Day 7

Hi... It was a pretty "eventful" day....
When I got to the hospital and saw Stan....he had his "hat " off and the fiberoptic pressure guage had been removed. There are two rows of staples on his shaved head. He still had (and has) the tube in his mouth that is the ventilator to do his breathing. He has been detached and turned off from things as they attempt to wake him up. By evening he still wasn't really responding much, but the night nurse did say she had got some movement from his left foot and hand.....which is exciting, since that is the side the stroke affected. The xray of his abdomen the day before showed no blockage and finally about noon and again at four, his innards did their "responding." The neurologist showed me both CAT scans four and five (one a few hours before surgery, the other the day after surgery...but I hadn't seen either of those yet) and there was just a very miniscule amount of improvement. This was what I had been told, and now I saw it. But a tiny bit of improvement or NO change is GOOD. Any amount of "worse" is BAD. So I'll take the tiny amount of improvement!!!

They have assured me that waking up can take time...even days.

I missed Dr. Lee (internal med) and Dr. Tolbert (neurosurgeon) in the morning, but had an actual "date" with Dr. Madden (neurologist) showed me the scans. Later....about six p.m. Dr. Lee sat down with me and everyone who was there at the time and told us what is going on for now and said we had to still only take his prognosis hour by hour. He told us that Stan has pneumonia.....and that his lungs were now as much the concern as his brain. My friend had already determined for me (again, her knowledge of what questions to ask) that his lungs were infected. But she said anyone with the ventilator for that long is almost guaranteed to "grow bugs." She said his lungs have absorbed fluid as have most of his tissues....face, hands, etc...from all the fluid they are forcing in him to keep his circulatory system working....so that they are now like wet sponges....making an excellent place for a "bug" to grow.

Dr. Lee emphasized that we are not out of the woods, that Stan is very sick. In fact, he said he now has four doctors that are "his," indicating that he is very sick.....even saying the reason he sees Stan so early in the morning is because he is his sickest patient so he sees him first. It is reassuring that they are so attentive to his needs, but the opposite, knowing that he has such "needs."

Dr. Lee told me that if I had not been seen by either him or Dr. Madden by 2 p.m. each day that I was to tell the nurses, "Dr. Lee told me to have you page him." He said that he didn't tell that to everyone...just us. So no more of this waiting to see a doctor who "escapes" out the back door. (I haven't seen Dr. Tolbert or his weekend "on call" guy since right after surgery. Of course, who can blame him for avoiding that obnoxious female who allowed her cell phone to ring the entire time he talked to her!) (I don't think he is avoiding me...but I don't know WHY I haven't seen him.)

The support remains so high.....someone is always coming to check....church and work friends...and bringing food, food, food!!! Wow! And even more important, love, love, love.

I have been getting acquainted with others who have loved ones in the CCU....one gal told me her brother has been there for seven weeks. He was here on vacation from Nebraska....so family members have been taking turns coming to Anchorage to support him....staying in a motel and renting a car, etc.

As to Stan, I have been told several times that his will be a long long recovery time.....no matter how good the outcome. Right from day one, Dr. Lee has advised me to not think "future" but to concentrate on each hour. So how wonderful to know that literally all over the world, he is being prayed for....each hour!

I need to get ready to go to the hospital....it is now Wednesday morning. I just can't stay awake to type at night when I get home.
Cheri and Pete are changing their tickets to stay because we don't really know yet what "tomorrow" will bring....and they have the same strong desire as the rest of us to be here WHEN he wakes up.

We thank God for each day Stan is still here, for all of you...whether physically by our side or here thru the internet and phone, or here thru other friends and relatives. Stan (and I ) have an incredible support network. GOD and YOU!! Thank you.

Love, M