[Dailydrool] Pat Update - Monday Evening

[Sandi Wittenberg]

It has been a long and hard day.  First, the endotrachial tube was not
removed today.  Instead the pulmonologist decided that he wants to do a
tracheotomy on Wednesday afternoon.  The brain scan also was not done.
Then, this afternoon Pat's vent tube got plugged with mucus and they had to
remove it, coded her and bagged her, and then inserted a new tube.   I was
beside myself because there is no way that she would have wanted that.
Needless to say, they got a healthy dose of what it is like to deal with an
alpha bitch.  At this point, Pat is fully sedated and back on the
ventilator.  She is stable, although her heart rate is high after this
afternoon's events (mine is still pretty speedy too :-)) and her color is
not as good as it has been.  She looks okay on paper but the machines are
managing everything.  She could not sustain her breathing and oxygenation on
her own.

Now the legal department has met and decided that I should be officially
granted Power of Attorney status and officially be her advocate . like they
could stop me from making her wishes known :-).   I have spoken to Pat's PCP
(who is also my PCP and knows us both well) and he concurs that Pat does not
want to "live" on a ventilator indefinitely.  I am meeting with the
Pulmonologist tomorrow morning to make my opinion and Pat's wishes crystal
clear.  I am also speaking with our lawyer (which both Pat and I go to)
about being appointed as her guardian/POA/whatever by the courts.
ARDS is very nasty and has a very poor prognosis . with a mortality rate of
40% that increases dramatically with age and immobility.   I am afraid that
we may be in for a very long road of disability and long-term nursing care.


Please continue with prayers for Pat and strength for me.  Also PLEASE make
sure that you have a living will, Durable Power of Attorney and your will in
order and up to date!  Make sure your wishes are written down VERY
SPECIFICALLY, witnessed and notarized and all of your family and/or
significant others are well informed and have copies.  This is a nightmare.

Sandi

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