A Trip Into Town, With Oxygen

We were delighted to learn that if you throw the 50 ft length of tubing over the railing, Joe can hang out downstairs, in the living room and al banco at the kitchen counter, and still use R2D2/Darth Vader (aka the oxygen concentrator or The Machine that Sucks All of the Air Out of the Room).

We left R2D2 behind today, strapped on our oxygen tanks (well, really we dragged them along) and went shopping.  For important things, like ingredients for corn bread.  This was a good dress rehearsal for our 8AM appointment tomorrow with the Bone Marrow Transplant doc.

Cruisin' in the right direction...

The Beagle has landed

Got home to Joseph St. around 7:00 last night just in time to meet the nice man with, as Joe says,  "the munitions-like tanks of oxygen and a device that, like Mitt Romney, sucks the air out of the room. Literally". This air concentrator looks like R2D2 but sounds like Darth Vader.  It was very nice to sleep in a real bed without roommates that talked, snored and watched television all night.  Joe has set up shop on the second floor, after getting upstairs last night without any significant problems.  We definitely have a few heroes to thank at the hospital.  Glad to have moved over to the ambulatory care side of this adventure.  Still a journey of discovery as we work out the logistics of temporary home oxygen supplies.

Boring/Exciting Days # 5 & 6

Beautifully boring/exciting.  Real live shower.  Real live chest x-ray (instead of bedside) for comparison to 10/24 x-ray and future x-rays.  Another walk in the park hallway planned. Tapering oxygen.

Boring/Exciting Day #4

Joe's moving in the right direction, literally.  He walked down the hall yesterday.  The oxygen level is being reduced gradually.  We're listening to Wait!  Wait! right now.  RIP Tom Magliozzi.

Boring/Exciting Day #3

Another boring/exciting day.  Joe took a few steps throughout the day and hung out in the chair.  Turkey and mashed potato dinner was OK.  The big news is that the Art Cart came around and replaced the creepy girl with our choice of Manet's "Bar at the Folies-Bergere".  We have their phone number now in case we ever have an art emergency like the creepy girl picture again.

Another Boring/Exciting Day

Joe spent much of the day in the chair instead of bed, had a hockey puck hamburger and a dry ham sandwich.  We're using the term "nose thing" instead of cannula for the device that delivers the oxygen since "cannula" reminds us too much of "cannoli".  The nose thing stayed in place all night.  Yay.  The docs aren't pushing tapering the oxygen too quickly, which is good, since we need to see the oxygen saturation levels stay high and not drop too quickly with activity.  Boring as she goes.

Bye Bye ICU!

Joe was moved from the ICU to a general pulmonary floor this morning. Still using oxygen through a cannula.  Did a little activity today.  Said the egg salad sandwich wasn't bad.  All in all, a boring/exciting day.  The painting of the little girl and her dog on the wall in front of us creeps us out. Added incentive to get outta here.  Thanks for all your support!

Houston, We Have Extubation

They removed the breathing and feeding tubes this morning at 11:30 without a problem.  Joe's been breathing on his own all along with varying levels of assistance.  He now has a cannula providing air.  When I asked the nurse how long Joe should refrain from talking, in a riff on Joseph Campbell, she said to "Follow your pain."  Great.  They'll monitor Joe for a day or two in the ICU, and then he'll move to a general medicine floor.  Three cheers for the Amazing Joe!

Cruisin' in the Right Direction

There's an indication that Joe's breathing is getting stronger and that the steroids he's being given are working on the lung infection.  Joe had a relatively peaceful, productive day breathing with less help from the breathing tube apparatus.  If the current trend continues, they may be able to remove the breathing tube as early as tomorrow.  That would be hugely wonderful.  Keep those positive rays comin'!