4/22/16 4pm

The output from Johns drainage tube is up again, this time 300cc over the past 24 hours. This is the only thing that is keeping us in the hospital. We are waiting on an ultrasound, this time of his left upper arm.  It is really bruised, so they want to make sure there is no clot.  We're not sure if it is from the blood pressure cuff.  They have to use the left arm since his PICC line is in his right arm.  Or it could be from surgery since those arms were extended and restrained for 11.5 hours.

Occupational Therapy has developed a test for self showering after tubes are removed.  They wanted to try it on John before they made it available to other patients.  Of course he passed.  They want to make sure you're not going to fall if they allow you to take your first shower on your own.  He had to do several things like stand for 20 seconds with eyes closed, touch the floor, raise your foot and touch the bottom of your foot.  So once the tube is gone, we can do the shower ourselves, won't have to wait to get in the OT schedule.

After rounds this morning, I left the hospital for a couple of hours.  I went home to mow the lawn.  It was getting really long and today the weather has changed and it is raining.

Colleen