NSCIA Columnists
Katrine Seghetti-Mayhew
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Yesterday was a great day for Clayton- - physically. The docs
were able to remove the shunt from his chest, the drain tube from
his left lung, and are hoping to remove the right one today. They
are only giving him 45% oxygen with Clayton being able to maintain
his oxygen level at 96%!!! They have also taken him off the paralytic
medication (the neuro muscular block). It's been difficult watching
other's in ICU who haven't been as fortunate; usually the elderly.
Hearing the hospital call a Code Blue over the loud-speaker is
just devastating. All of us who have been “living” in
the ICU waiting room obviously run for the doors; praying the medical team
isn't in one of our ICU rooms! At this point; however, I believe
Clayton is on the road to physical recovery.
Until yesterday afternoon
I thought I had finally gotten a grip on this situation. I was
wrong! The Propofol that they have him on is an intravenous sedative-hypnotic
agent. The benefit is that they can reduce the amount they are
giving him and he wakes up rather quickly. They do this when
they want to perform an evaluation - checking for any sense of
feeling or ability to move his legs or toes. Right after they finished
the evaluation yesterday he wanted me back in the room. Just
when I thought my heart couldn't break anymore, the pain and fear
in his eyes with tears rolling down his checks was devastating.
Obviously if they're asking can you feel this, can you move your
toes... and he can't - - he's drawing a conclusion! All I've told
him is that he's doing great, but it's going to take some time
for him to heal. Unfortunately, until he's able to talk he can't
ask questions and at this moment I don't want to tell him more
than he can handle for now. The good thing with the Propofol is
as soon as they increase the amount he goes right back into a deep
sedation, without any memory the next time he wakes up.
Rob and I left the hospital last night about 10:30. He had a
cute, young nurse that was giving him lots of attention! What
I found out this morning is that she brushed his teeth, washed
his hair and gave him a bath around midnight! What 19-year
old guy wouldn't enjoy that!? Becky (the nurse) said he kept rolling
his eyes back towards the CD player behind his head. She asked
him if he wanted the music off - - YES. Guess he didn't like
my choice! This morning, Krista (his sister) put MTV on for
him and he began lip-singing to the song! And when Krista showed
him the HUGE PINK bear (it's the LUV-A-LOT bear!) she bought
him - he started laughing! Just watching him laugh at the bear,
and lip-singing along to the song was like watching a miracle
happen! Funny how you begin to truly appreciate the smallest
things in life you would have once taken for granted!
