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Help our wee man Link

  • Transfer to Dunedin Hospital

      14 July 2024
    Posted by: Joe Rowley
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    Yesterday Lincoln was transferred back to Dunedin hospital. We're very happy to be back. Now we've just got to get Lincoln healthy enough to come back home.

    He's generally in a good mood, he's got too much energy to be kept in bed. He still has a small oxygen requirement and is still being weened off the drugs.

    I think this last stage of his recovery is going to take a little longer than we would like, but we'll get there.

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  • Out of ICU

      9 July 2024
    Posted by: Joe Rowley
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    Lincoln has finally been moved from the ICU/HDU to the ward, this is a big step towards getting us back home. He's making good progress.

    Speaking with the respiratory consultant this morning he told us Lincoln may never be a particularly brilliant athlete, his lung capacity could be slightly diminished. It's too early to know for certain.

    When we do get home Linky may need to be on oxygen for a period of time overnight while he sleeps. A bit niggly but it is what it is.

    He's been getting very bored and irritated with being bed bound. We're trying to get him up and playing and doing physio but it's still a bit tough with the oxygen requirement as well as the NG tube through his nose for medicine and food top ups.

    Feels like progress is being made, hopefully we'll be home soon.

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  • Extubation and HDU

      4 July 2024
    Posted by: Joe Rowley
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    On Tuesday Lincoln was extubated, so he is no longer on a ventilator, and we have been moved to am HDU room. This also means that his sedation drugs have come way down and he is much more awake and alert. This means he is ready to fight the nurses every time they go near him.

    Unfortunately he was on so many drugs that he is now going through withdrawal symptoms, this has been heartbreaking to see him go through this. He's not very happy about his whole situation.

    He still requires oxygen via his nose thingy, but much less than when he was on the ventilator.

    We're now able to get him out of bed for a cuddle with us, although this can be quite awkward because he's still got so many things connected to him and he's lost a lot of his strength. There's going to be a lot of physio over the next wee while.

    Things are getting better, we've just got to get through this rough patch where he's a grumpy guy. Hopefully we'll be in a regular ward before long, and then back home not long after that. We don't have a timeframe on this at this stage though.

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  • 2 Weeks in ICU

      28 June 2024
    Posted by: Joe Rowley
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    Tonight Link will have been in ICU, sedated and intubated, for 2 weeks. His recovery is slow going, although there have been improvements.

    Today they've lowered his required oxygen to 35%. Previously it had been hovering between 50% to 90%, so this is a huge improvement if he can maintain this level of oxygen.

    He's become quite resistant to a lot of his sedation drugs, which has become problematic. They've switched up his drugs a bit, he's on so many I can't totally remember what's changed. I know he's on ketamine and oxycodone now though, which has helped a lot. He'll go through withdrawal symptoms once he's off the drugs, which will be rough.

    As of today things are looking positive, but we're not getting out hopes up just yet.

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  • Covid negative

      25 June 2024
    Posted by: Joe Rowley
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    Lincoln has finally tested negative for covid. We've now been moved out of an isolation room after 11 days in ICU.

    They've changed his breathing tube from his mouth to a nasal one, which is meant to be more comfortable and less disturbing for him.

    Although he's still sedated, he's doing his best to fight against his sedation. Often moving his arms and head, which we really don't want him to be doing yet.

    He's been improving slowly, but he's still a very unwell wee guy.

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  • Huge thanks for all the support!

      21 June 2024
    Posted by: Joe Rowley
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    A huge thank you to everybody for the support. When mum said she wanted to set this up to help us out I never thought we'd get this much support. It's really overwhelming.

    Lincoln is doing well, all things considered. We've been at Starship for 3 days now, and we've been told he's improved since he arrived here, although it's all small improvements, and he has a way to go yet.

    I'll update here again when there's something worth mentioning, but I don't expect much to change over the weekend.

    Again, a huge thank you for all the support ❤️

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