One Step Back

So this weekend Dad took two steps forward and yesterday was one step back. He was moved back down to the ICU yesterday afternoon because of some fluid thats been building up on his lung, as well as an infection and an atrial heart flutter. They had him on a Bpap oxygen mask that's basically like having a giant fan blowing a ton of oxygen into your mask. If he took it off for even a second his o2 levels would plummet. They gave him a med that causes his body to urinate like crazy in an effort to try to rid itself of the extra fluid in his lung, so the catheter had to stay in (I was mistaken when I said in my last post that it had been removed over the weekend.) It's been in since his surgery, so the sooner it can come out, the less chance for more infection.

He had to be reintubated this morning with the breathing and feeding tube, because he just wasn't able to stabilize his breathing even with the mask at full oxygen output. Last night he was breathing so rapidly and irregularly that it left me breathless just sitting there watching it. His hands and feet were like ice cycles from the lack of oxygen but he was in a cold sweat the entire time and said he was hot. When they let me into his ICU room, he tried to talk through his mask and told me with tears in his eyes that he wasn't afraid and that he loved us so much.

Having the tube back in is difficult because his throat was already so damaged from having it in and taken out the last time, but he's definitely calmed down and stabilized since having it put back in. Unfortunately we're back to trying to speak sign language with him to figure out what he needs or try to interpret his writing on a white board that's unclear because of his pain meds and all the wires on his fingers and hands. The physical therapist just came in and is moving his arms to stretch. I told the therapist how my dad was (is) a regular at the Treehouse Athletic Club and how he's run 17 marathons, and Dad gave me a thumbs up sign. They're going to try to get him to walk today - stay tuned!