Pop is now in a room

Hi Everyone,

I got to St. Barnabas today a little before 6:00 and Pop was still in the Emergency room. They had him in a hospital bed, hooked up to everything he needed: food, antibiotics, oxygen, etc. The nurse there, Heidi was VERY helpful and explained everything that he had hooked up and why.

He has these motorized leggings on that keep the circulation going on his legs to prevent clots form forming there. She noticed a bed sore on his back and noted that they were keeping an eye on it.

Pop was alert when I was there, but didn't have his eyes as open as the last time I saw him. Plus, he must be exhausted with all the hustle and bustle of the ER there. I told him that Ben took 5 steps at day care to get a donut that was on the table and he laughed, and then coughed (which is a good thing).

He has a lot of fluid in his lungs right now; they managed to get quite a bit up, but he needs to continue to cough to get the rest up and out of there. They suction him out every now and again, but they can't do that too often because 1) it's painful for Pop and 2) it could cause throat irritation and bleeding. They want to prevent that, if necessary.

I met Tom, the respiratory therapist and I swear to God he had a hair style like Moe Howard from the 3 stooges. Tom had a three point plan for busting up the fluid in Pop's lungs and getting it out of there.

1) He put him on a nebulizer with some medicine that could help loosen up and break up the fluid there.

2) He had me hold Pop's hand while he pounded on Pop's chest like a baboon and shook him. Pop's eyes shot open for THAT one. :) He was probably wondering why one of the three stooges were shaking him.
This was done to break loose the fluid from the sides of his lungs

3) He used what's called a "coughilator." Think of it as a giant vacuum. They put a mask over Pop's mouth, and pushed air down his lungs to fill them with air, then he reversed the suction, pulling moisture up and out of his lungs.

Pop responded well to this and was coughing much more after the treatment, which is good. He's even swallowing a bit, which is also good, but his stomach probably can't handle all the fluid that is in his lungs currently, so they will continue to have to help him out by suctioning it off.

I know it's a little gross, but if nothing else, when a love one is sick, you can't only think of one day at once.

When I got back from dinner they were moving him up to his new room (4107). He has a very nice female room-mate (good thing Nan doesn't have the internet!) ;)

I'll keep you guys posted!

Love,
Jason