Friday, February 22, 2012

So it's been a few days since I have really a been on a computer....besides for work...this week has been good, a few minor bumps in the road. Ian did some more eating, potato chips at that...and we know he loves his chips. Some mornings that was all I could get him to eat for breakfast. Tuesday evening, I did a trach change....not the most pleasant of things to do but it has to be done in order for Ian to come home....

Well on Wednesday morning, Ian's saturation level's dropped to the high 90's. They worked for a while to try to bring them back up and could not, so they increased his oxygen levels from 21% to 28%. That brought his saturation levels back up to 100%. Over the past few days they have brought his oxygen back down to 24% and will continue to watch the saturation levels. They are going to work on getting him back to 21%. Because there is a possibility Ian could be silently aspirating, they have stopped all eating and drinking by mouth until his swallowing study, which is scheduled for next Tuesday morning. Hoping for a good swallowing study...but only time will tell. 

Brian did a trach change this afternoon, so that means one for each of us...only two more for each of us... Ian has been signed off to have them done twice a week for training purposes. Some time next week, the case manager will look at dates to come up with a tentative discharge date; it will not be written in stone but a date needs be come up with; for a few reasons:

1. in order to get things started with the insurance company authorizing nursing a date needs to be determined. 
2. in order to things started with some of the medical equipment Ian will need when he comes home a date needs to be determined.
3. Brian and I have many things we need to do in order to get things ready for Ian to come home...so let the games begin for our "new normal" to start to come together.

Ian was given his speaking valve to keep in his room, along with the protocol; twice a day for an hour at a time. Eventually he will be able to use it more and more, but that will take time and practice. 

Our Tobii rep came to Mt. Washington to work re-calibrating the eye gaze. This took a little bit but once things were situated Ian did great. One would think the eye gaze would be easy to use but Ian is using his eye muscles in a way he is not used to...lots more work and practice to do with it but we know Ian will get it. 

You never know what the body is doing or what is really going on within the body. When Ian was admitted to the hospital on January 5, 2013 we found out that his carbon dioxide level was 21. A normal carbon dioxide level should be between 35 and 45. To low or to high are bad. Usually if these levels are low it indicates that oxygen to the tissues of the body is reduced. It can mess with the pH of the body, cause spasms, asthma attacks and migraines, plus many more things. This could be the explanation for many of the things that have been going on with Ian...not all but...  With the trach and vent, Ian is getting more of what he needs. When checking the CO2 level is between 35 and 45. So we keep moving and doing what we are doing. 

This week was also a good week for Becca, she got her braces off. This was something she was looking forward to for a long time. So it was goodbye braces and head gear and hello retainer...oh wait did I mention that she picked bright orange for the color of her retainer color. 

So we continue to move on...doing what we need to do in order make our family ours....and bring everyone home.