Driving Miss Daisy

Not anymore.  Today was her first day behind the steering wheel.  Went for a little drive around the neighborhood.  So, that's the goal for this week - driving.  Part of this goal involves a cognitive evaluation on Wednesday.
Next week is her visit she has another CT Scan and visit with the neurosurgeon.

Another Trip to Therapy

She continues to improve.  We went to occupational therapy again today.  They retested her upper body strength.  Improved from last week: she back in normal range.  More complex dexterity tests this week .  She finished well within normal times.
Waiting for appointments now with Neuro surgeon and physician.  She is still getting pressure behind right eye which gives constant headache.  Still some control issue with upper lip, has a mind of it's own.  Lip issues seems to be diminishing with time.  Still struggling with short term memory although this is improving.  It is still better than mine.  I thought we were going to be equals for a while, but not so.
Leg pain reducing, agility returning slowly.

Will add one more update next Monday.

Almost the Last Post

For those who have come back just a quick update after being home for a week.  Today we went for her Neuro evaluation.  She has lost very little overall.  These a little facial movement and her hand writing in not as fluid.  However, I have seen improvements in the last week.  She is walking about a mile at a time now.  Has stopped the pain killers.  Big improvements this week.  She is practicing the harp, fingers not as fluid at the moment but improving.  The routine at the moment is: sleep, eat, walk. 
Will make another post in a week.

Last Post

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your thoughts, prayers, fasting, and interest.  There has been a tremendous out pouring. 
She is home and recovering.  Today we have been on 2 walks in the neighborhood.  She walked a lot further than I thought she would, 10 minutes each.  So far her temperature has behaved itself today. She is taking naps with some good deep sleep.  We are managing the pain in her back and legs.  The pain is subsiding, all be it very slowly.  She still has no recollection of the first week in ICU starting from the point she was wheeled in to the ER.
We feel fortunate and blessed to be walking away from this relatively unscathed.  This could have played out so very different.

• That Friday she had returned from a week in Indiana. 
• The following week she was scheduled to work in Ohio.
• She was loosing her vision as I was talking her through pulling off the freeway. Had it been 10 minutes later I would have been on my way to California and she would have been driving on the freeway alone.  
• We were at the hospital within about 25 minutes.
• The medical staff were right there.
• It was not a massive bleed.
• We had some great nurses who were on the ball when life threatening events happened and the physicians and surgeon were there to take care of the necessary procedures and adjust treatment plans.
• She was not willing to give up even when things get really tough with all the ups and downs.
• We had tremendous support from all of you.

As time passes and we understand more about what, how, when this happened, and how it impacted our life and others we will see our Heavenly Father's hand at work.  Having spent a week in the ICU with my niece from Scotland who was in a fatal car accident in California this February and now living this experience with my wife, life is different.  I've read about this type of difference before but now I feel it.

I am so grateful she is alive. 

I'm sure you will start seeing her and hearing from her within next few weeks or months as she recovers and is more active.

Here's a few blog stats:

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Pageviews by Countries

United States        2,920 United Kingdom       150 Canada                     36 Chile                         10 China                          4 Germany                     4 Barbados                    2 Hong Kong                 1 Japan                          1

HOME AT LAST

She was discharged from hospital this afternoon about 2pm.  She has a little anxiety not having the medical staff around after everything that she has been through the last two weeks.  The fever came again late this afternoon.  I asked about this before she was discharged.  The fevers are not unusual for this type of injury.  The brain decides it should have a fever, so it does.  We keep her cool and give her some Tylenol and her temperature is down within a couple of hours.

Here are the discharge orders:

• Low water intake and salt tablets for the next two weeks (helps the brain heal)
• No driving for two weeks
• Outpatient therapy for speech and short-term memory (I think it is coming back fast. Big improvements today.  Helps when they let you sleep)
• Limited visitors for the next two weeks and absolutely no group visits (sorry people)
• Continue to exercise lungs for next four weeks
• Follow up visit in four weeks
• Start building up stamina - slowly

Will make a final posting tomorrow when I'm a little more alert.  The blog has been viewed from 9 different countries.  Will post more details tomorrow.

Good Day Yesterday and Looking Better

Yesterday was an up day and today she is up and walking.  Appetite is coming back.  Another fever during the night.  Fevers are getting shorter, just a couple of hours now.  Her temperature rises to 101 and then drops again.  She is staying awake for longer periods of time.

They will be assessing outpatient therapy needs today.  They are looking at speech and short term memory.  I see just small changes here.  For me it is hard to tell. With the sleep deprivation, meds and constant headache it's hard to tell if these are masking any real changes to her speech or memory.

Calum

Many have had concern for Calum and wanted to know how he is doing.  I talked to Calum about 8 days ago and have emailed him since.  He is naturally concerned for his mother but very calm and has great faith. He is working hard and can not believe how fast the time is going. He was telling me how much he loves it in Chile and being with the people there.

Fever Pattern

It appears she is in a fever pattern.  Her temperature rises in the afternoon until the early morning hours although the amount of time it lasts seems to be reducing, i.e., midnight last night .  Some of the lab results are coming back and all have been negative for infections.  There is still one more lab result to come back tomorrow.  She is still on a fluid restriction of 2 litres per day.  This is to keep the sodium levels up to help the brain heal.
Think we may get to go home this week, a little earlier than originally thought.  She really has done well.  Would just like to get rid of the daily fever.  Will let you know when they give her a discharge date.  A little nervous about going home after such a traumatic event.

Saturday Night Fever

I decided to stayed overnight as she was still running a fever. The nurses we threatening to ice her down if the fever did not break. The fever broke around midnight :) . She was able to settle down and get some sleep.  She was looking much better this morning, eating much of her breakfast.  They are running more lab tests to find he site of infection.  Would like to stop this recurring fever.

Fever is Back

Last night she had double vision and nausea for a while.  This is not a good sign as it is a symptom of pressure build up in the head.  The results from the CT Scan were negative: no sign of pressure, vessels look good and amount of blood from bleed reducing.

However, the fever is back.  They are sending samples to the lab to try and determine where the infection is.
Seems like we just go back and forth.  Two steps forward one step back.

Out of ICU

She is out of ICU now. A big step forward.

However, we ask the you not visit just yet. 

We still have family and grandchildren that have not been able to she her while in the ICU.  She is still very fragile and not really up to visits.  I know it is hard not to visit and you would like to come cheer her up and make her feel better. Right now it is rest that is going to help the most.  It is just going to take time, more than any of us would like.  I will keep you posted on her ability to take visitors.

Rough Night

Did not sleep well at all last night so very tired today and sleeping.
They took her for another CT Scan this morning, have not go the results back.

Big Improvements

Big improvements today.  Can see her improving by the hour.  Therapist wants to come back and check her eye sight one more time.

After the Shampoo

Site of Drain - Lower Mark

Cooling Off

Temperature is down this morning, almost normal.  Getting some color (colour) back in her face. Will be going for her first shower in a few minutes.  First order of business - wash out the GREEN, no rinse, hair shampoo. 
She said: "this is a drag, 2 hours seems like 2 weeks."