Update on progress

Well, I should provide an update I guess.  Dad began to marginally communicate with us on Christmas eve.  He has had a remarkable physical journey, that is for sure.

Grafts

Most notably, is his grafts.  Dad was burned 2nd and 3rd degree over 60% of his body.  Roughly from the top of his boots to his mid chest on front and shoulder blades on his back.  Of the 40% not burned, some of that was face, fingers, toes and so forth that was not good for grafting sites.  He relied on donor skin to take place while the other areas were waiting to regrow and be harvested again.

I've been told, and I am not  certain of the statistics, that about 65% of all grafts fail requiring them to be redone.  This can be for any number of reasons such as infection or just abrasions from movement after the application.

Dad has retained 100% of his grafts.

Infection and Kidney Failure

Around the 20th day of Dad's ICU time, he became very septic.  Had eColi in his blood, Staph in his lungs and Pseudomones on his skin.  His kidneys had begun to shut down and his blood toxicity was rising.  His Potassium level was sitting at 6.4, Normal is 4.5, and fatal is about 7.  The day before his Potassium level was 5.8 so it was climbing very quickly.

We had decided to not put him through much more treatment and let his body handle what was thrown.  If he fought it off, then he would survive.  If not, then we were at peace with the fact that we gave his body everything it needed to try its best.

The day we made those decisions, the rgood Reverent took us in for his annointing. 

Change of direction

Dad somehow started recovery.  We don't know how.  We don't know why but he did.

Now he is learnign to walk again and feed himself.  Walking farther then anyone had expected in the time .  We are dealing with a lot of hallucinations and confusion that is a combination of Alzheimer's, Morphine, and General ICU psychosis.

Future

Unknown.  He will be going to the Miller Center much earlier than anyone suspected for physio rehab, but a Geriatric Psychologist will examin dad to try and get a handle on the extent of his Alzheimer's.  Long Term care is coming, we just are not sure what kind of care he will need - yet.