Day 13

Thirteen days!!!

I have been thinking about how the gas companies play with our minds and get us to "like" higher prices at the pumps. They get the cost of gas up to $3.50 for a few days, and then drop it down to $2.99 and we are SO happy!!! That is what can easily happen to me with Stan's numbers.....!!! His blood pressure goes up over 200 for a while and I get so excited and happy to see it at 180!!!

Today did not start OR end very good. The doctor told me that he is sicker than ever...this is his sickest day. His blood pressure and cereal are not (good grief, you'll all be having me committed!!! CEREAL??? I was so sleepy, I decided to go to bed and finish this in the morning. By the time I got my pj's on, I was awake again and thought I 'd give it another go... CEREAL??? THAT is just how I left this email to get ready for bed....wonder what cereal had to do with anything. Now that you've all had a super chuckle at my expense...I'll try to finish the update.)

Okay....it is very difficult to tell you that his blood pressure and oxygen are giving lots of trouble. The doctor is seriously considering putting him back into a coma. He is also preparing our minds for the next step....a trach and a peg...meaning a trachiostomy and a stomach feeding tube. Two things that will really be easier for him and the nurses, but more permanent or longer lasting. The ventilator and tube down his throat can only be for a couple of weeks. They irritate too much to be left longer. They haven't done this as yet. I'll let you know.

I left the hospital during the day today for the first time in 13 days. I do go home at night for a few hours. I needed to go to a computer store with Pete. He is still here but had some work that needed doing.

Andy and Pete went clear across Anchorage to get me some rice and teryaki sauce for my dinner tonight. (I just got back to the computer. I've had my shower and about ready to leave for the hospital this morning...Tuesday. I could not stay awake last night and didn't want any more weird words to sneak into my update!!)
I can't seem to talk people out of doing things...and the roads and traffic are so awful!! (But it did taste good!)

Here is the rest of Monday's update!!

We (kids and me) filtered in two by two (we are still playing "Noah and the ark" ) to tell Stan good night. Grace and I were next to last, and the nurse asked me if there were many more visitors to come in. We told him there was just one more group, He told us that he was hesitating to finish giving Stan his meds until he settled down from the visiting. He said Stan seemed to be aware of us and his blood pressure kept skyrocketing, but he was afraid he would over sedate him if he gave the meds while we were still coming and going. He encouraged us to let the last ones come in, tho. Then he said that Stan opened his eyes! I said "OPENED his eyes???" He said yes. I said, "Opened or flickered his eye lids?" He insisted that Stan opened his eyes. I said that is the first time since two hours after coming to the hospital. He said, "Well he's been heavily sedated." I told him that the sedation didn't start until after surgery on Friday Nov. 16. Stan hadn't opened his eyes since about noon on Wednesday the 14th. He said something about..."Well, he had a stroke." This was this nurse's first time with Stan....I doubt he has the tiniest idea of how BIG this news is! I am having a difficult time believing it...but he was insistent!!

SO....the day didn't end as badly as I was thinking, did it!!!

The doctors do something called "rotation" and so Stan started Monday with a new neurologist....Dr. Downs. He did some rather shocking tests...(shocking to me). He held Stan's eyes opened and shook his head back and forth. I asked what he was looking for by doing that...and he said Stan's eyes tracked the correct way while he did that which indicated that his brain stem was functioning. (More GOOD news!) They weren't able to do the CAT scan because he was too unstable and it was too much of a risk. Because of the sedation, it is difficult to assess things like the brain stem's "health" without the scan, but this guy had his ways!
Stan will have a change in "choreographer" next Sunday. Dr. Lee has been with him from day one, but has to rotate. Dr. Madden (neurologist from day one) gave me her home phone so that even tho she was rotated out, I could call her, and Dr. Lee told me to page him if I don't see a doctor by two p.m. anyday....so I am being kept well taken care of even if they are "leaving" us. I still have NOT seen the neurosurgeon that operated on him since he talked to us all right after surgery on the 16th! (Moral: make sure your cell phone is OFF when the doc is talking!!...........I'm sure that's NOT the reason, but makes me wonder!!)

I am off and running...I'll try to email today's news....tonight!

Love you all!!! M