The roller coaster we are on...

I went with the Rebel's BF to visit Saturday. After reporting to the volunteer desk we were told we had to wait because there were doctors having a conference in her room. This is not usually a good thing because it means *something* is going on. Sure enough, Rebel had an infection that was causing her heart rate to go up. This is one of the common things that can happen given all the intravenous sites she has as well as the connection to the LVAD ( left ventricular assist device)

So she was being given doses of antibiotic - they knew what the infection was and how to treat it. And then once again, a 2:30 AM phone call telling us they believed she was bleeding and they had to take her into the operating room to get that under control. The LVAD specialist was called in for that. We got the all clear at around 6-ish this morning. Her heart rate is still a little elevated but it's being monitored. They are experts and know what to do and how to anticipate each hurdle as it comes along. So we take the good days and know that this is something she has to get over.

I went to see Rebel after church this morning, and found her quite agitated. Apparently she was wide enough awake to want to be pulling the tubes out of her mouth and throat. And really, who can blame her. If you know Rebel you probably know what she had to say about being uncomfortable with these things. However, pulling out tubes in a semi stoned- tripping-on-the-clouds state isn't a good thing and her nurse had to restrain her hand. Not an uncommon thing to happen she told me. And we both just kept repeating to her that they were there to help her and she had to let them be for a while longer. Our impatient Rebel heard us. The nurses tell me she won't remember any of these episodes once she is fully conscious again. This is good.

One of our pastors from church came to see her again. I may only be imagining it, but his prayers for her and for the amazingly dedicated medical staff at the Heart Institute seemed to have helped calm her down a bit.

The SU is heading over a little later today for a second visit.