Evenening Update (Updated 7:36pm CST)

I got to Chip once since I've been up, I think I caught up right as he was getting up. The good and the bad:

TJ is stable and alert. "He knows what's happening." Another member said that he could communicate with winks and nods, write a note from time to time. This is drastically different than last year.

The same person said that his blood pressure was stable and pretty good overnight, and that TJ's O2 sats were in the mid 90's throughout the night as well. Granted, TJ is vented, but last time round we had a hard time keeping them in the upper 80's. For at a least a couple of days the vent was set at "full blast."

The pneumonia has made a small recession since the last chest X-Ray (done yesterday afternoon Thai time, early yesterday morning U.S. time).

He has been diagnosed with ARDS -- Acute Repository Distress Syndrome. We've been down this road as well (December 15th, 2007):

He has also developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from the MRSA. The most important part about this is that it can lead to increase pulmonary edema, , e.g., more fluid [and/or inflamation] in the lungs... ARDS can lead to complete respiratory failure, so it is very dangerous...

In essence, his lungs are being pounded once again and developing an inflammation which in turn impairs the breathing process and again in turn impairs the rest of the body as oxygen levels drop. Fortunately, last I heard his O2 Sats were still good.

This time we don't know from the ARDS -- or the pneumonia or anything -- is from yet. Chip heard that blood cultures were coming back today, however they normally take 72 hours. Thus my ever so thorough medical knowledge (look it up as we go along) makes me think that what is coming back today must be a pretty narrow sample, that is, only testing for some specific things. I imagine there are more culturals being done that will take 72 hours.

I'll probably have one more update this evening, but it may be a couple of hours. Thank you all for reading. As I know longer have an Rn of 20+ years besides me anymore, anyone with medical expertise is more than welcome to contact me if anything I post is innaccurate or needs to be clarified.

P.S. My travel plans are to probably stick it out another day here.

P.P.S.: UT sent in this link on ARDS. It is more readable than anything else I've come across so far.