"Baby Steps"

After getting a full night's sleep, I headed off to the hospital to get there right after shift change between 7-8am. That way, I have the best chance of catching the Drs on their rounds. I talked with both Dr. Cleveland - the Pulmonary(lung) specialist and Dave's Cardiologist. They both believe that it will take time for Dave's lungs to clear and they are giving him medications to eliminate fluids from the body in general, as well as to strengthen the heart's pulse. I have become pretty adept at watching his blood pressure monitor and respiration and heartrate monitors.Potassium levels are important as well as are his glucose levels. An xray was done to examine fluid levels in the lungs and it was determined that they are still quite high. When I asked just how the fluid comes to be there, I was told that "Pulmonary Adema (sp?)" is a result of the body sending fluid to the damaged heart to help it continue pumping, however, it often sends too much in a heart attack situation, the result being that the fluid flows into the lungs which are particulary susceptible to fluid increases.
Next question...How do you get rid of it? One method, urinating it out - so Dave is on a diuretic of sorts. Second method, suctioning the lungs to eliminate built up fluids - nurses do this frequently, not a pleasant process for Dave, making him gag, choke and feel like he can't breath...this often causes him to panic and is perhaps the leading need for sedation in order to rest. The third method is that the various cells of the body may absorb some fluid.
All of this takes time, and painstaking work by nurses, Drs and Dave. It's tough to sit by and see him choke and grimace, but I keep telling him that soon he will be getting the respiration tube out - it will be such a blessing when he is ready - no one is estimating when that will be - at least they are not sharing their estimates with me.
I now spend most of my day in Dave's room, helping the nurses when I can do anything, and trying to encourage and relax Dave when he is at all awake. I think that he is worried about what is yet to come, but I keep telling him that it is all getting better and better, we just are taking a lot of baby steps for every advancement.
I have been mindlessly knitting, believe it or not, it is one thing that distracts me but also lets me keep my attention on Dave...reading is out, it just takes too much concentration...so I sit and do endless rows of simple knitting with chunky yarn that Sarah picked up for me at Wall Mart. I am asked by everyone who enters the room "what are you making". I respond that I have no idea, but it really does help keep me calm and productive in some small way when I feel powerless. Knitting, praying, making phone calls, and loving Dave have have become the rhythym of my day.
I don't need anything in particular, but thankyou to all of you who have offered...just your prayers for Dave and the Drs and Nurses that are making him well.