This is Gene's third day at Kindred Hospital. He seems comfortable and glad to be there.
He has not been on ventilator support since he arrived at Kindred. He is still getting air pressure support and supplemental oxygen through his tracheotomy. Today the respiratory therapist said that they had already begun to wean him from the support. Each 12 hours his air pressure will be turned down by 1 point as long as he is doing well. Today when the therapist asked how he was doing he responded "perfect breathing". It did take a couple of repetitions before we could make out what he was saying, but everyone felt good.
Emily has been spending the nights in his room with him since he moved to Kindred. She says she is sleeping well even though she is in the hospital. Perhaps it's reassuring for them both to be sleeping in the same room.
The staff at Kindred is wonderful. They seem to be very interested and attentive.
Gene is regaining some little movement in his fingers and can move his arms and his wrists. He has lost about 25 pounds, and at this time he is very weak. He will be able to have much more access to therapy to increase his strength at the Kindred location than in the acute care setting at Erlanger, so we are eager to begin to see some results of that.
Gene is allowed to have visitors at Kindred. It is located at 709 Walnut Street in Chattanooga. This is in the next block from the Court House. (423) 266-7721 If you visit, make sure to sign in at the front desk. ALL visitors are required to wear a robe, gloves, and mask. These are available on the door to Gene's room. He is very tired and is sleeping or lying with his eyes closed lots of times. However, visitors do seem to cheer him up. Today in addition to his regular visitors, his baby sister Mary, and her oldest daughter Lynda, as well as grandson Valdis, and his sister-in-law Frances visited with him. While Frances visited with him, she read to him from his memoirs - the Atlantic Ocean crossing, the short stay in Scotland (including his escape from the hospital), and the train ride to Land's End. If you visit, there is a journal in his room, and the family would like to ask that you write something in it.
Prayer Requests:
Please pray for Gene's respiratory strength to continue to improve, and for him to continue to have increased strength and movement in his arms, hands, and fingers, and for him to have the courage and strength to tackle the next step in his rehabilitation process.
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