Tipping point

Dr. El Khouray came in yesterday and determined that I'd reaching a tipping point, meaning the worst is behind me and I've continued to show improvement. This was really, really good news to hear. Proning continues to be very effective, so I've spent a couple hours each morning and afternoon on my stomach, in addition to sleeping on my stomach at night. In the afternoon I invariably fall asleep since there is nothing to do other than listen to an audio book! I'm able to move about the room more; yesterday I did something like 4 little loops with an occupational therapist. 

Yesterday I was down to about 11-13 L oxygen/minute. The case manager told me that to go home I need to be at 6 L or less. Today I'm at 6 L and holding steady with my oxygen saturation rate. I haven't talked with a doctor yet today, but I think this means that Monday is still a realistic release date. Until today I had thought that Monday would be out of reach; I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment.

Edited to add: a different doctor stopped by today (Dr. El Khouray is off). She does not think Monday is viable. She doesn't want to rush anything and wants to make sure I'm stable for a couple of days on <6 L oxygen. So it looks like Wednesday might be more likely.

When I go home it will not be life as usual. I will still be on supplemental oxygen. I assume I will need to live on the main floor for a while (master bedroom and bath are upstairs). I have no idea how long it will take to recover my lung function to the point where I can walk around the house, walk down the block, and do everyday activities without oxygen. The case manager assured me they will set me up with portable oxygen and have various therapists come to the house to work with me. 

Yesterday my friend Irene snuck in with contraband Ben & Jerry's (the hospital seems to make a lot of exceptions--no one said anything) and spent some time with me. I also Zoomed with Alisa and Nicky, friends from Cornell. Today my brother Jonathan and sister-in-law Jeanne will visit and bring a Frappuccino (I usually buy like one fancy coffee drink per year, but when you're in the ICU, all bets are off). I still have the Reese's peanut butter cups that nurse Nicole snagged for me at the CT scan center, so I'm all set in treats department. And I'm taking full advantage of the Luigi's Italian ice on the hospital menu (my cookie request was denied because it put me over the sodium limit, but I guess Italian ice is ok).

I appreciate everyone's continued notes, support, and prayers. We will continue to need them in the coming weeks and months.