Note To Self: If You Ignore It, It WON’T Go Away
You may recall the week before I left for Buenos Aires that my sister-in-law returned to the hospital with new infections. Well, she’s still there 2+ weeks later and with minimal improvement. In fact, my brother informed me this week that things were rather touch-n-go with her while I was on vacation.
After the surgery her lungs filled with fluid and she began vomiting blood. While I was away, they put her on a ventilator – which is where she still is today. She’s being drugged to the point of perpetual unconciousness, though she has shown signs of improvement with her lungs.
Unfortunately, they’re now having trouble removing her from the ventilator. I guess you don’t want a person on a ventilator for more than two weeks or they can become dependent upon it for survival. But every time they’ve tried removing it her pulse/heart races dangerously (anxiety because she’s afraid of what could happen if it’s pulled out). They’ve been trying to mix the right amount of anxiety medications (without overdosing) but they’re having no luck. Yesterday they proposed performing a tracheotomy.
UGH – my poor brother. While he was telling me this, the school nurse called him: my niece contracted head lice from another student and my nephew developed an allergic reaction on his face (a result of some latex that was being used in an art class project).
Anyway, I guess I haven’t blogged about any of this this week because I kept hoping that by not mentioning it, things would get better. I mean, ignorance is bliss, right? Apparently not.
The hospital is putting my brother up at a hotel tomorrow night so he’s coming in to meet with her doctor to decide what to do (regarding the ventilator and tracheotomy). I’ll be meeting him at the hospital to babysit the kids while he’s with the doctor. I’m not sure what happens after that.
I don’t think anybody does.
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It seems that some people have burdens beyond measure.
hey karl,
i’m puttiing the positive energies out your way.
hang in there.
great pouty pic by the way.
Karl–
At this point in time for her and for those of you who surround her with love and support there may be nothing else you can do but be there for her and for each other. It’s an awful situation–I send you all my best and most heartfelt hopes and wishes. Be strong with and for each other, as I know you will be.
Thanks, everybody! Randy and I went to the hospital today to mind my niece and nephew while my brother met with her doctors. The tracheotomy should be happening next week.
We never saw my sister-in-law…she wouldn’t have been conscious enough. If the tracheotomy goes well, though, she’ll go into physical therapy for 3-6 weeks.
UGH!
Hugs, lovey.