Update on Cynthia

Hello Everyone:  As usual, I cannot get a return on this keyboard, so this will just be a long paragraph.      Today is Saturday, about 5:30 pm.  Cynthia has been out of bed, sitting in her chair for most of the day.  The hospital staff removed the drain for her right lung and her catheter several days ago.  She needs assistance getting in and out of the bed.  Her legs are still strong, so she can help the staff by standing up to us the commode or move into her chair.  The ventilator settings are down to normal, everyday air, and her lungs seem to be working fine.  The respiratory therapist sucks fluid out of her lungs about twice a day which is normal.  All of us have fluid in our lung, but we are able to move it out by coughing or clearing our throat.  However, since her throat is closed off, the fluids have to be sucked out manually.  This is one of the things we will all have to learn to do to keep heathly and happy.    We are all hoping that she will be transferred to a rehabilitation facility on Monday to finish up the healing of her incisions.  While she is there, all of us will be trained on how to take care of the trach, her ventiltor and how to change out the various parts and pieces that need to be periodically changed.   She may be there for a week or more, depending upon how she is doing and how well we and her caregivers are learning.       The most dificult part of this entire experience is learning how to communicate with Cynthia.  She sometimes wiggles her feet to say yes or no, but we also us a card with the alphabet on it, and she points out the letters to spell a word with her toes.  In the mean time, we are trying to guess what she is trying to tell us.  Sometimes not successfullly, which is very frustrating for all.     Caregiver Yuki is here massaging her feet, so Cynthia is a happy camper for awhile.     Kari will be back about 7 pm to stay with her until she goes to sleep.  Kari is going home tomorrow afternoon, so the care will fall to our caregivers and me.  Once we get more informaton from Vibra, the rehav facility, we will know if she needs 24 hour per day caregiver coveraage, any kind of special bed, etc.  So we still have a long way to go.     I share all of the cards and emails you have been sending with her, and they do make a difference.    We both feel so blessed to have Todd and Kari with us and helping out.  I do not think I could have done it without them.     Guess that is all for now, I will try to update again in a few days.