His breathing tube was removed, although he was still wearing an oxygen mask. Heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of oxygen his lungs are receiving are all good, though he still has a mean cough.
He has some cuts and scrapes, and bruising and swelling around his right eye, over where the cheekbone will have to be repaired when he gets his strength back up. He is going to have a pretty tough-looking scar on his head, just above the hairline. There is a long line of staples, and a smaller area near that with a handful of stitches.
Apparently, today was the best he's done so far. He was conscious for large parts of the day. His eyes widened when he saw me, then went squinty, as if suspicious, and I'm fairly certain he said "Jerkface".
Other than that, he was responding to most things we said, and his eyes went wide at the mention of hot nurses. The combination of the mask/cough/grogginess makes him a little difficult to understand, but that's not that different from pre-accident Ricky.
Those of us that know Ricky, know he can be his own worst enemy. Apparently, Friday he pulled his own breathing tube out, a feat he attempted to repeat a few times today. He kept trying to get up and was attempting to convince us to help him escape. Once we mentioned the hot nurses again, he settled down a little.
He is still very weak, and not ready for visitors. Kevin & I will continue checking on him. If his progress jumps day-to-day at the rate it has been, he will be moved from ICU to neuro-ward, where we can arrange a schedule, so everyone can see him.
There is still a long road ahead of Ricky, but I think we can all breathe a little easier. It appears the worst has passed. He has a lot of fight still in him, and his strength through all this has been astounding. A lesser man may not have survived what he has.
(Don't tell him I said that though, okay?)
4 comments:
Ricky, my Husband Nuv took PUBLIC TRANSIT to come and see you. That alone should tell you how much you are loved.
Nuv, you rock. I can't help thinking Ricky would be among the first to point out that pnemonia is so easy to contract in hospitals because of the scourge of privatization! Thanks for the update.
That is fantastic news! I am so friggin happy man, great great news! all my love for you, old friend...get well soon!
Sean Le Rats
Visit Ricky at VGH's NICU unit, 5A (Yes 5th floor) in the Jimmy Pattison Pavilion. Use the phone in the waiting room to the right to ask to enter. They may be performing some kind of procedure. Come one come all. Ricky is awake and ready for guests...
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