She Was Overdue For A Day Like Today

Just under two liters of fluids were removed from Cathy's chest cavity this morning. Two Liters! Where was she hiding that that much fluid? No wonder she was having difficulties. The doctors and the nurses in the unit were amazed at the volume of fluids they were able to extract.

Immediately after the procedure, she was put on the trach collar. After a few moments she was allowed to stand up. Cathy tells me that she could feel the difference. It was all good from there. Within two hours Cathy had walked a lap around the ICU. Later in the morning the physical therapist stopped by and had Cathy do some more leg and arm exercises. Then, if you can believe this, she went for another walk. This time she walked beyond the ICU where her room is, to the adjacent ICU, did a lap around that unit, then returned to her room (after doing a lap around her unit again). Simply amazing!!

But hold on... it gets better. Another swallowing test was performed today: she aced it. She is now on a regular (soft) diet. She can drink water without thickening it. So far today she has eaten two meals, and getting ready to try a third.

Cathy tells me that she is tired this evening. However, its a different kind of tired. Tonight she is tired from activity, not from a lack of energy. The one downside for today is some increased pain. With all the activity today, her incision area is not letting her forget that it is still there.