Friday March 16, 2007 8:33 PM

So this week ended the exact opposite of last week. It started out bad because Jim accidentally pulled out his feeding tube during the night and had to have it re-inserted. I called him today and he said they were going to send him for a swallowing test. I had a tough working day today because I had a site down in the a.m., and then Miele closed early because of the icy conditions back home. It's been snowing really bad up here- they're expecting up to 10 inches overnight.

So after Miele closed at 3 I went out in the snow to the hospital, and there was Jim, sitting with his feeding tube again. But he had great news. The ENT department decided not to send him for another swallow test today. Instead, on Monday they're going to inject cortisone onto the side of the larynx that won't move so that the normal side can close against it, and there's a possibility that he may get out of here next week! The female ENT came in while I was there and I asked her how succesful the cortisone was in these cases, and she said very successful. Jim will have to continue to take medicine for the staph infection, but he can take pills for it after he leaves. As long as he doesn't spike any fevers they won't keep him hospitalized for that. I don't know why they didn't come up with this idea sooner...maybe because he was so sick, but he's getting better.

I felt so bad for him before they got the food hooked up to the feeding tube. Apparently until they get something pumping DOWN the thing you're very uncomfortable and sometimes you cough UP bile, which was what was happening to him. But they got him comfortable by 7 pm so I left for the night. The weather is bad here, and I didn't want to chance that it turns to sleet. His spirits are up, though, because he can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And Mom, Joe, Nick, Judy, and Jimmy are coming up on Sunday to spend a few hours with him, so at least Jimmy will be able to see his Dad.

I'm feeling so much happier too because I can't wait to go home. I'm also thinking that maybe I should learn the Heimlich Maneuver. If Jim is always going to be at risk of aspirating his food, maybe it would be a good idea if I learned that so I could keep him from choking in case God forbid something happened.