June 3 - AM visit

This morning, the hospital pulmonologist, Dr. Shome, called Emily at home before the visitation. Dad had trouble breathing last night and they increased the amount of oxygen in his air mix that goes through the tracheotomy. He also had an elevated white blood count. He has a considerable amount of congestion in his right lung. Dr. Shome asked for permission to take a sample from the lung to culture and a scan of his lung.

Dr. Shome is the pulmonologist who treated Mommy Anne, and got her respiratory situation under such good control. So Alan went to the hospital to help make sure Dr. Shome saw a familiar face and to help interpret.

The lung scan shows cloudiness in his right lung. However, it also shows that the right side of his diaphragm, which had been paralyzed, is beginning to move!The initial culture from his nasal passage shows an infection. Dr. Shome indicated that in all likelihood this is a bacterial pneumonia and has started Dad on a broad spectrum anti-biotic. As soon as the culture comes back he will prescribe a more specific one.

They have increased the air pressure on the tracheotomy in order to keep Dad’s lungs from collapsing, and that is somewhat uncomfortable. He was not nearly as alert this morning after having all those procedures done as he had been in the past couple of days.

Aunt Mary and cousin Lynda were able to see Dad this morning before they left to go back to Harlan.