"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
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