Feb 10, 2007 - a red letter day

Dear Fans of Leslie, this is a great day. My mom and I just g0t back from a day in Oakland and it really was stellar with more to come I am sure. When my cousin Rick and I went in I said hello to Leslie and she opened her eyes and turned her head slightly towards me. She still is pretty loopy (who wouldn't be on 10 mg of morphine every hour). Her friend Vicki said she squeezed her hand slightly. Then her friend Sandra Gilbert went in and Leslie smiled at her. Sandra came out crying with joy. Dr. Mark, somewhat skeptical (he's an M.D. and they need to be) questioned whether or not she REALLY was responsive until he and I saw Leslie open her mouth when the RN told her to so he could swab her mouth. THEN Ray came in and he too had not seen any deliberate movement, but Leslie actually did something he asked her to do ( first time ever:)), she squeezed his hand when asked to do so. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO.................... all you quasi-fans, get on board and CHEER LESLIE ON TO VICTORY. Or you will lose your fan club membership status and to rejoin the club will cost you BIG time. Not only all those good things, but also, more wrinkles are appearing on Leslie's face. Now most of us do not rejoice in such things, BUT this means that Leslie is losing the excess fluid she has been hoarding and holding on to. PEEP down to 7. Yeah. Tomorrow Leslie will have her ortho surgery unless too many trauma admits bump her to Monday. Keep praying as always and rejoice in
the progress we see before our eyes. And oh by the way, she is still wiggling her toes on command when the RNs do their assessment. (Did you know toe wiggling is a nursing parameter - really, us RNs have to do something to make us smile throughout the day) Sorry this is so long, I think I am a little loopy too.