Movin' on up
Hi Friends,
The days go so quickly...I can't believe it's already been 18 days since my world was changed forever. And yet I'm still here, still kicking and still smiling (most of the time). I never would have imagined myself in this place in a million years.
Mom, as usual, looks beautiful. I met Kara A and Betsy at the hospital today, and we headed up to put on some more music for her. She was still kicking that leg around like crazy and trying to grab me with her hand. She had this pained expression on her face, again as though she was trying to communicate something, but we had no idea what. Then she quieted down a little and took a nap, so we snuck out for some lunch at yet another restaurant around the corner from the hospital (if you're ever in the neighborhood and need a restaurant recommendation, I'm your woman!).
After lunch, I headed back to hang out for the afternoon, and sat reading and listening to music while mom came in and out of "the zone," as Lilly has coined it. She started reaching up and "scratching" her nose, which is the highest I've seen that hand go yet! No ass-grabbing today, I think she took the hint. ;) Her trauma fellow came in and told me she is officially ready to leave SICU, so they were waiting to see where she'd go. I've been told RIC is still in the running but we're waiting on bed availability among other things, so this is why we haven't heard anything official yet. But her doctors are very pleased with her continued progress and stability, so this is good.
Pam and Suzi K came by later in the afternoon, and Suzi and I thought we'd try to reposition mom on her side to perhaps make her a little more comfortable as she kept getting agitated and restless. We did so, and she fell asleep for a few minutes while I rubbed her back. Then came the proverbial "light bulb" in our heads: the reason she'd been so uncomfortable and agitated must have had something to do with her (I'm trying to put it as delicately and dignified as I can here) GI status and the slow progress it had been making. But once things started to get moving so to speak (possibly due in part to our continued efforts to turn her and get her moving around), she felt SOOO much better. When we came back into the room after the nurse had gotten her all cleaned up and situated, she was a new woman. She wasn't agitated at all, and she actually was sleeping for a good two hours or so without awakening into that panicked, agitated state. It was so nice and peaceful to see her relaxed for longer than a few minutes at a time.
The nurse took off all her monitors (the EKG leads, BP cuff, pulse oxymeter, etc) and began to get her ready for transfer to a regular medical floor! At last, she is stable enough to be out of ICU! Her bed was ready upstairs on the 7th floor, and she was moved around 7:30 this evening! The move for me is bittersweet...of course I am ecstatic she is so stable medically that she no longer needs such close monitoring and acute care. But I am also somewhat anxious that she won't be having that close monitoring, even though I know with my head that there would be no reason for it any longer. Also, she will now have a nurse who has usually at least 4 other patients at a time, and the quality of care, though I'm sure still adequate, will not be as individualized and careful. I had grown so comfortable with all the SICU nurses, and absolutely felt 100% confident in their care of mom. I'll miss them all so much...they got me and the rest of us through the absolute worst moments of our lives, and for that I will be forever grateful. They are amazing people, they really are, and I couldn't possibly express to them how much their tender care, concern and comraderie meant to me.
And now I have to meet and get used to a whole new set of faces and personalities. I feel as though my vigilance will now increase tenfold, and I'll want to be there more hours of the day to make sure she is being properly turned and bathed and cared for. It's not that I don't trust these floor nurses, but it sort of is too. I know, it's the terribly protective nurse daughter in me. But it's my mom for goodness' sake and I love her more than anything and I'll do anything to make sure she is getting what she needs. And in that case, I may need all of you now more than ever during this transition time, so be aware I may call upon you. I know you'll all be there for me always, and I take comfort in that. Whatever would I do without all of you? Thanks for being there, and here. I love you all.
The days go so quickly...I can't believe it's already been 18 days since my world was changed forever. And yet I'm still here, still kicking and still smiling (most of the time). I never would have imagined myself in this place in a million years.
Mom, as usual, looks beautiful. I met Kara A and Betsy at the hospital today, and we headed up to put on some more music for her. She was still kicking that leg around like crazy and trying to grab me with her hand. She had this pained expression on her face, again as though she was trying to communicate something, but we had no idea what. Then she quieted down a little and took a nap, so we snuck out for some lunch at yet another restaurant around the corner from the hospital (if you're ever in the neighborhood and need a restaurant recommendation, I'm your woman!).
After lunch, I headed back to hang out for the afternoon, and sat reading and listening to music while mom came in and out of "the zone," as Lilly has coined it. She started reaching up and "scratching" her nose, which is the highest I've seen that hand go yet! No ass-grabbing today, I think she took the hint. ;) Her trauma fellow came in and told me she is officially ready to leave SICU, so they were waiting to see where she'd go. I've been told RIC is still in the running but we're waiting on bed availability among other things, so this is why we haven't heard anything official yet. But her doctors are very pleased with her continued progress and stability, so this is good.
Pam and Suzi K came by later in the afternoon, and Suzi and I thought we'd try to reposition mom on her side to perhaps make her a little more comfortable as she kept getting agitated and restless. We did so, and she fell asleep for a few minutes while I rubbed her back. Then came the proverbial "light bulb" in our heads: the reason she'd been so uncomfortable and agitated must have had something to do with her (I'm trying to put it as delicately and dignified as I can here) GI status and the slow progress it had been making. But once things started to get moving so to speak (possibly due in part to our continued efforts to turn her and get her moving around), she felt SOOO much better. When we came back into the room after the nurse had gotten her all cleaned up and situated, she was a new woman. She wasn't agitated at all, and she actually was sleeping for a good two hours or so without awakening into that panicked, agitated state. It was so nice and peaceful to see her relaxed for longer than a few minutes at a time.
The nurse took off all her monitors (the EKG leads, BP cuff, pulse oxymeter, etc) and began to get her ready for transfer to a regular medical floor! At last, she is stable enough to be out of ICU! Her bed was ready upstairs on the 7th floor, and she was moved around 7:30 this evening! The move for me is bittersweet...of course I am ecstatic she is so stable medically that she no longer needs such close monitoring and acute care. But I am also somewhat anxious that she won't be having that close monitoring, even though I know with my head that there would be no reason for it any longer. Also, she will now have a nurse who has usually at least 4 other patients at a time, and the quality of care, though I'm sure still adequate, will not be as individualized and careful. I had grown so comfortable with all the SICU nurses, and absolutely felt 100% confident in their care of mom. I'll miss them all so much...they got me and the rest of us through the absolute worst moments of our lives, and for that I will be forever grateful. They are amazing people, they really are, and I couldn't possibly express to them how much their tender care, concern and comraderie meant to me.
And now I have to meet and get used to a whole new set of faces and personalities. I feel as though my vigilance will now increase tenfold, and I'll want to be there more hours of the day to make sure she is being properly turned and bathed and cared for. It's not that I don't trust these floor nurses, but it sort of is too. I know, it's the terribly protective nurse daughter in me. But it's my mom for goodness' sake and I love her more than anything and I'll do anything to make sure she is getting what she needs. And in that case, I may need all of you now more than ever during this transition time, so be aware I may call upon you. I know you'll all be there for me always, and I take comfort in that. Whatever would I do without all of you? Thanks for being there, and here. I love you all.
Comments
I'm glad to hear that your mom got moved to a medicine floor. Thats a good sign, though its understandably a little scary. I will keep rooting for RIC, but Des Plaines is not too far away from where I live- so you will have support even out in the burbs. Let me know if I can help you out with anything!
Keeping you in my prayers!
Lauren
You and your mom are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Love you!
Jenn P.
How exciting that Bev is now on a medicine floor! I know it is scary since she will not be on all the monitors and she will have new nurses, but this is great progress!Talk to you soon!
Love, Jillian
so glad to hear that your mom is doing so well! Keep your chin up!
Love you,
Hope
katie p