Vital Signs

Karen here (Deb’s friend)

Stan asked me to come and spend some time with Deb today so that I might offer and share a “nurse’s perspective” relating to her journey to recovery.  As those of you in health care know, this progress and movement forward is most often measured by concrete documentation of  normal vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and/or good oxygen levels in the blood.  While all of these are definitely great gauges of progress, there are other “vital signs” that cannot be displayed via digital readouts and beeps.  I would like to share a few of these with you in this posting.

Vital sign #1   SMILE.

It is back.  Her smile has returned.  Her eyes danced with joy when I walked in the room.  I know they will do the same for all of you as she returns to Holland in the very near future.  This is the Deb we know. It has always been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul.   She has been smiling so much this morning, interspersed with a fair amount of wincing with  discomfort.  However, three staff members have already commented how MUCH better controlled her pain is today.  Deb agreed with them.  Although still with a fair amount of discomfort and shortness of breath due to movement, it appears that there has been definite progress with the conversion to oral pain medication.  Smile Vital Sign? Pass!

Vital sign #2:  Humor

Deb was up 4 times this morning, WALKING UNASSISTED with her walker!  She really enjoyed her “personal assistant student nurse” (as we called him).  He would walk right behind her carrying her water cup.  He is about to graduate from Grand Valley Nursing Program.  He was fantastic, anticipating her every need for comfort.  Deb and I feel confident that he is going to be out there someday compassionately caring for families in their time of need.  Deb has the ability to interject bits and pieces of humor that brings smiles to all staff on this floor.  Imagine Deb pushing her walker around the entire unit, beginning to pick up some speed and exclaiming, “Run Forrest.  Run!”  We are all going to have to watch this lady!

Humor Vital Sign?  Pass

Vital sign #3:  Determination

Deb has been up three times already today.  She grabs that trapeze bar, grinds her teeth and amidst muffled groans gets to the side of the bed.  This is not easy for her to do, nor is it pain free.  She still has quite a bit of residual pain due to the surgery which involved the cutting of a lot of muscles in her abdomen.  Have you ever overdone abdominal crunches only to barely move the next day or two?  I think this is what she must feel…although it is probably 20 X worse.  Hopefully with continued physical therapy this will begin to abate.  I have NEVER seen someone with her determination and resolve.  She still gets quite short of breath after any exertion and needs to close her eyes and take frequent rest periods/sleep. 

There are so many other things, but I will close for now.  There is definite progress but she still has a lot of healing to do.  The discharge planner came in this morning and shared the good news that there is a bed waiting for her at the Inn at Freedom Village.  The temporary plan is that Deb may be able to transfer there possibly Sunday or Monday.  This is still tentative but is such good news and affirms her progress on this road to recovery.  Her doctor will make the determination over the next couple of days.  Regardless of the timing, it is in the not-so-distant future.

Determination Vital Sign?  Pass

To God Be The Glory.

She says, “My  name is Debra Hoksbergen, RN and I approve this message;)