Day 8

Had a little excitement last night.  The IV line that runs through his umbilicus (belly button) broke.  The nurses had to put an IV in his scalp to allow the fluids and drips to continue running while the nurse practitioner placed a PICC line.  PICC line stands for P-peripherally I-inserted C-central C-catheter.  Basically, it is a central line that sits just below his heart in a large vessel (inferior vena cava) and can stay there for several weeks to months.  They were planning to put the line in sometime this week, just hoped it would have been under better circumstances.  

Crew's weight is down to 5 pounds 2 ounces today . . . he lost another 5 ounces.  He's looking so much better.  He's still really swollen from his chest down to his thighs.  The chest tubes are still draining, the right more than the left.  They switched his ventilators this morning.  He is now on the Avea.  This is a conventional ventilator that breathes more naturally, around 35 breaths per minute.  So far, he is handling this ventilator very well.  He may need to get his ETT (breathing tube) replaced with a larger tube, we'll have to wait and see.  The Nitric Oxide has officially been turned off.  

Yesterday Terrel's family came from Rupert to visit.  It was an especially great treat to see grandma Edith.