Joye's Update 4/25/08

So sorry again for not being able to post yesterday; I was very busy with Andrew and yet another move. Andrew was released from the St. Joseph's ICU yesterday (Thursday) at 3pm. Me and my sister and brother-in-law spent most of the day yesterday looking at rehab hospitals; we didn't want to make the mistake again of trusting someone else's recommendation and send him to a place like the Select Speciality Hospital at St. Joseph's. And by the way, we are going to file a formal grievance against that place to hopefully keep others from going through what Andrew went through there. We decided that the Select Specialty Hospital at Good Samaritan was the best (not the same owner as the Select at St. Jo's). They are within the Good Samaritan Hospital, very clean, fully staffed with their own nurses (little to no contract nurses), and equipped to handle someone with spinal cord injuries. We were able to meet with the administrators there and we fully explained the experience Andrew had at the other Select. It's my understanding they held a meeting with their staff to prepare everyone for the fact that Andrew's confidence and level of security in caregivers as a whole is quite low due to his experience. He was transported by ambulance and I was able to ride with him so that he would not be without me there for a moment. When we arrived all of the administrators, charge nurse and his bed-side nurse were waiting for him. His room was equipped with everything he needed. They simply moved him from the ambulance gurney to the bed, put him on their vent and was hooked up to his fluids and medications. He was immediately assessed and made comfortable from the get go. The attending physician saw him soon after and kept all his medications and orders the same as he was receiving in the ICU. One of the problems at the other Select hospital was they took him off all the meds he had been receiving and lowered his pain medication as well. Although it's against the rules, they let me stay with him for his first night to help get his confidence back up. He had an okay night (not much sleep) and his confidence and security is much higher. He began his day today with a full assessment and immediately was put on C-Pap to begin the process of weaning him off the ventilator. He was also seen by Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy to begin that regimen as well. He was pretty tired by mid afternoon and finally got a little sleep. The doctor has ordered and anti-anxiety drug to help him sleep better at nights. I can only be with him at night until 8pm, and tonight is my first without him. He was clean, comfortable, and ready for rest when I left him tonight. This place is such a better place for him; I feel so much better about his care now. Although it's very hard for me not to want to control every aspect of his recovery and comfort, I'm working hard at letting go a little and leaving it in God's hands (where it's been all along). I know that God is with him through this and He will take care of Andrew. I just keep praying that God will continue to lead me to make the best decisions for Andrew right now. I spoke with Andrew today about receiving visitors and although he wants to see everyone, he wants to become a little stronger before people start coming to see him. The Physical Therapist explained to us today how getting Andrew over tired can set him back so much. She said that over exerting him for an hour can set him back days. It's so tiring for him to just breath on C-Pap for an hour. We were also told today that the physical therapists will begin sitting him up (with assistance) the first of next week. This is really good for his lungs and muscles he will use for breathing . . . but, this will be very, very tiring for him as well. It's going to be a lot of hard work (the hardest he's ever done), but he says he's ready for the task; he's very determined, but again, we just have to make sure he doesn't over do it. We know there will be good days and bad days . . . the goal is to just keep moving forward without set backs. Well, I'll close for now . . . and will do my best to post daily again. Thank you all for your posts; I hope to be able to catch him up on them tomorrow. Good Night and God bless you all. Joye