We are going to try to get a picture of Mom on the website so people will be able to see a visual. One of the siblings possibly too. This will be later in the week.
Mike got Mom a little Christmas tree today for her room. Lord willing, she will be able to see and enjoy it by Christmas Day. For those that have sent cards, thank you for your kind and thoughtful words. Were placing them in the tree and tacking them all the wall for the family and medical staff to enjoy. All cards should be sent to 262 E Lake Rd, DeRuyter, NY 13052, not the hospital. Thank you.
They weaned Mom from the respirator around 12:30am Sunday with it providing some pressure to the lungs. Mom did OK until about 7 pm, 19 hrs which was longer than the last time they tried it before the right lung collapsed. She started to experience quite a bit of pain and problems breathing. It turns out from x-rays taken she again has pnuemonia, this time in the right lung and more fluid built up than the past couple of days. The fluid was blocking the airways. They have put her back on the respirator and given medication to help remove the fluid. Having the pnuemonia will necessitate the tracheotomy being done and not to bother weaning her from the respirator without it. We anticipate this being done Monday or Tuesday. The feeding tube will also be inserted directly to her small intestant.
The blood pressure and heart rate are still issues in stabililizing with the right balance of medications. Even though the morphine is at level 3, (the level she was at when being admitted to the ICU) she is more alert and conscious of things including the tubes in her mouth, throat and the respirator itself. She is fighting them more. This is good and bad. Good in that it gives climpses of cognitive thought and motor reactions from the brain. No one can even begin to guess what her mental capacity will be when off the respirator and less dependent on the medication. Bad...in that fighting the respirator only exaserbates the heart rate and blood pressure problems.
Please pray for the tracheotomy procedure coming up and the pnuemonia. The pnuemonia will only delay her being able to loose the respirator. Continue praying for Scott's and Dad's health also.
Again, we can't thank everyone enough.
P.S. - Regarding chapter summaries and comments on "The Purpose Driven Life", you will see the headline of the article listing the book and chapter # read. Mom and I finished chapters 1 & 2 this weekend. I will be posting the summary with personal comments tomorrow probably.