Day 45 update

Another steady stable day for Sage, with a few happenings in it.
Friday was a relatively quiet day, a day of rest, of watching movies, taking mid-morning naps and eating good food. Alice had to leave on Thursday evening, after trimming Sage's hair and bringing so much love from that city of brotherly/sisterly love! (Philadelphia). Friend Risa, who among many of her wonderful talents is a massage therapist, has been here since Wednesday evening and during the night is here to soothe Sage back to sleep with a massage when she wakes up.

friend Alice, mac and cheese, and a good movie....

Sage continues to eat well, thanks to the local cooperative grocery store and some ingenuity. Risa went to Walmart and got a small cooler, along with a 'food mill' (the kind that can be used to grind up food for soft consistency). As Sage is on a 'soft mechanical' diet at present, the food has to be soft to swallow, while she gets used to eating again. Good food and good nutrition are so good for body, mind, soul and spirit.

Sage had a follow-up MRI Saturday afternoon, as it has been almost three weeks since the last one. She is also experiencing weakness in her left shoulder, so her miraculous medical team wants to look at that more closely and try to figure out what may be going on for Sage -whether it is just a residual effect of the last five weeks.

the hall outside the MRI

A big step forward also happened on Saturday afternoon when Sage returned from the MRI and had a trial run off the ventilator for an hour. It was time to make the move and try breathing on her own, along with providing her own airway pressure. Having a trial run on the the 't-piece' or CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) means that Sage, for that hour, was not only generating her breaths but also the inhalation and exhalation of them. She was not getting support for airway pressure, and she did great!

Dave the Respiratory Therapist explains CPAP

With each day, Sage will have more time of these trials, building herself up to being off the ventilator completely. This is very significant, as the primary reason she continues to be in the ICU is due to ventilator support. Once out of the ICU, Sage will be on the 'floor' before leaving DHMC and heading south to Maryland.
Many thanks to all, both near and far, for continuing this journey with us and keeping the circle of love, light, warmth, care and positive energy heading north. Words are hard to express the gratitude.
Peace and blessings to you and your loved ones.