The best medicine was a visit from lifetime friend Jean who drove up from Pdx on her day off and spent several hours visiting . This was great, they have been buds since the first grade. Emily and Jean did a good walk around the floor. This is appropriate since they use to hand the baton off to each other in sprint relays back in middle school, sweet to see them still going round a track of sorts together. Later this evening another good friend Ashley, who lives in Seattle, is going to drop by after work. Tomorrow will be a day of evaluation, how is the healing going and the pain. Emily still has an epidural in and it will be day to day on when to discontinue it. Her nurse today is another Emily, who she has had many times, also a river runner so that they have many tales to share. So a good report for the day, still serious pain but better today and a tiny bit of appetite coming back.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
09-10-09....5:30pm.....update
Hey from UWMC. Last night Peg stayed with Emily and had a pretty good night with reasonable rest, ended by 4:30 am xray, lab work and the first of the medical visits beginning around six. The various visits produced some info and changes. One of the really useful pain meds is being stopped at this time, a cautionary move because of potential side effects. The chest tube which was draining the surgical site was removed this morning. This is a pretty big deal. It's removal means that surgical healing is on a good path and because the tube is in between ribs it was probably causing no small amount of aggravation. Lab results also brought about a decision that a a blood transfusion was need and she is currently receiving the second of a two units of blood.
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Hi, Emily, Peg and Keith! Thanks for the updates, Keith. And Emily, I am thrilled that your healing is coming along, and you are walking laps in the hallway already with Jean. Hopefully by the time you read this, you will be eating your favorite salmon meal there at UW. I thought of you Monday evening when I made a pretty good grilled salmon... would love to have invited you to dinner, but you were busy getting up to Seattle. Seriously, I am with you in thought, in heart, and in prayer so often throughout the day. I hope tomorrow brings more progress and some good pain relief....and that you get some great sleep tonight. Much love, Gina
ReplyDeleteNo more chest tube....that's great news! Healing and happy thoughts from all the Cadden's. Many prayers too. Love you guys, hope you ALL get some sleep tonite.
ReplyDeleteHey My Dear Ones,
ReplyDeleteWhat a relief to hear your surgery went well and the new lungs look "pristine" ! What a wonderfully descriptive word that is. I can picture them sparkling with health in your chest as you exercise them in and out each day.
I know how brave and stoic you are ~ having been your Nurse through the years ~ and my biggest wish and hope for you now is a speedy recovery, opening the door into some deep-breath'd, life-filled, pain-free days and months and years ahead. I love you all dearly, and send my warmest hugs (and a little Tapioca) all the way from the Texas Hill Country. Love, Kathleen
Wow-the tube is out! What a relief that must be. Hopefully the units of blood will provide some extra energy for those walks with friends. We're there with all of you in thought if not in person. Love to you all, Sandy
ReplyDeleteHi Emily you are amazing! My name is Steve Jenkins and I heard about you from Nate Jaqua. Do you have an email address where I could contact you? FYI I have CF and was transplanted by Dr. Mulligan 2 1/2 years ago at UW. Look forward to hearing from you. - Steve
ReplyDeleteSending all of my love up to you guys. Sounds like she is doing fantastic... not like I'd expect anything else from her.
ReplyDeleteTalana (Lyda) Fairfax
P.S. I'll facebook message Em later, but there are some huge changes in my life, ones that will take me away from OHSU and later TX at UW.
Glad to hear more progress being made. We will miss you all this weekend up North but will send pictures of all the fools. Love, Kathy
ReplyDeleteVirtual hugs to all of you. Glad to hear that Emily is moving toward independence from tubes and some drugs -- and that the epideral is there as a back up. Great that you are able to "run" around the track with old friends Emily. Hope you get to sleep a lot longer tomorrow morning! Best of luck and lots of love for a rapid recovery to a zero pain, easy breathing future way of being in the world. Love, Lorinda
ReplyDeletePS, it looks like my earlier comment didn't actually get posted as I didn't sign in properly -- been thinking of you all week. Take care.
Hey Sweets, glad the chest tube came out! I really wish I could be among the parade of visitors, I'm sure it will be great to have Jean and Ashley come see you!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait til the day that you can come visit here, and we can go on long hikes out in the English wilderness!
Love you xx
Brooke
Wow! Emily, you continue to take my breath away with your strength and courage. There are no words adequate to describe how much I honor and respect who you are, the fiber of your being. A spiritual being having a human experience........and what a hand you have been delt. As always I send you rays of healing strength and Love.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the descriptive postings, Keith, love to you and Peg.
The progress through your recovery journeys is always such poignant reading. Thanks, Keith, for your loving, descriptive, fatherly writing.
ReplyDeleteI sat in my bed reading last night, eating hot Tapioca that I made to feel closer to you three. My wonderful Portuguese masseuse reminds me constantly to slowly and intentionally "Inhale healing Light and Peace, and Exhale deeply my Stresses and Pain". It's been a helpful meditative focus for me, at any moment of the day or night, plus a good oxygenating bonus clear out to the tips of my fingers and toes ! Maybe you all could benefit from it too. Keep marching foward, brave Soldiers. Love, Kathleen