leenie g

11:00 am – 12:00 noon, 2:00 – 2:30 pm, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, 8:00 – 8:30 pm, please give me a call to co-ordinate the visits. A special thanks to every one for the prayers and comments. My cell phone # 724-882-0670.
Thanks
Andy

When Uncle Andy & I visited Leen this afternoon, I was shocked…by how GOOD she looked.

Uncle Andy walked in first, and she turned her head towards him and gave him a big smile. They talked for a while, then told her to “look who else is here” when she turned and saw me, she gave me this HUGE grin! Totally made my day! (although Uncle Andy was a bit jealous that she was more excited to see me than him!)

She “sang” happy birthday to me and told me she “could remember me THIS small and rocking me in her arms”.

When Nanny came in, Uncle Andy told her about how the new/replacement chest tube was working very well (her lung reinflated and the nurse said it looked really good) and Leen looked up, surprised “I have a chest tube?” Yes, you do. “Today?!” Yes, they did it this morning. “When? I don’t remember that!” I told her that’s good: they knocked her out–she wasn’t supposed to remember! She seemed totally surprised that she had no idea.

She was so proud to show us how she could move her right hands and arm, make a loose fist, and even bend her elbow to a 90 degree angle. (She could wiggle her left hand fingers, but its not as strong as the right side) She was shrugging her shoulders, lifting her head off the pillow a bit, and wiggling her legs/feet just to prove she’s not giving up. (She may almost be ready for a dry erase board to help with those words we can’t decipher!)

We were doing fairly well reading her lips, but there was one word we couldn’t figure out. After Uncle Andy made a few (wrong!) guesses, she was getting really frustrated and gave him this ‘look’ and kind of glared at him. He said “don’t you look at me like that!” She responded with a really mean face/grimace/growl, scrunched up her nose and narrowed her eyes and sorta bared her teeth at him…raised her arm, made a fist, and shook it at him! We howled! Hilarious! I so wish I took a picture! She’s still got her sense of humor!! The nurse also told us that Leen stuck her tongue out at her. Of course, the nurse was brushing her teeth and asked her to, but still…

Also, the nurses have been able to give her [very tiny amounts of] crushed ice. She loves this! She must have said “its wonderful!” a dozen times while I was there.

Uncle Andy bought her an ipod touch and he loaded all kinds of pictures of her grandbabies and music on it for her, and set it up so she can read the comments you are all leaving on this site as well. She loves hearing them.

As far as visitors, I know that the icu has very restricted visiting hours, and the nurse said today that they allow immediate family only. Talk to Uncle Andy if you think you may want to visit her and he’ll let you know if it will work out.

Anyway, I know everyone was quite scared after this mornings news, and I just wanted you to know that even though her situation is very very critical, she is not giving up. Her spirits were amazingly high. Heck, she even said the nurses here are wonderful! (and we all know what a compliment that is coming from Leenie!) I would say she almost seemed… Happy. Confident. As in: “I can beat this.”

5:00 p.m.

Eileen’s lung is not healing. There is a hole in her lung which is why it collapsed last Saturday. They are going to reposition the tube to see if this makes any difference. They are giving her more antibiotics.

9:00 a.m. The doctors say they want her to better monitored and ICU is where she needs to be. So ICU is where she is. Two patients to one nurse. She is resting. No visitors.

#1 goal is still to get her off ventilator. 4 on – 2 off is what they are trying.

Andy said Eileen was great during the afternoon visit. Then the doctors came in and said something about air in her abdomen. Then there was talk about surgery tonight. Then it was determined no surgery, more antibiotics. Shanna, Kelsey and I took a drive up to see her about 8pm tonight. She really did look good and was so pleased to see the girls. We only stayed 30 minutes.

2:45 p.m. Ray called me after he stopped in to see his sister and he said she looked better than he had thought she might. She was alert and her vitals were good and she was trying to mouth her words. She is a fighter!

Rest is her top priority.

9:30 p.m. …and she got

Late yesterday afternoon, Eileen’s lung partially collapsed.

1:45 p.m. taking a step back…

Andy was so pleased about Eileen’s progress of being off the ventilator this week but then right before lunch today he found out that she was put back on the ventilator. The reason as I understand it is that this should have been a more gradual weaning with her being put back on the respirator at night. So, for now…the doctor has requested NO VISITORS – COMPLETE REST.

Please call Andy or check the website as to when visitors are allowed again.

Shanna has added a new icon to the website that we can use when Eileen is once again allowed to have visitors to see when people have want to visit her. Everyone can access this calendar on the website and enter their own information.

We will have an up date tonight, she has been of the ventilator for 3 days and talking when they have the button in the trac. I am on my way to the hospital shortly w/Miree Hampton. Thanks for all your prayers, Andy.