Breathing tube? What breathing tube?!

I just got out of the room with my dad. As we approached, he was moving his arms a bit and struggling with the nurse. We came in and talked with him a bit, just reassuring him that yes, we know he's uncomfortable, but he's doing great. We explained a little bit to him about what happened and where he is, but certainly not the extent of it.

We were about to leave when a crew of nurses showed up to take out his breathing tube! He started trying to take it out himself (again!), and fought with the nurses when they tried to restrain him. We kept talking to him and it calmed him down to where they could finish their work.

And moments later.... he was breathing on his own with no tubes!!

He tried to talk a bit-- he told the nurse he was about to pee on her. She explained that he had a catheter, so he's good. She told him she's had patients threaten worse. :-) I told him to not try to talk because his throat is really sore. Having been through several long surgeries myself, I can empathize with how bad your throat gets and how confused you are when you're coming out of the sedation. He accepted that, and we just kept telling him he's doing well. He fought a bit when they put an oxygen mask over him until we explained that they're not trying to put another breathing tube in.

So that's good... he's breathing on his own now. He's certainly dazed by all the anesthesia, but if you explain what's going on he settles right down. When he made a comment to the nurse when the tube was removed, he sounded like dad. They've taken out a lot of the tubes from his neck and chest, and his color looks more and more normal.

They didn't want to pull the tube until he could follow commands because they'll need to have him do some breathing exercises. Apparently the next step is to try to get him walking!! Yeah. We're shocked too. I'm frankly terrified, but that's probably just because he's still dazed from being sedated so much. He'll be delighted, I'm sure-- the way he's been thrashing about in bed implies he wants to be up and kicking. But wow!


On a separate note...


Mom slept in the waiting room again last night, because she wanted to be close in case anything happened. Matt and Karrie came in from Massachusetts last night and visited dad for a bit-- he'd fallen asleep and didn't get to see them. We all left my mom and went to their house to get some sleep. Everybody was completely exhausted.

This morning we had waffles for breakfast, and the Relief Society and neighbors have been bringing food over for the family.


Thank you everyone for all your love and prayers and support. This is a horrible thing to happen, but we've all been so blessed by the overwhelming response of everyone who knows our dad.