Update #22

It has been a rough couple of days for dad. There is a huge meeting going on for dad with a lot of high profile people scheduled on Tuesday to get dad the tracheostomy he needs. He Is in a pickle and needs off the ventilator and needs it at the same time. I have been working diligently with staff to ensure dad gets the care he needs. For as long as he has been on the ventilator, as with anything there are risk and could affect him the longer he is on it. Yesterday dad developed A fever and was immediately treated with some antibiotics for a potential infection. Today (Saturday) dads oxygen saturation dropped from the morning level prompting another xray in the afternoon. They observed air in between the lung and chest wall know as A pneumothorax. This required an emergency chest tube to decompress the air and allow his lung to fully expand. The fight continue and we are trying to give dad his best chance.

Till next time...

Update #21

Still a long road ahead of us. A decision has been made for dad to undergo a surgical procedure. Dad will be getting Tracheostomy which is an opening at the base of his throat. The purpose of this is to bypass the tubes down his throat and get him off the medically induced coma. The fact that dad has been under for so long he has been growing a tolerance to the pain meds and sedation medication Which is beginning to not have an effect and interfere with the ventilator. With dad staying under the greater the risk grows as his body wants to wake and breath on his own but is not prepared nor well enough do so without creating bigger issues. With the tracheostomy dad can continue getting the help from the ventilator so he can still let his lungs heal. In addition, the tube will be removed and he will be awake. He will be able to eat and talk and move to rebuild his motor skills And overall welfare. His body and brain need to wake up and see that it needs to tend to it self as our bodies do when we fight off colds or other illnesses Naturally. That’s where the neurological aspect comes in . His body is losing the ability to self repair and that needs to be fixed. This is a huge step forward and very tedious. The ENT - ear nose and throat doctors will advise when the surgery will take place in the near future. This is a good thing and good things will come of this. Due to the nature of the virus and how sensitive this is The ENT staff will need to ensure COMPLETE sterile procedures much more than normal. Due to the Covid presence this procedure is tedious. I am excited for dad to get this the more I think about it and have a sense of relief for him to start the path to recovery. Keep in mind that the tracheostomy can be removed down the road if needed And this option gives dad the best case scenario down the road and present time for his overall well being. Till next time...

Update #20

Dad is safe and sound back at the VA. He is stable and still slowly doing better. Today the kidney doctors related that he has improved and was not given a dose of dialysis today. His kidney functions have being functioning normally.

In addition, dads lungs are still heavily damaged from the virus and has taken a large toll on his body. Dad still needs the ventilator to support his lungs. He is not well enough to breath on his own due to the damage. The longer dad stays on the ventilator it can create bigger risk for his well-being and could cause neurological damage. That being said some steps are being discussed to move forward for his care. Doctors are working diligently to weigh the options that will help dad in the long run and over all health. Currently they have been discussing options that will help dad recover while he is a awake and rehabilitate at the same time. Decisions will come and I will keep everyone updated. We are still moving forward.

Toll next time...