Mobilize the Fluid

The docs say she is doing well though to look at her it doesn't seem much has changed. She is still "puffy" which is an understatement unless you consider the Michelin Man to be retaining a bit of water. The doctors keep telling us that she needs to "mobilize fluids" as though she has a little military command post inside her. "All right men, we need to mobilize. Yellow squadron, go through the kidney. Green squad, out the nose. We'll see you all on the outside. Now, move, move, move." If that is in fact the scenario, I'd like the commander to stop smoking stogies in the officers' tent and mobilize the forces NOW. As of last count, she is 4 liters to the positive. Meaning 4 liters more fluid has gone in than has come out. She's making some progress since they've put her on a regular schedule of diuretics.

She is still on the ventilator though they have lowered some of the settings to begin weaning her off. She takes breaths on her own between the breaths forced on her through the tube. It'll be at least a few more days until they consider removing her from the ventilator completely. Although she's still sedated, she does kick her feet and wiggle her fingers...particularly when they're doing something she doesn't like. She's still in there making her wishes known!

This hospital stay is strange since we're just sitting around willing her to get better. We're keeping busy between video games (Jeff), the daily Jumble (Jeff), books (Lori) and making blankets (Lori). We keep a steady flow of her favorite songs playing to drown out the beeps and hums of the hospital equipment. Since she is "schnockered" (again, their term, not mine), we are able to tag team as well. While one of us stays bedside, the other can run home and do laundry or grab some necessities (aka - outside food).

A huge THANK YOU to Beth for the yummy brownies and Katie for the delicious soup, rolls and warm blanket. We're not very good "receivers" and are terrible "askers" but we appreciate your unexpected thoughtfulness. And thank you to the docs, nurses and staffers from the other departments who stop by to check in on us. Always the gracious host, Jeff considered hosting a pizza and beer party last night to accommodate the surge of kindhearted hospital personnel. I told him he's likely the first person to consider bringing beer to the PICU.

Anyhoo, that's all for now. I'll update again when she's off the ventilator. Shouldn't be too much longer!!!!!