May the Door Continue to Swing Open Wide!

Buried among Isabel's accomplishments of 2009 (listed on the last blog entry) is a line that says:

"spending time off the ventilator".

We've been keeping a secret for a few weeks, but Mum is telling her friends, so we are joining in her enthusiasm.

Isabel is weaning herself off the ventilator that helps her breathe. She has a goal of being able to be "vent-free" for approximately 4 hours a day.

In the course of three short weeks, with minimal coaching from her Respiratory Therapist, Mum is now comfortably off the ventilator for three hours a day. She visits using her letterboard, and one day this week, participated in an "easy" exercise program in her wheelchair while off the ventilator.

On Friday, two of us walked into her room and as we came up behind her, all we could hear was the quiet clicking of her word processor as she composed another letter. There was no sound of the ventilator sending 8 puffs of air a minute to Mum's lungs. The blinking lights of the computerized ventilator were all off and there were no hoses anywhere.

We are so grateful to Unit 2-6's Respiratory Therapist, and Mum's Respirologist, and Physio- and Occupational Therapists who see her potential.

Someone once asked me what I pray for in Isabel's life. I thought for a moment and replied: "That the door of her room stays open to possibility."

Yet another possibility has come her way. Although it is very rare that any vent weaning takes place in long-term care in Saskatchewan, the Respiratory Therapist has back-up support in a short-term position and her new colleague is Isabel's new weaning coach. Extra staff plus Isabel's good health and determination were the 3 requirements to begin this process. Thus this weaning trial has begun.

We need to emphasize that the goal is that Mum will be off the vent for approximately four hours a day. There are no plans to go longer than that, however, one sixth of a day is huge accomplishment!

May the door continue to swing open wide!