The internal doctor, who I learned today is the choreographer of the entire care unit for Stan, said we can have cautious optimism. Then he emphasized that Stan is still very sick and is still critical. (Stan has only criticized me ONE time in my life which he quickly retracted....he can't be called "critical."
)He is off all "coma" causing meds, but may take 3 to 5 days to wake up. However, he is "involuntarily" moving even his left side that was unable to function the day of the stroke. WOW!!
Until he "wakes up" we won't know what his mental abilities will be like. But I do know we have a powerful God!!
Our support team is in FULL force. Another WOW!
The pulmonary doctor who talked to me today said that his lungs are still very sick, BUT that they are WAY BETTER than they were two days ago. PTL
I have been asked how this all started.... so for those who haven't heard, Stan and I were having a very leisurely start to our day. I had been up for hours but was still lounging in my cute new PJ's (Eeyore! from the Disney store in Tulsa!!). We hadn't eaten yet. Stan had dressed.....in some horribly paint stained jeans and his ONLY T shirt that had no stains or holes. We were sitting at the table visiting, and about 9 he said he better take his morning pills. I heard him in the kitchen dropping pills, so I went in to pick them up. (He had been having quite a bit of trouble with Atrial Fibrillation, had gone through two cardio versions to correct this, and was on heavy doses of coumadin blood thinner.) I was "chiding" him that we needed to figure out a new way for him to get his pills ready to take, as he often would drop one now and then. But he KEPT dropping them, and then I observed him kind of drooling. I asked him if he were going to throw up. He said he didn't think so, but wasn't sure. I sat down on the floor to find the rest of his dropped pills....sat, so I could look "sideways" across the floor to see if I had missed any....didn't want the cat eating them!!
I glanced over and saw him attempting to pick one up near the sink, when all of a sudden he came crashing down. I thought he had lost his balance, but he was having a hard time trying to get back up. I told him to please not worry about pills, that I would get them. By then I was getting pretty suspicious, I got him to sit on the floor and not try to get up and I tried to get Brian (next door...touching houses...) I came back in (there is a deck off the kitchen attached to the other house) and found Stan on his knees trying to get up again. I finally convinced him to please stay down. I got him the couch cushions to lie on, and got Brian, who promptly called 911 ..... do this first, do not follow my example. Fortunately all my blundering was probably no more than five minutes. The paramedics were there within 15 to 20 minutes. Weirdly, this was exactly one year and two days from the very first time I had ever called them....only that time was for mom.
They managed to get Stan down our circular stairway and into the ambulance. Brian rode with him, and I came shortly in the car. (That is another story!! I found it under four inches of snow, and then an inch of ice that had to be scraped from every window.) By the time I arrived, he already had a CAT scan. AND his T shirt had been cut off him....but the pants were removed intact. C' la vie!!
That is basically our day from start to ER. I did have him smile...his face was crooked, try to squeeze my hand....he couldn't with his left hand. He was talking to me coherently. There is a poster....F have the person smile to see if the Face is uneven
A have him lift both Arms over the head
S do his answers to questions make Sense
T time....call 911 promptly!!
Remember it....who knows when you may need it!!!
I won't tell you all the trauma I had today....no nurse in evidence for over an hour at first and his BP numbers high and oxygen number low....Not seeing a doctor and then being told I needed to hang out in the patient's room and wait rather than wait in the waiting area. (I had been told that Stan needed to have very limited to non existant stimulus, I chose to sit in the waiting area and greet and keep visitors informed, and just go in now and then.)
Oh well.... That was to "catch" the neurosurgeon....not Dr. Lee or Dr. Madden...they are always available to me. Both have told me to page them anytime.
Stan had coughing episodes that looked like choking and started all kinds of "bells and whistles" to go off while I was alone with him in his room. That is a scary feeling! When help did come, he promptly "showed" them just what he had done by repeating it, bells and whistles and all. After the nurse cleared his airways she swabbed his mouth to keep it moist, and gently eased his tongue back into place, which he promptly stuck back out. Interesting....they "played" this way at least three times. I think the nurse "won."
Numbers come and numbers go...but mostly his were good today, and when they did get out of whack, they were "fixed." My very very sweet friend has kept me informed way over the top with her knowledge and ability to ask the right questions. Plus, she is a "good witness" when I know I am right!!! There have been a couple of times ...like asking the nurse to change his tape (his resperator hose is kind of taped in place and it was getting grunchy looking and slipped down almost into his mouth.) (That sounds awful, but they are taking good care of him!) She told us it had been changed the day before and that the tube was now on the other side of his mouth. We knew better, but it was good to have each other to confirm what we KNEW. It did get changed!! It had been dated Nov. 16...so, sorry, but WE were right. She has told me I am Stan's MOUTH, and must speak up. Boy am I learning a lot!!
Again... they are super nurses, and I have a lot of confidence in his doctors....... With God in the mix, how can we miss!!!
I better get to bed.....The kids are having Carrs / Safeway cater us a T. day dinner at the hospital. And we will be together.
Again.............thank you for your emails, prayers, and love!!
M
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