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