Day #16.5 in ICU & Day #.5 in LTAC

After hyperbaric treatment, Meg returned to ICU. The stitches in her right arm were removed. She's no longer using her morphine PCA pump and no longer getting IV fluids. Her catheter has been removed as well as the monitoring leads and bp cuff.

The doctor wrote orders to release her from ICU today. We spoke to the intake person from the long term acute care (LTAC) hospital. She told Meg that the average stay at LTAC is 25 days and that she was going to review her file and determine if they could get her into LTAC today or if she would have to go to the orthopedic floor until Monday. While the intake person was reviewing her file, Meg started walking laps in the ICU. Meg's nurse told the intake person that she didn't think Meg needed to go to LTAC and didn't know why she couldn't just go home with home nursing care. The hospital social worker, the intake nurse and mom discussed Meghan's immediate needs (IV antibiotics, hyperbarics, unknown physical therapy needs, etc) and decided that going to LTAC for the short term is the right thing for Meghan's needs right now. Her doctor agreed to re-evaluate Monday to determine if she should stay in LTAC beyond the weekend.

Mom was able to take Meghan out of ICU in a wheel chair to tour the rest of the hospital. Meg ate Chik-fil-a sandwich for lunch in the "main street" level. Then Meg walked from the Women's center (Purple tower for those who know the hospital) all the way back down the "main street" hall to the Green tower elevators, up to the ICU and walked right back into her ICU room.

6:00 pm - The wound nurse changed her leg wound dressing this afternoon in ICU. Meg needed 2 mg of dilaudid and 2 mg of ativan to get the tape off. The wound nurse said everything looks FABULOUS. She will have dressing changes M,W, and F of each week. The doctors finally got on the same page and all the decisions made and paperwork signed to admit her to the LTAC today. Meghan rode in mom's car (!!!) to the LTAC and was admitted into her new room. She's very excited that she has ABC Family channel as well as other cable channels that weren't available at the hospital.

Meg can have visitors 24 hrs a day with no limitations other than when she has therapy. She also has a direct phone number to her room. If you'd like to visit or call her room, please feel free to email for details or text or call Meghan's phone. (laura_lambert@bellsouth.net.)