Finally, at about 5:00 AM, he’s not able to breathe well enough to keep his blood oxygenated. While the blood oxygen isn’t critically low, he is behaving as if it is; he’s seeing Vikings and other manner of people that aren’t. Of course, with such a cocktail of drugs and poisons circulating through his brain, an induced chemical imbalance could also account for the visions. But there’s no denying the labor of his breathing, and the amount of effort Aaron is expending to stay alive. He seems to be focused (when not confused and hallucinogenic) on breathing…eyes closed, intense, suddenly asleep, awake again a minute later. He need’s help.
Help comes by way of a tube down the throat directly into the lungs and hooked up to an air pump that forces oxygen directly into his lungs.
Getting the tube into the lungs is a problem…. it goes down wrong; the chemo enhanced nausea needs but a tickle and the air tube fills with whatever was in his stomach.
Second time’s a charm; Aaron is sedated and the ventilator is working. But things aren’t going well. To get a more real-time assessment of his situation, a Swan-Gans probe is inserted is inserted into the atrium of the heart. Another probe is inserted into an artery. These give immediate feedback to better manage the crisis.
The cancer, previously confirmed to be [sic]
