Wednesday morning

When I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 this morning, John looked good.  He was breathing on his own and his coloring was better than yesterday.  His temperature was down to about 99 degrees.  The nurse had sent some lab results to the doctors showing he was breathing on his own, now just waiting for the order to remove his breathing tube.  When I first got here the nurse asked John if he wanted to wake up soon and he shook his head, yes, so he was coming out of the sedation on his own.

Respiratory  therapy came about 7 and removed his breathing and feeding tubes.  Then restraints could be removed. 

For years, his toes have been cold.  Today they feel warm to me.  I asked him if he thought they were warmer, he shook his head, no.  I think he'll feel the difference soon.

A Resident came in just before 8 this morning and mentioned how good John looked, he had been here many times yesterday.  John opened his eyes, smiled and said his first word "flatterer"  we all had a good laugh.

He had his first ice at 8:15 then woke up enough to have some real bad pain.  They gave him some  dilaudid  which worked for a few minutes.  He can have oxycodone when he can swallow a pill.  Dr Mokadam came by when he was in a bit of pain.  John pointed to his stomach where the drive line comes out as being the painful area.  The nurse gave him more dilaudid, the last he can have for two hours, and he is sleeping now.  When he wakes up we'll work on swallowing so he can take a pill.  It has been a rough hour. 

Colleen