Major Strides

Finally!! Big things today. Wayne walked around the unit this morning with a walker, a nurse, an IV pole, a few other devices on wheels, a wife and a friend. It was an adventure to get to see the whole unit. Wayne really enjoyed it. He went around once and then part way and back. Then he was pretty exhausted. Shortly after, Dr Misbach came in and reviewed his progress and Wayne asked to get the catheter out of his you know what (he seemed to just discover it today) and Misbach said yep and then we were extra thrilled when he said it was time to move to his new room in a couple hours. So the move began without me because Joe the nurse didn't call to let me know the catheter was out and the migration began. Wayne walked all the way and I met him with some friends in his room right when he sat down. He is trying to get his system back in working order so he is having gut pain etc, I will forego the details. :-) We got him settled and for the first time in a week I went home at 4:30 and that felt great. Hannah and I went back this evening to check on him. He walked around that unit--still has to go with a nurse and he was expected to walk once more tonight but he didn't want to. The nurse said, too bad, he had to anyway. The unit is the PCU (Progressive Care Unit) which is 75% heart/thoracic patients and a bunch of miscellaneous other stuff--pretty high acuity and never an empty bed. Four patients to one nurse but still, I was impressed by the attention he got both times I was there. He will be home by Friday. If you call, it is 907-212-3024 room 295. He may or may not be able to talk but he won't answer if he can't. The "rules" of his stay are to walk, breathe (in his device) and poop. If he does all 3 of these things on a regular basis he will get out one day. Relieved and going to bed, Marian