I was greeted by quite a sight when I got to the hospital yesterday! A smiling Bill, with his teeth in, looking very smug. There was something different and then it hit me that he was using a regular nasal cannula for his oxygen, and his trach had been capped! It was not capped with the speaking valve, but a cap that sealed the trach. His oxygen was set on 4 liters, which is what it is set on at home. And talking....boy was he talking!

 

I was really surprised since there had been no talk of this happening at this time. I don't know if Dr. Edwards had come in after I left and said to do it, or if Walt, the respiratory tech, just decided that since he was doing well to see how he did. Either way, it was a very big step.

Shortly before lunch it was time for his to get into his chair and so we began that process. He really didn't want to do it, and we had given him an extra 2 hours to stay in bed, so at this time, he didn't have a choice. I got my phone ready so that I could video it for the therapists to see and then it was time. The above video is only a portion of the entire one, but it apparently is too big to upload here and I don't know enough about it to try to figure out a link so you can see the whole thing from when he first stood. Anyway, you'll see that he walked, not shuffled but walked to his chair, turned and sat! Just click on the arrow. The man who see and hear is Walt the respiratory tech and the other is nurse Pam.

He even had another big first...when it was time to use the bathroom and we asked for a bedpan, his nurse Nick, decided that he would just bring in a bedside commode. I did not video that process, I do have a little sense to give the man some dignity! It's hard enough for him to let someone else clean him up.

We didn't see any drs. yesterday. Dr. Edwards nurse Amanda was in and I showed her the video, hoping she would report it back to Dr. Edwards. I was surprised that Dr. Fox didn't come in, but maybe since he was stable enough on Saturday he decided that the staff would have let him know if there was a problem.

Bill did not want me to leave yesterday. He's gotten it into his head that this is a new home for us, an apartment. The bathroom is shared with the room next door and he heard the bathroom door slam and commented that we have new neighbors. I explained to him again that he was in the hospital and that it was another patient's room. He also said that there are too many people running around in the halls. He said they are in and out all the time, and I'm sure they are in and out after I leave, with meds and breathing treatments and such.

I've developed a problem with my left foot. I'm hoping it's just a neuropathy of some kind, or plantar fascitis (or however it is spelled) but I can hardly put any pressure on my heel. It felt like there was a big wrinkle in my sock that I was walking on, but it was smooth. But it is very painful. Mary Rose gave me some ideas on what to do since I don't have a stretcher to wear. I may look funny sitting at the hospital rolling a can of soup under my foot. But she said that helped her, plus Ibuprophen. Anyway, you know how you feel when one part of you hurts. To compensate for that you hold yourself differently so now I just kind of hurt everywhere and ended up with a splitting headache by the time I left the hospital yesterday. But, I've already taken the Ibuprophen this morning, so maybe it won't be so bad. when I walk up the hill to the hospital. I'll also try some different shoes today. But, I have a feeling it's not going to be a pleasant day for me.

Hopefully therapy will decide that Bill can do more than they were allowing. Walt said even though his sats dropped into the 70s when he stood, he recovered pretty well, especially since he wasn't on the high flow oxygen. And, maybe he can start some speech therapy now that the trach has been capped. He was going to go back on the trach collar last night just to give him an extra boost through the night, but that may only be since it was the first night. We'll have to see how it goes. 

So, that's Bill's big day. Hopefully more of these to come!