Update from UVa

 No more ventilator!!

A few of you have already heard the good news, but I finally have a chance to send it out to the entire "update list": Mom continued to progress, and this morning, they took her off the ventilator!  We are SO excited - it truly does feel like Christmas morning!  She is sitting up in bed, has her glasses on, and able to talk and joke around.  It feels like we have her back and she's on a roll!  :-)  Since being taken off the ventilator, she has expressed great interest in having a Coke.  She said she'll even have a LOT of ice if she could!  :-)  We're encouraging her that she'll be able to eat and drink in time.  In fact, just in the last couple of hours, she has begun having ice chips and cranberry juice.  One nurse said she might be able to have decaf coffee this evening - that REALLY made Mom happy!  Kathy and I gave her a bath and shampoo (who knew about hospital shampoo caps?!!), and Mom said she feels like a new woman.

We predict she may be able to leave the ICU tomorrow.  We'll keep you posted!  Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers.

Kathy wanted to take a picture of "Nurse Tab"

Update from UVa

Mom's first swabs of water today were SO exciting and quenching for her!

Mom continued to progress today.  Her doctors and nurses have cut her narcotic IV pain medication completely so that she will still have the urge to breathe on her own.  Being that awake with tubes down one's throat is difficult, so she had a few times of anxiety and feeling like she couldn't breathe.  The kidney doctor stopped in this morning, and it does sound like she may be able to come off the ventilator pretty soon.  She is making great strides with the lower vent settings.

She sat up in the chair for a little over an hour today.  We hope this movement will continue to clear the fluid around her lungs.

I flew solo as the full-time daytime bedside nurse today.  Dad took a quick trip home to mow the grass and grab a few things.  It definitely was a good day, but Mom had me earning my money.  Between scratching her nose (maybe it's medication that has that so itchy??) and wetting cold washcloths for her head, she kept me moving!!  :-)  Having a little one of my own who needs a LOT of attention reminds me that this is just a drop in the bucket of "paying back" all she's done for me.

Some bits of Mom's comedic personality are coming out today.  I can tell she is feeling a bit better when she can joke around!  She told Kathy this afternoon that she'd like a glass of wine... maybe two!!  We vowed to celebrate with wine when she got home!  :-)

Again, thanks for the thoughts and prayers.  And a big shout-out to my co-workers... thanks for holding down the fort, Angela and Erin!!!  Love you guys!!

Update from UVa

Update about May 28th


Mom had a good day today.  She had two visitors - Ron and Pastor Jan both came from home to check in on her.  We were grateful to see both of them!

The doctors continued with yesterday's meds to stimulate urine output. She responded to these meds, but not as much as the doctors and nurses would like.

The nurses moved her to a fancy chair (that begins like a bed), where she sat upright for about three hours!!  As I've said before, they hope this movement will break up and clear up the fluid around her lungs.

She also spent most of the day without her wrist restraints, which Kathy said she had done for several hours one night recently.  One of the nurses said they like to get the patients feeling as back to "normal" as soon as they can.  She grinned when Ron told her she won't be feeling like a convict now!  :-)  Until she comes off the ventilator, she will probably be restrained just when someone isn't in the room (which isn't very often).

The respiratory therapist changed the settings on the ventilator today, and I did notice that Mom was really working hard at her deep, slow breathing.  She seemed to be consciously working on it because she knew it would help her - even if it was uncomfortable!

Kathy just sent me a text message that a resident surgeon stopped by after Dad and I left the hospital.  She was very pleased with Mom's progress today.  She said the lungs sounded much better, and Mom was doing well with the lower settings on the ventilator.  The resident said we just have to go slow and steady; they only want to have her come off the vent once.  (Us too!)

We are grateful for everyone's support - we truly do feel the thoughts and prayers, both near and far.  That is definitely what's getting us through these challenging days.

Update from UVa

 Now that she's got a remote, she's hanging onto it!  :-)

Mom holding her remote delivery system for pain medication

Update about May 27th and 28th 

It felt like we turned a corner yesterday in Mom's progress.  They gave her a total of two large doses of Lasix to stimulate urine output, and it worked.  As one nurse said, seeing that catheter tube fill up was "like Christmas morning when you get exactly what you want!"  I think Mom was a little amused that we were SO interested in her urine!  :-)  These large doses of Lasix and additional fluids were intended to flush out anything that may be left in the kidney area that might be blocking flow.  That little kidney is kicking in and doing its job - the output was good.  Today, they have given her more Lasix and may give more to get the output level where they would like it to be.

The respiratory therapist explained yesterday that her oxygen levels are still abnormal.  Overnight the blood gases are improving, but he explained that she probably has fluid around  the lungs.  All the moving in bed that they are doing helps that fluid to break up and leave the body, but sitting in an upright position will help the most.  The nurses plan to get her in a special chair today, hoping to break up that fluid.  Breaking up that fluid will allow her to get her oxygenation levels back up, which will allow the nurses to be able to wean her off the ventilator.

Yesterday she got her first "meal" after surgery; the nurses inserted a feeding tube yesterday afternoon.  The nurses told her to imagine it as her favorite meal.  :-)

She has been responsive with head nods or shakes and lip movement, but the nurses have now given her a clipboard with paper and a pen.  She has written notes every now and then... checking on Kathy (and we will let her know that she is resting), asking how Will is, she asked me to stay with her for the feeding tube insertion, and she has let us know she is hungry.  :-)  Also if she needs to change positions or have the nurses suction her tube, she will write us a note to talk to the nurse.

We are so appreciative of your thoughts and prayers!

Update from UVa

Update about Sunday, May 26th


Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day in Mom's condition.  She rested well and continued to receive pain medication.

A respiratory therapist explained what he felt was going on - there is still residual anesthesia from the OR and residual sedatives in her system.  They are waiting for her kidney to kick in and process all those drugs and have them leave her body through the urine.  As her body rids itself of all those drugs, she will be able to work on breathing more (and oxygenating more) on her own.  Then they will be able to take her off the ventilator.

We had some visitors from home yesterday - Mark and my Uncle Ron came down to spend the day.  Dad and I have been continuing our "day shift" while my Aunt Kathy stays in Mom's unit at night.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Update from UVa

Update -- Friday, May 25th


We had a good day today at the hospital.  In attempts to extubulate Mom today (take her off the ventilator - just listen to all this medical terminology I'm gaining!!), they stopped her Propofal and cut her pain medication down to a minumum.  They needed her to be more awake so she could breathe on her own, and they needed to cut her pain medication because it supresses her respiratory drive (the urge to breathe).  The process went well, but the nurse had warned us that this "waking up" process can cause anxiety.  She received a "remote" to control her pain medication once she was more aware of what was going on.  Since her kidneys were directly involved in the procedure, there seems to be a delicate balance between giving her too much fluids and not enough fluids and regulating both her urine output and breathing.  She is ventilating well, but her oxygenation levels are lower than they want before taking her off the ventilator.  (I had to get my Aunt Kathy's explanation of this - she is breathing well, but not necessarily deeply enough to get enough oxygen to come off the ventilator.)

They decided to let her rest tonight and hope to extubate tomorrow. They changed the medication to keep her comfortable - she is now receiving a continuous infusion of Precedex, which seems to fit her situation perfectly.  It will keep her very comfortable and able to sleep, but she can be easily awakened for neurological exams.  This medication doesn't suppress the respiratory drive, so they hope it will encourage (at least not supress) higher oxygenation levels.

Dad and I are back at the Hospitality House, and Kathy is staying at the hospital again tonight (sleeping in a lobby chair - we cannot begin to express how thankful we are for her to be with us!!!).  That worked out well today - we went to the hospital this morning, relieving her so she could sleep and shower.  We definitely feel like changed people after a good night (or day's) rest!!!

Again, thank you for the thoughts and prayers.  We appreciate them!

Update from UVa

Update -- Thursday, May 24th


The surgery today was successful - the doctor said better than expected.  He found that the aneurysm was located only on one side of the aorta, so his repair was less complicated than he thought.  They stinted and cleaned out the functioning kidney and removed the non-functioning kidney.

She is resting in the ICU - heavily sedated and on a ventilator.  They will keep the her on the ventilator into tomorrow.  Because of the kidney repair, they want to closely monitor her input and output, and they can do that most easily with the ventilator breathing for her. The ICU nurse said she is doing great - her vitals are good.  She
looks good, and even though she is sedated, we are sure that she can feel our (and your) love.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers - we are feeling the support, whether from near or far.

It was a LONG day - Dad and I are getting ready to get some rest at the Hospitality House.  Kathy is staying at the Hospital overnight and will check on Mom periodically.  For feeling so drained right now, we definitely feel blessed.  Blessed that the surgery was successful and is over.  Blessed for the support of family and friends.  Blessed for a caring and expert hospital staff.  Blessed.

We will stay in touch with updates.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to the mothers in our lives - Kay and Brenda!  Thank you both for being so special and supportive in our lives!  We love you now and always!