Update #65

So as it turns out, I do better keeping up on with the blog when I'm not in Knoxville. It's probably because when I'm in Cincinnati, I understand how difficult it is to be without updates for more than a few hours at a time - it's a little easier to forget that fact when I'm standing next to his bed holding his hand. The positive side to the lack of posts, though, is that Dave's nurses have been letting us stay in his room pretty much all day so he has company while he is on the trach collar. Everyone in the ICU is pretty attached to him, so they spoil us quite a bit to make him happy.

Spending so much time with Dave - reading to him, talking to him, anything to distract him from the fact that he is breathing on his own - has been wonderful. I realized the other day, though, that you know you've been a visitor in the ICU too long when the nurses start inviting you to staff lunches with them. On Thursday, there was a picnic for the groundbreaking of a new wing at UT Medical, and Dave's nurse asked if I wanted to go with some of the other nurses to grab lunch. I have to admit, it made me feel pretty special, but when you've gained "staff" status at the hospital, it's time to check out. :-)

I talked to Dave's parents earlier today, and he is continuing to improve. His white blood cell count is at eight, back in normal range for what I believe is the first time since his accident! He continues to tolerate his tube feedings well, and the food does not seem to be increasing the drainage coming from his colon (thank God for octreotide!), so the doctors increased his rate to 55 and turned off the TPN (the nutrition he was getting through his blood stream). Yeah!

Dave was on the trach collar for about two and a half hours again this morning, and if I understand correctly only came off because of some work that his nurse had to do on him that would be too strenuous to handle while breathing on his own. He was on pressure support on the ventilator all afternoon but will probably be back on the trach collar tonight or tomorrow. Just in case anyone was wondering, one of the respiratory therapists explained to me the other day that people who are breathing normal air are getting 21% oxygen - Dave gets 50% while he is on the trach collar. Also, he will have to be able to breathe for 48 hours straight on the trach collar in order to be off the ventilator completely - be praying for strength and for peace for him as he continues to progress toward that goal.

Although he has been getting his Ambien and Celexa again, Dave does not seem to be sleeping well. He was off both meds for a few weeks because of his infection, so please pray that he will start getting more sleep again as the meds work their way into his body again. His leg also continues to bother him (the pain seems to fluctuate depending on the day), so prayers that the clot will disappear completely would be great as well.

One other wonderful update - Dave will be off of all antibiotics for his sepsis/infections on August 1st (next Friday)! The doctors had said that he could be on them for a month, and Friday will be three weeks - once again, Dave continues to surpass every expectation that they lay before him. :-)

Obviously, I'm missing Dave and wanting to be down in Knoxville with him getting news in person, so I promise to be better about updating the blog every time I talk to his parents, at least until I go back on Tuesday. If you do have a chance to send a card, I know he loves getting them and hearing about all of the people who are supporting him. The address at the hospital is:

David Heckel
c/o UT Medical Center
SCC2, Bed #15
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920

Thanks for the continued prayers, support and comments on the blog. It has been wonderful knowing that so many people are fighting for and with Dave, and us.

His Spirit, His will, His peace, His glory,
Kendahl