Mom remains on the vent today. They took her completely off sedation (same story, different day) to check her lungs and her stamina as it relates to her breathing. They monitored her today... watching the depth of her breaths, frequency, and her ability to not "tucker out." I spent quite a bit of time in her room today, just sitting with her, hoping it would help her relax. I'm never sure if it helps or makes her more agitated, having any of us there and not being able to talk to us. Her nurse said she's doing well with her breathing today, but that she's "right on the fence", so she expects her to be extubated tomorrow. I guess each day she's doing better with the testing, but she's got a tiny bit more to go before getting the tube out. So, tomorrow, we'll do all this again.
I went to the doctor yesterday for a follow up and seem to be healing, although I'm still not 100%. He told me that my bruises are in the exact same places as Mom's, and that the only reason I didn't have the injuries she had was because my bones are stronger. I had been thinking that she had more impact because of the steering wheel, pedals, etc., but he said Mom's only break from any of those things was her thumb, which broke b/c of the steering wheel. Now that I look at my bruises, I see where the dashboard hit me just at the knees, exactly where Mom's were hit, which caused her femurs to fracture. Whew... just more info to process.
More updates to come, as always.
love,
jennifer
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Out of Surgery.....
Hey Everybody,
Mom made it through surgery tonight, so that's all the surgery for now. Dr Coufal fixed her right ankle and left foot. She remains on the vent tube as her lungs are not yet strong enough to breathe on her own. Her doctor will try again tomorrow to wean her from the vent, so Jen, Heather and I will go in to help her focus on her breathing and get past this. I know the vent, neck collar and lack of communication are so hard for her. It's hard for us as well, and we will be grateful for the chance to talk to her soon. A pleasant side note is that Heather, Jennifer and I have been having fun together. I'm glad we get along!
Love,
Geoff
Mom made it through surgery tonight, so that's all the surgery for now. Dr Coufal fixed her right ankle and left foot. She remains on the vent tube as her lungs are not yet strong enough to breathe on her own. Her doctor will try again tomorrow to wean her from the vent, so Jen, Heather and I will go in to help her focus on her breathing and get past this. I know the vent, neck collar and lack of communication are so hard for her. It's hard for us as well, and we will be grateful for the chance to talk to her soon. A pleasant side note is that Heather, Jennifer and I have been having fun together. I'm glad we get along!
Love,
Geoff
Big Day
Geoff and I went to see Mom this morning. Her doctor wants to get her off the vent prior to surgery, so she is off all sedation at this point. He thinks it's better to take her off and just use a temporary breathing tube for the surgery, so, when she's out of surgery, she's off the vent. They are doing some breathing tests on her this morning to make sure she is taking deep enough breaths. I told her she was being tested and Geoff and I worked with her on taking slow, deep breaths. She seemed to be doing a good job at this, as much as she can stay relaxed.
As most of you know, my mom has a ton of energy, and when we got to her room this morning, she had squirmed so much that one of her legs was off the bed. The nurses quickly repositioned her. I told her that she wasn't quite ready for dancing yet.
Mom's surgery has been rescheduled to 4:30PM today, which can always change depending on cancellations or additions to her surgeon's schedule.
We'll keep you posted after surgery.
As most of you know, my mom has a ton of energy, and when we got to her room this morning, she had squirmed so much that one of her legs was off the bed. The nurses quickly repositioned her. I told her that she wasn't quite ready for dancing yet.
Mom's surgery has been rescheduled to 4:30PM today, which can always change depending on cancellations or additions to her surgeon's schedule.
We'll keep you posted after surgery.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Rounding a corner
Today was met with some progress for Mom. It started when I called the hospital this morning and asked her nurse, Chris, how Mom was doing. It was the first time I had heard "good" as a response to that question. She said they had stopped Mom's sedation in order to wean her off the vent. Geoff went into SF to do some work and Heather and I headed to the hospital. Mom was very alert and her eyes were clearer than I had seen them since the accident. It was great to be with her free from the sedation, but, at the same time, it was difficult, as she seemed to get more agitated not being able to talk to us and not having the sedation to relax her. They have been giving her some anti-anxiety medication to take the edge off, since taking off the sedation.
Dr. Coufal, mom's orthopedic surgeon, has scheduled her next two surgeries for tomorrow. She goes in at 2:30 to have her right ankle and left foot fixed. After that, the remaining surgery will be a bone graft in no less than 3 months. Once they complete tomorrow's surgeries, they should be able to take her off the vent relatively quickly. Today, they had her doing most of her own breathing in order to strengthen and check her lungs, and all seemed to be going well. They gave her a transfusion this evening when we were there, and will put her back on the vent and sedation tonight, in order to get her rested and ready for surgery tomorrow.
Looking ahead, once the remove the vent, they will do a "swallow test", which, if passed, will lead to removal of the feeding tube. Once she gets the tubes out of her mouth and can verbally tell the doctors that her neck doesn't hurt, they can take off the neck brace she's been wearing since the accident. Getting the tubes out and the neck brace off will be huge for her, allowing her to move more freely and to communicate.
We will be there to see her tomorrow pre-surgery, then head to my doctor's appointment at 3:30 to check my injuries. We will post an update to the blog as soon as we get the results after her surgery.
Keep the prayers and healing energy coming. Tomorrow will be a big day.
Dr. Coufal, mom's orthopedic surgeon, has scheduled her next two surgeries for tomorrow. She goes in at 2:30 to have her right ankle and left foot fixed. After that, the remaining surgery will be a bone graft in no less than 3 months. Once they complete tomorrow's surgeries, they should be able to take her off the vent relatively quickly. Today, they had her doing most of her own breathing in order to strengthen and check her lungs, and all seemed to be going well. They gave her a transfusion this evening when we were there, and will put her back on the vent and sedation tonight, in order to get her rested and ready for surgery tomorrow.
Looking ahead, once the remove the vent, they will do a "swallow test", which, if passed, will lead to removal of the feeding tube. Once she gets the tubes out of her mouth and can verbally tell the doctors that her neck doesn't hurt, they can take off the neck brace she's been wearing since the accident. Getting the tubes out and the neck brace off will be huge for her, allowing her to move more freely and to communicate.
We will be there to see her tomorrow pre-surgery, then head to my doctor's appointment at 3:30 to check my injuries. We will post an update to the blog as soon as we get the results after her surgery.
Keep the prayers and healing energy coming. Tomorrow will be a big day.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Analyzing Illusions...
I have had some crushing experiences in my life. Most of you know about them, and if you don't, buy me a coke sometime. Tonight was a breakdown for me. I have spent the last several days keeping tabs, organizing and analyzing, calculating and tracking progress. Is mom's fever up or down? How's the respiratory rate? Heart rate? How was the morning X-ray? What calls need to be made?
Tonight, looking at mom squirming in her bed with a breathing tube, lines of staples across her knees, 3 pumps, countless tubes, the little bit of tape adhesive by her lip, her leg moving slowly up and down on the machine - I just lost it. I all of a sudden saw the last picture I took of my mom in my mind.
It was taken at a gas station in SF as we were leaving town. I had gone to get us sandwiches and had bought mom a Kombucha drink. She was drinking it in the car at the station when I walked over with my camera to snap a shot. The bikes were on top of the car, it had party supplies inside, and mom was looking the part of California recreation. "Hey mom, looks like you are headed out for a fun weekend. Going to do a little biking?" She didn't say anything, but she held up her drink - I think she sees the Kombucha as a bit special, since she only has it here - and smiled a smile that told me she wouldn't be anywhere else. She has this whimsical way about her that is so endearing - you might have noticed!
I took the pic, with Jen leaning in from the passenger seat. I saw it in my mind tonight and I realized that I had forgotten who mom is. I have been spending so much energy keeping track that I forgot that my mom has been devastated. All the small bits of progress - her stable condition, the past surgeries, etc... - didn't matter a damn when I held that picture up against my mom lying in a hospital bed struggling and scared, the next two years of her life spent recovering from this senseless and tragic crime.
Remembering my mom as the person she is cracked through the walls of intellectualization and I broke. I love my mom dearly, and will continue to work for her recovery, but I have to remember who she is and what has happened to her. I had been hanging onto any small progress, however illusory, so much that I lost sight of the real picture. I had been looking so far into the future that I had shut myself off from the present.
This is going to be a long process. There is no way that I can adequately express the gratitude that I feel for the support that has been given us. It is huge to know that we have so many incredible people who care about mom, and about the rest of us. I hope I never have the chance to repay in a like fashion, but know you have my undying gratitude.
As for a "real" update, mom is about the same. She was agitated and restless tonight, and I had the nurse give her some Ativan for anxiety. They are looking at weaning her off the vent, but the surgery on her foot and ankle might happen this week, so it's hard to tell how things will happen. We have a list of things to handle tomorrow around her insurance, the police report, doctor's follow-ups and some guitar repair. I almost forgot that I own a business...
Love,
Geoff
Tonight, looking at mom squirming in her bed with a breathing tube, lines of staples across her knees, 3 pumps, countless tubes, the little bit of tape adhesive by her lip, her leg moving slowly up and down on the machine - I just lost it. I all of a sudden saw the last picture I took of my mom in my mind.
It was taken at a gas station in SF as we were leaving town. I had gone to get us sandwiches and had bought mom a Kombucha drink. She was drinking it in the car at the station when I walked over with my camera to snap a shot. The bikes were on top of the car, it had party supplies inside, and mom was looking the part of California recreation. "Hey mom, looks like you are headed out for a fun weekend. Going to do a little biking?" She didn't say anything, but she held up her drink - I think she sees the Kombucha as a bit special, since she only has it here - and smiled a smile that told me she wouldn't be anywhere else. She has this whimsical way about her that is so endearing - you might have noticed!
I took the pic, with Jen leaning in from the passenger seat. I saw it in my mind tonight and I realized that I had forgotten who mom is. I have been spending so much energy keeping track that I forgot that my mom has been devastated. All the small bits of progress - her stable condition, the past surgeries, etc... - didn't matter a damn when I held that picture up against my mom lying in a hospital bed struggling and scared, the next two years of her life spent recovering from this senseless and tragic crime.
Remembering my mom as the person she is cracked through the walls of intellectualization and I broke. I love my mom dearly, and will continue to work for her recovery, but I have to remember who she is and what has happened to her. I had been hanging onto any small progress, however illusory, so much that I lost sight of the real picture. I had been looking so far into the future that I had shut myself off from the present.
This is going to be a long process. There is no way that I can adequately express the gratitude that I feel for the support that has been given us. It is huge to know that we have so many incredible people who care about mom, and about the rest of us. I hope I never have the chance to repay in a like fashion, but know you have my undying gratitude.
As for a "real" update, mom is about the same. She was agitated and restless tonight, and I had the nurse give her some Ativan for anxiety. They are looking at weaning her off the vent, but the surgery on her foot and ankle might happen this week, so it's hard to tell how things will happen. We have a list of things to handle tomorrow around her insurance, the police report, doctor's follow-ups and some guitar repair. I almost forgot that I own a business...
Love,
Geoff
Day 12... really?
Wow. Day 12 already. Very hard to believe.
Today wasn't marked by much movement. Mom remains stable on the ventilator. The swelling in her legs is continuing to go down. I put a call in to her orthopedic surgeon today to see if they might be able to go ahead with the remaining surgeries (right ankle, left foot) soon, since the swelling is going down. The original plan was to complete all surgeries and remove the vent post-surgery once and for all, so I'm wondering if they can go back to that plan, since she's not quite ready to have the vent removed, due to some remaining congestion in her lungs.
When Geoff and I visited mom this morning, she was awake and alert. We have learned that it's best for us to be mellow and to just stand next to her bed, holding her hand or stroking her forehead. We've been missing talking to her so much that we run in there telling her all the day's news when she's awake, which can tend to agitate her (I'm assuming b/c she can't yak it up with us). It's been working out a lot better to just whisper to her that she's doing great and that we love her and to allow her to remain calm. Anyway, this morning, she was moving her legs from side to side on her own, which we hadn't seen her do before. She was just rocking them back and forth, as if she had just realized that she can control them. It was nice to see some self-generated movement from her.
We went back to see her this afternoon and she was sleeping. We'll go back again before visiting hours are over today.
I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone for all of the support. The e-mails, phone calls, posts to the blog, monetary donations, etc. are all so appreciated and encourage us to keep moving forward.
We're learning a lot of stuff that we never cared to know about, but we want to be sure we are educated about all that is happening with Mom. There are so many facets to this ordeal - from health care, to insurance, to felony convictions and preliminary hearings. It's a lot to deal with.
Anyway, thanks again for all of the support. We are so fortunate to be loved and cared for by such amazing family and friends.
It's Geoff's turn to do the next update, so watch for it tonight or tomorrow.
Today wasn't marked by much movement. Mom remains stable on the ventilator. The swelling in her legs is continuing to go down. I put a call in to her orthopedic surgeon today to see if they might be able to go ahead with the remaining surgeries (right ankle, left foot) soon, since the swelling is going down. The original plan was to complete all surgeries and remove the vent post-surgery once and for all, so I'm wondering if they can go back to that plan, since she's not quite ready to have the vent removed, due to some remaining congestion in her lungs.
When Geoff and I visited mom this morning, she was awake and alert. We have learned that it's best for us to be mellow and to just stand next to her bed, holding her hand or stroking her forehead. We've been missing talking to her so much that we run in there telling her all the day's news when she's awake, which can tend to agitate her (I'm assuming b/c she can't yak it up with us). It's been working out a lot better to just whisper to her that she's doing great and that we love her and to allow her to remain calm. Anyway, this morning, she was moving her legs from side to side on her own, which we hadn't seen her do before. She was just rocking them back and forth, as if she had just realized that she can control them. It was nice to see some self-generated movement from her.
We went back to see her this afternoon and she was sleeping. We'll go back again before visiting hours are over today.
I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone for all of the support. The e-mails, phone calls, posts to the blog, monetary donations, etc. are all so appreciated and encourage us to keep moving forward.
We're learning a lot of stuff that we never cared to know about, but we want to be sure we are educated about all that is happening with Mom. There are so many facets to this ordeal - from health care, to insurance, to felony convictions and preliminary hearings. It's a lot to deal with.
Anyway, thanks again for all of the support. We are so fortunate to be loved and cared for by such amazing family and friends.
It's Geoff's turn to do the next update, so watch for it tonight or tomorrow.
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