Monday, May 5, 2008

Cinco de Mayo

Things are well today.  Dad, Amy, and I are rotating shifts so that one of us is with Mom at all times.  A new ICU Director is on today and he wants that tube out!  This is good, as long as we don't jump the gun.  (She failed her weaning tests again this morning)  He called for a second round of tests, plus a test to see how much swelling is in her throat if they were to take the tube out.  Before the tests at noon, she was breathing on her own for an hour.  Plus all last night she started all her breaths on her own.  This is all improvement!  Although she failed her tests at noon, her test results are stronger than even this morning.  She has a gag reflex that she didn't have two days ago and throat swelling is not an issue.  Dr. Krull (ICU dir) talked to Dr. Cach about her unresponsiveness and they decided to wait one more day.  We are a little relieved, since to reintube would be a MAJOR problem with the halo.  Her vitals all look good and stable.

Mom still has a low grade fever.  Her unresponsiveness may be due to apoxia (? lack of oxygen at time of accident) and that caused her liver to spew out enzymes.  Those enzymes can cause brain slowness (no EEG results yet) and the levels of those enzymes are decreasing over time.  That would explain the jaundice too, but it's all unconfirmed.

We will not be able to update the blog quite as often as before, now that Barri is gone.  Please don't worry!!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brian:

Bridget gave me the news and I am so sorry. I am thinking good thoughts for Janet and all of you during this very tough time. I also hope that you will find your cat - :(

I think of you often when a poem speaks to me, or I have to do my stock updates! The club isn't the same without your scholarly input, but is still a lot of fun. I have finally learned to enjoy presentations. I cringe at the Rubbermaid report Kelly and I did. Ew.
Thinking of you,
Linda

Lesley Fujii said...

Oh, thank goodness! You explained that with Barri gone, there would be fewer updates. Indeed, I was worried. The Cinco de Mayo update was reassuring.
You've got a lot of people pulling for you all.
Love, Lesley

Anonymous said...

Hansen family - my adoptive family - My prayers are with you and I am thanking God already for Janet's recovery and being able to get back to enjoying being a grandmother and spending time with those she loves. I believe this will all happen. I don't know how Jill is doing it with 2 kids there without Barry. My two are crazy.
Amy said you like stories so I will share one with you. I took the kids to the Ringling Bros Circus and they loved it after Caleb's initial shock. On our return home they played and I got busy putting clothes away. I then realized I heard laughter, no fighting, and not bugging me for 5 mins. On my investigation I found that they had gotten the A&D Zinc ointment & painted their faces. Then they took their water bottles and were spraying each other with water. When that ran out they went to the toilet and refilled and splashed. They turned, smiled, & said "look we're clowns mom!" And their is not much else to say but that. I will leave you with that laugh and share more for your amusement.
Love and hugs to all of you-Lori M.