Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Kenny continues to improve on a daily basis. His trach could go down to a size 4 or maybe gone all together by Monday evening. He’s still not happy when he has to sit in the “chair” for 2 hours at a time, but it really seem to be helping get his strength back. There’s swelling in his left knee, but the nurse seems to think it’s just inflammation from his joints not being used for a while. The x-rays haven’t came back as of Sunday afternoon. He’s started the physical therapy in his bed and has exercises he’s supposed to be doing. We’ll see how that works out. Over all, he’s on the road to a full recovery.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
It’s been another week of recovery and it's UNBELIEVABLE how Kenny has improved. No more insulin in the IV. He get’s normal injections in the arm. He’s sitting in a special chair almost daily for two hours. It takes a while for him to get comfortable, but he’s aware he has to do it for recovery. Kenny has always enjoyed music and Lyndsey and David hooked him up with an Ipod and 7 hours of continuous country music. They changed his trach yesterday from a size 8 to a smaller size 6. That’s a good thing. He’s breathing mostly on his own, but still has the ventilator for backup when he tires out. There are no commitments from the respiratory therapists because Kenny is a new experience for them. Kenny is their first to have been on the “Mac Daddy” ventilator for so, so, so many days. In saying that, there doesn’t appear to be any problems with the healing of his lungs and normal breathing in the future. There’s nothing but POSITIVE news about the Miracle Man. We know that all your prayers have been the main ingredients of Kenny’s continuous recovery. Also, please pray for Kenny’s neighbor in the room next to him in STICU. Her name is Amy and she just turned 17 a few weeks ago. Her injuries are from a car accident like Kenny had, but also include head injuries. She’s also a REAL TROOPER. Amy has the love and support of her family, and especially her mom and dad, Mariam and Adrian who believe in the POWER OF PRAYERS and have constantly been by her side.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday July 14, 2008
Kenny continues to improve, but it’s still at a snail’s pace. He’s able to breath on his own, but the respirator is still being used as a back up. He’s been breathing on his own during the day, but tires, and the respirator is turned up to assist him. The doctor has prescribed anti depressants due to his idle time and just feeling helpless. Kenny has always been real active and has never been in a position like this where he is totally bed ridden. He’s weak from not using his muscles, but does well with his hands and has mastered the TV remote control. The respiratory therapists will not commit as to how much longer the normal respirator will be needed, as Kenny is a FIRST for them. One therapist told me that he has been there for 2 years and Kenny was the first patient that he has ever known to be on the “Mac Daddy” for that long (37 days). I think the average time is around 4-7 days. Plans are in the making for Kenny to go to physical therapy rehab in the near future. He’s definitely a miracle.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Wenesday, July 9, 2008
Kenny is still continuing to improve. Leslie went to visit him last night and said he looked great and was fever free! Please continue to keep him in your prayers, he still has a long road of recovery ahead :)
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
We visited Kenny last night and he has another infection, and it was determined by his urine and not his blood. That was good news. He had a fever, but appeared to be resting (out) comfortably and never really was awake. We found out later the nurse had given him a small dose of morphine for pain because he was being moved from his left side to his right side in the bed. The numbers on the ventilator keep improving in his favor (I still don’t understand all of them) and that’s a good thing. His mother called me this morning and said that he has developed pneumonia again. But, in the same breath, she said the nurse was getting a chair for Kenny to start sitting up in. It amazes me this day and time that doctors treat pneumonia/fever as “NO BIG DEAL”. Hopefully it’s just a minor set back.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Yesterday was the BIGGEST day yet for Kenny. He was in the OR for about 45 minutes and returned to his room. The breathing tube was removed from his mouth, the neck collar was gone, and his face was clean shaved with a mustache (Never saw him with a mustache). He appeared much more comfortable with the “Trach” and even more alert than before. He finally got to put his eye glasses on and that brought a BIG smile to his face. As he rested on his new air mattress bed, his face expressing an obvious sense of comfort and relief, he seemed to be focused on JUST watching TV. His breathing has doubled in #’s on the respirator and continues to improve upward. It’s my first day back to work after 40 days at the hospital. I talked briefly to his mother on the phone this morning and the team of doctors had not made their rounds yet. She said Kenny had a GOOD night and his respirator had been turned up again and is forcing him to breathe more on his on. He’s still in STICU, but I’m almost willing to bet……..NOT MUCH LONGER. Please keep them prayers coming.
