The Road Home

Several important milestones were reached yesterday on the path to getting Lee home for the weekend.  She has now transitioned off all IV antibiotics and is on track to be on all oral medications other than her nutrition formula by Friday morning.  They will also remove her secondary central line and return to just using her implanted port, which removes another potential source of infection (and several fairly annoying additional tubes that tend to get caught on everything).  

Not only has Lee made significant progress toward preparing to come home, but I too have undergone significant training to make sure I’m up to speed on how to manage her nutrition solution and pump along with changing and managing her feeding tube site and surgical incisions as they heal.  Since I have not done any real direct patient care in now over 16 years, it has been both a good skills refresher and humbling reminder of how quickly I can forget things!

Outside the hospital, Lee’s mom and I have also been getting ready for the great escape.  Even though we’re fairly sure Lee won’t be quite up to climbing in and out of it for a little while, I gave her mom a check ride in the convertible just in case this favorite treatment/therapy modality for Lee on sunny days becomes attractive sooner than expected.  

I’m sure it goes without saying, but our huge prayer request is for Lee to be able to stay on track for the planned discharge on Friday afternoon and for the ability to catch up on the long overdue rest in her own bed.  I also appreciate your prayers for my competence as a “skilled” care provider as we prep for the infusions and wound care at home.  Assuming that all goes according to the established plan, I likely won’t post again until we get Lee home and settled, but stay tuned and I’ll let you know if anything changes!

Thanks again....Steve