Fatigue with a capital F

For those of you who know Lee Kanipe, Fatigue is not part of his vocabulary, so when I tell you he says he is VERY TIRED............his fatigue must be exponential!  Today was one of those days.

When I arrived shortly after 8:00 a.m. he was still sleeping peacefully in his bed.  I crept slowly and quietly into the room and just sat in the chair beside his bed, hoping not to disturb him.  I was able to sit and watch him breathe for 20 minutes.  It was just amazing to watch him breath so normally and with NO oxygen!  As I sat there I offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of his lung.  The lung is doing very well.  It is his heart that is creating all the extreme feelings of no energy and his being very, very tired. This will improve with time, but it will be on the heart's time and cannot be rushed.

Once again he was awakened by the flurry of activity.  Seems like everyone descends on him at precisely 9:00 each morning.  Within a span of 15 minutes, three nurses had come in to begin their morning routines, the physical therapist announced that she would return in 5 minutes to go for his walk and the doctor entered to tell Lee that he would have to do another bronchoscopy after he finished his walk.  All this and he is barely awake!  Not to mention that no morning hygiene had been done.  Nursing care has certainly changed since I was inducted into nursing eons ago.  I must admit that it is with cautious restraint that I keep from jumping into my identity as a nurse.  When an I.V. pump has continued beeping over 15 minutes I want to push the button that stops it.............especially after the light was turned on and I have gone to the desk to gently remind someone that the I.V. is out.  Sometimes Lee must remind me that I do not need to make the bed, etc.  I do help him with his personal hygiene as much as I can.  Back in the "old days", personal hygiene, the bath and a clean fresh bed were the beginning of a day for patients.  Today, it begins with whatever needs to be given or done at one's convenience.  Oh well...........enough of that.....more to Lee.

He did have a rough morning.  When the PT came to walk him, his blood pressure dropped out from under him and he just could not do it.............so back to the bed.  This was followed by the bronchoscopy.  That is so hard and tiring that it takes him about two hours to recoup.  He was finally able to walk around 1:00 and then did 2 laps again @ 5:00 with me.  I must say that the 5:00 walk was very good.  He looked much stronger and better as he walked.

Monday will determine whether or not the stomach tube stays or goes........This week-end will be focusing on walking and getting stronger.  Many cards came this evening and I can't wait to take them to Lee in the morning.  THANK YOU SO MUCH! One of the highlights of the day was a visit from Doug and Elizabeth.  Alex and Max had to wait in the hallway and boy was Grandaddy surprised when he was being returned from x-ray to see two little boys along the wall holding the signs they had made for their Grandaddy.  Talk about a big smile from Lee!  WOW!  God's gift to us as we age....Grandchildren.   More  Later..........................................Brenda