They ended up taking out the breathing tube the other day and she was on cpap. When my dad and sister were there yesterday, she kept saying she wanted to die. Today she is on something call airvo cannula. The doctor said it’s different than a high flow cannula, that this one has heated air and is humidified. She is at 50% oxygen and her pulse ox is good at 100%.
When I was there earlier today, the plan was for her to get a CT scan later to check her lungs because her most recent xray did not look good. A few days ago, one provider said it was a hematoma near her lower lung and that the blood should be absorbed back into the body. Needless to say, it’s not looking like it is absorbing. The xray in the picture shows her left lung area and all of the white. The picture is reversed so the right side of the picture is actually her left lung. Her left lung should look more like the left side of the picture with all of the black between the ribs. They are trying to figure out if it actually is a hematoma, fluid or something else there.
He said if it’s thicker fluid or some mucous, most the time a person like us can cough that up. She has coughed hard a few times since I got here. If she can’t cough it up, they might not have to open her up completely but they could put a bigger chest tube in. He said it could be a mucous plug that is stuck there. They are giving her the airvo because it has heat and humidity and that could help break up the mucous if that’s what it is.
She does have some bloody secretions around her mouth and the nurse said that is from the tube being in her throat so long but after talking with the doctor he said it could be her coughing up some of what is in her lungs. The nurse said they have been cleaning her mouth and then brushing her teeth every two hours.
He said they may have to intubate at some point and put a camera down her throat to try to see what’s down there. He said once they find out what it is, worst case scenario would be that they would do the temporary trach but they are trying to do everything else to remedy the situation and that would be the last step.
Good news is that they had her sit up on the edge of the bed this morning and stand up! The nurse said she did good and wasn’t too unsteady.
The Physician Assistant said he was surprised she did so well sitting up and standing because she has been through hell and hasn’t really had any nutrients. She needs nutrients because she is just getting weeker. The last time they tried to tube feed her, they stuck it down her nose and that’s when she had blood gushing out of her nose that wouldn’t stop. He said her tissue is fibrile(?) because of her rheumatoid arthritis medications and that’s why they had all of the trouble with the blood clotting before.
I asked the PA if she said she wanted to die today and he said no and that she was in good spirits today. He said a lot of patients say they want to die but don’t really mean it. When I was there this afternoon, she had her eyes closed the whole time and I said Mom it’s Sue, I’m here. We are all rooting for you and want you to come home and the kids and dad miss you. She then shook her head yes. When I left I said I love you mom and dad will visit you tomorrow and she shook her head yes again. I don’t know if she recognized me but I am happy she is responding, even when I was talking very quietly.
After typing this all out, the PA called my dad and said he spoke with my mom and explained the whole situation to her. She said she is ok getting the tube placed for the camera and also ok if temporary trach needs to happen. That makes me feel better because at least she knows what is going on and is ok with everything. They are going to be doing the tube with the camera so we will see what that shows.
