Update #5: 9Sep 12:55pm

 

12:10pm

It’s been a good day.  

Respiratory therapy switched her ventilation mode to CPAP (meaning she’s responsible to initiate breathing and the machine just provides a little additional pressure support).  She’s been doing that since 6am continuously.  Then they performed a number of tests of her ability to generate pressure and volume to show she is ready for extubation (endotracheal tube comes out and she is free from the ventilator to breathe on her own).  I must admit this is a terrifying moment.  The ventilator has done a great job of keeping her alive so a little hard to take that off.  And we know that if she needs to be intubated again it will be difficult.  It took three attempts in the Emergency Dept to intubate her Monday evening.  She’s always had a limited ability to open her mouth widely and dentists throughout her life have berated her for this.  So, hoping that once the ET tube is out…it will stay out permanently.

12:35pm

She’s extubated!!!  Breathing on her own!  She looks great without the tubes and tape all around her face!  What. A. Relief.

Of course, we are ready to have conversation—but she’s tired.  Worn out by the bathing, the constant nursing neuro checks, and now the extubation.  

We began to recount events again and she just grimaced and lipped “Don’t remember”.

Let me close this brief update by sharing a moment from the morning.

We noticed that left eye open, scanning around for us.  She’s awake.  So we come to the bedside and greet her, squeeze her hands, talk, ask questions.  She gestures a motion of writing with her right hand.  We hold the little tablet up and she scribbles in barely legible caps: T-O-D-A-Y?  We explain the date, time and place and again review the events of the week.  She raises an eyebrow and gestures to write again: P-L-A-N-?  Yes, our Jennifer is back.  She is awake and she wants to know what is the plan?  Of course, what are we waiting for?  We laughed.  And cried, too.

This feels monumental to me.  A quantum leap forward in recovery.  An answer to prayer.  So, we’ve gotten some good answers to:

Preservation of cognition. Getting off the ventilator.  

Still requesting prayer for the right eye issue—she has some vision there, but the pupil is still dilated, the eyelid droopy, and the eye motions not normal. Eye docs will probably reevaluate in the next 24 hours.  She will also be having a repeat CT scan—and an MRI—tonight.

I’ve had a number of people share Psalm 46 with me this morning so let me close with that.

Psalm 46

God Is Our Fortress

    [1] God is our refuge and strength,

        a very present help in trouble. 

    [2] Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

        though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 

    [3] though its waters roar and foam,

        though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

    [4] There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

        the holy habitation of the Most High. 

    [5] God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

        God will help her when morning dawns. 

    [6] The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

        he utters his voice, the earth melts. 

    [7] The LORD of hosts is with us;

        the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

    [8] Come, behold the works of the LORD,

        how he has brought desolations on the earth. 

    [9] He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

        he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

        he burns the chariots with fire. 

    [10] “Be still, and know that I am God.

        I will be exalted among the nations,

        I will be exalted in the earth!” 

    [11] The LORD of hosts is with us;

        the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah