D Update #13: Still Here, Part Deux

By Bill Craig
We are still here in the hospital. Her cardiologist stopped by earlier and told her that her increased pulmonary pressure is due to a leaking heart valve. That's all he said, except "it is what it is", which, to me, is a phrase which cancels itself out and isn't really saying anything at all.

D's room air oxygen saturation is 88% without 2 liters of O2. Her normal room air sat is 99 to 100%, so this is of some concern to me. When I was an RT, we'd send people home on oxygen with a room air sat of only 88, and she has never smoked or inhaled dangerous fumes in her life. Oxygen Saturation is the amount of oxygen carried by the red blood cells. O2 saturation is usually measured over the fingernail, although it can be measured with an arterial blood sample, which is very painful.

As I write, we just found out that the nurses will be taking her on a 6 minute walk without oxygen to see how far her sat will drop.

For that reason, I'm not letting Georgia Lung sign off on her yet. Something still needs fixing that isn't being fixed yet.

The good news is that her temps have settled down. Her latest was 99.2.

Her surgeon came by the morning and told us the site was fine, and that she'd have pain for at least two more weeks.

That's all we know for now.



The Animal Rescue Site

Don't forget to click and feed the animals. It's free.

Thanks,

Bill

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hi darlin, I was so hoping the next post I read would be that you were at home. So sorry our dear Dondra is still having complications. Sure hope they can get this all figured out soon.

I'll try and call tomorrow as I have unlimited minutes on my cell over the weekend.

Love and hugs to both of you, Becks
October 14, 2011 at 11:36 PM
Bill Craig said…
Thank you, Becks, and please thank BillDL too, from both of us. She's resting comfortably at the moment, still in a lot of pain, but we both are looking forward to the call from our very dear friend.

I have to say again, that you and BillDL are such fantastic people to be friends with folks you have never laid eyes on, and we know to appreciate how special that is.

Both of us only wish we could meet the both of YOU one day! That would be an awesome happy time.

Your friends always,

Bill and Dondra Craig
October 15, 2011 at 11:15 PM
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