Day 23: A more difficult day

After a good day yesterday, we have to face a not so good day today. Received a call from one of Mark's doctors this AM stating that they had to put the ventilator back in. Mark was struggling for air as if he had climbed the highest mountain and they were afraid of too much strain on his heart. He also said that Mark had some signs of pneumonia in his left lung and they were putting him on antibiotics for that.
We went early today to see him as it bothered us and we could not wait. We met with one of his many doctors and she stated what they thought should be done to make things easier for Mark. First they put an IV in his neck to help with feeding and meds rather than through his nose? Also, they want to do a trach directly into the windpipe to make his breathing easier. The ventilator is becoming too irritating and maybe more problems. This they will do in a few days and into or again. Then they plan to put cameras down his bronchial tubes into the lungs and see better what is going on and then try to draw fluids out. Anything to make him better if that is the case.
This evening, I called his nurse and he was resting well, they took the tube out from his left lung, replaced it with another and it was draining fluid out of the chest cavity.
— from The Alexanders