Monday, April 8, 2013

Monday, April 8

My daughter Luanna stayed with her father while I went to Victoria to wash clothes.  She wrote about the day:

I tried to give him what I thought was soup. It was tea and he let me know!  A doctor just came in, not Rivas or Concha but the other man with longish hair. He said his contribution to the decision is to move him out of ICU today. The neurologist (Rivas) is to give his opinion later today.

The brain images that show fluid that was at the front of the cerebrum shows no increase in fluid, which is good.

He had some fever last night, but the doc said that is not a surprise because there is still draining that needs to be done in the ear. The ear nose throat doctor will decide if surgery will be done or if the fluid will be extracted in another way.

Dad likes the sheet to be pulled over his face when he sleeps. He is a sleeping mask diva. 

Resting now. The physical therapist is kind, and when she came in, said she would go work with another patient and return to help Dad.

Dad is probably able to rest better now, (not hearing well) than if that part of his body was healed first.

He uses his arms a little, but is not able to do much. When we see him shifting, we adjust pillows, the bed, bedding. It was so nice for him to be able to sit in the wheelchair yesterday. It is a lot of work and he is pretty tired after the shifting efforts. They have said that it is definitely brain work and muscle work.

He scratched his head and nose independently today - an improvement from yesterday. They [the doctors] have not expressed expectation or a timeline [for recovery]. He has surpassed expectations.

Dr. Rivas was impressed with increased motor control in arms and legs. Recognizes Dad did a lot of work yesterday being in the wheelchair, sitting, moving out of bed to exercise in the chair.

Dad cannot recall his age yet, but knows exactly the date he was born. The doctor said the review of the blog with Dad yesterday was good exercise for the brain. Exercise not to be neglected.

I returned from Victoria with a clock. He looked at the clock when he opened his eyes and knew it was noon. We are out of ICU.  Elder Babcock had a room with sunshine and sunsets and morning fog. There was even a loveseat for visitors.  Just before the change to room 203, Luanna was taken to the airport by a local bishop who just happens to drive a taxi.

38.1 temp

They took off the blanket and made him take the sheet off his face.

He just made me pull it back up.

I just put fotos on the English “Elder and Sister Babcock” blog. I used the blogger app and iPad camera because I forgot to bring in the computer camera connection.

The nurse just showed me where the remote is.

They are giving him meds for fever, which should also help with pain.

I will be all right.

Blood sugar 190, a little high? Maybe I shouldn't have put two packets of sugar in his wheat drink.

140 or lower one hour after eating is normal. 120 or lower for two hours. So, yeah, 190 is high.

I haven't known before, but this nurse wanted me to know I guess.

The nurses took his blanket because of his fever and insisted on taking the sheet off his face. For the first time, they mentioned that blood sugar was a problem. The doctor said it was because of the infection and the medications.