Kind of what we expected, an uneventful weekend. Halls were quiet, with no incoming or outgoing patients and the staff was a little more laid back.

Suzanne spent the weekend mostly in her easy chair. When I’m visiting from noon till evening, walking is what’s on tap. Starting Friday with a slow walk up and back to the end of the hallway was her limit but today, 4 laps around both wings were the record.

We both knew that today was the day that things would begin to pick up the pace. Actually, it is record pace. The first round of the ‘Grey’s Anatomy crew’ was in at 7 am with their thoughts on getting her out of here.

Then, early morning, the Tracheotomy was changed to a different type that does not include a balloon in her throat. Now the air is able to move up through her throat and nasal passages, although minimally. The process really stirred up ‘stuff’ in her lungs and she had trouble with mucus and breathing. Respiratory has performed a couple of breathing treatments during the day to help. Additionally, she has needed her airway to be suctioned out more than usual. I Don’t believe I’ve mentioned that process yet. You take a long tube attached to a suction device and run it down the Trach tube into her lungs till it bottoms out, at which time you pull it back out slowly, hoping to clear her airways. When we get home, that’s one of my jobs I’m really not looking forward to.

Physical Therapy was in mid-morning and ran her through her paces. Vitals, laps around the halls, up and down some stairs. Through all that, they learned they can’t run this girl down so they signed off on not needing them anymore.

But the true plans for the future emerged when her chief surgeon came in around 2 pm. He continues to be very positive about her progress but decided to leave the incision drains in at least another day. He’s a little concerned about the redness around her throat incision but assured us it was nothing to worry about. He pretty much squashed Suzanne’s plans for getting out of here on Wednesday.

I’m at home again this evening to re-load again. I also have to find clothes for Suzanne to wear home when that day arrives. The brace / removable cast on her right arm means she can’t wear anything with tight sleeves, so my job is to dig through her wardrobe and find something that will work. Wish me luck!

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you
Matthew 7:7