Hospital Part 2

It's hard to believe that a few weeks ago I was in the ICU on a breathing tube, feeding tube, and what seemed like tons of IV tubes.  I find it amazing how fast you can lose your health and well-being, yet at the same  time the body can do remarkable things in a short time to recover.  The worst part about the ICU for me was not being able to communicate and not being able to move.  I felt bad for the nurses that had to turn me over and clean me up all the time.  There were a few days there that I felt so bad because I couldn't do anything for my self.  Luckily my friends from work were able to get an ipad for me which greatly helped the communication process and I had visitor support 24/7 to help with my basic needs.  One thing about the hospital is that I was constantly hot.  The visitors staying with me were constantly putting wet cloths on my feet and forehead.  I would mainly snap my fingers and my will would be done.

Getting the breathing tube out was one of the best things to happen in the hospital.  It was awful having the nurses clear my lungs with that tube in.  It's hard to describe but it felt like ice cold acid when I'd have to cough that crap up.  The breathing tube also left a ridiculous amount of plaque in my mouth which felt like I had a wax model in my mouth.  After a few hours I was able to have ice chips.  Now I understand why Justine always liked them after her C-section with Tayvia.

I can't say enough about the nurses, especially in the ICU.  They were very attentive and helpful.  They were able to shave my itchy beard off for me and were good company to have.  I had very good intentions of writing them thank you letters, but now I have forgotten the names.  Maybe there is a way to figure out who was attending to me still.

The feeding tube was attached to my nose and goes up in it almost like spaghetti. I didn't mind that tube so much and for the most part could taste anything that was going into my body.  The nurses said that you wouldn't want to try the stuff as it would probably taste like dog food. 

Transfer back up to the Cancer floor on 9 was a nice progression to the recovery.  By this time I could move on my own a bit and was able to go to the bathroom on my own again.  At this point I could only think about getting home for Christmas.  Each day I was rapidly improving my condition to where my appetite was returning and my movement was much better.  It became very annoying to hear all the hospital beeps and having nurses take my vitals and blood every couple hours.  I couldn't sleep more than a couple hours and being in bed so much can nearly drive a man crazy.  It was still nice to have 24/7 support from visitors.  I now know that I will make a better effort at visiting people I know that are suffering in health.  The visitor support is very memorable and certainly keeps a positive outlook for the hospital stay.

Now that I look back on the hospital experience, there are a few things that stick out.  The visitor support is crucial for anyone experiencing tough health conditions.  The nurses that are positive and helpful really make a difference in your overall mood.  The human body is amazing and can overcome so many things.  Finally, as bad as things seemed, there was always hope and positive thoughts from the doctors nurses family and friends that make me feel that the overall experience wasn't so bad; but just another challenge to get through.

Once again THANKS to all those that have supported us through this.

- Eric