Yesterday was a good day, not a really great day, but a good day. Bill was awake and talking when I got there. He was North Woods Law on Animal Planet. This show, if you haven't seen it, takes place in New Hampshire and Maine and covers game wardens. It's actually pretty interesting and a few times it has shown things from Hampton Beach where Bill spent his summers growing up. So, it brings back some memories for him.

He didn't want to get into his chair so Mikaila put his bed in chair mode. I told her that she just needed to tell him it was time to do it instead of asking because he will always say no. His stomach looks much better. Even the places that were bleeding have dried and scabbed over, but the site itself is starting to close. He still doesn't want anyone to touch it as it's tender, but at least it's not pouring bile anymore. 

The Kexelate worked shortly after I left Saturday and his sodium and potassium went back to normal levels. But, he lost 4 points on his hematocrit and it was just above the cut-off for getting blood. So, he will probably get some blood in a day or 2. His kidney numbers are in the normal range, although Dr. Morris did have to add a dose of lasix because his legs were swollen from the knees up. I've never seen his thighs as big as they were!

He did more moving yesterday, which really surprised me. To get my attention, he started waving both arms around, and up until yesterday, he could hardly lift them without help. So, that was an accomplishment. He also "helped" when they had to roll him by bending his knees. He was very talkative and we had a hard time reading his lips at times because he was talking so fast. But, we did understand when he said "I have to poop". That also surprised us since he hasn't had the feeling to do that in a long time. He also told me later he needed to crap! And, he wanted to use a bedpan! So, mentally he was quite with it.

He did make it to the chair about 1 and stayed in it for 2 hours. He didn't look as comfortable as he did the other day and I think it's because his stomach was hurting from needing to use the bathroom. He had said that he had some pain earlier and Mikaila gave him some Tylenol, so maybe he was just sleepy from that.

Mikaila told me that the doctors have said they want the patients who are able to be up or in stroke chairs, to be out of bed before they round in the mornings. They round at 9. I don't have a problem with that, but, that's just another duty that has to be done at the beginning of  their shift, along with patient assessments and meds. Shift change is at 7, so they have a lot to do in the first 2 hours, along with take care of any emergent things that may pop up. Do the doctors think they don't do anything in the morning but sit around and drink coffee? So, we'll see if it actually works this morning!

All in all it was a good day. Bill would not commit to no wild parties or dancing girls because there were too many cute young nurses! When I told him I was coming home he just said "if you have to". I told him I would be back this morning and he said that would be OK but he wouldn't promise to behave! Then I got a double wink.

Have a good week!