We Moved . . . Again

Yesterday at about 5 pm, the nurse came in and told us that they had to move Dad. The ICU that he was in is a "trauma" ICU and they didn't have any empty beds. If they were to receive a trauma patient they would have no place to put him or her. They wanted Dad to make a "lateral" transfer to the cardiac ICU. This makes our 7th move in the last 3 weeks. Dad's new mailing address is

James Kooiman
Patient Mail
Hospital Room 8859
PO Box 6159
Omaha, NE 68106-0159

The move was a little hard on both Mom and Dad - more emotionally than physically. They are both weary. We have sent Mom away from the hospital today. Jen took her, and I am on "duty". We are hoping that a little time away will refresh her and encourage her. It always helps to have a new perspective.

Dad has been on the cPap for about 2 hours this morning at 40% with a peep of 8. He is getting a little bit tired so they are now switching him back to the "normal" mode to rest. This is part of the weaning process and helps him to exercise his diaphragm muscle but we don't want him to overdo it.

His white blood cell count went up a little bit today to 17. He has been going up and down the last few days. They have put him back on 2 antibiotics to help any potential infection from growing. He is also feeling a little bit more congested today. We are praying for his lung to clear up COMPLETELY. He needs a healthy lung so we can get him stronger and breathing on his own.

If Dad cannot come off of the vent by Thursday or Friday, they are talking about a temporary tracheostomy tube. They would create an opening in his neck to get to his windpipe. They would then give him oxygen through this opening. The benefits to this procedure would be that he won't feel like he is breathing through a straw any longer plus he would be able to talk. The surgeon does not want us to consider this a step backwards. They do not want him on the ventilator for more than two weeks and this is a step to get him off. We are praying that he will be weaned off of the vent by next Thursday (or sooner) and not have to go to the trach.

Thanks for you prayers.