I think yesterday was a big day for Dad, with his first steps out of bed using a walker and all the writing. Now he uses the white board when I'm there, and keeps asking for pen and paper when I'm not. He wrote me a message last night on paper, but I can't read it. I don't want to leave the white board there when I leave, because there's no room for anything. You can't really "move in" to the ICU, so to speak, and set up housekeeping. So far he's asked for juice and coffee, help getting up, an open window, his cell phone, his iPod. I'm going to leave his iPod next time, but it may disappear. It's possible that it will interfere with all the other tubes and wires. I think all this effort at communicating caused a little backsliding.
When I got to the hospital this morning, the nurse said that Dad had had a rough night. He got confused and tried to remove his tubes and IVs, so they had to put wrist restraints on him. He woke up when I came in, and I spoke briefly to him. I told him that it had been a rough night, and I untied one of his wrists. He looked scared and confused, so I told him that he had tried to removed the equipment and that they needed to keep him secure. I asked him to try not to do that again, and he nodded. I told him I was going to pick up Uncle Bob. I learned when I got back that Uncle Bob will be delayed about an hour due to Amtrak problems getting out of Oceanside. Yesterday Dad wrote "Bob" on the white board, then "When". I told him again this morning that I would be back with Bob around noon. Even with the delay, we will get there no too much later than that -- we'll go straight from the train station. One other thing he wrote last night: "Please open the window". Of course the window doesn't open. I wish I could gather some outside fresh air and blast his room full of it. He's very tired but not sleeping well. I told him something we do in yoga, to help calm the mind and oxygenate the body: four-count inhale, two-count hold, four-count exhale, two-count hold.
He's got a yeast infection now. I forgot to ask, but I assume he's on some kind of anti-fungal medication for that. I'll check when I get back.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Uncle Dick has been making great strides, so these small set-backs really shake everyone up.
I know if I were in that bed, they'd have to have me restrained at all times. Especially at night when I'd be half awake. If I felt something on my arm, I'd want to scratch it..which isn't good when it's an IV needle. Same with the trach. Of course, restraints would set off a nice panic reaction, and they'd have a real problem on their hands.
I had bronchitis awhile ago, and I felt like I was only filling my lungs a fraction of what they needed to be. I felt like I was going to die because I wasn't getting enough air in. The logical nurse in me wanted to go outside and breath in the 20 degree air, since then I could feel how deep the fresh air was actually going. I wonder if your Dad is feeling the same thing since he wants the window open. Or it could just be that hospitals smell terrible, mediciney, and just plain yucky and he wants to breathe in the fresh air and smell trees and flowers, and feel the sunshine. Will they allow a small fan in the room so he feels moving air? They have some clip-on fans that might attach to his side rails. I think they sell them at Linens N Things, and a few other chains.
The yeast infection isn't surprising. When you are on two antibiotiocs, you knock out good bacteria as well as bad bacteria. And when the good ones are knocked out, it allows the yeast to grow. They do have meds for the fungal infection, but how it's given will be determined by where the infection is.
Are they giving your Dad anything to help him sleep at night? Between the alarms, buzzers, phone conversations, overhead pages, waking people at odd hours for vital signs (even if it's in the next "room"), etc, he isn't sleeping and sleep deprivation takes it's toll. It will be so much better when he can move to a regular floor. There he may actually get 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night. Have they talked about that time line for moving him yet?
Did he walk again today?
How was his visit with my Dad, his brother Bob? I had to chuckle at the thought of the 2 of them communicating with a white board. Jeez. Probably looked like a seismograph reading more than actual words. And knowing the 2 of them, they probably understood every word the other was writing. Can you attach some velcro to the back of the white board, and hang it under the bed when it's not in use? Or somewhere else? (from the TV?) You are right. ICU's are crowded and cramped, and there isn't a speck of "extra" space. There is barely room for a chair for a visitor to sit in.
Looking forward to tonights update. Glad to hear that you are doing some good things for Deb. Rick, I know it must be hard to be away from your Dad at this time. Soon he'll be in a regular floor, and will appreciate your visit when you can make it.
Hang in there everyone.
Cousin Carole
Boy! I talk too much!
Cousin Carole
It's the old two steps forward, one step back. One feels good one day, great the next and over does it so the third day is a mini-relapse.
Have you considered hypnosis? I know Dick used it a lot 20 or so years ago. He told me a story about how he helped your mother with her pain when she was in the hospital with a broken pelvis (or some other part).
Fresh air – can you bring a gardenia, lily of the valley or some other wonderful smelling small flower. Drying a washcloth or hand towel outside grabs fresh air – It could be a joke of sorts –
Let Dick know that Doreen and Simon (age 11) say hello and get better soon. Simon noted that this probably means that he won’t be able to go up in the airplane with Dick, something he was really looking forward to.
Kathy & TOm
Debby,
Sorry to hear of Dicks rough night. It's so easy to get disorientated in the hospital, especially the ICU, especially at night. But at the same time he keeps making steps forward, and that's encouraging.
It will be good for him to have his i-pod, music is can be so comforting. I like the breathing exercise you suggested too. I bet he had a really nice visit with his brother. Good for the spirit.
Boy I'll be glad when he is out of the ICU.
Hang in there Deb, that had to be awfully hard to see your Dad's wrist restrained. There are bound to be some bumps in the road. But everything I hear, says he is on the mend.
Take Care,
Maryanne and Tom
Post a Comment