June 1, 2007

Hello Everybody:

I want to thank you all for your patience in waiting for continuing updates on Mom's condition. I would write more often but time and the fact that I really don't have much to report keep me from just sharing boring or bad news.

I think at last communication I told you all that she was recovering nicely. Well, of course that changed. She had been off the ventilator for 24 hours and things were looking good. They were talking about scheduling her release but then she crashed, got an infection and a fever and went back on the ventilator. In looking for reasons for her not to have continued off the respirator the doctors said that they think they just expected too much too soon and in her weakened state they just took it too quickly. Then the infections set in and they haven't tried her breathing on her own since then until.... yesterday when when they cut back on the support the respirator is providing. Let's hope she continues to get stronger. The condition of her nerves is also still a factor. We need to pray that her neurological system has the strength to support her vital functions. Please join me in this regardless of your faith or lack thereof.

When I saw her yesterday she was better than I had seen her for a while and was enjoying a few episodes of Judging Amy.

The current complications have to do with the fact that she has an infection that they can't isolate. The antibiotics don't seem to be working and they can't find the source. So what happens is that she gets better then spikes another fever. To try and isolate it they are doing a nuclear study where they remove some of her blood (that was done yesterday) and put markers on the white blood cells. Then they re-inject the blood into her and see where those marked cells go via CT. They will be doing this today. We'll see what it shows us. They are doing the study because even though she was much improved yesterday they still want to see what is going on.

Just so you know she was moved back into ICU on Sunday just to better isolate her since they didn't know what she had and they wanted to better monitor her. I don't think she will be there more than another few days.

I'll try to keep you all more informed over time.

Tracy