Focusing on the Positive

The docs seem to think Dad is slowly moving out of sepsis, and we are so grateful to hear that. The best news of today is that for over 4 hours Dad has been *almost* breathing on his own. (The machine is dialed down to the lowest level, meaning he initiates the breaths but then the machine helps him with the depth and level of the breath because his breaths are still too ragged.) His kidneys and liver are still failing. For the kidneys, they have him on daily dialysis, and will be putting a permanent dialysis port in his arm soon. They can't do anything about the liver failure apparently, at least not anything we know of yet. The tracheotomy still has to be done but the physical therapist is working with Dad to be able to move his arms and legs. At this point, all he can do is flex his knees and shrug his shoulder. When they do the trache they will also put the feeding tube directly into his stomach rather than his mouth. Without the breathing tube down his throat he will be able to eat some, but not enough to produce enough albumin to assist him in the healing process. His platelets are still dangerously low but the hope is that they will rise as he overcomes the sepsis. His heart rate is lower today; that's good. It was pounding away at 150 beats per minute, now it is in the 70s and 80s. They may have to give him a pacemaker to regulate it, time will tell on that one. His blood pressure is averaging 95/50 and he is off the meds that were keeping it so low so hopefully that will continue to rise. He will lose the top half of several toes from the lack of circulation to his feet but at least it looks like he will not lose any of the fingers on his hands, and for that we thank God. The doc started talking today about transferring Dad to an acute care facility in the next several days, but personally I think that's something that cannot and will not be done in the near future; perhaps the doc is just having wishful thinking.

Tonight begins Pesach. Sherry is preparing a Seder at Mom's house, and the siblings will gather this evening to comfort one another and mom. Our prayer will be that Dad gains freedom from all the ailments that are plaguing him right now. Hag Sameah.