[amc] Day 13
- From: "Holly Herr" <hollyjill@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, dtyler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, lorna@xxxxxxxxxx, marlabu@xxxxxxxxxxx, roohut@xxxxxxx, russevans@xxxxxxxxxxx, sarakurtz@xxxxxxxx, "Alison Wenzel" <alisonwenzel@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Bea Smith" <bea.smith@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "blondani@xxxxxxx" <blondani@xxxxxxx>, "ccrook@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ccrook@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "cmcgaughy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <cmcgaughy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "DOOR San Antonio (Hugo)" <hugosaucedo@xxxxxxxx>, "g.e.richards@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <g.e.richards@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gail Miller" <rakupants@xxxxxxxx>, "henkesa@xxxxxxxxxxx" <henkesa@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jean Fisher" <fisherj@xxxxxxxx>, "Jennifer Heatwole" <jenheatwole@xxxxxxxxx>, "jessicakious@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <jessicakious@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "katiegoins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <katiegoins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Lara Fisher" <thandeka@xxxxxxxxx>, "Leah Gingerich" <sianasimone@xxxxxxxxx>, "Maureen Leach" <maureenleach@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "mgosden@xxxxxxx" <mgosden@xxxxxxx>, "neil fencer" <fencerna@xxxxxxxxx>, "Ramona Steiner" <rsteiner@xxxxxx>, "tammie warren" <wams_13@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 19:04:27 -0500
Hi folks,
Yesterday and today have been fairly quiet days. My dad seems to have some
problems with autonomic regulation - meaning that his brain is not
regulating temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate as it should. His
stomach was really distended and tight for a few days so they stopped
feeding him, but now it is softer (although still very round and he has
never really had a belly) and he is tolerating his feedings well. That is
wonderful, I did NOT like his hard, distended belly. He was off all
ventilator support fo 6 hours - just had some humidified oxygen to his trach
collar (the "trach" is basically an opening that goes directly into his
trachea). That is also good news. His eyes are still taped shut to keep them
moist and he is sedated but he was on a very low level of sedation for quite
a few hours today. He had a WONDERFUL nurse today and I told her she was the
best we'd had. She said she was a new nurse and was still trying to "stay
afloat," which I can relate to - new nurses are extremely attentive because
you're so scared you're going to hurt someone. Then we get calloused and
even nonchalant. Not good.
I went to a movie today - Brokeback Mountain. I'm starting to do better at
integrating "normal" life and ICU life. I had a dream last night about my
dad, a very sad dream but not horrible. He was awake, and could see and hear
out of his left ear. He was wearing his biking clothes but they just hung on
him because his body was so atrophied. He tried to walk, but was too weak. I
got close to his face and said "Do you know who I am?" He said a name I
can't remember, but it was someone who has brown hair and might sort of look
like me. So I stood back a little and said again "Do you know who I am?" And
he said "Yes, you're Holly." "And who am I?" I repeated. "You're my
daughter." I woke up around 5:00 and, at 29 years old, went to get in bed
with my mother.
Good night all.
Holly (Dennis's daughter ... forever)
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