Six Minute Cycles

Faina never ceases to amaze. She took her first walks yesterday reaching, pretty much, every inch of floor space to be traversed on the 4th floor at Weinberg. As each day passes she is hooked up to fewer tubes that put fluids in and take fluids out. She is extraordinarily patient as doctors and nurses constantly come to administer various injections, test her insulin level, check her vital signs, inspect the various incisions, including the seven inch line from just below her navel to the sternum, and to ask the questions the protocols require. The miracle of modern medicine is a delicate balancing act of causes and effects. Months ago it was a matter of the body tolerating chemotherapy. Now, in post surgery recovery, the pain killers cause skin irritations, the Benadryl countering that brings on drowsiness. Heparin thins the blood to help prevent clotting, but also makes for easy bruising and it is a painful shot to receive. After daily changes to the pain killer, yesterday's fix was morphine. Faina has a button that activates the pump that doses out the pain relief. It is available on a six minute cycle. Along with the pain relief is a quick nap, just a minute at most. All day it was rare for Faina to push the button and not have the pump go to work. Her pain level, which on Friday she put in the eight to ten range, was more in the five to six zone yesterday.

Room 19C is coming to represent a botanical garden. It makes for smiles, visual appeal and compliments from the various physicians and each new shift of nurses.

On Monday they will try introducing a liquid diet and on Tuesday, the baby steps of solid food, possibly apple sauce or mashed potatoes. We are seeing good steady progress.