Charlie is stronger and more alert this morning. He had a fever during the night, but the private duty nurse had him get up and walk the hall, and that brought it down. Walking struck me as an odd antidote to fever, but Dr. Jarnigan's nurse practictioner confirmed this morning that the private duty nurse had done just the right thing.
As any of you who have had surgery will know, breathing exercises and walking are an important part of avoiding pneumonia, which is one of the most common complications. Charlie has a device with gradations that he needs to suck at least ten times an hour. The harder he draws a breath, the higher the plastic marker rises. He is not only interested in his own progress--his ability to raise the marker ever higher--but in how high other patients have been raising their markers. Doing laps in the hallway, he wants to know the standard for patient laps. As long as we can restrain him so he does not get too fatigued, I am sure this competitive spirit will serve him well in his recovery.
Dr. Weiser indicated that last night and today tend to be the peak pain days. Charlie controls a morphine drip with a button. When he's not moving, he does not have pain. When he's going to be getting out of bed, walking or doing breathing exercises, he pushes the button.
Overall, Charlie is doing very well in his recovery. Perhaps tomorrow he will want to dictate something himself to post.
