Jeffery's Journey

Cardiac Step Down Unit

Jeff left the cardiac ICU at noon today and is now in the Cardiac Step Down unit on the 4th floor of the Asper building at St Boniface Hospital.
 Jeff called home this morning at 0730 to ask that I bring his word search book and my laptop when I come in today. He said he had slept pretty well overnight and only had pain from the urinary catheter. He sat up in the chair for breakfast of clear fluids (juice, coffee, jello etc)
My sister in law, Ann picked me up just after 1000hour and we drove over to the hospital.  We visited with Jeff in the ICU. They told us that they were removing most of his lines and then taking him down to the 4th floor.
Ann and I went for lunch at Subway before Ann left to do other errands.
The visiting hours in the step down are from 0830-2030 hours with the afternoon from 1300-1500 hr(1-3pm) being quiet /rest time when they prefer to have no visitors come. These patients need a lot of rest.
Jeff still has 2 chest tubes, one IV, urinary catheter. No oxygen. He is on pain medication every 4 hours.
He had taken a short walk using a walker up in ICU before being transferred and then he sat in a wheelchair for the transfer. During the quiet time he slept for 1.5 hours while I sat at his bedside and nodded off briefly myself.He was taken for another walk around 1630 and then sat in the chair for his his supper. Supper was still clear fluids but they let him also have a chicken salad sandwich that he really enjoyed. He became very tired after supper but there was no one to help put him to bed. So by the time he did get back to bed he was a little short of breath, quite pale and having pain in his incision, also his legs had started to swell a little. He needed a stronger pain medication after that. John and Ian came after work to visit, and we left about 2000hr. He was very tired and probably fell asleep after we left.
In the morning when Dr Moon (surgeon) saw Jeff, Jeff asked how large was the aneurysm? Dr Moon told him it was the size of a tennis ball !!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I can't even imagine  that large amount of bulging  vessel  not breaking. But the Lord knew and that is why he was  next I guess. We are SO THANKFUL. Did I mention how awesome this kid is? Talk to you tomorrow.