Its been a good morning

Dad had another great night! I feel like I'm becoming redundant, but at least its positive redundancy. I've never ever wanted to be the one to disappoint my Dad, and I can't help but think that he is having the same feelings about having me here. He is really fighting the good fight and he is winning.

This morning Dr. Madsen, the attending cardiology resident, said he is doing great. "Great", a word we haven't heard much from anyone around here. Dr. Madsen seems like one of the strong-silent types who is very realistic and doesn't want to get your hopes up, all wrapped up in a slender exterior with nice eyes. He has been very sullen since we arrived and today has actually begun smiling at us :-) So I take that as a good sign.

So on the agenda for today is getting him off of one more machine. He has a Swan Catheter in his heart, which measures his heart pressure and cardiac output as well as his core body temperature. Dr. Madsen feels that they can remove this yet this morning. The Swan and the Balloon pump were both inserted into the artery in his groin. So, in order to get him off the ventilator, they need him to be upright and he cannot be upright until everything is out of his groin area. Today they anticipate getting the Swan out so that getting off the vent in in the very near future is a possibility. Once they get him off the vent then we can start communicating.

Can you imagine how difficult it has been for Neil Nelkin to be so quiet this whole time? I wonder what his first words will be? Maybe, "What the hell happened?" or "Its really March 20th?" or "I'm f*#%ing starving!!!", or "No you can't take my credit cards and go shopping!" Whatever it is, I've never been more excited to talk to my Dad!

Keep the prayers and positive energy coming!