Day Ten Vent Settings

Today makes one-week full week and a day Moma has been intubated. What a rollercoaster ride that has been. I spoke to Ivy this morning and once again she had a hard time getting into the hospital. So weird the automated doesn’t even work. I told Ivy Moma needed get up and start answering the phone. Ivy quickly responded she can use her Spanish “Hola Soy Norma.” Worked this morning in Lenoir with plans of finishing the evening in Hickory to see Moma. She started out this morning early starting out at 50% fio2 but had to be bumped up to 55% that’s ok we knew it would be all over the place. I shoved so much work into a short period of time to be able to head to the hospital. Eventually I headed to the hospital. When I got here to my surprise my sister was here and even better her FIO2 was 45% and the RT had been working with her settings to make her work her own lungs. When the RT came in and made some more adjustments, she said she increased her I time which is the inspiration time. Ivy said you better work, work, work then proceeded to play the Rhianna song Work. Hilarious, Moma didn’t laugh but it’s cool I know she would otherwise. Moma kept coughing, so the nurse came in and suctioned her. I asked the nurse if the doc had made his rounds yet, she said yes but they hadn't had their huddle yet. She also said there was probably a with the nurse. She said the patient next door had just been extubated and was trying to leave AMA. I noticed when I walked in the unit was kind of empty compared to it being filled to the brim when we were here ten days ago. Ivy made a comment that most of them had died. Apparently, there was one on this unit that had a gunshot wound to the head, he died. Been here a good part of the afternoon with Moma, when she coughs her oxygen saturation drops some, I hollar at her like it will help, but it makes me feel better.

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