The nurse today continues to provide some small signs of encouragement to us. Here is the news right now:
(1) Liesl is off of the ventilator entirely. This is great news. She is instead, on a t-piece. As in the previous blog post, this means that she has the trach tube in place, as a precaution. However, the nurse indicates that Liesl continues to initiate her owns breaths. Once in a while, they "push" a bit to open up her lungs. I asked if Liesl's initiation of the breathing is a neurological improvement over when she first came to the hospital and she said "Why, of course!".
(2) Another good sign is that her left side is now slightly responsive to the tests for "reaction". She had been "extending" but is now starting to try to "localize". (You nurses out there can add comments to clarify this if you like.)
(3) She is still not opening her eyes or making any spontaneous movements (for example, she does not scratch herself, etc) but they are continuing to wean from the light sedation, so hopefully, we can report improvement in coming days.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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2 comments:
Our prayers are definitely being heard, aren't they?! Keith and I continue to ask others to pray for Liesel by giving cards with her name on them to our friends and co-workers. Today while at work, I put a prayer request in a box. I work at a Catholic based hospital in St. Louis and the nuns pray the requests daily. So, she has more prayers going up all the time!!
Excellent news about breathing on her own!! Wonderful. And that she is responding to stimuli. They will start to decrease the sedatives when they feel that she is ready. And as far as the infection goes, just a reminder to wash hands before seeing/visiting her. That seems so simple but it is the easiest, most important way to prevent the spread of infection. And, it's perfectly fine to remind healthcare workers to do the same. Sometimes they get busy and just need a reminder.
Keep it up Liesel. You're going to make it!! And, what a pretty picture of you and your little sisters. Thanks, mom, for posting it!
Sara (and Keith)
Glad to read that Leisl is off the ventilator, as this IS a very big step!!! The reason for the occasional push of oxygen is because Leisl is taking shallow breaths, just as if she would normally do when asleep. A normal person will either yawn or take a deep breath when a natural stimuli (such as exercising) would encourage the need to do so.
As for the extending, this natural reaction to the condition that Leisl is in. Her elbows are extended and ridged and are at her sides. Her wrists are flexed. Her ankles and toes are flexed. It has been a long time since I have cared for someone like Leisl, but it sounds like to me when the nurses say Liesl is starting to try to Localize, it means that she is responding to a painful stimuli (such as pinching, but not hard enough to bruise the skin) and attempting to move her limb away from the stimulus. This is the one of the many tests use to check for reaction.
As days roll on, and as the doctor(s) wean Leisl off the light sedataion medicine(s), time will tell us what the condition of Leisl will be.
As mentioned in a previous comment, yes hand washing is very important. However, Leisl has intravenous lines with dressings, a drain near her head injury to drain off excess fluids (if needed) with dressings, a tracheostomy with dressings and a urinary catheter all these "lines" can be portals for bacteria. As all GOOD nurses know besides proper hand washing, proper sterile methods when it comes to changing out(when necessary)any kind of line or tube and dressing is manditory and is the first line of defense against infections.
Sharon Holmes,
Licensed Practical Nurse
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