4 hours off vent, Sat at edge of bed, We're all sick

Big happy news is that Denise was able to be off of the ventilator for four hours in a row today! She also sat up at the edge of the bed with the help of the physical therapists (I think she's only done that once, several weeks ago). Her fevers are spiking lower today (after I left last night, she went to 103... today she didn't get to 101). She had another paracentesis today and they removed 2.5 liters of fluid from her abdomen. It seems to me that this is substantially less fluid considering how many days have passed since the last fluid draw. Also happy news from last night is that the church where Denise's folks go took up an offering to pay for a hotel for 5 days! With the distance & traffic involved in commuting between my house & the hospital, it's a huge blessing to have someplace close to the hospital for her parents to stay, both overnight and during long procedures. Also, many thanks to my aunt & uncle, who ponied up for last week's hotel room. Now that I think about it, there are tons of things to thank tons of people for. I wish I could say that the support my family's received during this ordeal was helpful. It's way beyond helpful... we're being *carried* through this experience.

They've changed up her antibiotics & antifungals again... seems to be an almost daily thing. That I'm aware of, she's not on anything that she hasn't already been on. I guess that she is on a trickle of Digoxin for the heart. I thought she was completely off the stuff, and I didn't think to ask why it was started again. Still waiting to hear results from the lumbar puncture.

Jacob is on antibiotics, but seems to be over the worst of his illness. My aunt that was supposed to come (the one that Denise was asking for) is also sick. Now Gracie & I are sick with some stomach thing. Gracie threw up quite a lot, and I'm doing the "green apple two-step." I felt so ill that I didn't go see Denise. That's the first time, and it's killing me... this bug is a close second. It hit me all of a sudden during the last hour of work today. I've only got a fever around 101, and I feel yucky... I can't begin to imagine how Denise must feel after 12 weeks of mostly high fever. Anyway, I called the nurse tonight and told her to tell Denise that I love her immensely, miss her as much, but am sick and won't be coming. The nurse said that would be OK, as Denise had a busy day, no visitors (as of the time I called), and seemed to be enjoying the serenity. Maybe she was just trying to make me feel better, but it put my heart at ease all the same.

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