I think this is Sunday, isn't it? The days just kind of run into each other when you do the same thing every day.

After I left the hospital Friday, apparently Bill took his trach collar off. How he managed to do it is still not clear to me because it fastens around his neck, but maybe he pulled hard enough to unsnap it. Anyway, his oxygen dropped to the 70s. Jacinta had to bump his flow to 98% pure oxygen at 15 liters. That's a lot of oxygen. She also sat with him for almost 45 minutes to make sure it came back up. She also told me that Dr. Fox doesn't want him put back on the vent, even in CPAP mode. His nurse came in and reduced the flow to about 60% and his sats stayed in the upper 90s, so it was reduced again to 40%. But, he couldn't maintain his sats in the 90s. Dr. Fox wanted him deep suctioned and lavaged (water introduced into the lungs) and then try again. Two very experienced nurses did that and while I wasn't in a position to see how they did it, it didn't sound very pleasant and they were using the bag you see on TV when they are breathing for someone in an intense situation. It's probably just as well I didn't see it, although listening to it wasn't pleasant either. After that Jacinta put the oxygen about halfway between 40 and 70%. She said there aren't any true markings so she just had to guess. Dr. Fox's nurse said that the markings are actually on the back of the tube and wondered what idiot designed it that way. I told him it was someone who didn't have to try to see if around a bed with machines and IV poles in the way.

Bill had not slept again Friday night and he was given all 3 of his medications. One of them, and I keep forgetting the name of it, is more of an anti-anxiety drug like Xanax. Jacinta said that sometimes these drugs can have the opposite effect than what is intended. But, the night before they were all 3 given and he did sleep. The only difference we could see is that the night he did sleep, 2 were given together and the Xanax was given a little later and Friday night they were all given at the same time. We are thinking that the 2 anti-anxiety meds counteracted against each other.

He only slept for the morning and he was on his side like he sleeps at home. His sats were good and he was comfortable. So, they were going to make sure the night nurse Cody put him on his side when it was time to go to bed.

Bill helped with his bath yesterday. Eunice just handed him his washcloth and told him to wash his face...and he did, kind of. He also washed his arms and part of his chest. He does have strength in his arms and she decided it was time for him to put it to good use! They have all started getting him to participate in turns instead of just letting them do all the work.

He asked to get out of bed, and actually had his legs over the sides and was trying to pull himself up. So, I got a couple of nurses and they lifted him to the stroke chair. But, almost as soon as he was in it, he wanted to go back to bed. He tried taking his collar off again and got a little cross with everyone, including me. He finally lasted 3 hours in it, an hour longer than planned. But, there were 2 new patients and they both immediately had problems and had to be sent off somewhere. I've been wondering where you send a patient who gets into really bad shape when they are already in ICU. Anyway, all of the staff was tied up with them for about an hour.

He was in a better mood when they got him back to bed and I could leave. I didn't want to leave while he was in the chair and in such a mood so it was a long day for me. I didn't leave until almost 7. But, it wasn't a bad drive home. Mary-Rose was on her way home from work, so we talked for most of my drive and all of hers. She got home while I had 2 exits to go. That made it easier since my highway is so dark and there are a couple of points where I sometimes wonder where I am exactly. But, we had a nice conversation and it did make the time pass.

Hopefully today will be a good day for him. I'm still having laptop problems and haven't completely set up his tablet, so I'm taking both of them today, turning my phone into a hotspot to bypass the hospital internet, although it usually works well on week-ends, and see if I can get them figured out. Sometimes the technical things I used to be able to do are getting the best of me now. It may be time for 1-800-BRYAN, but I know he's tied up in the remodel of their house. I think they are down to the flooring in the master bedroom and have changed their minds from carpet to laminate.

So, that's it. Hopefully he slept last night. They are still trying to find me a better chair. If I had that I would stay with him to keep him calmer in the night, but the chair I have can't be slept in and it would defeat the purpose to sleep in the waiting room if I need to be in with him. Jacinta was going to call around to some of the other departments to see if there were any decent ones in storage. So, we'll see today. I don't know if she's working today or not. I'll know in a couple of hours.

That's it for now. Hopefully it will be a good day for us!