopie is trying to tell you that he loves you…and that he’s going to open a can of whoop ass on you when he is well enough to bitch about you telling the world his real name
I couldn’t find a single one as of last night. Weird, though, to think of air dissolving through his skin like he’s a frog.
Gonna go visit in a bit. Going to the office after that - a few pending things to attend to - but will take tomorrow off work.
