Home sweet home

{Click for update: Five years later}

We just pulled into the garage a few minutes ago. :>)
We stopped and dropped her prescription off at Costco after pulling off the freeway. Looks like her lungs are in good enough shape that she doesn't need oxygen at home after all.
More later . . .


http://picasaweb.google.com/KarAndNor/OHSU02/photo#5172611655438979986

First report from thursday

F seems awfully tired this morning. She said she slept. So I'm assuming she's tired of being here and not at home. Physical Therapy had already been here once we arrived.
She said that they took her for a walk to the door and back. That's the equivalent of a trip to the bathroom at home. Hmmm, maybe that's why she's wiped out.
N and I, were talking on the way up trying to figure out what to do next. We need a guide. We wondered how it would work to go through the insurance company since they have all of her records. Even though I broached the subject of where or who to ask for a second opinion with her lead doctor yesterday, I have my doubts as whether he'll come back with an answer. Why didn't I ask the stethoscope man? Maybe being a professor would be a benefit??
Her nurse, Casey, came in to have her walk yet again to the door and back.
Dr. Hardman and Dr. Feuquay came in after we'd been here a short time. They expressed concern about how much she desats when she walks from the bed to the door of the room. They also said they'd double check to make sure the CAT scan was still scheduled.
The transport person arrived about 5 minutes after her lunch tray. And before they had her on the gurney, Dr. Ramsey (one of the pulmonary team) arrived to examine her. At first Dr. Ramsey was going to check back later, but then decided to dart into the room instead. Good timing, as F was experiencing one of her bouts of not being able to hear while attempting to sit up and move.
Dr. Catherine Markin and Dr. Ramsey, of the pulmonary team, came in to see her around 3:15. They said that her CAT scan looked much better. It showed scar tissue from whatever the event was that began all of this. They still think she aspirated something into her lungs or that she suffered damage from the ventilator. No one knows for sure. Dr. Markin gave it a name - hypoxia due to diffuse alveolar damage. And she framed it with, "those who survive this will need oxygen for a period of time whenever they exert themselves". They also said that her lungs should be nearly back to where they were in a year. Dr. M also said that the CAT scan showed the pneumonia down in the right lung, but they knew that was there from the scope. She's going to give us a name of an ob/gyn here at OHSU. Someone very good - "he's been around and he's very wise".
UPDATE:
We heard the news today, oh boy. :>)
F is going home tomorrow morning! YAY!

first half of Wednesday

N and I, drove up this morning after I finished updating the journal and uploading photos from the camera. Little did I know that he was planning on driving back to Salem after seeing how F was doing to go to work for 4 hours. I could've just slept in a chair last night to save him the trip. The lives of the martyrs. ;>
F didn't get much sleep last night. Three helicopters landed at different times throughout the night on the building across the way. Nothing like a little adrenaline to keep a person awake. Her neighbor, kept turning her light on between 5 & 8 AM and began to complain that she wanted her breakfast. She probably couldn't sleep either.
The general medicine team came in to tell F that things were looking good as far as her lungs recovering - going by her oxygen level which is down to 1 liter. They're still planning on doing the CAT scan tomorrow. So Dr. Hardman's prediction that she will be able to go home tomorrow probably won't materialize. Don't tease my girl!
She's been napping off and on. Ate a good breakfast, but only picked at her lunch. I think her mom should be fired from selecting her menu.
The doctor with the cool UK stethoscope came in this morning to try and record her "Hammond Crunch" noise with his digital stethoscope hooked up to an ipod. It's not quite as loud as it was, so he didn't get a good recording. Then he came in again after lunch to see if a student would be able to hear the minute differences in heart sound. What fun being an oddity! Probably wouldn't help on a resume, though.

Good or silly bits I've forgotten

When we were getting ready to leave F last night, N reached down to pick up his shoes. Something caught his eye. He held the shoes up higher to get a better look. They were both brown, BUT they didn't match. It's the first time in his life he's had two pair of brown casual shoes. Maybe there's a reason he's never wanted more??
I've been trying to mention the nurses whose compassion leaves an impression on us, but while musing in the shower this morning I realized I've left some out. Vern, one of the standouts in the ICU, who made sure her IVs were redone and done right. I like that he asked if we wanted to buy some strawberry plants from his 7 year old son who he's trying to teach the value of a dollar. Lisa, the quiet ICU nurse, who was always there when we needed her and watched her oxygen levels like a hawk. Jeff, the ICU nurse, who covered us up with warm blankets during the wee hours of the night. One, whose name escapes me, who worked in a small pod of ICU rooms. She took the time to tend the 3 of us (Lisa, too) as well as to take excellent care of F.
While looking out F's window yesterday, I noticed a man on a sidewalk with a huge banner way down below. The banner read, "shame on you, Dr. Frank". At least that's what we could see through the vegetation. Must be an interesting story behind that.
I'm sure I've left something out, but it's a beginning.
http://picasaweb.google.com/KarAndNor/OHSU02/photo#5172611655438979986

Tuesday

We didn't get to the hospital until about 10:45 this morning. N needed to show someone at work how to do a task. Not long after, Ken & Karen arrived to visit F. She appreciated enjoying their company and sharing stories with them - as did N and I. Now all she has to do is keep her chocolate away from her ma. N, me and K & K, ate lunch together and had a nice visit at Slice of Heaven. I think I've forgotten any of the details I knew about Rachel's time up at the children's hospital in Seattle. Time to ask for a refresher.
F has had a good day considering how a different person/event woke her up nearly every hour from 3 AM until daylight. We kept waiting throughout the day for the doctors to arrive. One doctor did come in before we got here and told her they were going to start giving her antibiotics. Probably for the staph they found in the one test result. Of course the team arrived 15 minutes before we returned from dinner. They told her that they would know more tomorrow. They'll continue the antibiotics and it's possible they'll do another bronchoscopy on Wednesday. They said they found some odd cells and I guess they want to investigate further. She didn't mention a biopsy, but that's what they said would happen with the second bronchoscopy. I'm starting to feel like we need to eat at separate times, so as not to miss anything.