DAY 5 -- SUNDAY, 17 JANUARY 2010

Four days in ICU and no major setbacks. No improvements, but no setbacks. Kathey still maintains good color. Her BP is still good, as well as her pulse rate. Her CVP [central venous pressure] is lower today, but I noticed she doesn’t have as many bags hooked up to her, so perhaps that’s to be expected. I learned that today, Kath’s bowels have been working since day one -- that’s a very good thing as it was a huge concern right after surgery if her small bowel (intestine) would work again after the surgery. So I was glad to learn that today. She didn’t open her eyes while I was there today. I’m actually glad of that as I think the more she rests, the less she’s aware of her pain and perhaps the more she’ll heal.

Grama was able to talk with Kath’s surgeon while we were there. She said Kath’s urine output was better, and that the other doctor may reconsider taking Kath off the ventilator in the next couple of days.

Kathey’s daytime nurse, Darlene, atleast she's the one she’s had thus far, has taken good care of her. Kathey is a neat-freak. Darlene brushes Kath’s teeth and puts drops in her eyes, washes her face, and more… These are things that we can obviously see that is getting done every day… I’m so thankful that she’s being taken care of while we aren’t there and really aren't able to do these things for her with all the hook-ups she has.

I seen that Kath is receiving FAT!!! I had to take a picture of it! Can you believe it??? FAT!!! Yes, fat, the stuff that most people want to lose! So I took a picture of it and a few other things -- and got in trouble… Bummer! I didn’t mean to get in trouble… But I just couldn’t resist the one of the bag of fat emulsifier! :-)

Please continue to pray for my Aunt!

DAY 3 -- FRIDAY, 15 JANUARY 2010

It’s closing in on the 48 hours and she’s coming out of the anesthesia. She’s waking up and feeling the pain. I don’t like that she’s so alert and aware of her pain. She’s asking to go home. I told her I’d take her home when she got better and tears came out of her eyes. Someone put me out of my misery. My heart is shattered and the pain is unbearable. I hate seeing my sweet aunt is so much dang pain!!! They’ve tied her hands to the bed! I’m claustrophobic and feel an anxiety attack building rapidly so I ask her nurse why she’s tied. I’m told that she took her NG tube out twice yesterday… But she allows me to untie her hands as long as I stay in the room with her. It’s a deal! So while her hands are untied I gently rub them and try to bend her fingers ever so gently trying to work the stiffness out of them. Her hands and fingers are so swollen. They are about 3-4 sizes larger than normal due to all the hydration she’s being pumped with. That and the lack of movement, I’m assuming. She’s a beautiful sight to see lying there breathing in and out!

Her pulse rate is down a bit, BP is up a bit and her CVP is up as well. Urine output is still too low, considering she received 14 bags of fluid yesterday. That must be why she’s so swollen. She also received 2 units of blood today. It was either because of yesterdays fluids that her blood was really thinned out, and Kath just needed a little extra. Or from the surgery, because there was a little blood in the stool and they didn’t know if Kathey had some internal bleeding… After a 2nd blood sample, [Thank you, God] we found there was no internal bleeding!

I’m staying the night with her -- as I cannot bear to leave her in case the pain meds wear down again and she becomes too awake and more aware of her pain.

Tonight I told her why she was in ICU… and in so much pain… I hope I didn’t make a mistake… She was looking at me with so many questions in her eyes. I’ve always been honest and open with my aunt -- I couldn’t lie -- she’d know if I was. Besides she deserved to know how well she’s been fighting a great fight!

DAY 2 -- THURSDAY, 14 JANUARY 2010

Day two, and she’s still fighting! Yeah! Her blood pressure is still too low and her pulse rate is too high… Her urine output is too low, but to be expected especially considering how dehydrated she was, is what the nurse tells me. Her CVP [central venous pressure] is a 3 and the nurse would like for it to be a 10-12 within the next 24 hours…. It’s a 3 due to the dehydration. Dehydration, again. She has bags hanging everywhere. Her face is so swollen as well as her fingers and hands. I’ve never seen so many tubes and wires in my life.

She’s still hooked up to an NG tube as well as the ventilator. I’m glad they are providing her with oxygen. I’m also glad, it’s not life support. I do have to say, that her color is much better than I expected -- could be an effect from the anesthesia or one of the meds she’s receiving… I take hope that it’s her color!