Continued - Breathing Tube Removed

I was in and out of his room all afternoon.  It seemed to agitate John when I came in and he was trying so hard talk and move.  He was in that precarious stage, awake enough to know what was going on but with just enough pain meds to keep him sort of comfortable.

After one particularly difficult visit, I told the nurse I just didn't think I was being helpful with his recovery.  She was so good to John and several of the nurses, breathing therapists, and P.A.s had formed a cheering team.  They knew how much I wanted that tube out.  The afternoon ticked by.

Thankfully, I had plenty of company outside to the waiting room.  My friends from Raleigh, Dan and Denise had come for moral support. Annie had driven up from little Washington.  We all sat together beside the large bank of windows, the sun streaming in, and caught up on each other.  They all had been monitoring John's progress via the phone tree.

Anyone that has ever spent very much time in a hospital waiting room, can understand the mix of people and how you can almost get to know other families after an extended period of time, observing.  There was no shortage of entertainment at the Heart Institute.  We marveled at the food one family consumed while waiting together that day.  Within the course of a few hours, we saw them devour 3 dozen Dunkin Donuts, a large box of Bojangles chicken, several boxes of Chinese food, a Taco Bell order, assorted frappes, fruit smoothies, tea and chips.  We all sat in amazement watching them eat all the "comfort food".  One of our group even mentioned we may need to call and get them another trash can for the empty boxes.  We all agreed, we should be ashamed of ourselves for being so critical of their eating habits, but they were way too easy to target.  And when you are holed up in a hospital, any entertainment will do.

With all the eating, my friends offered to take me out to eat or run out and get something for me.  I had already told them I would not leave John's side until the decision was made about the breathing tube.  Leslie and Denise went off in search of food.  I went back to check on John.  It was nearly 6 o'clock on Friday night.  We didn't have much time left.   

My cheering team was outside of his door.  The nurse stopped me.  "I really hate to ask you to do this, but we just got a good reading on his blood numbers and if you go in, it may get him excited again and skew his numbers.  He needs to stay calm. We will wait about 30 minutes and take another specimen.  If it is good too, we can take the tube out.  We have everyone in place and ready but this will be the last chance tonight.  The lab will confirm the results as soon as they have them," she said.  

"Of course," I said.  Everyone of them hugged me and sent me back out.  I rushed into the waiting room and told everyone what the nurse had said.  We all hugged and thanked God for all the good news.

Leslie and Denise came back with the food.  I ate quickly expecting the nurse to come out any minute.  It had been over 30 minutes.  Okay...I will run to the bathroom, so when she comes out, I will be ready.  

The minute I came back from the bathroom, they said, "The nurse just came to get you."  My heart was beating one hundred miles a minute....and I rushed back to John's room.  

"It's out!" she said, "and he's doing great."  John was smiling ear to ear when I walked in.  He was already talking and ordering people around.  "You have just unleashed the BEAST," I said.  Little did they know.

His P.A., Ms. Adams, no relation, but John immediately called her 'his people', starting giving him instructions on what HE was going to have to do to make sure the tube stayed out.  She told him she didn't like to be reprimanded for taking a tube out too early, so he had to do his part.  Breathe in through his nose, out through his mouth, cough frequently to get the mucous up, and do whatever the nurses told him to do or she would put it right back in.  John looked at her and said, "Oh no you won't!"  Ms. Adams got right in his face and said, "If you don't do what we have asked you to do and your numbers go down, I will put that tube right back in and there is nothing you can do about it, understand?"  She got his attention.

He was parched, he wanted something to drink so very bad, but he could only have a few ice chips.  Of course, that was better than nothing.   

I rushed outside and told everyone he had the tube out and they all cheered.  It was a little after 7:30 and it had been a long, long day.  But a good one.

PCQ