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(Date Posted:02/20/2008 8:43 PM)
Well, I just got off the phone with Dad, and it was a very positive day for Pam. Dad said she ate about 80% of her lunch and 80-90% of her dinner. She's feeding herself, still a little shaky in the hands, but we're hoping that will go away as she regains her strength. The doctor's said that if she can feed herself for 2 weeks and eat like she's been eating the last couple of days they will be able to take out the feeding tube which is still in currently to supplement her nourishment if needed. The fight against the infection seems to be going well. Dad said the infectious disease doctor told him that her first negative culture was on Friday, Feb. 15, so she only had 1 positive culture. When I was there on Friday, Dr. Berg (infectious disease) said that they were 100% sure that the infection is in her CSF and had put her on additional antibiotic (2 total). Pam will continue the antibiotic therapy for at least 14 days from her first negative culture, so at least until the 28th. Dad said they're being extra cautious this time and he feels comfortable with the care that she's getting, that don't seem in a hurry to get her out of the hospital until they're sure they've done everything they can, so that's really good news. Not sure when they will put the bottom part of the shunt back in (the part that drains into her stomach was removed so that they could take samples of her CSF for testing). Infectious disease is supposed to talk to the neuro team tomorrow to make a decision on that. And the last little bit of news, which I thought was the most exciting.....Uncle Cliff headed back to Utah today, so he called Dad after he got to the hospital to talk to Pam. Dad said she was all smiles and laughing when she was talking to Uncle Cliff. At the end of the call Pam said "I love you" to Cliff, Dad said it was a really quiet voice but Uncle Cliff said he heard her. That really just made my day! So, we will keep you posted as things progress, it's been a slow but steady improvement over the last few days. We're all encouraged.
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