I'm still at the hospital and Dave is resting now. (They're still letting me use the computer in the hall outside Dave's room.) He started to move around in the middle of the night and was restless. The nurse came in to give him on pain shot at 5:30 am and when she told me the amount she was about to inject I told her to cut the dose in half. I spoke with the doctor at 7:30 this morning and discussed my concerns that I feel he is being over-medicated and was stoned last night. I explained that Dave was mobile and pretty much taking care of himself until I brought him into Emerg on Monday am. On Wednesday evening he still walked a fair distance and now he can't even walk to the bathroom. I explained that his pain med dose was increased on Thursday and I'm not sure why. After talking it through a little more the doctor realized that the pain meds they were giving him Tuesday pm til Thursday am were being crushed and put through his feeding tube. He said they likely weren't being absorbed properly. This messed up their dosing amount and they were using that information to calculate the dose. (So the problem occurred because the dosing calculations were based on the amount of pain pills he requested - but wasn't absorbing. And when he received it in the pure form through the pump it's a much stronger amount.) I suggested they use the amounts he was receiving on Monday & Tuesday via needle as a better guide.
Dave is resting well now with very little pain meds. I'm hoping that the rest of the day goes well and we're still able to take him home this afternoon. (It's not ideal that he leave in this state, but he really wants to go home, and I don't want to be here either.)
Val
4 comments:
Praying for you all that this too will come to pass. And that our Lord will continue to provide His strength for you all. Val, its amazing how you caught that with regards to Dave's medication. That is definitely a God thing!!!!
(((BIG HUGS)))
Mark, Dawn and "little people"
Thanks for the updates I really appreciat your taking the time to do this for all of us who care for Mr. Richards and his family. I have one of Christopher's friends, who does not have a computer, calling me to ask how Mr. Richards is doing. Glad to know he will be coming home later this afternoon. As I have said before you are totally unbelievable and with you at his side Mr. Richards is receiving the best possible care. Take care of yourself. Praying and thinking of you daily.
Praying and thinking for ALL of you (Dave, Cale and you Val).Glad that you figured out the med problem and that Dave can finally rest easier - and that he can drink! Amazing work.
God is in this - somehow, someway.
Dave
Val, Dave & Cale,
May the God who is our refuge and strength be with you and envelop you with His presence, comfort and peace.
"Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
~Josh 1:9
Michael
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