Each day now, Nancy shows considerable improvement. Her voice is stronger and she can write better. An occupational therapist got the bed into the shape of an overstuffed chair and had Nancy moving her arms and doing finger exercises, all the time asking questions. Nancy did well on most of this.
A couple of doctors and a nurse visited and explained what they call ICU-ites. It happens that when one spends time deeply sedated and in the intensive activity of a unit with things beeping and then someone will yell ‘code blue’ and all h— breaks out in the next room – – – one does not sleep well. They seem to be sleeping soundly but they never go into deep sleep (REM sleep) and this means their brain isn’t getting the rest and relaxation it needs. After several full days of this one can get a little disoriented.
They hope to move Nancy to the more restful level of care (the ACU, or acute care unit) on the fourth floor on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Today she wanted her cell phone and laptop. The nurse and I convinced her she could not have them in the ICU. Her voice isn’t back strong enough to talk on the phone and her arms and hands are a bit weak so she would just be upset if she had the computer. I did not even ask if they had a hookup to the internet in there.
Her lungs still have a tiny bit of a rattle but that is lessening daily. She was hungry and eating Jello and drinking water and orange juice.
That’s all for now.