Continued Improvement (and an ooops)

Cathy has not been on respiratory support (Bi-Pap) since Saturday morning. When I walked in the room this afternoon, she was sitting up in a chair, kickn' back watchn' the tube. She walked with the physical therapist again this morning and she ate 'OK' for her meals today. Overall her improvement continues.

.....Having said the above, a little over an hour ago Cathy was given some dilaudid for her headaches (a normal dose). Within 10 minutes of receiving this medication, Cathy's blood-oxygen saturation dropped drastically. Cathy was breathing too shallow. With the volume she breathes at her best, shallow breathing is not giving her much support. Two or three nurses and the respiratory therapist have been working steady on Cathy, keeping her breathing (keeping her awake and telling her to breathe). I asked about giving her narcan (a drug that reverses the effects of narcotics). They do not want to administer this because Cathy's headache would come back and they would still need to deal with that. The effects of the dilaudid should peak soon and Cathy will breath deeply without having to be told to.....

In the time it took me to describe the situation, Cathy has already begun to breathe deeper on her own. This day will end on the upside.

Have a good night everyone and a pleasant day tomorrow, I am confidant that Cathy will.