Mom's Blog
Blog entries dated January 6, 2008 to January 12, 2008
When I got to the hospital this morning, mom was napping. When she woke up she was upbeat. Said she had taken a stroll around the unit earlier in the morning. While I was there she walked around the circle of the unit three times with the walker! The nurse practioner also same in and said the trauma team had decided it was time to move her to the smallest trach tube which is 4mm. I asked about the secretions and the NP said they felt the trach might be irritating her throat and causing the secretions. The medication she is taking is reducing the secretions and making them thicker (one is a anti-nausea drug she gets through a patch behind her ear). If she does fine on the smaller tube then they will eliminate the trach altogether. Mom was a little worried about being able to breathe during the night but the NP assured her that there would be a resident around and also the attending doctor was always available so mom agreed; it took only about 2 minutes to change the tube (Britney was in the room with me when they did it). Mom seemed fine afterwards. The old tube actually looked kind of clogged with mucous anyway. Mom was using the bedside commode pretty well…although frustrated when the nurse couldn’t come immediately when she pushed the call button. The nurse also washed mom’s hair which made her feel better. Mom seems much stronger and steady on her feet. She did fine with the walker and I just walked along to push her iv cart (which had her lunch hanging from it!) The girls visited for a short time and mom was actually talking pretty good today. We left a little after 4pm and headed to grandma’s house.
From Dave, Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
Well, a first has just happened! I just called Mom's room, and SHE answered the phone! We had a brief but nice conversation - I didn't want to wear her out talking too much. She said she just happened to be sitting by the phone when it rang. She's been up twice this morning walking around the halls with her walker, and has had an IPV treatment. She mentioned that Friday they may remove her Trach tube, and she excited about that. So, all is good!
From Dave, Wednesday, January 9th, 2008, 1:50 PM
Hello All! Big new and a nice birthday present for me today! Mom's tracheotomy tube has been REMOVED! I just spoke with her briefly, and for the FIRST time since her accident, she sounds totally normal - she was able to use a regular speaking voice. Very nice and a huge steps that makes us all very happy.
Mom said she's had a busy day, with lots of various tests, and she's been up walking around the ward with her walker quite a bit. She still has the feeding tube in, but as soon as her swallowing tests are OK, they'll start her on regular food, and she's really looking forward that. Good news, and all for now!
From Catherine, Friday January 11th, 2008, 8:00 p.m.
I spoke to mom Thursday night and tonight. It is nice to be able to speak with her again! Her voice sounds different but her personality is the same! She said that she can get up out of bed on her own and use the commode. Hospital volunteers walk with her at least once a day. Her feeding tube was taken out yesterday, and she had some applesauce and cranberry juice, neither of which she cares for very much, but when you haven't eaten normally for 2 months, you don't complain. Today she said she started drinking the liquid nutritional supplement orally, and that it is "awful stuff." Mom's friends Jane and Judy visited her on Wednesday, which she of course enjoyed. The hospital transfer lady told mom that she has to be moved to a nursing facility this weekend, so we are still trying to work out the details of that move, and possibly delay it until next weekend when Dave will be there. Diane will be up this weekend and she will hopefully get more specific information about that process.