Pneumonia Part II - November 10th - 13th

When I finally made it back to the hospital by 10:30 a.m. I was frantic. I was so frustrated that it took me so long to get everything done. I had called for updates on John's condition but I wasn't physically there. When I returned I got to meet John's new Pulmonologist Dr. Jacob. He explained everything about what was happening and then he said to me in the hallway, "He's not out of the woods yet but he did make it through the night. The next 24-48 hours are crucial." Talk about taking a punch in the stomach. I think I stuttered, "Okay." Then he went on to explain what they would be watching for if things got worse and what they would be doing to help John heal. So with that on my mind I sat by John's bed the next two days...praying, thinking, being entertainment for John, thinking, answering phone calls, making sure the nurses and respiratory therapists stayed on top of his care, thinking, and just to keep busy sorted all of my beading supplies. I've been waiting for the time to organize them for years and figured I might as well get something good out of ICU.

They took Xrays of John every morning. Usually from day to day there isn't a lot of change. Finally they sent him for a CT Scan. He had a really hard time during the test since they laid him down flat in order to send him through the imaging machine. When your lungs are full of goo and you lay down flat it's hard to get air into your lungs. The medical resident for the Pulmonologists group let John and I see a couple of slices of John's CT Scan. His entire right side of his lung was colored solid(infection) except for a few thin streams of black(air flow). Your lungs definitely aren't supposed to look like that! Between steroids, Morphine, Toradol, Mega Antibiotics, and Respiratory therapists pounding on his back every four hours, John was holding his own. They started John on a new machine that is used by patients with Cystic Fibrosis. It looks like a life vest and fills up with air when you turn it on. Then the real fun begins...it starts shaking you, kind sounds like when your washing machine isn't balanced. He tolerated it, but I could tell it wore him out, being knocked around for ten minute stretches will do that to you. It made me a motion sick just watching him. They should be so relieved that I wasn't the patient in that vest. Late Wednesday afternoon they put John on a nasal canula which was a great improvement over the Bi Pap machine. By Thursday evening they transferred him to a step down unit in the new area of the hospital (which is Room #3). Step down units are great since you still have extra care with one nurse assigned to less patients. Things were looking up!

The only reason I made it through those first five days were my friends. I was surrounded by people who love me, my husband, and my children. Leslie left her family and mothered my girls for five days...Charlene came every morning from Millbury to Sylvania to give Leslie time to go home and take her kids to school. My sister Laura and Lisa brought me lunch, snacks and some contraband Dr. Pepper(I try to be good and not get too sugared up.) Most of all everyone visited!!! Friends from Skrappaper, from church, from work, my family, John's family. The love of our friends those first few days was an encouraging gift that we received an abundance of.