Apartment 203 at the ICU

So room 203 was a like a college dorm today. I sat in Wayne's chair and did my best to read the Sunday paper while Joe, the nurse and Wayne watched and talked football and Joe encouraged Wayne to do lots of burping and farting. Early on, Wayne was in that chair and had put his glasses on and was quite himself. We visited with some visitors and then Dr Misbach came in and took out several chest tubes (I left). This changed the whole atmosphere because now Wayne was in pain he could feel. Suddenly football took a back seat to pain but nevertheless, the sound of it and something to look at helped. Next he had to be moved to the bed so the monster line (whose real name is Swan Ganz Catheter) and its companions could be removed from his neck (it was all the way in his heart and I saw it after it came out--wow). I did not want to watch but I needed to hold Wayne's hand as it was highly uncomfortable and he was in more and more pain. Afterwards he received much percocet, more morphine and finally he got pumped up on valium to put him back in lala land. He sweat a lot, visited with one or two more visitors for just a few minutes before we ended that for the day. (Wayne has asked that visits last only 5 minutes as they leave him pretty tired so if I end it, it is not personal.) Now he is unleashed from about 60% of his hook ups and the rest are consolidated onto one portable thingy you see people walk with. ("Thingy" is a technical term just like the other one I taught Joe when I moved his "nursey" stuff.) Joe wanted to walk him once around the unit but we realized Wayne was not ready at all for that. So maybe tomorrow. I left Wayne while he was eating something and he was soon to be put to bed for the night. Wayne is going through a lot physically and emotionally and we ask you to continue praying for his recovery. With a grateful heart, Marian