SURPRISE!! - BETTER LATE THAN NEVER??

What a week!! Life is a journey, and then when you add the twist and turns - you get adventure. It could be an adventure you planned, like going to Disney World, or like one of those rides at Disney World where you don't know what is around the next corner you come speeding towards. Sometimes you can see the turns coming and perhaps prepare for them or even be waiting for that expectant turn you know will bring much awaited change. The real kicker is when an unexpected twist comes and all you can do is shake your head trying to clear it of those stars you see circling. There have been many different emotions this last week stemming from turns and twist.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON:
This is not the only time we have taken the scenic route with a hospital stent, but this has definitely been the most scenic and hair-raising route. It always seems there is this one point Ken has to get to in his recovery and then .............everything turns around. Last Monday, as you recall, the surgeons used a metal plate to stabilize his sternum. I honestly believe that will be the day we will recall as the REAL TURNING POINT in this recovery. He was able to get in the chair Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and yes even Friday. He has been on the trach collar for shorter periods of time but has increased the amount of time each day, and then he stays on the vent over night. SLOW AND STEADY SAID THE TORTOISE. As I am writing this, Ken is not on any IVs for maintaining his blood pressure. That has been the case now for at least four days, and at times, there are no IVs running. When you have fewer machines running you cut down the chances of some bell or whistle going off every five minutes. MUCH QUIETER!!!!

SUNDAY AFTERNOON:OK - everyone up - cheers and clapping are required as you read the next couple of lines.

KEN LEFT HIS ROOM TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No, No, No - I'm not talking about lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling tiles. This was an honest to goodness FIELD TRIP. With his required equipment and entourage in tow, he rode, sitting up, in his chair out the SCICU DOORS, down the hall to the elevators, down one floor and over to a small sitting area in the atrium! Do I hear a HALLELUJAH - THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!!!! I felt like we were in a parade going down the hall and Ken was the grand marshal. It was not a long outing, but it was an outing none the less.

That was a very much needed outing. Ken's nurse called me at 7:30 this morning to let me know that he was anxious, emotional and had not slept well last night. He had begged her to call me. When I got here, he was up in the chair and on the trach collar but he was not happy. He said he was tired - tired of being poked and prodded constantly - and just wanted to go home. The outing was good for the change of scenery, but he was already a little tired since he had been in the chair for about five hours. While we were out of the room, his nurse noticed his feeding tube was not as far in his nose as it had been. We got back into the room and she needed to get it back in place. That is where he receives, not only his nourishment, but also his oral medications. Unfortunately, it was not going back down and he was choking. It had to come all the way out and was going to have to be put back in later. That was the "straw that broke the camel's back" and all of the emotions came pouring out. We cried, I prayed and he closed his eyes for awhile.

I went out to talk to the nurse practitioner and his nurse about what was going on. Sarah, the NP, went to his room, put him back on the trach collar, put on the speaking valve and they talked. She gave him a chance to express his frustration, and really listened. When they finished talking, they shook hands on their contract: He will have two days a week he decides what he wants to do and for how long; So he can get some rest, there will be nothing done between midnight and six am except two pricks to check his blood sugar. He felt better - Sarah felt better - I felt better. Sarah said the fact he voiced he was hurting and felt frustrated meant he was really doing better because before he had been too sick to care if he had a say in anything.

MONDAY MORNING:
I had every intention of getting this out last night - was too tired. The phone rang at 6:30 this morning with Ken's nurse on the other end. They had to restart the IV for his blood pressure and he was begging her to call me - he needed to see me. When I got here he was obviously very agitated and panicky. He was shaking so hard he could hardly breath. Finally I understood that he was freezing and wanted the warming blanket (blows warm air in). His communication was mixed with rational and bizarre thoughts. They took his temperature and sure enough it was high - another infection somewhere. They have already started running cultures on everything they can get their hands on. They should be starting an antibiotic soon. Looks like we are doing the Texas Two Step again (if your confused -that's one step forward - two steps back). I guess this was one of those turns that came as we were speeding around the corner looking for the exit.

As I said in the beginning, sometimes you get those twist that come out of nowhere. This last Thursday night I discovered that my computer was gone. That's part of the reason you did not hear anything from me until now. When we first came in January, we met a lady in the waiting room whose cousin was in the cancer unit. We would run into her when we came up to visit with Mr. Burroughs. When Ken had his surgery, she was still here at the hospital and we would visit in the waiting room. To make a long story short, over time I let her come to the apartment a couple of times to take a shower and sleep on the couch. The beginning of April she had to go to the emergency room with pancreatitis. When she was discharged I invited her to sleep on the couch again. She was in and out of the hospital several times and had even had surgery once. He cousin had been moved to a rehab earlier and was suppose to be discharged this week. She was suppose to have surgery again on Friday and then she and her cousin would be able to go home. Her cousin lives here in Maryland and she is from Florida. When I got home Thursday night from the hospital, the apartment door was unlocked and it was dark inside. The key was hanging where it went, there was no note on the coffee table as there had been at other times and when I looked around - my lap-top was gone along with the power source. Talk about shocked -- I could not believe it....... I took care of details that night on passwords with the help of Paul and Cathy. Maybe I am too trusting. I never felt I was being reckless or that I shouldn't be letting her stay. I am still shaking my head in confusion but have chalked it up to a LESSON LEARNED. My attention has to be on Ken. Paul and Riley went Friday and bought a lap-top, loaded everything on it and shipped it to where I had it Saturday morning. What a blessing! God continues to protect and provide. I probably will never see this lady again nor will I know why this happened, but God does and so that is where I have left it - in His hands.

I know --- many of you thought I would never shut-up today. Please pray for Ken's body to respond to the antibiotics and for the source of infection to be found quickly. That this setback would be very short lived and the signs of improvement would get longer and stronger. All he wants to do is go home - please pray that would be soon.

I will be sure and get another update out soon. God bless you.