No news is good news?

Hi all,

Not really much to add today to be honest. Patrick was taken off the thiopentone as I mentioned before but has now been put on Phenabarbitone which has also kept him sleeping. He hasn't had any of the 'violent' fits since coming off of the Thio but he has had several twitchy episodes with restful periods between them. We don't know whether this is an indication that the drugs are working but an EEG has been booked for tomorrow and we will see then if his brain is resting between them.

Obviously we are hoping this is the case because otherwise it will mean another round of tests for him and he is really getting bruised from all of the lines that are being put into him. In fact, they have put the most recent line into his scalp because they can't get a viable vein in his hand just now. We are also hoping that they don't have to take any blood from Patrick as his haemoglobin levels have been low as a result of the amount of blood they have already taken for tests etc.

Patrick has been getting diuretic drugs too because he is retaining fluid. This is quite normal apparently for anyone on a ventilator plus he is immobile which allows the fluid to collect too. The Nurses have to carry out physio therapy regularly to stop too much fluid building up in his lungs and this is then moved with the suction thingy.

We are also waiting on this special lumbar puncture test to be done. The bottle has not arrived as yet but hopefully it will arrive tomorrow. We are not getting our hopes up too much on the outcome of this test but who knows? Miracles can happen. On that note, I am off to bed now. Sorry if this entry is not up to the usual standard but we are both very, very tired.

Love to all

Martin, Gemma, Ash, Bill, Isaac and Patrick of course
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx