Well Tres, here's the next update for us and Cathy. 
(I didn't feel it was my place to edit anything except empty spaces and paras - and that wouldn't work properly for some strange reason)
Posted 2 hours ago
Hello everyone xoxo
Richie had a good night.....no changes,...no complications....not going
forward and not going backward.....
Stable
Yesterday he had a CT of his lungs and liver, and kidney, an ultrasound of
his tummy and legs, and the usual blood tests all day to test his oxygen and numerous other things. Those are drawn thru an arterial line in his groin.
The CT of the lungs showed that there is still a lot of fluid, the CT of his
liver showed the two nodules, and the ultrasound of his legs showed poor circulation on one and good on the other. The ultra sound of his tummy showed little fluid, and tons of gas and bloating due to a bowel obstruction that he brilliantly corrected on his own yesterday. His ammonia levels were very high as you can imagine not having a movement since Friday. He is working on that now, and we are grateful.
His skin is breaking down from all the steroids, so we have to watch close for tares.
His Kidney is stressed now, and they are constantly watching that as well. They are also watching his liver and it's functioning. His blood pressure is low, and he has edema.
They are worried about Heart issues, but so far....he is holding his own
there.
He has ARDS which is, adult respiratory distress syndrome
That is, the bodies reaction to either pneumonia, an infection of some kind or other, a trauma, or a virus.
They did a bronc-oscopy yesterday and took a tissue sample, and fluid
samples, and are growing them over night to see if Richie has another kind of bacterial infection that the four antibiotics he has been on are just not able to touch.
If it is bacterial, then we hope it will be just a matter of finding out
what kind of medications work to take care of it.
If it is Viral.....then we are in trouble, as time is not on our side.
He is a very sick man.
All day yesterday, I stoked his hair, and sang to him.....and massaged his
feet and hands....and wiped his forehead with a cloth. They decreased his sedation, to see if he was able to breathe a bit on his own.
When I walked in yesterday morning....he heard my voice, and his eyes opened so wide....and he bit down on his tubes, and he got this little tear in his eye. I cried a thousand tears.
I have forgotten how beautiful his eyes were when they looked at me x
By 6:45 PM, the sedation was lower. When I said I was going to Scott's for dinner while they do shift change ( I have to leave everyday from 7-9 ) He looked scared,.....he started to stack his breaths, and fight the machine. They increased his sedation while I was away, and when I came back, he could still open his eyes and see me....he was just much less agitated.
When I left last night at 11:30, he started to do it again.....so I scooched
as close as I could to him, .....put my head against his head,...held him as
close as I could,....and whispered to him.... "We are going to do this together.....you need to relax and rest, and allow this time to make you well......I told him I love him more than life, and I will be there all the way....he is not alone,...he is safe and in good hands....and I am five minutes away, I call every hour on the hour, and will be here first thing in the morning to kiss him awake......"
I covered him in my tears.....and when I felt him slowing down his breaths, and not fighting the machine anymore,.... I whispered.....dream in colour my sweet husband.....get better so we can jump in a pile of Haywards xoxo
Hardest thing is to leave him......
I love him so very much.....He is the other beat of my heart....and I can't
imagine my life without him....and I am terrified. x
In the same breath....I have hope...and faith....and I believe that love is
stronger that life....and we have a connection that will carry us thru all
of this. One we have both waited a lifetime to find.
We have a rainbow xoxox
Love and light
Me x
RIP Iron Man
Rock On and keep the Faith
I've got my ticket and look forward to greeting Holger here in Amsterdam too. Anyone else coming to the Paradiso?
