The marine started having breathing issues from another bout of an URI. I could not take care of it fast enough at home so Wednesday morning when the Marines oxygen levels and heart rate begin dropping, we loaded him up and headed to the hospital.
We have two hospitals in our area. We first went to the one that is not our first choice for two reasons. The Marine's sister works there and his Pulmonary doctor has an office in the complex. I thought the Marine would enjoy seeing his sister on her breaks and before and after work. I made a bad choice.
Papa Bear dropped the Marine and I off at the ER and left us to park. They did get a wrist band on the Marine, took his vitals. It was obvious the Marine was in distress. They two at the desk said a room was being cleaned and they would get him back in 5 minutes. Over 30 minutes later we were still in the waiting room, about 10 more people had come in and one who kept pacing back and forth near us was coughing up blood. I called Papa Bear (who had just found a parking space) and told him to come back to the ER and pick us up. We needed to go to the other hospital. The Marine's lips were blue at the time and his heart rate was erratic going from as high as 150 bpm to as low as 24 bpm.
The other hospital is about 15 minutes away. When we arrived they took the Marine straight in. With-in 30 minutes we had an IV going, a chest x-ray done, more oxygen going than what our little tank could do and his pulmonary doctor had been called.
We were told that the hospital was full and we may have to spend the day and maybe even the night in the ER. At this point I didn't care. The Marine was getting the medical attention he needed. The initial x-ray shows pneumonia in his right lung just as we suspected. We did not have to wait as long as we were originally told for a room. We got one by around 5PM.
The remainder of my post is a few pictures and comments. I have been trying to write this for a couple of days but with no activity on the WI-fi here at the hospital, it signs you out in 30 minutes or so. I am constantly having to stop and then try to sign back in. My little Dell notebook isn't to great either.
The Marine is a very hard stick as his veins have shrunk. It takes several sticks to get blood and a IV started. If IV's and drawing blood gets to be difficult, or if the Marine is going to be here awhile, I will ask for a PICC line.
When the doctor made rounds this morning (February 14th) he told us his assistant would be doing rounds over the weekend. As the Marine's GP is at the Navy base, one was assigned to him at the hospital. He told me that everyone would be consulted on the Marine's case and he may can go home this week-end. I don't know if he knows what he's talking about.
This was a new to us fitting for the nebulizer for the Marine's breathing treatments. I told him he looked like Pop-Eye the sailor man smoking his pipe.
The Marine's sister got this thing ordered for him. One of her patients uses one. It wraps around the chest, pumps air and vibrates the lungs, It reminds you of the spin cycle on a washing machine. It makes the Marine laugh when the therapist tells him she is going to shake him up like pop corn. The Marine's doctor is going to write us a prescription for the Marine so he can have one at home!
Our family would like to thank all of you for your prayers and nice comments. As I get the time I will comment to each of you. We ask that you do keep up the prayers for the Marine. They are working!
