Day 11 — Thursday, June 27, 2024

9:00am #

The trach site had gauze placed around it and looked like it had been bleeding. I noticed a little blood around the finger nails on his left hand. The infirmary nurse noticed the IV medication amiodarone had been given. She suggested I ask why he needed that. The doctor came in and said that Shane had a heart event in the night. His heart rate went up to 200 and was at risk for cardiac arrest. They believed he managed to pull the trach although the arm was restrained. The night nurse rushed to him when she heard the monitor go off when his heart rate spiked and saw the bleeding coming from the trach.They worked on him, gave the amiodarone and got his heart back to a normal rate. They said he was conscious during it. The night nurse came and said she felt very bad and that he was the kindest patient even though he was going through that. She said he understood they were helping him and kept giving thumbs up the whole time. I said it didn’t surprise me that he reached the trach eventually. His arms and fingers are very long and even with restraint, if he lifted his shoulders and bent forward toward his hand, he could get a hold of it. It made sense that it was pulling the trach that sparked a crisis for him. His heart rate was completely normal again. They kept the restraint closer to his side.

10:00am #

Physical therapists came to work with Shane that morning. They had us go to the waiting room. The nurses came and found after the sessions and were very with excited for his progress. PT helped Shane stand that morning. He could bear weight on both legs. The nurse asked if I understood how good that was and what it meant. I asked, if it meant he could walk. She said yes, that was most likely the case. His right arm was also slightly moving more. His right leg was moving more too. They decided to restrain that arm too to avoid him dislodging the trach. He kept giving thumbs up to everyone who walked in. I think he wanted the nurses to know he’s ok and stop jabbing him. He gave a big grin a few times.

12:00pm #

He breathed most of the day by himself. They said they would use the ventilator at night, to give him a good night’s rest.

4:00pm #

Gionatan and Carla Nepa came and Gionatan gave Shane a huge smile and told him that the Celtics won the playoffs. Shane beamed! Now he understood. I had told him every day. But this was the first moment he recognized what it meant. I also believe that seeing Gionatan triggered Shane’s understanding, because they had talked about basketball before. He expected something like that to come from Gionatan, not from me. 🙂

5:00pm #

Betty asked Bill if he minded that she stay until Monday.

8:30pm #

I played That New World To Come on my phone. He could play that song on guitar. He reached out for the phone to hold it himself. He bent his left leg at the knee and crossed it so he could prop the phone there and watch the video.