More Ups and Downs

Angela continues to get stronger.  She is walking with Physical Therapy further each time.  But, she is still having episodes of confusion.  Her ammonia level has risen a bit.  The doctors have informed me that it is not the ammonia that causes the confusion - it is something else that hasn't been really identified, but which seems to go up and down along with the ammonia, at least somewhat.  I continue to be amazed at the complexity of our bodies and how we don't notice all that is going on, as long is everything is working right.

So, they will give her some Lactulose along with treating her lungs.  It may or may not make a difference.

Tonight, she is supposed to try sleeping using her home BiPAP while being monitored and then have arterial blood gases drawn in the morning to see if it is adequate to keep them OK.  Her BiPAP masks - she has two so she can alternate - weren't fitting her right this afternoon and she was getting frustrated, as well as starting a small sore on her nose.  I hope she can calm her frustration enough to allow the respiratory therapist to put one of the masks on her.  Sometimes it works better when I'm not there.  She hasn't been sleeping well because of the monitors in her room.  Something is always alarming, and she gets frightened and can't sleep.  I asked the nurse to try to turn the alarming off for her room, but she wasn't sure that was possible.  She is in a unit where someone in another room down the hall is always watching her, and the rest of the patient's, values, and I can't see the reason why the alarms need to be so loud in her room to wake her up, but we'll see what they were to arrange.  I expect she will be released in a few days and hope we'll be able to handle whatever comes up at home.

We continue to thank God for the recovery she has had and to pray that it will continue.