Yesterday (Thursday) morning I worked out before walking to the hospital. Rachel and her mom had not rested well through the night, as Rachel's IV's kept beeping and nurses kept coming in. Karen and I have been switching off which one of us is sleeping at the hospital. It's nice to go back to the hotel and not sleep in a bed, plus her mom is great with washing and doing Rachel's hair, and getting her cleaned up in the morning. Things that I wouldn't say no to doing...but there's just some things moms are better at (just ask Rachel about my hair stylist skills...or lack there of).
Soon after I got there, a couple of nurses came in to try to put in another IV line to give Rachel a unit of blood. From all the blood draws and chest tube suctions they've done they've practically made her anemic. I held her had as three different nurses tried to find a vein, poking her 3 times before giving up for a while for Rachel to have a break from being a human pin cushion. That was ridiculously frustrating for Rachel and all of us. She's been through so much and it kills me to watch her be put through more. Some good did come out of the nurses visit though, as they pulled her last remaining chest tube out.
Later, we asked the nurse if there was any way we could do her second swallow test that day instead of Friday, since we already have a bronchoscopy scheduled and the two test don't really jive with each other. She made a few calls and actually got the swallow test scheduled for 1pm! I know I've mentioned it before, but it's worth repeating that Rachel's thirst was probably worse than any of the other post op issues she was having. Even though she was fairly hydrated from her IV's, her mouth, throat, and lips were so dry it was painful. It was awful to see since there was nothing I could do to help her apart from getting her the antiseptic sponge that she was allowed to use to wet her mouth and lips. After the first swallow test though she was allowed to eat small ice chips one at a time, but that was still no replacement for drinking.
I walked down to the test with Rachel and again watched as the doctors gave her applesauce of various consistencies, crackers, and different liquids. This time though, on every swallow, nothing collected at the top of her airway. Each gulp was more clean than the one before. When she finished she was in tears...and so was the doctor administering the test. Rachel has had such an incredibly positive attitude throughout this whole ordeal, but the discomfort and pain of not eating or drinking for 5 days was getting to her. I said goodbye to Rachel as the nurses got ready to take her back to her room and got what I knew she deserved to have waiting for her: a 32oz Mountain Dew from the soda fountain. She downed it in a few minutes along with a peppermint patty and chocolate covered caramel (her nurses weren't thrilled with her blood sugar after that).
Before long Rachel's nurse came back with the unit of blood they tried to give her earlier, but figured out a perfect time window between several of her medications that she could administer the transfusion in an empty IV line. After getting most of the unit, Rachel was feeling much better and decided to go for a walk with me around the floor. The walk turned into a half marathon-like stroll 6 times around her floor! This was double what she had done on Wednesday, and 2 more laps than she did on Tuesday. I can't wait to run and workout with this girl...she's gonna be a beast (in the most beautiful sense of the word, of course).
At dinner she got to have mac and cheese and a grilled chicken breast and chocolate ice cream a little later. I'm a huge believer of Hippocrates' saying "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food." I'm sure he wasn't thinking about Haagen Daz ice cream, but it's definitely working for Rach. Also in the evening, Sam's brother Bob came to visit after flying from where he was in southern California. After a nice family visit, everyone headed back to the hotel while Rachel and I watched "American Idol." I helped her get ready for bed, then laid/sat in the reclining chair and tried to sleep. It wasn't a great night for either of us, but Rachel finally fell into a deep sleep early this morning.
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