Greg Covid - Day 9 THE BATTLE IS ON!!!!

I posted earlier today about the good night that Greg had and how well he was doing at 6:30 this morning.  Well, I got a call from the doctor during my lunch that wasn't very good news.  

She said that he is on his back now and saturation-wise he is doing well.  However, they were talking about adjusting the vent setting and letting him breathe on his own and reducing the amount of sedation more because he had been doing so well, but then he started having issues with his lungs not matching the vent rhythm, so they had to increase his sedation and change the settings on the vent and are not going to be decreasing it right now.  She said:

We don’t want his own lungs to go in a rhythm that is not matched to the vent settings and his breathing is not in sync with the vent.   Saturation is not a problem right now.  This can get better all of a sudden or it can get worse.  It is hard to tell.  He is breathing really good on his back right now and saturation is 96%.  They are adjusting the vent according to his system and will know more tomorrow.  Respiratory therapy is there and assigned to him and is managing the settings on the vent.  He started good, but things are fluctuating.  Right now, she can’t say that the trend is going good.  

In addition, his blood pressure was running high this morning, in the 170, 190’s and when they gave him meds to lower his blood pressured, it dropped into the 80's.  She said that it is common, when a patient spends a long time in the ICU, to become sensitive to medication.  They are trying to find a balance with his blood pressure meds to keep it steady, but it is a fine line.   It seems the doctors only call when the situation is dire.  

At the same time that Greg was having these problems, I was speaking with the Chaplain at Marshfield Clinic Hospital about visiting Greg and praying with Greg.  We talked about Greg's health history and what a fighter he is and how God has saved him so many times.  He was going to be visiting with Greg and praying with him and said he would tell him how much I love him and need him to get better and come home and that God was breathing His life into his lungs and was going to heal him. 

Now, when I say the battle is on, I'm not saying just Greg's health battle but an actual spiritual battle!  I don't know where you are in your walk with Christ, but I can tell you in no uncertain terms that the devil was trying his hardest today!  Little did he know that Jesus would be right there shoving him off Greg just like when He entered the Temple and drove out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice and knocking over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves!  (Matthew 21:12).  I was having dark thoughts all day and must have said Jesus' name 500 times today!  I could feel it in my bones that something was happening and I was NOT wrong!  

Normally I don't call Greg's nurse until later, but I just couldn't wait and called around 4:15.  I spoke with Nicole who told me that she found a level of blood pressure meds that is working good for Greg!  She also said that he is on a setting on the vent where Greg is doing a lot of the work and can kind of control how often he’s breathing, which is giving his lungs some good exercise!  He is doing most of the work and the vent is just doing a back-up for him and giving him a little extra support.  He looks more comfortable than earlier today and his oxygenation is good. He’s doing WAY better than earlier today!  And he really had them concerned earlier!  

She said they were worried because his blood pressure was all over the place and he looked like he was uncomfortable and he was breathing very hard.  They are not planning on proning him tonight unless oxygen starts dropping.  He is still running a fever and nothing seems to be bringing it down.  She is using ice packs, giving him Tylenol and putting cold water in his feeding tube.  They have not been able to find a cooling blanket in the entire hospital.  She is not sure if they don't have any or they are all being used.  She did reiterate that fever is not uncommon with Covid and that patients do run pretty high fevers. 

I'll be calling his nurse again before I go to bed, and I'm not sure if I'll update tonight or not.  

No one can tell me that there's not a huge spiritual battle happening here!  Everything that happened today was much to coincidental!  This proves that your prayer are working!   Please continue to pray for Greg, that God continues to breathe His life into Greg's lungs, that his blood pressure stays regulated and that he is able to breathe more and more on his own.  Please also pray for the doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists are given the knowledge they need to continue to bring Greg out of this!  Please also give thanks for everything God is doing for Greg.  

This picture of Greg is on the sailboat when we were getting ready to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef.  At the time of year we were there (late November), it is jellyfish season, and everyone who snorkels has to wear a "stinger suit" to protect us from jellyfish stings.  It's certainly not the most fashionable suit in the world, but hey it works!  I have more embarrassing pictures of him attempting to put the suit on, but I thought I'd spare him (and you) those pics!  Ha, ha!  

Love, Peace and Prayers to all!  

Julie and Iron Man!