Day 28

[ironymaiden]

C and I had the dinner shift with e_bourne tonight. We came back to the house, where E got to play with Kai (and deposit checks and pay bills), and then took her to West 5 for comfort food. It was a good visit.

She asked me to write the update for her tonight.

Mark started having physical therapy today, where they come and do range of motion exercises with him. The therapist says that he will have extra work to do with his left leg, where there is scarring from pulling the vein for the emergency bypass.

He is really uncomfortable with having a tube down his throat. Basically, he's getting enough oxygen, but it feels so wrong that he periodically panics because it doesn't feel like he's breathing enough. He's on a drug to calm him so that he can get enough rest.

The plan for Monday is to give him a tracheotomy and a feeding tube directly into his stomach. Sounds scary, but what it does is get all that stuff out of his mouth and the top of his throat to let him do things like swallow naturally, sit up, and (with some coaching on technique) talk.

I saw him briefly yesterday and today; when he's not on the drugs he's lucid and able to transmit information with nods and his eyes. He's obviously desperate to communicate.

Comments

[buhrger]

{{{{hugs}}}}} to those i know, and those i don't

[pmgriffiths.livejournal.com]

Scary stuff, but all in all a sign of improvement. I am sure that he is feeling something, but he is probably extremely frightened. Please continue to be a good friend to Beth.

[crankycowgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad I kept clicking around until I found this update on Mark. When Elizabeth didn't post last night I thought the worst so I was determined today to find out how Mark is. I cannot believe this is happening to him! However, if it does have to happen I'm glad it's happening with Elizabeth and all of his Seattle friends by his side. This potato head here in Boise thinks of them both every day. Found the perfect card and sent it off to the hospital yesterday. Please keep me in the loop. Both of them mean so much to me, they have been great friends through all my ups and downs and whatever I can do, even if it's just moral support, please let them know I will glady do it. Thanks.....Marcia in Boise.