This morning I spoke with Dr. Morgan in the ICU. Dr. Morgan is a pulmonologist fellow, which is a doctor accepted into an advanced specialty training program that deals with diseases of the lungs and the respiratory tract. Fellows evaluate and care for pulmonary patients under the direct supervision of an attending pulmonologist. Dr. Morgan said that Pop is about the same as he was last night, but that he had taken “a few steps back” yesterday as a result of a secondary infection. The lab results came back overnight identifying the secondary infection and the doctors have broadened the spectrum of antibiotics to treat it. They believe this infection was responsible for his fever last night and had caused his breathing to be labored.

Dr. Morgan also said Pop’s renal output had slowed and that the diuretic Lasix did not seem to be effective at increasing it. However, she said that this is a normal side effect of a secondary infection and that they will remove excess fluid through dialysis today. The current plan is to move forward with the tracheotomy this afternoon, provided he doesn’t suffer any additional setbacks. Dr. Hirokawa, the surgeon who will be performing the tracheotomy, will be consulting with the medical staff in the ICU this afternoon and then making the decision as to whether the “trach” can be safely done given Pop’s condition at that time. The doctors firmly believe that a tracheotomy will help improve his respiratory function significantly.