6/19/09 update

Melinda had a good night and around 4:00 am she was wide awake and alert. Melinda is still running a low grade fever and continues to cough a lot. Melinda's cough is getting a little better but at times her cough is still very forceful and lidocaine is administered through a nebulizer that runs through her lungs. The lidocaine numbs Melinda's lungs and helps her to stop coughing. Melinda did not have a long therapy session today because she is having lots of pressure in her stomach and this is very painful for her. The antibiotics and her tube feeding are causing her discomfort. Dr. Huff ordered some medicine to relieve the pressure in her stomach. Melinda had a good afternoon and vitals stable . This evening Melinda started coughing and respiratory gave her a breathing treatment and some lidocaine to calm her down. This helped for awhile but Melinda kept coughing. Melinda's nurse did not alert respiratory and she suctioned her 3 times without giving her 100% oxygen from the ventilator. I told the nurse that before respiratory suctions they change the ventilator to 100% oxygen so she doesn't struggle with breathing. The nurse said I'm not respiratory. Melinda continued to cough and could not get her breathing under control and her oxygen dropped to 94%. Respiratory gave Melinda another dose of lidocaine and praying this helps but it did not. Melinda was immediately given 2 doses of adavan to get her calmed down and she is resting but still continues to breath hard. I confirmed with respiratory about changing the ventilator to 100% oxygen before suctioning out the lungs and she said yes. I am so angry that the nurse put Melinda in a crisis situation that could have easily been prevented had she let respiratory do their job. I ask everyone more than ever to please pray for Melinda and please don't stop as we go through this difficult time. Thank you & God Bless.