Guarded Condition in Intensive Care

"Last night Margaret's condition took a very sudden turn. At 4:00 am, the hospital called and told me the ICU physician needed to do a bronchoscopy and chest x-ray because Margaret had developed pneumonia. Her fever was now over 105 degrees. I spoke with Margaret on the phone and she wanted assurance that I understood what they were proposing and had no objections. I told her not to worry and that I would be there right away. When I arrived at the hospital, Margaret was breathing on a ventilator. I stayed with her for several hours, holding her hand. She was uncomfortable and anxious, of course. With the breathing tube, she cannot talk, so she communicates with gestures. The daytime ICU team did another bronchoscopy, ran several tests, drained her congested lung and sedated her. So she is sleeping and resting as I write this. This is a sudden turn of events, but the staff is fairly confident they can get this under control. Your love, prayers, and positive thoughts will help Margaret right now." -Ken