ARE YOU WEARING YOUR GREEN?

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!

Ken is wearing his green. Since the IVs are attached to his body, and the IVs are hanging on the IV pole, and the IV pole has the monitors that regulate the IVs, and the monitors have green lights on them -THERE YOU HAVE IT -he is wearing his green. Thing is, around here they don't pinch you, they stick you and it doesn't matter if you have green on or not. We hope you are having a great Monday regardless of what color you have on.

It was another long and at times frustrating weekend for us. I am sure that once Ken is able to talk, he is going to say, what part of my lips can you not read. He may be finding some kind of class for me to attend. It is like playing charades in a sense; First Word - Second Word and so on. His body still has a large amount of fluid, especially in his arms and legs which along with just not having moved in so long makes it almost impossible for him to move anything without assistance. He has come a long way, he just does not see it. The PT came in this morning to work him out and kept telling him how much stronger his muscles are getting. She is also raising the head of his bed in small increments as he can tolerate. We are hoping tomorrow could be the day he is sitting up in bed. I help him throughout the day with stretching and closing his hands along with working out his feet and knees to keep them from being stiff. Our goal with his hands is to grip a pen so he can write what he wants to say. .

I have a feeling that he will be talking before writing. He is doing great with his breathing. They have the ventilator set to where he has to initiate the breath and it only gives him a small amount of assistance and the percentage of oxygen going through is at 40%. The first time they took him off of the ventilator he lasted about five minutes and yesterday he was able to stay off for seventeen minutes. RT has not come in today for him to try, but I am sure it will be even longer.

The one consistent problem is his blood pressure dropping very low. As was mentioned in previous entries, there is such a fine line for everything to be in balance and we are not there yet. When his pressure drops they have to either stop removing fluid, add fluid or turn back up a medication used for raising it.

You didn't know it, but there was just a two hour break while Ken was off the ventilator. He did so good!! He was off for almost an hour and was coughing stuff up on his own which means his lungs are getting stronger!! THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR CONTINUED HEALING MERCY.

Ken still has a long ways to go but every small step is worthy of rejoicing. This weekend Ken started really suffering with some anxiety and depression. In our "successful moments" of communication he has revealed that he feels trapped. (WHO WOULDN'T) He cannot move his body and he cannot communicate with someone unless they are right there by him making the effort. He does not see the progress as those of us who have watched from the beginning; therefore, he gets a little discouraged. We are really at a point in this journey where he is going to have to stay in there and fight. They have added some medications that will help with this but we need to continue to pray that God will keep him strong mentally as well as physically.

I wish the words would come to mind that would convey to each one of you just how much your prayers and encouragement have kept this journey alive. I don't know that I will ever be able to find them, but please let me tell you again - from the bottom of my heart - THANK YOU!!!!!