💙 11/29/8:45 pm

Ethan's culture and sensitivity came back on the mucus he was coughing up.  It seems he has a stenotrophomonas maltophilia (say what?) infection has caused pneumonia in his lungs. Who is the dingbat that came up with that one?  Why didn't they make it a little more simple. He is being started on an antibiotic that the culture showed was effective in killing it. He will be on that for the next several days.

I think today has gone well.  The only curve ball was pneumonia. They have him on breathing treatments, and do suctions a lot. They have been trying to lower the doses of certain medications. 

Let's assess Ethan's last 7 days: 

• Cardiac Arrest
• Heart transplant 
• collapsed lung
• lung and heart by-pass for 5 days
• Stroke
• Blood clot in lung
• Blood clot in heart
• Another surgery to remove blood clot in lung and heart.
• another collapsed lung
• two urinary catheters (ouch)
• several feeding tube attempts
• A third surgery to come off bypass and close up chest.
• atrial flutter and 24 hour pacing
• bacterial pneumonia

That is one hell of a week. Ethan's down to 14 pumps. Can you imagine a week like that?

Nurse LM-BP (don't forget the hyphen) finally left. PHEW!!!!!

Ethan's new nurse is one we have not had but he has been on this floor and I have seen him a few times. I guess the nurses can request what patient they get, so he must want to work with Ethan OR he drew the short straw.

So far I like him.  I caught him singing along to one of the songs I put on for Ethan.  I keep changing up the music for him.  Right now it is Linkin Park.

The first contact provider came in my room at the start of his shift.  He worked last night and spent the majority of the night assisting with Ethan.  He gave me the tentative plan.  I told him that fingers crossed, Ethan will be good. I told him "no offense but I don't really want to see you."

He told me that if I need to leave at any point that they would take care of him.  This was in reference to our discussion about how I left today to have a private meltdown. I reached for my wallet and started to open it.  I started to say "Let me give you some money.  I am going to go back to Rochester, when he is ready to go home, just get him a bus ticket." I got him to crack up. They are going to put a note on our door.  I have been stifling myself so much for making comments and I am getting lazy.

I am hoping Ethan is good tonight.  I am getting ready for bed quite soon. Another day of healing under our belt.