Lee Pulled Out His Breathing Tube

Our worst fear finally happened. Lee managed to pull out his feeding tube and his breathing tube. The ICU nurses will not let anybody in the unit between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. or 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. They claim it is shift change and they need the time. During the other 20 hours of the day and night we try to keep a close eye on Lee's situation. While we were out last night Lee pulled everything out. They had to get a doctor to sedate him and replace the tubes. They could not seem to calm him down.

This morning they chased me out of Lee's room at 6:20 a.m. I reminded the nurses of what happed last time they chased us out. They gave Lee another shot to calm him down before I left the room.

Lee seemed to try so hard to communicate with me but I had to tell him I could not understand. He can not talk with the tube in his throat. It is very difficult for me to watch him try so hard to tell me something and see him struggle with his hands tied down.