Sunday, February 3
Day 21

Yesterday, John really starting smiling again.  You KNOW what a beautiful smile he has and so, believe me, it's a relief to see it once again.  This picture to the right was taken by Angela Van Schaik last night.  It does show his slight smile and the later picture shows it even more. 

We now have to wear yellow paper gowns and these gloves.  Just wanted you to know I am not sporting a new fashion....just hospital garb!  I get hot and its sort of clumsy but it is for the protection of the patients.  In his case, he has Vankomycin Resistant Endococcus, which just means a normally occurring bacteria from our gut which has developed a resistance to antibiotics and it should not be spread to others, thus the "precautions". 

This morning, his nurse, physical therapist, and aid, along with me, took him on a walk.  He was resistant but they were insistent so that we made it down the hall to the nurses station, then around the corner to the comfortable waiting area.  There we stayed for five minutes or so viewing the lovely snow outside.  We work hard to get John to open his eyes.  He says he keeps them closed because it decreases his stress--too much stimuli, I think!  On the other hand, he needs to be more alert and he shows this with eyes open!

His swallowing mechanism has not been working well.  Fear that he will choke and get stuff in his lungs, led them to reinstate his feeding tube.  As he gets stronger and swallows better, we will start regular food, but continue the night feeds because he needs good nutrition...

Here's some of his quotable quotes:

     "Water is the most beautiful thing!"  He wants cold cloths on his head all the time, an ice bag on his neck, ice chips in his mouth.   He asks repeated for hosing down and to be sprinkled and flicked with water.  This from the man who sleeps with his  mattress warmer on high all year round!  But, he has no fever....go figure!

     "I need some upward mobility."  This while he was trying to get his legs to support him as he began his walk this morning.

He's been tender and gentle with me, putting his arm around me yesterday afternoon as I showed him the calendar, what has happened to him, and what the date is.  He also said, "This must be breaking your heart, Becki!"  Well, duh...yes!

OK...by now you are tired of all this trivia....but it helps me to COPE, really!