Calmer Days

Things have calmed down significantly for Dad in the past couple of days. Since realizing their mistake with the medication, his heart has remained largely strong and steady, and the spasming pain from the surgery has also mostly disappeared. The nausea is gone, although he still isn't processing anything through his stomach. All tests and observations indicate that there is no physical problem, just that his digestion hasn't picked up yet. Because of this, he continues to be kept in CCU instead of being returned to the 6th floor.

He's looking really good, though--his color is great, they shaved his moustache so he looks a lot more like himself, and every day he is more alert and stronger. His right hand, weakened from the stroke, is also improving very slowly. He's been using it a bit and even successfully wrote a few words. Boredom is setting in for him--he's not able to focus or concentrate enough to entertain himself with reading or watching television (never a favorite under any circumstances) and most other sources of entertainment are either unavailable in the hospital (he'd probably love to have access to the internet!) or impractical with his weakness (I can't really see him knitting anyway). Today the physical therapist gave him a real workout--they've been sitting him on the side of the bed daily and working his legs, but today they got him up and standing with support for a short time, and then had him side step a couple of steps to get him in a good position for getting back in bed. The effort made him lightheaded, but this was the first time he was on his feet since December 8! He's also eating ice cubes these days, which must be a real treat after a month and a half of nothing. Ice cubes won't help him regain the weight he's lost (he's down to 150 pounds), so my current prayer is that he starts digesting soon so they can get some nutrition in him.