Kirk was stable this afternoon on the pentobarbital with no ICP spikes. He did have a busy afternoon though. First he got a sponge bath and new sheets. This is the first chance we have had to look at his back sconce he has been unstable for eight days. He dies have some significant bed sores so we are going to push the docs about letting us at least tilt the bad to move his weight around. He tolerated the bath and sheets well. It really is a lot of moving and stimulation for someone with such a severe brain injury. He also got a shave of both his beard (sorry honey) and his 11 day growth. The tape around his tube would no longer stick to his face. He got a new c-collar and we were able to look at his road rash which is healing nicely.
After a short break they set back to work. Kirk needed another central line because of the number of medications. Some are incompatible requiring chooses to be made on which medication could be used when. It was a serious juggling act that can result in an unintentional mistake.
First they tried to put a line in his left arm in the bicep area. They could thread the wire in but not the catheter. However, while preparing for this the practitioner found that the IV in his left arm was not actually in a vein. So when he pulled that out a large volume of fluid drained out of the hole onto the bed, pillow, sheets and floor. Everything at least recently that had been put in to that line came back out. This includes all the individual doses of ketamine they gave him last night to try to bring his ICP down. So the meds were of limited value. The funny part, and it is really, is that ketamine vapors are enough to knock you out. The practitioner was wearing a mask. I wasn't. I got very dizzy and had to walk out before I knocked out until everything was cleaned up.
He still needed his line so they tried for a femoral vein on his left side and in the second try got that. It is a good three ported line giving them tons of flexibility now. His other central line is nearing the end of its life span so it will have to be replaced in the next few days.
He is going to get a CT tonight but this time with contrast. I an anxious to hear the results in the morning.
Our beloved pastor from Houston's wife visited us at home and shared dinner with us. I cherish these moments of normalcy and sharing a meal. She brought a lovely and generous gift from the choir in Katy. It included a new owl for Sidney's collection. But her visit recharged me fully drained batteries. I was on the end of my ability to cope. Sidney also had swim lessons tonight. She has been in them since school started but she was in a class at too low of level. She got moved and she was forced to swim her tail off tonight. She was beat. But she was challenged. She is claiming it is too hard but she is very capable. It is super funny though because the class only has two students. The other is a boy who is at least 1 foot taller and out weighs her three to one. They are a funny looking pair.
I was able to swim laps while Sidney took lessons. It was good for me to worry about kicking, moving my arms and breathing and nothing else for 30 minutes.
Thank you all again for your continued support, prayers and love. I really do appreciate it more than my words can say.
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