The past week and weekend were busy and the night’s not very restful. By Sunday evening late Nancy’s heart rate and pressure were going up and her breathing a bit ragged. This morning Nancy called the doctor’s clinic and talked to a nurse that knows her. The nurse, based on the sound of Nancy’s voice and the above mentioned symptoms, suggested bypassing the clinic and going to the ER. Off we went.
Sure enough, after listening to chest sounds and looking at the chest X-ray we were well on the way to being admitted to the ICU – again. That occurred right after a massive IV of the combo-antibiotic Zosyn®. The ER nurse was new to Nancy but the ICU nurse called her by name – not having seen her since last June. She was the nurse on duty the night Nancy had a big fluid build-up and was sensing an on-coming heart attack. She initiated the move from the normal hospital bed to the ICU. Today was just her fourth day of being an ICU nurse.
I spent the initial ER time with Nancy and then ran out to get food. I was beginning to think they would have to admit me too. I got back just as the initial Zosyn-IV finished dripping into her arm. Then I helped with (or got in the way of) the move between ER and ICU.
The expectation is that Nancy will be there two days. Assuming an improvement the norm will be for discharge (Wednesday?) with oral antibiotics and related follow-up.
I came home about 4 P.M. and missed a lengthily visit by an ICU doctor. I’ll add more information here as soon as I can. It is now 5:30. I’ve got dogs and horses to feed and then I’ll head back into town. I likely won’t get home before 8 or 9.
Pneumonia is covered here: