Yesterday the breathing tube came out. She had been on morphine since Thursday of last week when she was intubated, had 2 new chest tubes, 2 bedside bronchoscopys and a CT scan.
Since taking the tube out it was now time to start taking away the morphine. First they switched from IV to oral, Then with the oral they slowly reduce her dose over 7 days. But even with that she is in serious withdrawal when it wears off and also a lot of pain. She screams, and thrashes her body around. Not even holding her helps much. They are trying other non narcotic pain management to go along with the morphine weaning.
Early this morning, because of the kicking and thrashing, she loosened an IV in her foot, so much that it ended up coming out. I was also concerned that this would happen to the line they had hooked up to her artery in her wrist. They use it for rapid bloodwork and instant blood pressure reading. They added some tape and said it should hold.
11:30 it was time for her chest tube to come out. I left the room for that cause it’s gross. I walked a little loop and came back opened the door and discovered that her ART line had wiggled out right before they took out the chest tube. They said sorry I know it looks like a lot of blood, but it’s under control. I said I told you so a few times in not super nice terms then I walked back out cause it’s gross. Just another minute or so went by and they told me it was all clean and the chest tube was out. I held her for a few minutes to calm her while they changed the sheets.
A few hours later they were checking in on her and decided she needed her nose suctioned out. She was not thrilled at this and once it was over we noticed she had pulled out her NJ tube. That is her feeding tube that goes all the way down past her stomach. Oops. They might have to put one back as an NG (just into her stomach) if she can’t pass a swallow observation.
So in a matter of 24 hours she has gotten rid of ber endotracheal tube, an IV, an ART line, NJ tube and the chest tube. Let’s hope she can suck and swallow ok so she wont need that tube replaced.
The talk amongst the staff is that Georgia is quite the spitfire and she takes matters into her own hands regularly. She is anything but predictable. And man am I glad she’s back.
Building the Burks 