Recovery starts.

Monday Night. This has been a very happy few days since Saturday. Ken is holding on and staying strong. Thank God. He has a long way to go and he still may not make it. But he is finally headed in the right direction. Baby steps. So here is what we have learned.

Sunday, Ken was kept sedated, but the paralytic drug was stopped. We learned that it may be weeks or months before that completely wears off since he was on it for 11 days. He did move his mouth once and coughed a few times on Sunday. When he coughs or breaths over his respirator, it honks. Sounds like a car horn. It is a welcome sound, means Ken is in there. I never thought I would be happy that my husband is on a respirator, but I am so happy. No Oscillator.

Monday morning, I got to the hospital at 6:45 since we had a conference call scheduled for 7:30. I peaked in Ken's window and noticed that his BIS rate (the rate that measures how sedated he is) was at a comfortable 36. They want him between 40-60 now that he is off the oscillator. Below 40 was when he was on the oscillator. I came in, put on my gloves and said good morning to Ken. I picked up his hand like I often do and his BIS shot up to 76 then 86. I was afraid he was going to wake up, so I talked to him and then moved across the room. When I got back from the conference, his rate was still up there. I told him I was going to work and that I would be back this afternoon. The nurses noticed a while after I left that his eyes were slightly open. Nancy asked him to blink if he could hear her. He blinked ever so slightly. Then she asked him to blink if he was in pain. He did not blink. She said she didn't know if he was really awake, but she thought so. He then went to sleep and opened his eyes again for a sec in the afternoon. He just didn't want to stay asleep. He is ready to get up, I just wish his lungs were ready for that too.

In the conference with the family and the doctors we learned a few things as well. Dr. Matous told us that Ken has a chemo therapy induced lung injury. He has seen it before, but never this seriously. He said statistics are that 8% of people that get this kind of injury, die from it. He has never lost anyone. Last weekend, when they told me that Ken had less than a 20% chance of living, I was devastated. But at the time, the doctors and nurses weren't sure he would be able to recover. Today, the doc said that he believes Ken will recover. He made the family understand that we still could lose Ken, but if we don't have any surprises, no new problems, he has a much better chance for survival. Yeah. Dr. said that Ken's injury got worse very quickly and he didn't respond to normal meds at first. They didn't think it was chemo induced at first. Usually that doesn't show up till 2-3 months down the road. So once they decided to add steroids to the mix, just in case, Ken started to respond. But his lungs had been so damaged, that he needed to be put on the oscillator quickly as well. So the questions now are will he recovery, how completely will he recover and how long will it take. Doc thinks Ken will be on the respirator for another few weeks. Goal is to get him off of it in February. Then he will have rehab most if not all of the spring, maybe into the summer. How completely he recovers is unknown. He may recover completely, he may need oxygen at night or all the time. His physical therapy is going to be so extensive that we know he won't be climbing any 14ers this year. He will be lucky to go up a flight of stairs. Only God knows now what the future will look like. I don't care how long it takes for Ken to come back, I just want him back. Seems now like we will see that happen. I am so thankful.

Ken's lungs are very stiff after all the days on the oscillator. They are testing his flexibility every 4 hours. Last night, his flex was a 2. Tonight it was a 5. So some improvement. I asked what he needs to be at and the respiratory guy chuckled and said approaching 100 would be normal. Ken does have a long way to go and I hope they don't wake him till he is more flexible. It must hurt. His chest muscles will be weak from the steroids and he will have to retrain them to make his lungs contract. I know way more about all this than I every thought I would. I am putting much of this in here just so that Ken will be able to read it one day. I was going to write to Ken today and tell him more about the past week, but it is already late, so I think I will save that for another night.

I went to work in Fort Collins for a few hours today. It was great to see everyone and it was great to be able to check up on things. My student, Nick, is doing a great job with the registers. Everyone is pitching in and helping out. I hope to work more in the next few days. One day at a time. We'll see how Ken does first.

Nick was doing half my paper route and he isn't interested in doing it next semester. He says he will be a backup, but he is too busy with school to do it for me all the time. So....does anyone want a part time job for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the morning. Best time for this half is to start anytime between 5:30 and 6:00. It will start next Tuesday for the spring semester. It is only Monday - Friday, and not during spring break. It is only 8 stops, mostly the dorms. You will need a car, but they bring the papers to campus, so it isn't much driving. Let me know if you are interested. I will pay you for your time. Steve Railsback has graciously offered to continue to do his half. Thank you so much Steve. I just can't let go of this route till I know exactly where we will be with Ken. I hope we can take it back this summer, but I may need subs all spring. If Ken can be moved to Fort Collins for some of his rehab, it will be easier for me to do half. But I need help now.

Hope you have a good week. Plan for Ken is quiet recovery. God Bless you all. Bev