Tornado Pat			We are still undergoing web re-construction To find the old site visit the Contents page Site Map (Index) and use your back button on pages that do not yet have buttons or links back.
Keeping up with Pat Macleod Schmidt

Hospital address University of Utah 50 North Medical Drive Salt Lake City, Utah 84132 E-mails, cards and notes will all go in Pat's new scrapbook. We know your love is here.... Debra Why do we call Pat -Aunt Pat? How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to: The Aunt Pat Mail List
		Pat in the Sunshine, Billy and Brigitte depart. Today is September 17th, New Pictures from Billy and Betsy will be posted this weekend.
			Larry's Story -The Tornado
		Recent Photographs
					September 17
	September 16

						Click on picture for enlargement
	The McSchmidt's

Hello Everyone, Oh boy, what a day this has been... Great things happening all day for Pat. It's late again, I'm beat, so this one is going to be brief. Brigitte was not able to join us today as she had come down with a case of flu like symptoms and did not feel visiting Pat would be appropriate. Not sure if it was the veggie burritos last night or the 24hr bug.. Larry and I were with Pat early this morning and were able to catch the doctors on their morning rounds. Larry emphasized the importance of having good communication between them and the request to show him written approval by the head doctor prior to any future procedures. Pat was breathing easy and they had removed the ill placed stomach tube in the night. Pulse and respiration's good and strong. Drainage from the pleural cavity is steady and slow. The volume of fluid is a mystery to most of the staff and they need to keep the drain in for a few more days in hopes the volume continues to slow. We found Pat awake and peddling her air bicycle. These motions she goes through on her own are nonstop at times and much like peddling a bike on her back. We have taken the opportunity when she is like this to work with her to add resistance for some strength training and specific motions to simulate walking. Jeff the nurse mentioned that she had been awake since 3 am and had been peddling all morning. Thats a long ride. Break here,,,, fell asleep and could not continue.. It's Friday morning and we just stopped for gas in Park City on our way to start another day. Typing in the van and yesterday seems like just a couple hours ago. So Yesterday.... After the work out the Physical Therapy Crew headed by Randy arrived and prepared Pat for a little stroll. We had been telling Pat all morning that we were going to take a walk and to get ready. Randy and one other lady sat Pat up, swung her around to the edge of the bed, feet on floor. She was trying very hard to keep her own head up and with a little help was able to do a pretty good job. One, two, three, UP....and she's off. OUTSTANDING !!! With Randy and Jody at her side, slowly working her way out the door. When Pat saw she was out of the room the pace picked. She really had the idea and was carrying her own weight all the way. Jody asked Randy if he was holding her up because she had no weight support herself, just helping her balance. Pat had her eyes wide and a very determined look as she boldly walked to the end of the first nurses counter almost 40 feet away....... I was overcome and was crying like a baby, taking pictures as fast as the camera would allow. Absolutely beautiful.! At the end of the walk she looked exhilarated, proud, and ready for more. We had a rolling office chair ready and sat her down for the trip back to Room 10 where she sat in an upright chair for the next half hour. After a brief rest in bed we worked out with the hand and foot lotion. When I commented that these socks the hospital gave her already had holes in them, she smiled some. Then immediately after I was telling her that I thought I would go and find me a blue suit like the nurses wear and go see if I could find some other folks to take care of. That brought a very funny face, all puckered up and frowning like she was saying "Wrong". Mid afternoon and it was time to prep her for the stomach tube, this time through her nose and the location verified by an Xray to be sure they going to put Pat's new meals right where they want them. Larry and I took a nap in the hallway, Larry sitting in the chair, me on the floor, both asleep in seconds. Jeff woke us about 45 minutes later with the news Pat was ready and all went well. The tube comes out her right nostril and is held in place with one staple to her cheek, and taped in place over that. The connection for the food line resting next to her ear. Pat didn't seem annoyed at all. Could be because we had been telling her all day that after this was complete we were going to take a tour outside. With bags packed, Jeff had cleared the way with all the doctors, we rolled right on out the front doors, stopping only for a minute in the main entry put a new sun hat on, some Revo's, and take a picture. As it turned out we were in front of all the bus schedules on the wall and I asked Pat which bus she wanted to take, and with a grin out the door we went. Instantly Pat had a great look on her face as the Sun was out and a slight breeze in the air...... must have felt wonderful after 34 days inside.. We found a place around the corner from the entry and near some trees and set up shop there. We took lots of group pictures, talked about suncreeen and sitting on the beach, and Pat was so relaxed that she looked like she was on a tropical island. When I said I was going to lift her skirt and tan her legs she gave us a look like saying "you Boy's stop that"... We were out for about 20 minutes and would have stayed a little longer but a helicopter was heading in for a landing and we needed to get back inside. Whew...... big day.. Pat was exhausted, we were too, and we decided to call it an early night at about 7 pm... I'm here in the hospital parking lot finishing this up and will send it out when I get upstairs...... Hope you all are well and happy....we are. Love,, Bill