Day 35

I spent the better part of the morning writing yesterday's update, only to have trouble with hotmail and losing the entire update along with messages from Galen and Flossie. I recovered my email once, and sent it to myself because the edit line had also disappeared from my screen. Since then the computer has reverted back to before I started my email and won't budge. Aargh!!!!

Perhaps I wasn't supposed to send the update I wrote. It was pretty stressed. I will try a simpler version and see if I can send it.

Also, I have been getting messages from different individuals that you are not getting my updates. I am sending them every day to all of you. I don't know what happens. I am sorry about the mess ups.

Yesterday had good and bad times!! It was perhaps my most stressful day yet.

I arrived at the hospital to find Stan's room EMPTY....not even his bed!! He had been transferred from ICU to PCU (progressive care unit.)

At 11 we had the meeting with Doctors, social workers, family members, and two friends (Deryl and Kathy.)

It was determined that we would leave Stan on DNR regarding a "catastrophic occurence" causing his heart to stop or him to quit breathing. Otherwise he is continuing on all support (oxygen, feeding, etc) and a wait and see time. He may be eligible for the LTAC ...long term acute care... here in Anchorage. Kathy and I visited it the other day and it is very nice.

Andy, Isaac, and I had some issues with the "quality" of Stan's care yesterday. Maybe my talking about this made my previous attempt to send an update not acceptable??? Basically it was about the way a couple of nurses neglected using sterile suction methods on his trach.

Kathy took me shopping so I could send things to our grandchildren out of state. This had been a "biggie" on my stress level....I want them to know we love them and are thinking about them, too!!

Stan developed a very high fever in the late evening, his oxygen levels had problems, and his heart rate was way out of control. I wasn't able to leave him until about one a.m. Isaac stayed there to wait for Andy to come get him after work about 2:45 a.m. Andy called me at 2:50 to tell me that Stan's fever was finally down to 97.9. It had been 105.4 about 11 p.m. He was put on a cooling blanket, had ice packs under his arms and in the groin area, and Isaac and I sponged his face for quite a while.

The doctor ordered blood cultures, and they had difficulty getting the two amounts....many pricks for the one, used the IV pic for the other.

I know this is brief...and doesn't even have my "joke" of the day included...but it is now "rush" time for me to get going. I had tried to email you all when I got home about 2, but the internet wouldn't let me log on. I don't know what is going on, but I am hoping I can send this now.

Love, M (It was minus one when I came home last night, it is minus 3 now!!)