Heather is awake and can respond! It is so good to have her be awake enough to communicate, even if she can't talk because of the ventilator tube. She clearly understands what I am saying and can blink her eyes, shake her head back and forth, squeeze my fingers, and move her feet. I can't wait until they can extubate (take the air tube out) her, which may happen today but more likely tomorrow. They have stopped giving her the sedative completely now, which is nice.
Her heart rate has risen a bit (110-120), and she occasionally still has a fever that seems to come and go. Her bowels still aren't working, which is a concern. They have reduced her IV feedings and have been feeding her through the feeding tube that goes in through her nose to her small intestine. However, her bowels haven't been utilizing it as they should. Instead, it has been backing up and coming back out through her NG tube (the tube that sucks out her stomach). Part of the problem is that they are giving her narcotics for pain, but these also slow her bowels down. It is a tough balance. They are trying to get her bowel working by giving her laxatives, suppositories, enemas, and other medications to stimulate it. It is troubling to me to see her here again because this is where we began after the first surgery. Please keep her in your prayers that all of her systems can work well.
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Wow I'm so glad she is responding to you. I bet that is so nice to have her awake. Hope her bowels start working soon. I'm sure that is very worrisome. Like you said, that was the problem to begin with. Blah! Tell her hi and that we love her.
Tell Heather, "NO SCREAMING AND NO SCARING!!!" she will understand.
When we were at Ricks, this was a a comment said frequently when we missed each other!!! Tell her Heidi loves her!! Thank you Mark so much for the daily communication, Heather is so loved. I am glad she is responding to you. My hopes and prayers are with you all.
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