Thanks Cheryl & Greg

Dad was placed in a regular bed again today which is quite a process with all the tubing and IVs.  He has been tilted down at about a 30% angle.  Last I counted, there were 17 bags of some kind of fluid or another being pumped into him.  The process of moving him to the bed this time was not as taxing on his brain as the last move.  Staff say they will not be using the rotating bed again, at least for awhile. 

They have put in yet another tube to allow air to escape from his chest.  With his injuries, air gets trapped around the lung and actually pushes down on it, making it more laboring to inflate.  Fortunately, he continues to do more of his body's work himself.  They have been able to reduce the blood pressure medication by about half because he has been able to start maintaining that better on his own.  This is good because the medication constricts all the capillaries and reducing this will help with circulation.  Circulation is a concern because his hands and feet are so cold and blue.  It has been hard to learn about consequences that may arise because of the treatments that have to be carried out...

InterCranial Pressure (ICP) for a healthy person at rest is a 5, as much as 15 when lifting something heavy.  Maintained ICP of 20 or more can be damaging.  This is certainly a number we keep our eye on when we are visiting.  When being moved to the rotating bed it entered the 30s.  I have seen Dad's ICP in the 20s pretty regularly.  But it is up and down periodically.  While Becki and I were there today it was around 17 and went as low as 13-14.  The nurses say they think that people in these states can hear what's going on because blood pressure and ICP rise, but I'd like to think that we relax and comfort him!

Xrays were done on his wrists to compare them because there are some abnormalities.  Not sure if one is broken but it will be splinted.  Since Dad is so swollen, he is weeping blood and fluid through some areas of his injured skin.  His hands were so swollen today, I don't even recognize them.  We were so glad to see a nurse elevate them and warm them.

Today is the first day that he will be on a feeding tube. 

We feel like there has been bits of progress, yet other things are digressing due to necessary treatments of other areas.  This whole thing is like a nightmare and each of us feel a bit numb because we can't do anything more than we have been.  We just have to leave this up to God and put our faith in the doctors and nurses that have been so caring.  They never leave his room.  One nurse we noticed would hold his hand and she said she had gone home the night before and just wept.  There are some special people caring for my dad.  Also, it was comforting to meet Mom's friends who have their own experience with such trauma and what positive outcomes/miracles can happen.