No, this isn't one of our fur-children. Bardolph the Smilin' Dog came out of a kennel for Web-based photos, but he pretty much sums up how I'm feeling today.
Had the first conversation with Sonja today since the original crisis on the 3rd. As I mentioned in the update letter (included again below for any visitors who missed it), she came off the ventilator today, and after a pretty interesting period of singing random show tunes and swearing like a sailor, she came out of the sedation and started talking. It's pretty amazing what she remembers and what she doesn't, and what she thought she remembered happening, but I'll let her talk about all that at another time.
She's sleeping now, and still tires very easily; it'll be several days before she can stay awake for long periods or handle phone calls. But it's been such a breakthrough day to be able to communicate with her again, I just wanted to share that with all of you who've been so caring and kind throughout the past weeks. Thanks to you all, and love from us both!!
More to come.......
-- Paul
Dear Family and Friends:
Well, it's been almost a week I think since my last general update, so here goes. Apologies in advance if some of you receive multiple copies of this note; in grouping together lists of addresses, when faced with multiple possibilities I listed them all rather than leave anyone off the the list.
Sonja's made great progress over the past 7 days. Her liver has continued to rebound, her blood pressure stabilized significantly, and her heart continues to function well. The kidneys have not yet kicked back in, a not unexpected situation right now, and thanks to her BP lifting they were able to put her on the stronger, more aggressive form of dialysis.....which then enabled them to take over 30 litres of excess fluid out of her system (so imagine for a moment going out and buying 30 litre bottles of Evian, bringing them home and putting them all next to one another on the kitchen table, assuming the table was large enough....that's how much fluid, accumulated from being hospitalized without kidney function for two weeks, was drawn out of her body). That in turn has allowed her to breathe more easily, taken a tremendous amount of strain off of her overall system, and allowed the rest of her organs to heal more quickly.
The best news is that this morning her lungs were doing well enough to finally extubate her and take the ventilator tube out of her throat....an enormous relief. We'll go through some short period now of 1 to 3 days as she's monitored to make sure her breathing continues to stabilize on her own; right now she's breathing 100% oxygen through a mask. And as I write this she's still coming out of the effects of two plus weeks of sedation, but I hope to be able to have an actual two-way conversation soon! Over the course of the next week or so she'll continue to recuperate and be monitored here in the surgical ICU, as we wait to get a better idea of how her kidneys are coming along.
So that's where we stand right now. Many of you have asked about addresses to send best wishes and such; while here in the SICU she can't have any real flowers, but cards and what not can be sent either to her here at the hospital, or to our UPS Store mailbox, both listed below. I've also started a blog for Sonja, that hopefully as she recuperates she can take over herself, to which I'll be posting every two or three days.....it can also be another way for folks to communicate together should they wish to. That address is also listed below.
Thanks to all of you who have continued to respond with your love, care and many kindnesses!! With fingers crossed, I look forward to the time when Sonja can thank each and everyone of you herself!!! More to come in a week or so, take care all, and love from us both!!!
-- Paul
Hospital:
Sonja Lanzener, patient
Rm. 8.1423
Strong Memorial Hospital
601 Elmwood Ave.
Rochester, NY 14642
UPS Store:
Sonja Lanzener
PMB #162
2604 Elmwood Ave.
Rochester, NY 14618
Blog: Sonja's Excellent Adventure.
www.hellofanap.blogspot.com
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