A Few Updates

I've been spending virtually all of my waking moments in the room with Jenni, so I'm still not posting regularly the way I was earlier in the week. However, during shift change I get booted out regardless of any extended visitation hours. While I'm out here doing nothing better, I thought I'd let everyone know what has transpired in the last hour or so.

When I returned to Jenni's side after the meeting with those dubious doctors that Layne has been telling you about, I found Jenni worse than when I left. Her swelling had worsened on the left side (the same side from which they removed the chest tube earlier in the day), her oxygen had been raised to 60%, and she seemed a little flushed. I was informed that they had just performed a chest x-ray before I entered the room (proactive... good) to check on the swelling but I was still concerned about her color. The nurse checked her temperature and found it to be higher than earlier, so we turned off the heated blanket and turned it down so that it didn't cover her torso. The respiratory specialist also came in and fiddled with the ventilator. She is now down to 50%, but is breathing over the vent more often now. I'm not sure what this means in the long run... but I am encouraged by the doctors' willingness to follow up on Layne & Stephanie's research on alternate treatments.

When it comes to experimental treatments, there are never any easy answers. Please continue to pray for Jenni, but also pray that God will lend me the strength to make the tough calls that will be coming soon. I really need strength and guidance...

Maybe Some Hopeful Signs?

Today seems a little better at the start.  Jenni's need for the vent seems to be decreased.  The oxygen load has been decresed from 45% to 40%, a slight improvement.  The volume has been decreased from 300 +/- to 250.  They moved Jenni to do her x-ray without crashing.  All of these are good signs.

When we asked if she wanted to hear some music, she opened her eyes and tried to nod her head.  So we played Casting Crowns for her--her favorite band.

Currently they are doing an ultrasound to test to see if there are any blood clots on her left side.

I do not know if she needed any blood last night.

We feel encouraged, but we are trying hard not to get to "up."

Thanks be to God

Grace and Peace
Layne

Stephanie got to speak with a dr. She said that "possibly" and we want to emphasize possibly the x-ray indicates a slowing of the bleeding in the lungs.... we'll take it.

This moving thing is a problem. It means that Jenni is VERY fragile. If there is an emergency and they have to change her position it would be very dangerous.

Thanks for your prayers

Layne

Another Near Miss

Jenni's pressure has stabilized waiting on x ray results still....

9:00

For some reason Jenni's blood pressure has dropped suddenly. An x-ray has been ordered. We are waiting the results...

Layne

Update From the Nurse

The nurse just came out and told me that they are not going to do the bronchoscopy yet. She has some swelling on her left side that I expressed some concern about before I left and they want to do another x-ray to make sure everything is okay. The nurse mentioned that the swelling might actually be air from the lung.

Still... stuck... waiting... for... results...

Its a good thing I'm a patient guy.

ICU Waiting Room

I'm sitting in the ICU waiting room. They have taken her back and wouldn't let me come with her, but they're supposed to be coming out to get me when she has settled and all of the machinery is connected.

The nurse who just visited mentioned that the last x-ray showed evidence of a pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Judi described the treatment for that, and I'm praying that isn't the problem.

Hopefully I'll know more soon...

Another Scare

Image via Wikipedia

I came to the hospital earlier than normal this morning. The nurse called my phone (which didn't show a missed call... odd) and then called my mom's (who was with me at the hotel). They had to put her on an oxygen mask last night, but this morning they had to raise the oxygen to 80%. (Note: That isn't Jenni in the picture, but its the same exact kind of mask that she's using.)

What is frustrating is that they really don't know why her oxygen levels keep dropping all of a sudden. It seems like every time they feel like she's improving, something like this happens and she's back on a mask.

In any case, they did an ABG (arterial blood gas) and another chest x-ray. They will decide based on those test results whether or not to move her downstairs to the ICU.

Right now she is stable. Hopefully I'll know more soon.