After the monumental day Wednesday, yesterday was very quiet. Bill was up in his chair when I got there right after breakfast, but only for a few minutes. Horace, the aide, came in and got him on the bed and bathed and then a double shave. First he used a small battery operated razor to get the long hair (and it was getting long) and then he lathered him up and gave him a really good shave. Then, new gown and pajama pants and back to the chair. He looked like a new man. or my old Bill! For those of you who know him, he was always clean-shaven and hated to have stubble of any kind.

Now, we're kind of in a holding pattern, letting the antibiotics continue doing their work clearing the lungs. Dr. Williams said that his x-ray looked better and he's sounding much better. They still are trying to get him weaned from the high flow oxygen. He was on 6 liters yesterday, which is still higher than our concentrator will go, and he still gets winded on moving. In this unit, I can't see his numbers on the monitor like I could in the ICU. They have discontinued the lasix and albumin (I think since he didn't get any while I was there yesterday) and his blood level was 26.2, so he didn't have to have any blood.

I did ask if they have any idea what was causing the level to drop and Dr. Williams, even though that is not his area of expertise, said it could be that it's just due to age and the compromised immune system, that his body is just not making blood as it should. He just hopes he's not losing it anywhere, which puts us back to the same question. I don't know if there have been any results from the stool samples to see if it showed any blood.

His kidney numbers have risen some, but they are still in a normal range for him, so Dr. Naseer wasn't concerned about that.

They did overcorrect his blood sugar and are now trying something different. His blood sugar yesterday morning was 37! So they discontinued the automatic 10 units of insulin at meals and are going back to a sliding scale. I'm not sure about the long lasting once a day insulin. But, before lunch he was at 123, so no shot there.

The hospital did a good job for dinner. The grill was open for a hot sandwich, if that is what was wanted. The hot line was turkey, dressing with gravy, and then a choice of sweet potato casserole, corn, or green beans, and a roll. There was apple pie, sweet potato pie, and pecan pie for dessert. It was all very tasty. Bill also got turkey and dressing, but he only got greens with his, along with a roll and ice cream. I ate way too much apparently and felt bad all the way home, to the extent of rummaging around in my backpack for some Pepto pills to take.

Bill called me about 6:30 and said that he had asked to go to bed after supper. The chairs they have aren't really comfortable and he has such a bony behind that I'm sure he starts hurting. He didn't try to get up himself, which is good, even though he was not alarmed. 

Emily had brought me a plate from Bryan's family's dinner with ham, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and macaroni and cheese. I finally felt well enough later in the evening to eat a little of it, just the ham and mac and cheese. It was also very good. I had brough my apple pie home from the hospital, and I like eating my fruit pies like my dad did, in a bowl with milk. Unfortunately, the milk didn't smell good. It was not outdated, and it could have just been what was around the top of the carton, but even after pouring a little in a glass and taking a sip that tasted OK, I didn't want to chance it since my tummy had already been upset, so I just ate it plain.

So, that was our day. I'm going late today so that I can get to the pharmacy when they open to get my meds, then straight to the hospital. We don't know how long he'll be in this unit, it may only be until they can find a bed for rehab. I have my list of questions for the social worker, but I don't know if I will see her until Monday.

I hope everyone had a good day yesterday, whether you celebrated or not, shopped or not. I am not a Black Friday shopper, but Emily lives for this day! I'll check in again tomorrow!