Short Update

 Tim was better today, brighter, his speech was clearer and more understandable. He got some sleep, which I am sure helped a great deal.

They think he has C Diff, although the culture is not back amd so this is a hypothesis based on observation alone. His kidneys are not working well. He was pretty dehydrated. His blood pressure had the lowest numbers I've ever seen: Number ins the sixties over numbers in the forties. He has hand tremors. His feet twitch as well. 

He will be sent to a big city hospital to be assessed for neurological issues but that cannot happen until a bed opens up. This was our second day in the ER, waiting. It could be days...

I am tired. His son and I spent last night there. Tim fidgeted and grabbed at things. Unplugged things. Talked about water getting into the house. Crazy stuff. Nobody slept.

They have done a great amount of blood work on him. They are treating hims with strong antibiotics. for the white blood counts. They have him on an IV which is keeps his blood pressure numbers respectable. 

He seemed so much better today and I found myself feeling very optimistic. In my own mind, I had it worked out like so: Tim has been sick for weeks now. He is run down. He's had two rounds of antibiotics. That caused the C-diff. He began getting dehydrated, which led to the super low blood pressure. His kidney function slowed down, probably due to the dehdryation, but also not helped by the straw that broke the camel's back: That steroid shot he was given at the walk in clinic which raised his blood sugar.  Stick a fork in Tim. The guy was done.

Now you think along these lines and it allows you the comfort of thinking: Well, he's being hydrated. His BP is stabilized. His kidneys should start filling his bladder. They're treating the C-diff. The steroids should be leaving his system, which will sort out the blood sugar... It is all fixable, and look how much better he is doing! Oh. I was in a happy place for most of the day waiting in the ER for a bed in the big city. 

Tim's son went home for the day and got some sleep. This allowed me to come home tonight and sleep.. The kids have all be a great help in helping, everyone staying in touch, everyone doing their part. Friends reached out, everyone astonished that the man who never gets sick was well and truly sick.

Tim sounded more like himself. Even made a few jokes. He felt good enough to say he was ready to go home. He was with-it enough to understand that he was going to a big hospital with specialists. He was weak enough not to be able to put up much fuss about it. He recognized everyone today. His mind began to whir and click again. 

But...

When he was repeatedly asked the orientation questions, he stated that it was 2013, every single time. He fidgeted to the point that his daughter brought some fidget toys in to keep his hands off the medical wiring. Most telling, my sister stopped in after her shift. She's a corker, that one. Tim gets a kick out of her. "Who's this?" I asked him when my sister walked in. "Anna." he said in that strange flat voice. "Who's she married to, Tim?" He stuttered a bit but got that one right as well:  "David." he said in that flat voice. He played with his fidget toys and glanced at us as we talked, but added mothing to the conversation. He didn't laugh, as he usually does. When my sister went to give him a hug goodbye, I saw his eyes grown wide. He didn't expect that and he flinched. 

Nobody ever gets away from my sister with out a hug. Everyone knows that this is a fact. Tim used to know that too. 

Watching that interation, I knew that Tim was still not at all himself. 

I need to get some sleep. The plan is to get up early and head back. Hopefully by then, we will know more about the transfer. 

They replaced the stryker frame with a hospital bed just before I came home. Tim looked a lot more comfortable as he fidgeted in bed, his eyes taking in the flickering last moments of Tyre Nichols in a calm unbothered way. 

Right. 

The washer has stopped. I have laundry to toss in the dryer. I need to sleep.