Thursday May 28, 2009
Day 30

Your hopes, dreams and aspirations
are legitimate. They are trying to take you
airborne, above the clouds, above the storms,
if you only let them. ~William James

The evening shift nurse, Maureen, reports that
Daniel had a restful night and another small but
important step has occured. ICU nurses
have had to frequently clear the trach tubes of
chest secretions, through suction. Daniel's
coughing is independent of conscious control,
nevertheless, the coughing action clears the
secretions. Since Wednesday the frequency
of their intervention is less and less.
When he is able to clear the secretions completely
on his own, he will not need to be in ICU and
will be transferred to a regular room of the hospital.

Dr. Sacks reports that the pneumonia has been
resolved, however, patients with a trach tube
are suscepable to occasional bouts of pneumonia.
He added that having a trach tube is somewhat
irritating to all patients.

The tracheostomy tube will remain in place until
Daniel's level of consciousness increases to the
point that he is awake and able to swallow. Until
then, the tube will remain and he will continue to
be fed with the feeding tube in his lower intestine.

Cathy, Victor and Margarita, wish to express their
sincere gratitude and appreciation to Danny and
Carolyn Ashcraft for their generous donation to the
Daniel Vega FamilyFund.

This morning is Daniel's third session of sitting up
and physical therapy- keeping the muscles, joints,
and tone active. The need for flexibility is also
important. It is a rigorous 'workout' and Daniel is
not taking it too lightly, but he'll be thankful for this
'torture' later. Besides the two female therapists,
Cathy, Margarita, and Maria are there flexing
Daniel's legs and arms, mercy, mercy, mercy!

Take care of one another...........

¡Presente!

Cathy
Victor, Margarita,
and Cristina
Lalo Vega
Chuy Miranda
Juan Escutia
Vicente Suarez
Agustin Melgar
Francisco Marquez
Juan de la Barrera
Fernando Montes de Oca