Monday, November 9, 2009

Update #87 on Kevin

It’s amazing what gets thrown out the window when life becomes anything but normal. How often do we show affection or speak in affectionate terms to those we love? What matters and what does not really matter? Lately, in intimate times with Kevin or when talking about him, I have referred to him lovingly as ‘my bubba’. I’m not sure if I ever called him that when I was a kid, but it seems to fit just now. I call him, Kev or Kevy too. Who is in your life that you care about? Today, we were watching “Everybody Loves Raymond” with Kevin and the episode came on where they were dealing with the usage or absence of telling one another “I Love You”. Ray told Debra that he shows her, instead of saying it. While we should show each other, it’s good to speak affectionately too. Don’t wait write someone you care about today. Call them on the phone. Send them a Facebook message.


Kevin is laying in bed after having an eventful morning. His heart rate is 90-94 bpm. Angie is sitting beside me making some Autumn decorations to bring color to the room. Kevin has been alert since they first put him in his neuro chair. About an hour into sitting in his neurochair, the therapy department came in to put Kevin back on the tilt table. Respiratory came in and put the one way valve on his trach (to make him ‘tube’ free during the tilt table therapy). Measuring his heart rate, O2 level and blood pressure they raised him up several degrees at a time. His blood pressure was lower than normal when they started (around 95 over 67), but they weren’t worried as long as it didn’t drop. They brought Kevin up to sixty degrees again today. Up for about 20 minutes Kevin held his own. They would continue to check his blood pressure and it didn’t change or drop. His O2 level was better today than Friday, never dropping below 94 percent, it stayed mainly in the upper 90’s. In other words great! His heart rate stayed in the 90s and low 100s during this activity. Kevin’s eyes remained open and moving during all this too.

Kevin has been moving his eyes together more regularly too. Also yesterday and today, I have been noticing Kevin looking to his left. Usually, his glance switches between his right and straight ahead. It also seems that when he is not focusing his left eye it rests ‘looking’ to the right (his right eye has moved around independently of his left for several weeks). When he was put back into his chair, from the tilt table, we turned on the TV onto TV Land. Another family favorite, The Beverly Hillbillies, came on with its unique theme song. Kevin had been looking straight ahead for awhile and I wondered if he would respond to the show coming on. After a few bars of “This is a story….” both eyes looked to the left in the direction of the TV and sound. Good stuff. Thanks God.

In the time it has taken me to write this update, Kevin seems to be resting soundly in bed. His heart rate lowered to a restful 85 bpm, his eyes are half closed and he is breathing through his mouth and nose (with the one way valve still on him). All his life, Kevin has slept with his eyes partially open, it has always been creepy and somewhat unnerving, but today it is nice. It’s a touch of normal. It is comforting to look over and see him blowing air out through his lips in a kind of snoring manner.

Let me challenge you to hug someone you love today. Tell them how much you care. And don’t let embarrassment or pride get in the way of using affectionate terms.

Thanks for praying. Thanks for reading,
Matt, Angie and family
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http://www.prayforkevin.com/
http://prayforkevin.blogspot.com/

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