MORNING : I spoke with the night nurse at 10 min. to 6 this morning. Nancy had a good night. The ventilator was still providing a little oxygen but no mechanical assist for breathing. So, lungs and heart (now minus the balloon pump) are doing their things. Ventilator tube is still in because they want to wait until later when the ICU is full of doctors – just in case the thing has to be put back in. She still has to communicate via them asking Yes/No questions or pointing at letters and she still has post-operative pain and is getting lots of pain medication. I know she felt frustrated yesterday because she could not talk to us.
NOON : Our horses got their feet trimmed this morning – after several postponements this month. Snow was falling softly as we finished. Travel highway-cameras showed snow on Interstate 82 and National Weather Service folks have issued a winter storm warning. I called to check on Nancy. She was still doing fine.
5 P. M. : I spoke with Nancy’s nurse earlier than usual because they had taken the ventilator tube out this afternoon and then a procession of doctors visited. Her voice is very soft but she asked the nurse to call me. I was out moving that white fluffy ‘insert your favorite term here’ off of the driveway so called back. Everyone seems to be pleased about Nancy’s progress following the operation, including Nancy.
Some of you know Nancy plays fiddle in a group that visits retirement, nursing, and rehabilitation centers. They play old-time country music –think Appalachian Mountain Music. With continued progress she will soon be in one of those places to which they go. Players and spouses are meeting tonight for a pot luck dinner and maybe a little music. There is other music I’d rather listen to (except for a few tunes) but the food is always good. So, I’m off to a place just 5 miles away. If it snows too much while I’m there it is close enough that I can walk home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ HAPPY NEW YEAR ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~