Spinal Tap Done; Moving to ICU

The spinal tap was completed successfully today. It will take at least a day to get results from the lab on the fluid.

Mom was MUCH more lucid this morning and able to communicate. She seems to tire as the day goes on and communication becomes more difficult. Her friend Phyllis came buy with a photo of the two of them in front of a South American waterfall and Mom was able to say the name of it immediately.

John, Sarah and Barb were here today when the doctors came in. They are concerned that with the effort she is making to breathe and the number of breaths she takes per minute (about twice what a healthy person does) she may be wearing herself out. They would like to have her blood gasses assessed periodically to make sure there is not a CO2 build-up in the blood. They would also like to have her transferred to Intensive Care where she will be monitored more closely by the nursing staff.

Mom was able to take her liquid medicine for the C. Diff. and colitis mixed in applesauce. She is not to have any liquids by mouth as her swallow reflex has slowed down so much that there is a risk she would aspirate liquid. But we are excited that she was able to swallow applesauce and keep it down! This will avoid less pleasant ways of getting the medicine into the GI system!

Mom will be transferred to ICU this evening. Then we will wait for what the tests of the spinal fluid might show.

Daughter Jan