Viewing and Celebration Information

Hello all,

As we go through this process, our heart are heavy. Thank you very much for the warm thoughts. It was (and still is) a shock to all of us. Everyone at the hospital knew Lee was going home, and the plans were in progress to move him to another location for some final things, before rehab.

And then, the last 18 hours or so, he took a 180º turn. There are some theories and such, but nothing solid to pin down.

With that said, we mourn, as one of our family has died. But we realize that Lee had another family, and we are doing our best to honor him through all of you. Lee's closest friends are putting together some activities, so here is what we have at this time:


VIEWING

  Tuesday, May 17 & Wednesday, May 18, 2016
  1600 - 1900 hours

  Haley-Olsen-Murphy Funeral Home

  44831 N. Cedar Avenue

  Lancaster, CA 93534

  Phone: (661) 942-1139


CELEBRATION OF LEE'S LIFE

  Sunday, June 19, 2016
  1400 hours
  Lancaster United Methodist Church
  918 W Avenue J
  Lancaster, CA 93535



We are also putting together a slide show for the events, so please send any pictures, comments or questions to this email address, and we will forward any and all information along:

 


Eternal Vigilance
Lieber Brüder`

שבח יהוה

Checking In

Hello all.

I have had two concerts this week, so things are still in a blurrrr....

We are working on some viewing arrangements and a Celebration of Life. We will post as soon as we have any solid details to share.

Eternal Vigilance

Professor Hill

שבח יהוה

Some afternoon Thoughts Tuesday, May 2, 2016

As we have learned, once our Creator is convinced you are worthy to Him and His purpose, He will take you. There is nothing left to prove, as you have reached the ultimate level of spiritual accomplishment.

In spite of what we saw on the outside, Lee was one of the most God fearing, spiritual, and loving persons we have ever met. Stubborn, yes, but Lee displayed the Holy Love and sacrifice our Creator expects us to develop. Making other people better was the way he communicated his love for us all.

Lee must had that final heart to heart with Him in the last 24 hours, because (when we do get the chance to share all that took place) there is no obvious reason for how and how quickly it all went..

Stay tuned.
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Tuesday, May 3 - 1115

Hello all,

We are very sad to report that Lee is no longer struggling. At 1115 this morning, he went Code Blue again, and they were not able to revive him. Once the details of his last 24 hours are sorted out, we will post them here. It will make a lot more sense then.

As it turns out, his heart turned out to be the biggest issue, and once his body decided it was done, things went very quickly.

gh

Updates on Lee - Sunday, May 1 - 1715

1330 - Lee finished the dialysis, but as always, his heart rate and Blood Pressure do not look too good during and after the procedure.

1345 - Due to Lee maintaining a rapid heartbeat for the last several hours, Dr. Eddin (cardiologist) performed a Cardioversion on Lee. It worked, and Lee's HR is now in the low 100's. Gregg said it was hanging around 140 bpm prior to the procedure, and bounced around a lot since late yesterday afternoon.

ON a side note: Dr. Eddin is the guy whose name on the board has a heart next to it. Because he is the young handsome guy on the block, we all thought one of the nurses drew a heart next to his name to show her affection. When we asked for his name, he pointed to the heart, and I started laughing. When I told him what we thought, he started laughing...and I think some of the nurses were blushing.

From Wiki:
Cardioversion is a medical procedure by which an abnormally fast heart rate (tachycardia) or cardiac arrhythmia is converted to a normal rhythm using electricity or drugs. Synchronized electrical cardioversion uses a therapeutic dose of electric current to the heart at a specific moment in the cardiac cycle.


Numbers Game:
Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 105 & steady
BP 128/49 MAP 75
SpO2 100%

Nanny

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Sunday, May 1 - 1030

0435 – X-ray done

0730 – Dialysis cart arrives.

0745 – Ahmed came in. Did not like the HR, so will wait on another CPAP trial. Wants to get Lee to settle down….Duh.

0755 – Ahmed said the x-rays show a little more fluid in the lungs than the prior. He did say the pneumonia is slowly clearing, but it is hard to tell the source of the fluid. There will be another x-ray tomorrow.

0800 – No fever (still able to smile at the nurse, heck, I would too, she’s a cutie…..)

0945 – Dr. Cho (Kaiser IM) came in for a look. He is the one that will make the call on when/if Lee can be transported to the Kaiser Sunset facility. The way things look this morning, Lee is not stable enough for that activity. He will check again tomorrow morning.

1000 – Dialysis still churning away.

Numbers Game:
Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 110 - 135
BP 99/46 MAP 69
SpO2 100%

Professor

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Saturday, April 30 - 2115

Running out of steam here (I know, nothing compared to the real "trooper" Nanny - I brought stuff to do, but working on the computer after a certain time is not good for good answers).

Lee's latest round of dialysis went fine. They are tying to find the right med that will keep his heart rate down during this stressful time, but still allow the BP to stay stable. What they tried seems to work, so we shall see how strong he is in the morning. His eyes open when the nurses talk to him.

All is steady.


Numbers Game at this moment:
Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 108-110
BP 89/50 MAP 65
SpO2 100%

As always, we will update all of you when new information is available.

Professor

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Sabbath, April 30 - 1430

1305 - Dialysis starts

1400 - Just had a long talk with Dr. Cho. He is the Kaiser Internal Medicine Doc.

Here are the highlights:

* Lee still has some serious issues (Kidneys not working properly, heart is weak, infections still being treated, things we all know); however, the new issue needs to be dealt with soon.

* The septic infection from old caused some vegetation on the heart valve. The valve is working with a little less efficiency, but the problem now is the vegetation as it "flakes" off the valve. It is causing mini/micro strokes and this is putting Lee in a precarious position.

Here are the options he presented:

1) Stay here at AVH, keep doing what we are doing, and hope the vegetation dissolve and go away on their own. The problem with this is, each time one flakes off, additional damage is possible. Not a good option in the long run.

2) Transport him to Kaiser Sunset where the Heart Specialists are. They have the personnel and equipment to fix whatever his issues are. AVH is not equipped to handle these specialized treatments. Best option for the long run, even if they decide he does not need the invasive procedures, they can better handle what he needs. Only problem is, there is a greater risk to perform these procedures.

Atfer a few more questions and answers, we decided option 2 is the plan. It is too late in the day to attempt such things, so they will take a look in the morning. Once they determine there is a green light, they will transport him in the ICU Ice Cream truck.

We will keep you posted on this, so you can wave when he goes by....

Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 120ish
BP 108/46 MAP69
SpO2 100%




Professor

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Sabbath, April 30 - 1000

Wow! I slept until 0810 this morning. Must have been tired.

Lee's night was uneventful. There is still some heart rate issues, and they are attributing that to two things: He still has the underlying infection (still be treated with long-term heavy duty antibiotics) that got him here in the first place, and the little vegetation (growth) on one of the valves that came from the infection. This second item is now presenting itself now, as up until this time, the rest of his systems were the priority. as the systems become stable, the remaining issues become clear.

Form Dr. Ahmed this morning (once again apologies, as I am not as expert as Nanny is in the interpretations/translations (She spent a few years working with the State Bank of India, and she has been here four weeks):

* We had him on CPAP test for quite awhile, he did very well, about 34 hours. He is back on assist mode, and he is resting well. Numbers look good.
 

* He still has the infection that brought him here, and when the Infectious Doc comes in, ask for more details.

 

* During the TEE, we did discover some evidence of a "possible" stroke. Mild, yet noticeable.
 

* At the beginning, when he first arrived, we did not think he would would make it, but thanks to God, he is where he is now.
 

* His lungs are doing well, in most cases, it takes some time for the drugs to clear out before we see major changes. In his case, we are looking at some extra time before FULL RECOVERY.

* His Rehab won't be here, but there are rehab places where this will happen.

1020 -

Numbers Game:
Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 110-120
BP 96/44 MAP 64
SpO2 99%

Professor

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Friday, April 29 - 2130

Nanny left the building around 1900

Professor here now.

The last 24 hours have been very informative:

0800 - Still  on CPAP, all is well. Numbers look good.

0930 - ABG taken, looking good, but not good enough to remove from vent.

1100 - Dr Lemus came by to check on catheter ports. Looking good for dialysis in the afternoon.

1105 - Just spoke to Kaiser Dr. Rohas (IM). There is a small growth on one of the heart valves that came from the infection (called vegetation). Lee might need surgery to remove this, but AVH is not the place for this procedure. Kaiser Sunset is. There is no way anything will take place until the rest of the systems are stable enough for the move, and this will be another wait-and-see process.

1115 - Nanny reviews ABG info with Robert (RT): Lee's ABG respiratory numbers were fine, but the other numbers were not as good, e.g., Kidney.... Duh...he needs dialysis. Robert said it is best to let Lee rest more and get stronger before they take him off the vent.

noon - still

noon - Still  on CPAP, all is well. Numbers look good.

1400 - Still  on CPAP, all is well. Numbers look good.

1500 - Dialysis process begins

1915 - Dialysis done. At ths time, Lee does not like the Dialysis. Because of the valve issue, the heart is working hard, and the BP still dips....

As of this writing:
2145 - Switched back to vent assist.....Lee had a GREAT workout! He on CPAP mode for the last 30 hours! Time to rest a bit. 

Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 130 (and dropping slowly)
BP 112/54 MAP 74
SpO2 99-100%


Professor

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Thursday, April 28 - 2000

Joe Friday here..

Day started with pretty much the same numbers as last night.

Been a very bust and productive day:

A new catheter was installed yesterday. Now clogged. Tick Tock.

1345 - Switched to CPAP mode....plan to keep him on it until he can no longer do the work.

New catheter still clogged. Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

Two rounds of PT & OT, on CPAP mode the entire time. No issues.

New catheter still clogged. Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock. There is little concern, as it has not been 24 hours since his last dialysis, so there is time to get 'er done.

2000 - passed 6 hour mark on CPAP mode
Numbers Game:
Vent 35%, peeps 5%
HR 85-100
BP 103/35 MAP 63
SpO2 97%

Only Meds/Drugs going in at this time: Antibiotic and blood thinner.

"..awake for most of the day, now sleeping for the last several hours."

New catheter still clogged. Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

2100 - Still on CPAP and SpO2 holding @ 100%

Professor

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Wednesday, April 27 - 1900

1500 - All going fine. Lee was breathing on his own (CPAP mode) for four hours! as time passed, he was getting tired, so at the four hour mark, he asked to be switched back to assist mode. He has been quite alert today.  We need more "lerts" like him in this world. 😀.  Anyhow, he is resting and we are waiting for the two procedures to take place (Exchanging the catheter in groin where dialysis is administered and the TEE.

A transesophageal echo (TEE) test is a type of echo test in which the ultrasound transducer, positioned on an endoscope, is guided down the patient's throat into the esophagus (the "food pipe" leading from the mouth into the stomach). An endoscope is a long, thin, flexible instrument that is about ½ inch in diameter.

This just in:

We now have some concrete answers: I spoke to Dr. Eddin (cardiologist). (I know we already knew this, so do not think he is telling me something new.) Anyhow,  Lee had the strep B bacteria infection that entered into his blood from the open sore on his leg. (Derek had this as a days old baby.)
This traveled to his aortic valve and caused a growth/vegetation (endocarditis) on the valve. This was confirmed by the TEE.  He has, and continues to be on antibiotics for this, but sometimes it takes awhile to kill the bacteria.  Doc said is is probably the root of all of Lee's recent evils in addition to the kidney and lung issues. If the antibiotics do not kill this vegetation, surgery may be necessary (TBD). He also said he may have had a little stroke based on what showed in the MRI.

More later, as news becomes available.
 
Nanny
 
Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה
 

Updates on Lee - Wednesday, April 27 - 1300

Morning brings more progress.

Currently his HR is better but still all over the place.

BP  = 117/43 MAP 70
Ventilator O2 35%, PREPs 5%
SpO2 = 96.  ❤️❤️

Now that some of his systems are cleaning out, Nanette noticed Lee's eyes are blue. She has know him for 40+ years, .....

1037 - Switched th ventilator to CPAP mode

1135 - On CPAP for an hour and SpO2 holding at 96/97%

More later, as news becomes available.
Nanny
Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Tuesday, April 26 - 2300

Many apologies for the timing.

Very long day, lots of SOSDD from all parties involved.

Today, Lee was pretty much working the slow, but sure plan.

Had the dialysis, a little stressful, and still a little groggy.

His White blood cell count is still a bit high, so as they investigate, they scratch their heads. More samples are taken to see if there is an underlying infection somewhere.

PT came by to do some work.

Lips are still getting the coconut oil....Nanette is doing her part to build the muscles she can reach, so holds the sponge tip and plays tug of war with Lee's embouchure.

MRI done at 2000. Results should arrive in the morning. Expecting to see a clear view of Scully and Mulder.

Lee is still very weak, and it will take time to gain his strength back. Technically, he started of from rock bottom on Monday, April 4, 2016. All that has taken place since then is all progress.

Here are his numbers at 2200:
Lee is resting comfortably.
HR still bouncing around but nor as high as yesterday.
BP 110/51  MAP 72
Ventilator Input O2 = 35% (moved down 5% today)
PEEP still at 5%
SpO2 = 98%

We are still learning a lot.

More later, as news becomes available.

Nanny

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Monday, April 25 - 2000

0829 – Ahmed orders a med to minimize and control afib.

0930 – Kaiser Social Worker stopped by to talk about Medical Rehab (this is a very good sign!)

1030 – Now receiving regular applications of coconut oil on lips and legs.

1130 – Pretty Doc comes in to change out trach. This doc swaps out on day three to be sure all looks good (she noticed Lee’s now supple lips).

1230 – Heparin drip and BP med now flowing.

1330 – Calderon (kidney doc) visits. X-rays look fine. Dialysis tomorrow (back to every other day).

1420 – Nanette laments for not knowing how to knit. Says she could have knitted Lee a very nice reed holder (well, she did say blanket).

1530 – Took Lee for a CT brain scan. They are verifying that there is something still between his ears.

1648 – Nothing remarkable in CT scan (this goes without saying). Radiologist said it was distracting to find Scully and Mulder trying to avoid having their pictures taken during the procedure. They were told the “truth” could be hidden there, as no one was ever able to get inside Lee’s head. Bottom line = No Dain Bramage.

1910 – Heart rate doing much better:

BP = 146/47 MAP 73

Ventilator Support = O2 40%, Peeps 5%

SpO2 = 98%

Still a bit groggy, with eyes and mouth slightly open (you can see Scully and Moulder peeking out.

1924 – One of the nurses mentioned that the meds Lee has in his system will take time to process, as some of it builds up in the fat cells……crickets…

Comment made on how good Lee's lips look......(trying to make Gregg jealous again..)

We just realized that the OT/PT folks did not show today. Will investigate.

Nanny

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Monday, April 25 - 1045

Good Morning.

Lee is back on track. His numbers are looking good, and the only issue to resolve now is his irregular heart beat. They are deciding which is the best med at this time. Stay tuned.

Latest info:

O2 support = 40%
Peeps = 5%
BP = 125/62. MAP 87
HR range 90 - 100 (working on this)

SpO2 = 99%

Pretty Doc is coming to replace the trach tube. They do this every few days.

Going to do CAT scan to confirm brain stuff.

Nanny

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה
 

 

Updates on Lee - Sunday, April 24 - 2030

"So far so good..."

This is a comment Lee's dad used to use no matter what was taking place. We use it now to describe how things are after yesterday's deviations.

This morning's dialysis went well. They took out 3.0 liters of fluid, but made that the limit, as Lee was showing some signs of stress and sweating a bit (us Big Dogs do that more than the average bear cub).

Once the Dialysis treatment was done, the ventilator support % began to be lowered.

Every couple of hours, either the O2 support was lowered, or the peeps. Not at the same time, but on an alternating plan.

As of this writing, here are the details:

O2 support = 50%
Peeps = 5%
BP = 125/30. MAP 54
HR range 90 - 100
Last blood gas was 105+

SpO2 = 98/99% (SpO2 stands for peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, an estimate of the amount of oxygen in the blood. The little led at the tip of his finger.)

As we watch Lee's progress, we are thankful in many ways. One important thing to keep in mind: Lee is still weak and out of shape. He is not out of the woods, but we can see different and less dense trees. and of course, Lee is still in the ICU.

Some of this progress takes his toll on the energy level, and some of these procedures cause some anxiety, so he is still receiving some IV drips of a sedative. according to Nanette, he is loopy and tired (also seen this at other times of his life, ......)

He does hear you and will smile as he recognizes people. (Although, he does not remember where his glasses are, so it could still be gas).

The Physical Therapist (PT) came in today, and even though Lee was pretty much a non-active participant, she did take him through a mild version of a treatment. She mentioned that now is the best time to get things moving again, as limbs get sore and stiff when not used very much. (I did reminder her we have heard that in his current state of activity, it is still more rigorous than sitting at his Office Desk at work, where the most exercise he gets is putting the fresh pot of coffee back through the machine for a second draw through the grounds.)

Another sign Lee is moving in the right direction: he had a visit from one of the Kaiser Case workers, discussing physiatry, or Medical Rehab........

This is more than just a Three Hour Tour.

Tick tock, tick tock.

Lieber Brüder

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Sunday, April 24 - 1330

Not much since this morning.

Lee just finished another round of Dialysis. They wanted to get everything back into the right balance before trying to go back to alternate days.

As a result of the new tube placed Friday, and some of the anxciety from yesterday, Lee is still getting a small amount of versed. This is keeping him just under enough to relax and recover.

If you do come by, he will most likely be asleep and relaxed. There may be more activity later in the afternoon, but for now, all is quiet, he is resting, and his nurse Mark is getting ready to do some cleaning and such.

Nanette is on her way to trade places, so I can go home and try to make myself pretty.

Will check back in when there is more to tell.

gh (aka Lieber Brüder)

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Sunday, April 24 - 0645

Good morning,

It was a very restful evening. I apologize for not being so clear on the last post. In order for Lee to relax long enough to get through the last dialysis, they gave him some versed. What I did not realize at the time, they also put him on a drip of the same to keep him relaxed. I am not exactly sure how long this will be, but it does help with the anxiety he was feeling with the new tube placements from Friday. 

Once again, he can hear you just fine, nut may not be able to actually respond.

Also learned the heparin drip has been stopped for a while. This will help the surgery wounds to heal better and quicker.

The numbers game continues. The RT tried to come in avery two or three hours to make a "weaning adjustment (10% on the O2, or 1% on the peeps). At this time, things are back on track looking good:

O2 input is 70%
Peeps are 8%
O2 Saturation is 100%
BP is fine

As a reminder, he is looking good . . . . . . . for someone still in ICU.

I am pretty sure there is another dialysis scheduled for today; please stay tuned.

gh (aka Lieber Brüder)

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Saturday, April 23 - 1245

0915 - Physical Therapist arrives. Works Lee through all his body part movements and resistance.

1000- His O2 sats dip, they adjust...Dialysis ordered.

1030 - O2 sats dip, they adjust, scratch heads....all of his blood gass numbers are fine, so they talk...

1100 - O2 sats dip, Lung Doc comes in and increases peep to 8% and O2 input to 100%. x-ray ordered and he wants to take a close look at everything once the dialysis is done.

There is concern, but are watching closely, and reassess when the Dialysis treatment is done.

1245 - Waiting for the Dialysis machine to arrive.

Updates on Lee - Saturday, April 23 - 0815

It was an unusual night:

Some time after 1900 last night, he had a bath, and some bed arrangements/movements. Since his day had been filled with some pretty heavy activity (surgery, draining, etc...) he was quite weak. His O2 sat numbers hovered at 92%, then, in the middle of the night, as the pain meds wore off, it appeared he became frustrated with the new tube placement, and his O2 sat dipped a bit. They bumped up his O2 a few times, and it now rests at 50%. Their plan is to wean him back down as they see him settle down and relax. The good news is, his blood gasses (the true measurement of what is getting through his system) continue to look good.

0800 - Dr. Croad came in to check on things. She is the Infectious Disease doc who who was first on the scene, setting up the massive course of antibiotics to deal with his infections. She said he finished the original round of all that a few days ago, but he is now on an antibiotic to help clear out his gall bladder, and will be at hand closely monitoring his overall needs.

0815 - Dr Tuso came in for a peek. Since Lee's kidneys put out some good fluid numbers yesterday, he held off the Friday Dialysis treatment, and is now reviewing the morning blood draw numbers to see about a treatment today. The concern at this time is the quality of the work being done by the kidneys. Will keep you posted on all tat.

Lee is pretty much fully aware of his surroundings. He can hear and respond, but is still very tired, and the biggest frustration is our inability to read his mind and lips. I am sure the frustration he has are a bit more developed.

0845 - Occupational Therapist (Tania) came in... she kept looking at "Richard" and said there is a guy who looks like "Richard" and plays the Clarinet. His name is Lee Hutchinson. I laughed and said that is him, and she giggled, as he is not wearing his glasses, and also has new facial hair as a disguise.. she is a Cello playing friend who already knows Lee. Intermixed with calling out names of their Music Friends, she is now giving Lee instructions on how begin moving body parts.

More later.

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Friday, April 22, 2016

Updates on Lee - Friday, April 22 - 2200

Happy Passover!

Well folks, a lot has taken place, and now that the guards have changed, it is time to update what we can remember:

From Nanette:
0830 - Lee was on CPAP mode for awhile and did fine. The RT wanted me to keep him awake because he was a bit tired so I put some Django Reinhardt on and made up words to sing to him. Mostly "you need to stay awake."

0900 - Dr. Nathan (lung) came in and said Lee still needs to be trached as his upper body is still too weak and this would be best for Lee's recovery.   The tracheotomy is scheduled for around noon today. Other than this, all numbers look fine. More later. ❤️

1215 - Took Lee down to do the Trach surgery. Not too invasive, but still enough that there will be a recovery period.

1315 - Lee returns from surgery and all went well.

1400 - They took Lee down to do a gall bladder flush. Seems there is a little blockage that needs clearing.

1345 - Returns from Gall Bladder flush. Lot of invasive things today, so his pain is a little higher than normal.

1715 - Looks like his numbers are staying good enough to postpone the dialysis until tomorrow.

1845 - Gregg Arrives. Lee smiles!? Wow! I have not seen a real smile from that guy in years...must be gas.

We spent some time reviewing all he is able to do. He can see, hear, and move his head to answer questions. Under normal circumstances I can read lips, but right now, his embouchure is a bit weak.

Numbers are looking good, tere is a little residual pain from the surgery, so he is dozing off now and then.

Signing off for the night.

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Updates on Lee - Thursday, April 21 - 2130

We are no longer on the edge of our seats, biting nails at each bing bong alarm. With that said, Lee is still in ICU. The next procedure will be another move in the positive direction.

1645 - Trach surgery is postponed until noon tomorrow. There is no surgery room available for the doctor to use until after 2000 or 2030. She (the very pretty doctor) would just rather do the procedure tomorrow. Won't be arguing with that.....

From Nanny:
1900 - Nothing new to report since earlier info update on trach. Lee is still alert when he is awake. It breaks my heart seeing him look at me as if I am supposed to help him (you are helping him more than you know). Not much I can do other than talk and encourage him and I tell him stories (you can pretend you are Lucy and run around the room opening and closing all the blinds and drapes, screaming, "Splain it to me Ricky," but that might draw attention of the other white coat people. Ethel and Fred would be frowning the entire time. They no longer have a sense of humor.)

From Professor:
Many thanks to all who have been by to say hello. Keep up the visits, as it is helping his brain to clear the muck....There are more than cobwebs to clear......

I am sure the picture board they have for him to work eye hand coordination lacks creativity. There are some really smart people coming by. Prove it!

Eternal Vigilance
שבח יהוה

Updates on Lee - Thursday, April 21 - 1500

Lee has had an eventful day so far and it is not over yet.

This morning around 0900, they placed a PEG in Lee's abdomen which will allow nutrition, fluids and some medicines to be sent directly into his stomach.

Around 1030 he was taken down to radiology for a HIDA scan on his gallbladder. They will be taking him back down around 1300 to do another one. (Apparently, they need a better look).

Since his blood pressure has remained stable, he is scheduled for a tracheotomy which will take place around 1730. The trach will replace the tube currently down his throat. This is a big step in the right direction for Lee.

They also provided us with a picture board that Lee can use to communicate until he can verbally speak to us. He already told me that he was in pain at a level of 2 (scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest pain).

Lee continues to be quite alert. Looking around, moving his legs and hands. I have to say, he looks a bit scared. It is as if he has no idea what actually happened to him. This of course, is my opinion and observation.

Please continue to pray for Lee as we all know this is obviously hard on him. Even more now tat he is becoming aware of his situation.

More updates later as the day progresses. 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Updates on Lee - Wednesday, April 20 - 2215

From the one at his bedside:

1845 - Lee just finished dialysis. Lee's BP was a bit low so they stopped the fluid extraction and actually added some of fluid back into Lee's system. As we have noticed, it is a balancing game. On a related note, they are now only cleaning the blood, and after all the progress they have seen, Dr. Tuso has changed the dialysis orders to three times per week (M/W/F).

Lee may be switched to a tracheotomy tomorrow. They will not extubate Lee but they say the trach is less painful and they really want to remove the tube that has been down his throat for the last 17 days. They will also be adding a PEG (feeding tube) in the morning (he is currently being fed by a tube that goes down his throat). Lee's other vitals have remained stable.

Activities currently taking place: We sit, wait, talk to him, sometimes play music and most importantly, continue to pray for his complete healing.

Also, we now have two mission critical books in hand to be read aloud to him: The Princess Bride and Pride and Prejudice. Come and take your turn reading to Lee. If he gets tired of hearing your voice, we can play the sounds of his favorite train horns.

2200 - Lee is very alert. Squeezing my hand, moving his legs and even smiled for me when I asked him to (Gregg says that was gas. Same thing happened in class today before a student began playing his test - an elongated rumbling sound from beneath his chair, with some punctuation. Quite impressive! The boy giggled as the girls ran to open the doors. With a straight face, he proceeded to play his test). I told Lee that it is too bad I do not know Morse Code so he could talk to me by squeezing my hand. He is also moving his mouth as if he wants to say something. I asked him if he was hungry and he shook his head yes.

There is a plaque on the way that will have an accompanying explanation. It is the Hebrew word for LIVE, and has a very significant meaning and application.

Derek put it on the slide show, but we will get a better picture of it once it is hanging in Lee's room.

Eternal Vigilance

שבח יהוה

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