Dec. 30th, Ken on Oscillator.

Ken's doctors decided to go ahead and put him on the oscillator today. They are doing it now. Everyone is moving pretty fast. I will start at the top. They have a brain monitor on his head so that they can monitor his brain activity and make sure that Ken is not in pain. They have given him medication to paralyze him while he is on that oscillator. He will need to be totally supported by the new vent, he will not be able to move with it at all. So they have installed a new line in his arm so that they can monitor his blood gasses every 30 minutes to make sure his oxygen and CO2 levels are ok. They need to make sure they have him completely sedated, they check that also with the brain wave monitor.

This is scary. I hope he can get thru this. So this is what I was told this morning by the docs. The oscillator will not cure him. They are still waiting for the steroids to hopefully do that. His lungs are heavily damaged and the oscillator should give him relief from breathing so that his lungs don't have to work so hard while he is trying to heal. No idea how long he will be on this machine.

The machine itself is very loud, so I won't be sleeping here. At least they didn't have to take him to the ICU department as they first said. The docs wanted to keep him here instead of sending him down to the real ICU. I am grateful. At least all the nurses know him here. They don't all know how to manage the oscillator, so they are taking crash courses to learn it. They tell me it is easy to learn. I hope so.

Right now his blood pressure is showing really low. Freaking me out. I probably shouldn't be watching this. I am trying to blog instead of watching. I hope they get him stable again. So, as I was saying, the machine won't cure him. The Oncology doc said that they occasionally see this kind of damage to the lungs after chemo. Usually a few months after. So for it to happen so quick and so severe, they are surprised and somewhat baffled. They haven't ever had anyone with this much damage from the chemo. Or at least that is what they alluded to. So they are as worried as I am.

The docs also warned me today... the tough side effect with this oscillator is the paralytic drugs that they give him. He is already on steroids that are breaking down his muscle mass. The paralytic drug just compounds it. The drug works to stop his nerves so he won't move, so the recovery from this is going to be a double whammy, incredibly tough. But he can do it. The doc said this morning that it may take him a month to recover and come off the ventilators. Then the rehab will be 3 to 5 months after that. So he will be in the hospital or up on the rehab floor all that time. I am just in a daze. I can't believe all that is happening. At least they are finally telling me what to expect. (His blood pressure is fine now. It was the line placement, not Ken. He is stable now. Sort of.)

They will be checking his blood gases every few minutes and adjusting the machine while it gets to the right settings. It is different with every person, so it takes a bit of testing to get it right for Ken. So did I say the machine is loud. It sounds like a motor from the 1950's. There is a drum that is constantly turning. That is what it sounds like, an old clothes dryer that is out of balance. The tubes are attached to his trach in his throat. They are inflating his lungs at a constant rate. His little chest is just vibrating very rapidly. Maybe that will break up the pneumonia crud and get it out of him, though I am not sure there is crud in there.

I can't write any more now, so I'm going to go get a salad. Please keep praying for him. I know you are and so am I. I decided to give up the stupid romance novels and go back to my bible instead. God Bless all of you. Love you, Bev

PS. I am planning, if today goes well, to be in Fort Collins tomorrow to work and start setting up for rush. I know it's a holiday weekend, but if anyone is brave enough to visit over the weekend, please feel free. As long as you are completely healthy. It is too quiet just sitting here. I have plenty of things to do, but would like the company. Then, if he is staying strong, I am hoping to work at least next Monday and Wednesday. Maybe more, maybe less. I just need to take it one day at a time for now.