Family Briefing — Susan

• Susan remains admitted at Cedar Memorial Hospital on a monitored unit (6 West Surg PCU, Room E412 / Bed 02).
• Main issues being treated: aspiration‑related lung irritation/infection (from reflux/vomiting) + dehydration after several days of very low fluid intake.
• A swallow study was completed and did not show aspiration during the test; she is now allowed clear liquids/water by mouth, with safety precautions and a slow advance as tolerated.
• The heart “stress” marker (troponin) that rose on admission has started to come down; an echocardiogram showed normal heart pumping function, which is reassuring.
• Tube placement was checked (J‑tube looks positioned), PT has had her walking in the hallways, and the family has started early discharge planning for tomorrow or Monday if she stays stable.

This is NOT a diagnosis. It is an Averyn interpretation of a subset of information visible in the hospital portal/notes to help family understand urgency. Right now, she appears clinically stable (room air, stable blood pressure) and showing some reassuring movement (infection marker improved, troponin trending down, echo reassuring). The next 24–48 hours still matter mainly to confirm the lungs continue improving and that she can safely take in enough fluids/nutrition without aspiration.

As of the morning of Jan 4, things look cautiously improving with treatment underway — but there are still a few key areas the team is watching closely.

• Ongoing breathing checks (watching for any new oxygen needs).
• Daily repeat labs (CBC + electrolytes/kidney panel) to track hydration, infection markers, and anemia.
• Final culture results (blood/urine) to confirm the infection plan.
• A clear feeding plan for the next 24–48 hours (clear liquids → pureed, plus how tube feeding fits in).
• Antibiotic plan + discharge‑readiness decision after daily hospitalist rounds.

• Gastroenterology (GI) — overseeing stent tolerance + safe restart of liquids.
• Nutrition / dietitian — severe weight loss/malnutrition; helping plan calories + hydration safely.
• Speech‑swallow therapy — completed swallow study; guiding safe oral intake and strategies.
• Physical/occupational therapy — PT has her walking; goal is safe mobility and endurance for discharge.
• Palliative care (AIM) — often involved for symptom support (pain/nausea), not necessarily end‑of‑life.

• Chest X‑ray — showed right‑sided lung changes concerning for pneumonia/aspiration.
• CT chest/abdomen — no pulmonary embolism; showed aspiration‑type lung changes and fluid sitting above the esophageal stent (aspiration risk).
• Additional tests (Jan 3): feeding‑tube check X‑ray (tube positioned; constipation noted), swallow X‑ray (no aspiration seen; clear liquids allowed), and echocardiogram (normal heart pumping).

It’s still too early to know an exact discharge date, but today’s information points toward a shorter stay than initially feared — as long as breathing stays stable and a safe feeding/hydration plan is in place.

• Earliest plausible: later today (Sunday) or Monday, if she remains stable on room air, continues tolerating clear liquids/tube feeding, and the team is comfortable with the antibiotic plan.
• More likely: Monday (or early in the week) to confirm stability over another 24 hours and finalize a safe feeding/hydration plan + discharge services.
• Longer possible: several more days (or longer) if lung inflammation worsens, oxygen becomes needed, feeding can’t be stabilized, or another complication appears.

Susan, Linda, and Don have begun discussing discharge needs; PT is already working on walking goals, and Linda may bring Susan’s dental partials to help when the diet advances beyond liquids.

The care team will generally look for: stable breathing, improving infection signs, controlled pain/nausea, a workable nutrition/hydration plan, and safe mobility. Specialist goals noted so far include PT building safe hallway walking (with a walker, working toward independence) and speech therapy guiding a gradual transition from clear liquids to pureed foods with swallowing precautions (partials can help with chewing when solids restart).

• Next check‑in: today (after hospitalist rounds) we’ll confirm overnight progress with clear liquids/water, the antibiotic plan, feeding plan (clear liquids → pureed), mobility targets, and updated discharge timing.
• We’ll send another briefing after the next early‑morning labs (often ~5–7 AM) and after the hospitalist note posts (often late morning/early afternoon), or sooner if a major update posts (culture results, diet change, new imaging).

• Feeding instructions (tube feeds and/or soft diet guidance)
• Medication changes
• Warning signs to watch for at home
• Follow-up appointments and next steps

Included for family members who prefer more detail. Values below reflect initial ED results (Jan 2) and early inpatient repeats (Jan 3 morning) visible in the portal, plus key tests posted since then (swallow study, feeding‑tube check, echocardiogram).