Robster and I need help

[+ Socalguy]

Guys we have just broken the $5,000.00 bar. I would like to state here and now, in all sincerity and humility, how proud I am to be a part of this family of caring human beings. If I have, in the eyes of some participants, pushed too hard regarding this matter I apologize. As a rule, at my age (75), I avoid causes – but this one struck a chord for me. Two of the active members of our family found themselves in need and we circled the wagons and met the challenge. THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU

 

P.S. I’m not suggesting that we cease contributing., thus if someone hasn’t contributed yet please do so, however, I feel it is now time for me to exit this thread.

Dammit! you are making me cry!

[+ purplekow]

Great news that he is coming off the ventilator. Glad to hear he is making such good progress. Now that one tube is out of his throat, I am hoping that it wont be long until he starts to enjoy himself again.

[Moondance]

They are pulling out the ventilator tubes as we speak!!!

Wonderful news! Here's hoping for steady progress, day by day. Be strong! Very best to you both -- Moondance

[+ Socalguy]

Great news that he is coming off the ventilator. Glad to hear he is making such good progress. Now that one tube is out of his throat, I am hoping that it wont be long until he starts to enjoy himself again.

NOTHING is going down his throat until it's been personally inspected be me and deemed safe!

[+ WmClarke]

Donated. Get well soon!!

[Guy Fawkes]

Lots of Love and Healing energy to Rob; You come back to us baby, I need a Kiss!

[+ Socalguy]

He's doing great, still has some physical therapy to go through but he is healing up nicely. He's still confused from all the sedation but it's only a matter of time. They are talking about transferring him back to Kaiser in a day or two.

[+ Oliver]

... He's still confused ...

Hasn't he always been that way!:D:rolleyes:

[Guy Fawkes]

Now you give that boy a kiss from me! I'll take confused any day of the week.

Hasn't he always been that way!:D:rolleyes:

[+ glennnn]

As long as he remembers....B B B Bennie and the Jets! I'll be happy!

 

Love U Socalguy!

[+ Socalguy]

Good Morning all! Another day, another new adventure! When I left Rob last night he was suffering a bit from ICU psychosis. He had it a bit when they first woke him up, then it got better but then got worse again at night which is not uncommon from what I read (they call it sundowning). It is nothing to be worried about at all and should go very quickly. They are talking about moving him back to Kaiser either today or tomorrow (probably today) which we don't actually mind because he does not need the expert burn experience at this point. I'm just a little peeved that it feels like we are getting the bum's rush but that is probably more on Kaiser's part that they don't want to have to pay UCSD for care that they can provide. At least parking is free at Kaiser as opposed to $8.00 day at UCSD.

It is actually nice to be able to bitch about little things, it definitely means Rob is on the mend and I am back to my bitchy ways. Yaaay! I will provide an update as soon as I find out anything new. In the meantime, Here's a great song to start the day....

Huge love to all of you!

 

[+ Truereview]

Good Morning all! Another day, another new adventure! When I left Rob last night he was suffering a bit from ICU psychosis. He had it a bit when they first woke him up, then it got better but then got worse again at night which is not uncommon from what I read (they call it sundowning). It is nothing to be worried about at all and should go very quickly. They are talking about moving him back to Kaiser either today or tomorrow (probably today) which we don't actually mind because he does not need the expert burn experience at this point. I'm just a little peeved that it feels like we are getting the bum's rush but that is probably more on Kaiser's part that they don't want to have to pay UCSD for care that they can provide. At least parking is free at Kaiser as opposed to $8.00 day at UCSD.

It is actually nice to be able to bitch about little things, it definitely means Rob is on the mend and I am back to my bitchy ways. Yaaay! I will provide an update as soon as I find out anything new. In the meantime, Here's a great song to start the day....

Huge love to all of you!

 

Hey SoCal! Thanks for the update. I have had some experience with ICU psychosis, which is a form of delirium. It typically kicks in with patients who have spent 4-5 or more days in ICU. As a family member it is scary to deal with but calming words and being regularly present with Rob will help him bc it adds a certain level of normalcy to a very abnormal situation. If you can, try to get him in a room that is not as noisy and away from the door - ideally near a window. Try to make sure he doesn't feel alone or spend too much time by self. Btw, I hope you are rotating your shifts with some other loved ones so that you are getting breaks. Your upbeat attitude is a great way to help. Also, both of you need to keep hydrated (hopefully he has some good IVs). I remember being with my dad in his room and going hours without drinking water. One of the nurses came in, handed me a Gatorade, and said "sugar, you are not looking so good. Get drinking."

[+ Socalguy]

He already seems a little bit better this morning and he realizes that his mind is paying tricks on him so that's a good thing. He actually wants to transfer to Kaiser today, not sure why but I think a change of scenery will do him a world of good anyways. I'm here by my lonesome but doing fine so far. I will admit being upbeat with Rob all the time is making me a little less patient with the staff but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They can get a little snappy with him now that he's not just laying there but one nurse only made that mistake in front of me once and I quickly corrected her.

[+ glennnn]

Good for you! Thank god he has an advocate there to watch over him. 90% of nurses are nearly saints, but the others can be bad news. You are showing us all what love and devotion mean.

[Becket]

This whole thread is so uplifting.

[gallahadesquire]

Hey SoCal! Thanks for the update. I have had some experience with ICU psychosis, which is a form of delirium. It typically kicks in with patients who have spent 4-5 or more days in ICU. As a family member it is scary to deal with but calming words and being regularly present with Rob will help him bc it adds a certain level of normalcy to a very abnormal situation. If you can, try to get him in a room that is not as noisy and away from the door - ideally near a window. Try to make sure he doesn't feel alone or spend too much time by self. Btw, I hope you are rotating your shifts with some other loved ones so that you are getting breaks. Your upbeat attitude is a great way to help. Also, both of you need to keep hydrated (hopefully he has some good IVs). I remember being with my dad in his room and going hours without drinking water. One of the nurses came in, handed me a Gatorade, and said "sugar, you are not looking so good. Get drinking."

 

I'm so glad to hear things are moving on! Oh, an aside: If he is on Dilaudid for pain, that might be making him a little strange independent from The ICU issue. They might want to try a different opiate.

[+ Funguy]

Glad to hear the Rob is doing so much better. From experience, I agree with all that has been said about pain control (and lack thereof) for the near future.

Time for a little R & R for the caregiver, even if it is just to have a cup of coffee and read the paper.

Hang in there, both of you!

[+ purplekow]

I was in the ICU for three days a few months ago. By the end of the second day, I was ready to rip out the IV and get a chicken parm sub. By the third day, I was ready to sign myself out of the hospital. This was the case even though I did not have any mind altering medications nor a condition that would alter my mental status. It is just awful being subjected to probes and pokes and to be sitting watching TV all day. I had a few visitors, which made it bearable, but boredom and depression and a bit a fear can really play tricks with your mind.

Glad he is progressing and I hope that he heads to a regular room when he heads back to Kaiser. One thing about Kaiser, they will get you out of the hospital sooner rather than later. So do not be surprised that they are sending him home before you feel as though he is ready. Length (of stay) is a major concern with the administrators of hospitals.

[+ Socalguy]

They have decided to keep him here at UCSD another night to keep an eye on his back but they care going to move him into a regular room out of the ICU then move him to Kaiser by Sunday possibly

[+ purplekow]

They have decided to keep him here at UCSD another night to keep an eye on his back but they care going to move him into a regular room out of the ICU then move him to Kaiser by Sunday possibly

Tell him a back waxing would have been much easier way to get rid of that back hair. No need to slough off all his skin.

[+ purplekow]

Good Morning all! Another day, another new adventure! When I left Rob last night he was suffering a bit from ICU psychosis. He had it a bit when they first woke him up, then it got better but then got worse again at night which is not uncommon from what I read (they call it sundowning). It is nothing to be worried about at all and should go very quickly. They are talking about moving him back to Kaiser either today or tomorrow (probably today) which we don't actually mind because he does not need the expert burn experience at this point. I'm just a little peeved that it feels like we are getting the bum's rush but that is probably more on Kaiser's part that they don't want to have to pay UCSD for care that they can provide. At least parking is free at Kaiser as opposed to $8.00 day at UCSD.

It is actually nice to be able to bitch about little things, it definitely means Rob is on the mend and I am back to my bitchy ways. Yaaay! I will provide an update as soon as I find out anything new. In the meantime, Here's a great song to start the day....

Huge love to all of you!

 

A very James Bond feel to the song and the video. Mr. Buble is looking much better than he used to look. Lost some weight and maybe stopped drinking. He sounds as good as ever.

[gallahadesquire]

I was in the ICU for three days a few months ago. By the end of the second day, I was ready to rip out the IV and get a chicken parm sub. By the third day, I was ready to sign myself out of the hospital. This was the case even though I did not have any mind altering medications nor a condition that would alter my mental status. It is just awful being subjected to probes and pokes and to be sitting watching TV all day. I had a few visitors, which made it bearable, but boredom and depression and a bit a fear can really play tricks with your mind.

Glad he is progressing and I hope that he heads to a regular room when he heads back to Kaiser. One thing about Kaiser, they will get you out of the hospital sooner rather than later. So do not be surprised that they are sending him home before you feel as though he is ready. Length (of stay) is a major concern with the administrators of hospitals.

 

For the audience at home, and not meant to minimize this thread nor hijack it: Just some clarifications as to what ICU psychosis is like:

 

@purplekow, youand I need to compare notes. I don't know which was stranger:

• Being on a Russian Submarine and deciding [with the First Mate] to pull a joke on the Captain. My part: Pull out my NGtube at midnight. WHich I did.
  
• Having to clean the recessed lighting at the Fraternity, while wearing white gloves (which were my restraints). Also, using said gloves to pour glasses of draft beer for the brotherhood.
  
• Calling the Evening Nurse in the Operating room and Demanding that she bring me a Diet Dr. Pepper:
  
  • [after my own nurse ripped the phone from me]: He can't have that! He's having nothing by mouth!
    
  • [evening nurse]: Oh, I know, I've been keeping tabs on him. Is he doing ok?
    
  • [iCU nurse]: mostly, I guess, but he keeps SINGING!
    
  • [evening OR nurse]: Oh, no, THAT's Okay. He does that.
    

  [*]Having some apparatus being placed around my head to administer 40 liters per minute of oxygen to my lungs. I have no idea what they were doing, but I thought they were drilling into my sinuses. When tehy were done, I opened my eyes to see a woman in a hijab placing some tape. I called my best friend and Health Care Proxy, and told her to get HER lawyer on the phone, as they had OBVIOUSLY performed a medical procedure without my permission, and I wanted to sue.

  [*]Getting completely HOOKED on the "relaxation TV" station. Old 19" CRT, and me with one eye normal, the other requiring -4.00 diopter contact lens. I was told I would start at it for HOURS

  • At night, they showed star fields, which weren't quite contiguous, and never quite seems continuous, either.
    

Wayne, DO go over a medication check with the nurses. He may need a little something to make him a little happier, but ... please note my comment about Dilaudid above.

 

I hope Rob is getting better; eating normally (even if that means via a stomach tube); pain under control. If you can get him to sit by a window during normal hours, that will do him a world of good.

Consider reading to him ... something he likes, and preferable knows at least a little. My favourite would have been any of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by the late DOuglas Adams.

[klifhangar]

Wow - you have doubled your goal Just added a donate - thanks for the opportunity.

[rvwnsd]

Hey, Wayne, glad to see you raised more than twice your goal. Just added a little bit.

[gallahadesquire]

I'm not sure how these things work, but you may have to close the GOFUNDME account out to get the money from it. If that's the case, adn you need more help, jsut open another GOFUNDME and let us know. I'm sure response would be equally as forthcoming.