Morning:
Sara stayed with Teresa in ICU last night so that after I saw her with my own eyes, I could go home and get a regular meal (couldn’t eat in the cafeteria because … gluten), better sleep, check on our cats, etc., and pick up some things to bring back to the hospital.
I texted Sara this morning to find out how she was doing and to hear if the doctors/residents had rounded yet. Mom and I will be heading back to the hospital soon.
The doctors have been by. They’re going to try to get Teresa up later and move her around. She’s doing great! Supposedly may take the tube out (in her nose) tomorrow, so we guess she’ll be in ICU another night.As long as the tube is in, she cannot eat (NPO), but Sara is wetting her mouth with the sponge-on-a-stick as needed.
T is in some pain, but is far more coherent than yesterday (she’s on Dilaudid), but still drifting in and out. Sara said she’s not as doped up, so I’m thinking T is not administering as much as yesterday. (She has a self-administering pump for pain medicine.)
She got her color back. Asked about me and my parents; lost some time (not much) but knows where she is. Good urine output.Asked how much time she’d lost: She remembers us being there after she got to ICU, but couldn’t figure out where I was this morning (we told her last night where we were going), so Sara explained it again. She understood. Getting some sleep but the nurses are in doing stuff about every hour.
Sara also said she’s asking for her tablet, which is definitely a good sign. I made sure to charge all our tablets, phones, etc last night. Until we’re in a regular room, outlets are going to be hard to come by.
Once I’m back down there and know more, I’ll post again.
She can’t really have visitors besides us until she’s out of ICU, but would love to have them once she is and is more aware. I decided not to post room-specific information on the site, so please email me at if you want that information once I have it.
Afternoon – Evening:
Sitting with Teresa now. She’s doing well. Much more lucid. They’ve started her on breathing exercises.
She still has the tube in, so no food. We use a sponge to wet her lips as needed, and give her a little moistness for her mouth.
The surgeons still want her NPO, and as of now, they won’t have her getting up. Maybe tomorrow. She did move her legs some and was able to shift herself up and off of the bed earlier. Got into a different position.
Vitals are still good.
A woman* from oncology came by, just to introduce herself and ask T a few questions, even though she said we may not even need her (which I hope is the case!). Like us, she won’t know anything until pathology is back next week. She did say they’re usually pretty prompt.
Night nurses are on now, so new people to learn! Everyone is still super friendly.
Sara is on her way back and will stay overnight. I will probably go back to the apartment tomorrow afternoon to get some stuff for T, and have another regular meal or two. We make sure there’s always at least one of us in the room with her at all times.
*This was Dr. Tamara Musgrave, who would become Teresa’s oncologist.