Saturday

Dear Burk,
I did the morning shift again today.  Large McDonald's Diet Coke in hand.  I smiled as I walked in with it. Because if you could speak, you would certainly lecture me about drinking Diet Coke.  Pretty rich coming from you.  You always thought you were so funny.
They also had country music playing loudly on the TV in your room.  I told them punk rock was more your style.  Stuff with lots of screaming and words you can't understand.  They don't have that on the hospital TV's.  Sorry.  I tried.  I did turn off the country music, however.
You are exhausted from yesterday.  You're moving much less.  Though still manipulating that right wrist to free yourself.  They had to put an entire arm restraint on you so you wouldn't hurt the only "healthy" limb you have.  I can tell from slight movements in your face this makes you really mad.
You don't open your eyes the whole time I'm there.  Steven comes in to check on you.  He's still at the hospital.  I joke with him about making life decisions for my brother on such little sleep.  He looks hammered.  He talks to you first when he comes in the room.  Every time.  He tells you what's going on and what the plan is.  Then he answers our questions.  He's still disappointed he had to put the breathing tube back in.
We seem to be back where we started, and worse.  Your electrolyte issues are a problem.  They call it "refeeding" (something like that) which is something anorexic people get and alcoholics (at least that's what I gathered).  You are malnourished.  They're trying to correct that.  You've got other issues with the detox but I couldn't keep track of all the terms.
They're also concerned about infection.  This could be deadly.  They're monitoring that closely.  You still have a fever.  Your room is still freezing.  I was smart and brought a heavy sweatshirt this time.
Your left arm is huge and swollen.  You don't move it at all.  Your right leg is also bruised from the foot to the knee.  It looks like it hurts.  Bad.  You still move it around alot.  I try to tell you not to.  You don't listen.  Or you don't hear.
The ultrasound tech came to look for blood clots.  None.  Yet.  You didn't like him.  It was the most movement you made all morning.
You have a feeding tube in your nose.  They somehow tied it around your nostrils so you couldn't pull it out (if ever given the opportunity).  If you try, it will hurt.  Really bad.  So don't try.
Today, they're keeping you sedated.  They're trying to manage your pain which is hard when you can't tell them you hurt.  I told them your thresh-hold was probably higher than the average person so they probably needed to give you a little more.  You're welcome.  It'll be one of the few times I try to convince someone to give you more pain meds.  Enjoy it while it lasts.
Steven also asked more about you and your life.  He was fishing for info.  We gave him a small history.  Somewhere along the way he had heard you just broke up with a girl friend.  I laughed.  Where does stuff like that even get started.  Rumors.  You always hated people who gossip.  We set the record straight.  Although I'm very curious where that one started.
Your nurses have been amazing.  You're very lucky.  They are kind to you and are taking very good care of you.
You had another CT scan this morning.  I'm waiting to hear the results.  The nurse said it looked like the swelling may be a little worse but she's not the expert on reading those.
You will probably be getting surgery on your shoulder and ankle early next week.  They wanted to wait until you were more stable.  And the two doctors who will be doing it were running Ragnar this weekend.  Priorities.
Tomorrow is Father's Day.  Poor dad.  Maybe you could give him a little present and show some signs of improvement.  See what you can do.