Yesterday was not a good day again. Bill is getting tired of being in the hospital, but he doesn't feel well enough yet to be able to come home. I haven't asked about his white count numbers but you can hear that he's still very congested. They have been using the vest/percussion machine. Yesterday, it changed rhythmns when it hadn't before. It still didn't do much good. He still coughs but he doesn't get it up far enough to get it out. I wonder if anyone but me has taken into consideration all the time he spent on the vent weakened his throat muscles to the point he CAN'T use them to bring the junk out.

His nurse Emily wondered yesterday why they just don't go ahead and bronch him. She also wondered why we weren't seeing "their" pulmonologists. They are the ones we usually see in the hospital. I told her I didn't know but we saw the current group out of the hospital. I was actually considering switching to the other group since they knew more about Bill's condition, but now I guess it will be a moot point since both groups have seen him.

One thing that he did say, and I'd noticed it the past couple of days, is that his ears are stopped up. I could tell by the TV volume. I told him last night to tell his nurse when he/she came back in but whether he did or not I don't know. But since he sounds so congested, even in the voice, maybe just getting some nasal saline would help with that.

He napped off and on yesterday morning after breakfast. He didn't do very well eating it and part of it was his favorite breakfast...cheerios with a banana. They did bring a carton of Glucerna and I knew he wouldn't drink it along with his meal, so we put one of his stickers on it and put it in the fridge in the nutrition room. I finally talked him into getting into his chair for lunch. He was going to have visitors in the afternoon and he agreed. He also didn't eat much lunch. About 2 I got him the bottle of Glucerna and asked if he could have a small glass of Diet Coke. He did drink most of the Glucerna and may have finally finished it after I left. But, it was nearly gone then.

He again told me he ate all of his dinner when we talked last night, or most of it. He said they didn't say anything to him about not eating it when they took it away. But, the food service people wouldn't say anything, they just ask if he's finished.

Dr. Shirwany came in and said things will just continue as they are. Janet from Dr. Threlkeld's office came in and said that the IV antibiotic will continue and I think those were the only two I saw. But, weekends are slower. 

Brianna and David came for a bit in the afternoon and it was just long enough. About 2:45 Bill wanted to go back to bed and since he had been up since 11:30, that was a good time upright. He made the comment that he was tired of sitting so I reminded him that all he would do at home was sit, but we agreed that our furniture is more comfortable! I left shortly after the kids did.

Bill had been telling me all morning that I should go home instead of sitting there with him. That is not like him at all. He usually wants me there all the time. Maybe it's because he can talk this time, unlike last year when he had the vent and then the trach. But, even when he was vocal other times, he would want me there. So I left a little after 3. It was a cold wet day still. And while there was very little traffic in the morning, yesterday afternoon was a different story. Lots of truck traffic and dangerous drivers. To some it seems like when the roads are bad they have to prove how well they can drive by either flying down the road cutting in and out of traffic, or slowing down for the wet conditions so much that they are a danger to other drivers, especially when they do it in the "fast lanes". But, made it home safely  only to discover I was out of dry cat food, so off to the store.

So, there you have it. You can probably tell that we are both getting a little discouraged and, if I'm totally honest, a little depressed. Maybe after the week-end when things pick up again something will be decided. I'll update after today's adventures!