I haven't updated you recently because there hasn't been much change to report. Mike has been doing well. He still has limited strength and movement in his left arm and is still work to regain full strength in his right. But, overall he has been doing well and has been able to visit Carolyn at the nursing home on a daily basis.
Yesterday Carolyn had an appointment with a neurologist. We had thought that she should have seen a neurologist a long time ago but the doctors at RIOSA assured us that it wasn't necessary. After her move to Town & Country, her doctor recommended that she be seen to assess her progress and what her potential for continued progress will be.
Throughout this whole ordeal we have tried to be optomistic about recovery. We had several nurses, technicians, and even a doctor or two, tell us that the most progress (about 80%) will occur in the first 3 to 6 months. Then, you can expect to see continued, slow progress up to about a year. The neurologist said that he has seen progress made up until 3 years post-trauma. But, he agrees that most of the progress is made in the first 3 to 6 months. The doctor had some additional scans and tests done. Here are the details of the results.
Carolyn has numerous areas of scar tissue on her brain. There is even a very, very small spot of her brain that is missing (very small but is evident on the MRI). This is due to the extensive bleeding she had from the accident. The heaviest amount of scar tissue is located in the speech center of the brain. The doctor was actually surprised that she can speak as much as she does. He said that there really isn't much that he can do for her right now, other than track her progress and make sure she isn't regressing. As with all head injuries, it is very hard to tell what her ultimate condition will be but he led my sister to believe (from his comments) that any progress she makes over the next couple of years will most likely be minimal. Wow...that was hard to say.
We have asked for (and received) so many miracles along the way. It's difficult to think about the prospect of her needing nursing home level care indefinately. We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers that have been offered on Carolyn and Mike's behalf. All we can hope and pray for now is for those miracles to continue.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Quick Update
They have moved Carolyn from RIOSA. After many, many hours of searching, having evaluations done, and fighting with the insurance, Carolyn was moved to Town & Country Manor (in Boerne) a couple of days ago. I think they said she is on the West side in room 75a. From what I've been told she seems to be settling in well and still seems to be improving. Her recognition of people and names is improving and her conversations seems to be becoming more coherent. She still has some "bad" days and has quite a bit more progress to make physically but hopefully that should come with time. I'm sure she would appreciate as many visitors as she can get, especially since (at least for now) she doesn't have therapy consuming most of her day. Hopefully, since she is closer to everyone, it will make it a little more convenient. Thank you for all the visits that she has had and the time that everyone has taken to show your support.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Yet Another Move
Well Lara, my sister, went in for a regular visit with Carolyn and a much needed conversation with the social worker. Much to our surprise the social worker told Lara that the insurance had stopped covering Carolyn's care about a week prior and that we needed to transfer Carolyn tomorrow (this all happened last week). Needless to say we were taken by surprise. Especially since we had been trying to connect with Carolyn's social worker/ case manager for about three weeks. We're not sure what would have happened if Lara hadn't insisted on see the social worker when she did. As anyone who has visited Carolyn in the last few days can tell you, Carolyn is still at Healthsouth. We knew that she was probably going to need to be transferred to a long term skilled nursing facility sometime in the next few months so we had already started looking into them. We just had no idea that it would happen this quickly. We are trying to get her placed at Town & Country Manor in Boerne. She will need a private room because of her needs. They think there should be a room available within the next week. I'll post more information when I get it.
Now for an update on Carolyn herself. Apparently the physician overseeing her care decided to discontinue some of her medications about three weeks ago. We have been trying to speak to her doctor for about a month and have not had any of our calls or notes answered. We don't know why it was stopped because Carolyn had seemed to be responding well to it and since it has been stopped has shown some signs of slight regression. She has become a lot less cooperative with the therapists and nursing staff. Because she has not been doing well with therapy and had stopped progressing, the insurance felt that she was no longer benefiting from the rehab hospital. Once she is settle in a skilled nursing facility we will try to arrange for her to continue therapy. One of the reasons we are trying to get her in at Town & Country is that Carolyn's primary care physician (pre-accident) makes regular visits there. Hopefully, having a knowledge of Carolyn before the accident will help in her treatment. Physically Carolyn is doing OK, but to my knowledge, she hasn't seemed to make much more progress cognitively.
Mike was scheduled to go in and had his kidney stone taken care of yesterday. Unfortunately I have not been able to get a hold of him to see how he is doing. He has been receiving some at-home physical/occupational therapy and is continuing to improve. He also seems to be handling things better emotionally as well. I'll have to post another update for him as soon as I am able to get a hold of him.
Thanks to all who continue to support us and provide help to Mike and Carolyn. I continue to be amazed at the generosity of those around us.
Now for an update on Carolyn herself. Apparently the physician overseeing her care decided to discontinue some of her medications about three weeks ago. We have been trying to speak to her doctor for about a month and have not had any of our calls or notes answered. We don't know why it was stopped because Carolyn had seemed to be responding well to it and since it has been stopped has shown some signs of slight regression. She has become a lot less cooperative with the therapists and nursing staff. Because she has not been doing well with therapy and had stopped progressing, the insurance felt that she was no longer benefiting from the rehab hospital. Once she is settle in a skilled nursing facility we will try to arrange for her to continue therapy. One of the reasons we are trying to get her in at Town & Country is that Carolyn's primary care physician (pre-accident) makes regular visits there. Hopefully, having a knowledge of Carolyn before the accident will help in her treatment. Physically Carolyn is doing OK, but to my knowledge, she hasn't seemed to make much more progress cognitively.
Mike was scheduled to go in and had his kidney stone taken care of yesterday. Unfortunately I have not been able to get a hold of him to see how he is doing. He has been receiving some at-home physical/occupational therapy and is continuing to improve. He also seems to be handling things better emotionally as well. I'll have to post another update for him as soon as I am able to get a hold of him.
Thanks to all who continue to support us and provide help to Mike and Carolyn. I continue to be amazed at the generosity of those around us.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Long Overdue Update
Well, I'm not sure how many people are still checking this blog but I thought I would post an update anyway. I have to confess that it has become increasingly more difficult to put what is happening into words; as evidenced by my lack of posting updates. I think we had all hoped that Carolyn and Mike would be well into the recovery process by now and that most of the hard part would be behind them. Even though Carolyn's degree of functioning can be seen as nothing less than a miracle, she still can do very little to care for herself and her level of ability to communicate has seemed to significantly slow it's progression.
Carolyn can still talk. She seems to still go through little "windows" of awareness. She will answer some questions but most of her answers aren't always appropriate to the question. We're still hoping and praying that those windows will become more frequent and become longer as well. The doctors say that she will probably do well. We just don't know how their definition of well compares to ours. I'll post an update with more updates when I receive them.
Mike has been through a lot the past few weeks. He had his neck surgery about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The surgery went well even though I don't think he had as much of an immediate recovery of his range of motion as he had hoped. He will still need a great deal of physical therapy to regain his movement and strength. He was at Methodist hospital for about a week. He spent the following week at Healthsouth and was then discharged home. He had been home for about a week and was just admitted back to the hospital this last Monday. He has a kidney stone and upper respiratory infection. He has had a very rough time since he has been home and has needed and welcomed all of the help that he has received from friends and neighbors. He does not know how long he will be in the hospital but has been told by his doctor that he will have home health assistance once he gets discharged. Because of his surgery he is not supposed to drive for a couple of months and he shouldn't lift anything heavier than a milk carton for eight months. We hope that will get the treatment that he needs and regain his strength quickly.
There have been so many friends and neighbors to help (especially since Mike went home). We are extremely greatful for everything that has been done to help. None of us had any idea that this would be so hard. We are greatful for all of you that have tried to make it easier.
Carolyn can still talk. She seems to still go through little "windows" of awareness. She will answer some questions but most of her answers aren't always appropriate to the question. We're still hoping and praying that those windows will become more frequent and become longer as well. The doctors say that she will probably do well. We just don't know how their definition of well compares to ours. I'll post an update with more updates when I receive them.
Mike has been through a lot the past few weeks. He had his neck surgery about 2 1/2 weeks ago. The surgery went well even though I don't think he had as much of an immediate recovery of his range of motion as he had hoped. He will still need a great deal of physical therapy to regain his movement and strength. He was at Methodist hospital for about a week. He spent the following week at Healthsouth and was then discharged home. He had been home for about a week and was just admitted back to the hospital this last Monday. He has a kidney stone and upper respiratory infection. He has had a very rough time since he has been home and has needed and welcomed all of the help that he has received from friends and neighbors. He does not know how long he will be in the hospital but has been told by his doctor that he will have home health assistance once he gets discharged. Because of his surgery he is not supposed to drive for a couple of months and he shouldn't lift anything heavier than a milk carton for eight months. We hope that will get the treatment that he needs and regain his strength quickly.
There have been so many friends and neighbors to help (especially since Mike went home). We are extremely greatful for everything that has been done to help. None of us had any idea that this would be so hard. We are greatful for all of you that have tried to make it easier.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Sorry!!!
OK...so I'm really sorry that there has been such a gap in the posts. This time I have more of an excuse than just being busy. A few days after my last post both of my youngest boys got the stomach flu that is going around. Then, about the time they were getting over it, I had to go to the emergency room with what ended up being a very large kidney stone. I spent a couple of days in the hospital and had surgery to have the stone removed. I've been on quite a bit of pain medication. I probably could have posted something over the last day or so but was afraid that it may not have made much sense. So.....enough of my story, back to Carolyn and Mike.
The last couple of days have been pretty exciting for them. Carolyn has progressed enough that HealthSouth has accepted her for rehab. The most exciting part is that they were able to move her into Mike's room. I can't begin to express the joy that Mike had when he realized that she was his new roommate. The road is still long for Carolyn, but at least she is progressing.
Mike has decided to have the surgery on his spine. It is my understanding that it will take place in about two weeks. He will stay at the hospital for about two weeks then go back to HealthSouth. The hope and plan is for him to return home in less than three months. There hasn't been anything determined about Carolyn's time frame. I'm sure there are a lot more factors involved with her treatment.
I will continue to post information as I get it, but new information has slowed down some. So, please continue to check back here for updates. They just may not be as frequent as in the beginning.
We still continue to receive offers of help. They are all greatly appeciated, as is all of the help that we have already receieved. I can not even begin to imagine handling this situation without so much help. Thank you again!!!!!!!!
The last couple of days have been pretty exciting for them. Carolyn has progressed enough that HealthSouth has accepted her for rehab. The most exciting part is that they were able to move her into Mike's room. I can't begin to express the joy that Mike had when he realized that she was his new roommate. The road is still long for Carolyn, but at least she is progressing.
Mike has decided to have the surgery on his spine. It is my understanding that it will take place in about two weeks. He will stay at the hospital for about two weeks then go back to HealthSouth. The hope and plan is for him to return home in less than three months. There hasn't been anything determined about Carolyn's time frame. I'm sure there are a lot more factors involved with her treatment.
I will continue to post information as I get it, but new information has slowed down some. So, please continue to check back here for updates. They just may not be as frequent as in the beginning.
We still continue to receive offers of help. They are all greatly appeciated, as is all of the help that we have already receieved. I can not even begin to imagine handling this situation without so much help. Thank you again!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
GREAT News!!
First, Mike will be able to go to Lifecare tomorrow to visit Carolyn. Their anniversary is Valentine's Day so it will be even more special. He also hasn't seen her in about a month so they should have a good visit.
The "GREAT" news is that, after speaking with Lara and our cousin Carla, I was imformed that Carolyn is speaking. I know, you probably have the same reaction I did......WHAT?!!!!!(jaw-dropping open, tears in the eyes). In preparation for removing her trach the doctors have capped off her trach, so this allows her the ability to move air through the vocal cords. Now...like many things before this, she's not always consistent about it, but for us it's major progress. Most of what she has said are one or two word answers like "yes", "no", "ouch", or something like that. The answers do appear to be appropriate to the questions. Let's all hope and pray that she is lucid enough tomorrow to be able to respond to Mike. The doctors have their weekly meeting tomorrow so I will let everyone know if they have anything new to add to this. Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. It looks like they are really working!!!!!!
The "GREAT" news is that, after speaking with Lara and our cousin Carla, I was imformed that Carolyn is speaking. I know, you probably have the same reaction I did......WHAT?!!!!!(jaw-dropping open, tears in the eyes). In preparation for removing her trach the doctors have capped off her trach, so this allows her the ability to move air through the vocal cords. Now...like many things before this, she's not always consistent about it, but for us it's major progress. Most of what she has said are one or two word answers like "yes", "no", "ouch", or something like that. The answers do appear to be appropriate to the questions. Let's all hope and pray that she is lucid enough tomorrow to be able to respond to Mike. The doctors have their weekly meeting tomorrow so I will let everyone know if they have anything new to add to this. Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes. It looks like they are really working!!!!!!
Monday, February 11, 2008
After Weekend Visit
I got home yesturday afternoon from visiting Carolyn and Mike in San Antonio. My sister also talked with Carolyn's doctor today and got some encouraging words.
Mike, after several days of waiting and several phone calls, has been transferred back to HealthSouth. They are still waiting for his blood work to get back to a normal range so he can have his surgery. He seems to be in relatively good spirits and was happy to have us in town. Once he has the neurosurgery, he will stay at Methodist Hospital for about 2 weeks. Then he will go back to HealthSouth to complete his rehab. He has mentioned, several times, how greatful he is for all the visits, thoughts and prayers. He can get a little "down" sometimes (which is totally understandable considering the circumstances). Every visit, letter, and prayer helps those moments be a little less often.
Carolyn is improving. They have started her on a couple of new medications that seem to be working. She has been responding, occassionally, with a nod or a shake of her head, to questions that she is asked. Her answers seem appropriate to the questions. There are times when it appears that she is focusing on you as you talk to her. She is moving around even more. According to what the doctor has said, she can "see" and "hear" things but there is still a disconnect somewhere and she doesn't usually process what she is seeing and hearing correctly. She has smiled at some comments or jokes that have been made and has evened laughed a couple of times when others in the room have laughed. She has her eyes opened most of the time now, but she mostly still has a blank stare. The doctor has also said that he thinks that she will do well. He said it will be a very slow, very long process, but he is very pleased with her progress and response to the medications.
As those of you in Boerne may have noticed, we moved all of Carolyn's things out of the office this weekend. We still have all of the photos and negatives and files (25 years worth). Over the next few months we will be going through everything to make sure that it is all organized. We (Lara, Monte, Mike, and I) made the decision after several discussions. I know that it will be really difficult for some of you to see that space empty (I know it was for me), but please know that because of the circumstances, we felt it is for the best. This does not mean that Carolyn will never do photography again, but since we know that it will be many months until she will be capable of doing it, we want to simplify things as much as possible. Thank you to everyone who helped in the move and cleaning. We also are very thankful for all of those who have helped in so many other ways. This is never an easy situation for anyone but with so much help, love, and support it does make it more bearable. THANK YOU!!!!!
Mike, after several days of waiting and several phone calls, has been transferred back to HealthSouth. They are still waiting for his blood work to get back to a normal range so he can have his surgery. He seems to be in relatively good spirits and was happy to have us in town. Once he has the neurosurgery, he will stay at Methodist Hospital for about 2 weeks. Then he will go back to HealthSouth to complete his rehab. He has mentioned, several times, how greatful he is for all the visits, thoughts and prayers. He can get a little "down" sometimes (which is totally understandable considering the circumstances). Every visit, letter, and prayer helps those moments be a little less often.
Carolyn is improving. They have started her on a couple of new medications that seem to be working. She has been responding, occassionally, with a nod or a shake of her head, to questions that she is asked. Her answers seem appropriate to the questions. There are times when it appears that she is focusing on you as you talk to her. She is moving around even more. According to what the doctor has said, she can "see" and "hear" things but there is still a disconnect somewhere and she doesn't usually process what she is seeing and hearing correctly. She has smiled at some comments or jokes that have been made and has evened laughed a couple of times when others in the room have laughed. She has her eyes opened most of the time now, but she mostly still has a blank stare. The doctor has also said that he thinks that she will do well. He said it will be a very slow, very long process, but he is very pleased with her progress and response to the medications.
As those of you in Boerne may have noticed, we moved all of Carolyn's things out of the office this weekend. We still have all of the photos and negatives and files (25 years worth). Over the next few months we will be going through everything to make sure that it is all organized. We (Lara, Monte, Mike, and I) made the decision after several discussions. I know that it will be really difficult for some of you to see that space empty (I know it was for me), but please know that because of the circumstances, we felt it is for the best. This does not mean that Carolyn will never do photography again, but since we know that it will be many months until she will be capable of doing it, we want to simplify things as much as possible. Thank you to everyone who helped in the move and cleaning. We also are very thankful for all of those who have helped in so many other ways. This is never an easy situation for anyone but with so much help, love, and support it does make it more bearable. THANK YOU!!!!!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Day 38
Sorry again for the "break" in my posts. I've started this post several times and keep getting interupted. Lara had a meeting with everyone involved in Carolyn's care. They didn't have a lot of new information for us. I think the most significant thing was that, when asked about what to expect in her progress, they said the most progress is usually seen in the first 2-3 months. After that the progress is slower. So, we still have some time. I'm told that she hasn't really changed significantly over the last several days.
Mike will be transferred back to HealthSouth tomorrow (Tuesday). They are still trying to resolve his blood clot but don't want him to miss out on so many days of therapy. He will return to Methodist to have his neurosurgery once the blood clot has completely resolved and his bloodwork has returned to normal. He probably will not be in the same room at HealthSouth and I don't have his room number right now.
My bother, Monte, and I will be coming into town at the end of this week. We hope to visit Mike and Carolyn as much as possible, as well as try to tackle some of the issues needing to be resolved at Carolyn's office. We will only be able to stay for a few days but hopefully will be able to get a lot accomplished. This being said.....I will try to post one more update before I leave for Boerne, but won't be able to add anything more until at least Tuesday of next week. Please keep checking back. I may try to find a computer while I'm visiting to add a quick post.
Mike will be transferred back to HealthSouth tomorrow (Tuesday). They are still trying to resolve his blood clot but don't want him to miss out on so many days of therapy. He will return to Methodist to have his neurosurgery once the blood clot has completely resolved and his bloodwork has returned to normal. He probably will not be in the same room at HealthSouth and I don't have his room number right now.
My bother, Monte, and I will be coming into town at the end of this week. We hope to visit Mike and Carolyn as much as possible, as well as try to tackle some of the issues needing to be resolved at Carolyn's office. We will only be able to stay for a few days but hopefully will be able to get a lot accomplished. This being said.....I will try to post one more update before I leave for Boerne, but won't be able to add anything more until at least Tuesday of next week. Please keep checking back. I may try to find a computer while I'm visiting to add a quick post.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Day 33 Yet another hurdle!
I talked with Mike today. He was supposed to have surgery, yesterday, to correct the bulging discs in his spine and relieve some of the pressure being put on his spinal cord. He was admitted to Methodist (as planned) on Monday, but they found a blood clot in his left leg so he can't have the surgery until that is resolved. The doctors told Mike that it would probably be another week. The neurosurgeons said that they may even send him back to HealthSouth for a little while to make sure he doesn't have any lasting side effects from the treatment or blood clot. So, when we thought he would be discharged to home around the beginning of March, has turned into an additional two to three weeks because of the spinal surgery and then turned into an additional few weeks because of the blood clot. He is on quite a bit of pain medicine, so he's pretty groggy, but he can still have visitors.
He's at the main Methodist Hospital on Floyd Curl in Rm. 431 of the central tower.
He hasn't been able to see Carolyn since about a week before she was transferred, so I'm sure he would appreciate visitors. (Hopefully we can keep his spirits up through all of these additional trials).
Carolyn does seem to be improving (although VERY slowly and a LITTLE at a time). I have had additional reports of her squeezing some one's hand on command and seeming to "mouth" words like "ouch" in response to a physical pain. That being said......she still is not focusing on anything or anyone and her response to verbal commands is sparse at best. But, it is a good sign that she is progressing, even if it's just a fraction of an inch at a time. Lara will be meeting with the doctors at some point tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to get some more definitive information about her condition and prognosis. I'll try to post an update as soon as I get the information myself.
Thank you again for all of your prayers, thoughts, and support.
He's at the main Methodist Hospital on Floyd Curl in Rm. 431 of the central tower.
He hasn't been able to see Carolyn since about a week before she was transferred, so I'm sure he would appreciate visitors. (Hopefully we can keep his spirits up through all of these additional trials).
Carolyn does seem to be improving (although VERY slowly and a LITTLE at a time). I have had additional reports of her squeezing some one's hand on command and seeming to "mouth" words like "ouch" in response to a physical pain. That being said......she still is not focusing on anything or anyone and her response to verbal commands is sparse at best. But, it is a good sign that she is progressing, even if it's just a fraction of an inch at a time. Lara will be meeting with the doctors at some point tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to get some more definitive information about her condition and prognosis. I'll try to post an update as soon as I get the information myself.
Thank you again for all of your prayers, thoughts, and support.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Day 28
Just a quick update.
I just found out that Mike will be taken to Methodist hospital on Monday in preparation for surgery on Tuesday. He still has little to no use of his left hand (the one that was broken) so the doctors did an MRI of his neck and left arm. Apparently he has some problems with his C5, C7, and T1 vertebrae. He has some bulging discs and there is still pressure being put on his spinal cord in that area. They will operate to relieve some of this pressure and as the doctors put it, "put things back where they belong". I don't know how long the surgery will take or exactly how long he will be at Methodist Hospital. All they have said is that he will be there until he is stable and then moved back to HealthSouth (in the same room he is in now). Please continue to include him in your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully, with this surgery, he can start to regain function of his left hand.
I am also going to say it again (because it cannot be said enough) Thank You!!! Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, donations, visits, and concern. My sister had said that there always seems to be someone visiting when she sees Carolyn and the nurses have commented (for the better) about how many visitors she receives. Thank you also for the notes in her room and the music that has been left as well as the time that has been spent visiting with her, reading or singing to her, and leaving her reminders of things she loves to do. It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about the pure love that is being shown to both her and Mike. THANK YOU!!
I just found out that Mike will be taken to Methodist hospital on Monday in preparation for surgery on Tuesday. He still has little to no use of his left hand (the one that was broken) so the doctors did an MRI of his neck and left arm. Apparently he has some problems with his C5, C7, and T1 vertebrae. He has some bulging discs and there is still pressure being put on his spinal cord in that area. They will operate to relieve some of this pressure and as the doctors put it, "put things back where they belong". I don't know how long the surgery will take or exactly how long he will be at Methodist Hospital. All they have said is that he will be there until he is stable and then moved back to HealthSouth (in the same room he is in now). Please continue to include him in your thoughts and prayers. Hopefully, with this surgery, he can start to regain function of his left hand.
I am also going to say it again (because it cannot be said enough) Thank You!!! Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, donations, visits, and concern. My sister had said that there always seems to be someone visiting when she sees Carolyn and the nurses have commented (for the better) about how many visitors she receives. Thank you also for the notes in her room and the music that has been left as well as the time that has been spent visiting with her, reading or singing to her, and leaving her reminders of things she loves to do. It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about the pure love that is being shown to both her and Mike. THANK YOU!!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Day 26
Well, both Carolyn and Mike are settled into their new surroundings.
Mike is doing really well. He can now feed himself by holding the utensils in his hand (without the hand strap). He still needs assistance to walk but is getting stronger. A hand surgeon will be evaluating him soon. They are concerned that his left hand is not progressing as quickly as they thought it would. His doctors want to make sure that he does not need any further surgery. The best estimate we have is that Mike will be at the HealthSouth facility for about 4-5 weeks (as long as he doesn't need any other surgeries).
Carolyn is at LifeCare Hospital in the medical center. It is located on Floyd Curl. The visiting hours are 9am-9pm. I know she has had several visitors already. I think that is great. The more familiar voices we can have the better. They have changed her status from "coma" to "unresponsive". This is because she is moving so much. She can lift her arms, turn her head and open her eyes. None of these are by command yet, but since she is moving they can't say she is still in a coma. She has also developed a blood clot in her leg. This is something that can be common in people that are immobile for a long period of time. They have begun treatment and hopefully it will be resolved quickly. As much as we would like for the doctors to give us an indication of her prognosis, they just aren't able to at this time. They say it can take up to a year or so to start making any "guesses". So, we still need every one's prayers for a miracle.
We have really appreciated all the donations that have been made to Mike and Carolyn. We have already had to pay for Carolyn's transport and this is just the beginning of the mountain of bills that are soon to follow. This is not even taking into account all the "regular" bills that they are receiving (with no income to keep up). This looks like it will be an even longer road than any of us anticipated so any and all of the help is GREATLY appreciated. We have also had several people inquire about Carolyn's business. We are in the process of making some really difficult decisions about this and will let everyone know when the decisions have been made. I (Melanie) will continue to keep this blog updated with all the information that my sister (Lara) is passing along to me. Thank you again for every one's prayers and support.
Mike is doing really well. He can now feed himself by holding the utensils in his hand (without the hand strap). He still needs assistance to walk but is getting stronger. A hand surgeon will be evaluating him soon. They are concerned that his left hand is not progressing as quickly as they thought it would. His doctors want to make sure that he does not need any further surgery. The best estimate we have is that Mike will be at the HealthSouth facility for about 4-5 weeks (as long as he doesn't need any other surgeries).
Carolyn is at LifeCare Hospital in the medical center. It is located on Floyd Curl. The visiting hours are 9am-9pm. I know she has had several visitors already. I think that is great. The more familiar voices we can have the better. They have changed her status from "coma" to "unresponsive". This is because she is moving so much. She can lift her arms, turn her head and open her eyes. None of these are by command yet, but since she is moving they can't say she is still in a coma. She has also developed a blood clot in her leg. This is something that can be common in people that are immobile for a long period of time. They have begun treatment and hopefully it will be resolved quickly. As much as we would like for the doctors to give us an indication of her prognosis, they just aren't able to at this time. They say it can take up to a year or so to start making any "guesses". So, we still need every one's prayers for a miracle.
We have really appreciated all the donations that have been made to Mike and Carolyn. We have already had to pay for Carolyn's transport and this is just the beginning of the mountain of bills that are soon to follow. This is not even taking into account all the "regular" bills that they are receiving (with no income to keep up). This looks like it will be an even longer road than any of us anticipated so any and all of the help is GREATLY appreciated. We have also had several people inquire about Carolyn's business. We are in the process of making some really difficult decisions about this and will let everyone know when the decisions have been made. I (Melanie) will continue to keep this blog updated with all the information that my sister (Lara) is passing along to me. Thank you again for every one's prayers and support.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Now It's Carolyn's Turn
Mike was checked into the HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital - RIOSA on Wednesday night. He is all settled in and wanting visitors. The facility is located at 9119 Cinnamon Hill in the medical center area. Visiting hours are from 4:00-8:30 p.m. If you would like to stop in to see him, he would greatly appreciate it.
Carolyn left Fort Worth around noon today. She should be checking-in about the time I post this. As soon as I get her visiting times, etc. I will post them here. There hasn't been much change to her condition except that she is moving her head and arms around a lot. She is also opening her eyes frequently, but has not yet focused on anything or done any of these things consistently on command. As soon as she is settled I'm sure she will appreciate visitors. I will let everyone know.
Thank you again for your continued support.
Carolyn left Fort Worth around noon today. She should be checking-in about the time I post this. As soon as I get her visiting times, etc. I will post them here. There hasn't been much change to her condition except that she is moving her head and arms around a lot. She is also opening her eyes frequently, but has not yet focused on anything or done any of these things consistently on command. As soon as she is settled I'm sure she will appreciate visitors. I will let everyone know.
Thank you again for your continued support.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Mike Is Coming "Home"
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Mike should be on his way home today. When I say home I mean, on his way to the rehab hospital in San Antonio. I only have a few quick minutes to update and then I have to head to the hospital. All the paperwork needed to transfer Mike went through very quickly. I still don't have the exact location address or visiting hours, so I'll post those as soon as possible.
Paperwork is still being processed for Carolyn's transfer, so we don't know when hers will happen. They have told me that it should, at most, be a few days but you know how things go with paperwork and insurance requirements. As soon as I know more I will let everyone know.
Paperwork is still being processed for Carolyn's transfer, so we don't know when hers will happen. They have told me that it should, at most, be a few days but you know how things go with paperwork and insurance requirements. As soon as I know more I will let everyone know.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Sorry for the Delay
I apologize for the delay. I know how many people use this to keep updated. Several things have happened in the last few days:
The infection that Carolyn has turned out to be MRSA. Originally, they mentioned that this would delay her transfer. Yesterday, though, the Social Worker said that they just have to get some paperwork in order and the transfer can proceed. In the last couple of days she has shown more movement in her extremities, she has opened her eyes several times (still not focusing on anything), and seems to be responding to voices/noises by turning toward to sound. She still is not obeying commands or trying to communicate in any way, but things are very gradually looking more positive. She is in isolation because of the type of infection she has but (with proper precautions) can still have visitors. The nurses have said that it will be really important for her to have people talking to her, stimulating her brain. I'm positive that once she is transferred that she will have no shortage of visitors, so just keep talking to her.
Mike is doing great. He is walking more and has regained a lot of movement back in his fingers. He still lacks the strength to get in and out of bed himself or to feed himself without the assistance of the hand strap, but he is doing really well. He was a little disappointed when they had to move Carolyn out of his room into isolation, but the next day he was moved to a regular hospital floor and into a private room. They started the process for his transfer as well. So, it looks like they could be "coming home" as early as this weekend. There is a lot of paperwork involved and some things have to be finalized but I will let everyone know when they will be back (as soon as I find out). I will also let everyone know what facility they will be transferred to once it has all been approved.
All of this brings up another issue. Being involved in all of this makes it awkward to say this but they will need as much help financially as possible. We haven't begun to receive medical bills yet but from talking with some of the agents and social workers, the insurance will probably not cover the expense of their transfers because of the distance involved. My sister, Lara, has set up an account at Frost Bank (The Michael E. Fosdick and Carolyn Fosdick Benefit Account) where donations/deposits can be made for them. You can go to any Frost Bank branch and tell them you would like to make a deposit into the account. I know that not everyone is in a position to help in this way, and that is perfectly fine. I know that Carolyn and Mike greatly appreciate all the cards, letters, and prayers and know that sometimes that is all that can be given. We, as a family, appreciate any donation that can be made. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, for all of the well wishes. They have worked wonders for Mike and I know that my mom feels the love of everyone who cares so much for them.
I will update everyone as soon as I know more.
The infection that Carolyn has turned out to be MRSA. Originally, they mentioned that this would delay her transfer. Yesterday, though, the Social Worker said that they just have to get some paperwork in order and the transfer can proceed. In the last couple of days she has shown more movement in her extremities, she has opened her eyes several times (still not focusing on anything), and seems to be responding to voices/noises by turning toward to sound. She still is not obeying commands or trying to communicate in any way, but things are very gradually looking more positive. She is in isolation because of the type of infection she has but (with proper precautions) can still have visitors. The nurses have said that it will be really important for her to have people talking to her, stimulating her brain. I'm positive that once she is transferred that she will have no shortage of visitors, so just keep talking to her.
Mike is doing great. He is walking more and has regained a lot of movement back in his fingers. He still lacks the strength to get in and out of bed himself or to feed himself without the assistance of the hand strap, but he is doing really well. He was a little disappointed when they had to move Carolyn out of his room into isolation, but the next day he was moved to a regular hospital floor and into a private room. They started the process for his transfer as well. So, it looks like they could be "coming home" as early as this weekend. There is a lot of paperwork involved and some things have to be finalized but I will let everyone know when they will be back (as soon as I find out). I will also let everyone know what facility they will be transferred to once it has all been approved.
All of this brings up another issue. Being involved in all of this makes it awkward to say this but they will need as much help financially as possible. We haven't begun to receive medical bills yet but from talking with some of the agents and social workers, the insurance will probably not cover the expense of their transfers because of the distance involved. My sister, Lara, has set up an account at Frost Bank (The Michael E. Fosdick and Carolyn Fosdick Benefit Account) where donations/deposits can be made for them. You can go to any Frost Bank branch and tell them you would like to make a deposit into the account. I know that not everyone is in a position to help in this way, and that is perfectly fine. I know that Carolyn and Mike greatly appreciate all the cards, letters, and prayers and know that sometimes that is all that can be given. We, as a family, appreciate any donation that can be made. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, for all of the well wishes. They have worked wonders for Mike and I know that my mom feels the love of everyone who cares so much for them.
I will update everyone as soon as I know more.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Day 12
I would like to start today's post by publicly thanking everyone who has sent cards, letters, or emails for Carolyn and Mike. So far I have received over 30 and continue to receive more everyday. It has definitely helped raise Mike's spirit to know that so many people care so much. I had a request for their location and visiting times. They are at John Peter Smith Trauma Center on Allen in Fort Worth. They have been receiving excellent care and everyone has been so kind and compassionate. (A word or caution to anyone planning to visit - The trauma center is not located in the best part of town, so I would not recommend visiting at night.) Carolyn and Mike are both in the PCU which shares a waiting room with the ICU. The visiting hours are every even hour from 6am to 10pm, for 30 minutes. The signs posted say to limit visitors to 2at a time, but we have had up to 4 people in the room at a time. Please continue to send any other correspondence to me so I can make sure it gets to Carolyn and Mike. I can't guarantee that the hospital mail room is as efficient as the nurses.
Now for an update:
Carolyn seems to be more active (moving her arms, head and mouth around), but still has not woken-up. She seems to react to some things; mainly physical touch and occasionally voices, but nothing seems completely purposeful. The doctors have considered increasing the dose of the medication they started to stimulate her brain function. I'm not sure if he is definitely going to do this or not. Carolyn has also had a few problems today. They are doing some tests to rule out pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and/or sepsis. She has had a low to mid grade fever since this morning so the doctors ordered some cultures. We should know more tomorrow. They have also started the discussions about transferring her to a long-term acute care hospital. We made sure they know that Carolyn and Mike live near San Antonio, so they are looking into appropriate facilities. Sometime next week we should have a better idea of the timing of it all. The doctor has started the process but has not released her for transfer.
Little by little, Mike is getting stronger and stronger. He was able to close his fingers around my finger today. He still needs to work on being able to squeeze hard enough to grip things but he is making progress. He seems to be getting more sleep the last few nights and is enjoying having Carolyn in the same room. I think it helps ease some of his stress now that he can see her and talk to her.
I may not be able to see them tomorrow but will let everyone know as soon as I get more updates.
Now for an update:
Carolyn seems to be more active (moving her arms, head and mouth around), but still has not woken-up. She seems to react to some things; mainly physical touch and occasionally voices, but nothing seems completely purposeful. The doctors have considered increasing the dose of the medication they started to stimulate her brain function. I'm not sure if he is definitely going to do this or not. Carolyn has also had a few problems today. They are doing some tests to rule out pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and/or sepsis. She has had a low to mid grade fever since this morning so the doctors ordered some cultures. We should know more tomorrow. They have also started the discussions about transferring her to a long-term acute care hospital. We made sure they know that Carolyn and Mike live near San Antonio, so they are looking into appropriate facilities. Sometime next week we should have a better idea of the timing of it all. The doctor has started the process but has not released her for transfer.
Little by little, Mike is getting stronger and stronger. He was able to close his fingers around my finger today. He still needs to work on being able to squeeze hard enough to grip things but he is making progress. He seems to be getting more sleep the last few nights and is enjoying having Carolyn in the same room. I think it helps ease some of his stress now that he can see her and talk to her.
I may not be able to see them tomorrow but will let everyone know as soon as I get more updates.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Day 11
Well, yesterday was a busy day for both Carolyn and Mike.
Mike, with the help of physical therapy, was able to walk a few feet in his room. Occupational therapy helped him learn how to feed himself and do a few other activities of daily living. He still does not have use of his fingers, so they had to use a cool little strap, wrapped around his hand, to help him hold his utensils. He seems to be getting stronger everyday.
Carolyn is doing well enough that they have moved her into Mike's room in the PCU (a step-down unit from the ICU). Hopefully this will help them both. Carolyn is still in a coma. She is still not responding to commands or following objects with her eyes ("tracking"). Her body is showing some signs of pain and they are giving her pain medicine to make her more comfortable. We continue to hope and pray for a miracle.
I don't think that I have recovered from the shock of all of this, but I am comforted by all the love and prays that are being sent our way. I also appreciate all the comments that are made through this blog. I am printing them up and sharing them with the rest of the family and will be passing your well wishes along to Mike and Carolyn.
Mike, with the help of physical therapy, was able to walk a few feet in his room. Occupational therapy helped him learn how to feed himself and do a few other activities of daily living. He still does not have use of his fingers, so they had to use a cool little strap, wrapped around his hand, to help him hold his utensils. He seems to be getting stronger everyday.
Carolyn is doing well enough that they have moved her into Mike's room in the PCU (a step-down unit from the ICU). Hopefully this will help them both. Carolyn is still in a coma. She is still not responding to commands or following objects with her eyes ("tracking"). Her body is showing some signs of pain and they are giving her pain medicine to make her more comfortable. We continue to hope and pray for a miracle.
I don't think that I have recovered from the shock of all of this, but I am comforted by all the love and prays that are being sent our way. I also appreciate all the comments that are made through this blog. I am printing them up and sharing them with the rest of the family and will be passing your well wishes along to Mike and Carolyn.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Day 9
Well, there aren't any major changes. Here is what has happened in the last two days.
Carolyn has been taken off of the ventilator and is just receiveing oxygen via the trach that was placed a few days ago. This means that she is breathing on her own but still has not woken up. Her face seems a little more expressive but she still is not responding to requests or commands. As far as her other injuries....the broken scapula and fractured pelvis/hip are still healing. There is still not much they can do for those except let them heal on their own. She did not sustain any other injuries in the accident so we just have to wait until she wakes up. Oh, they did start her on a medication that has shown some success in stimulating the brain in order for patients to wake up, but has not shown any effect for Carolyn yet.
Mike is recovering from surgery to close the incisions in his left arm. There didn't seem to be enough healthy tissue to completely close the incisions so they did a skin graft, using skin from his upper leg, to complete the closure. He sustained a fracture is his neck during the accident, as well as a bulging disc. We are still waiting for them to do some follow-up test to see how these are healing. He still has very little control of movement of his hands. He is breathing easier and his oxygen levels are doing well. Physical therapy, has gotten him out of bed a few times and hope to have him up and walking on Monday.
I have received numerous cards and well wishes for them both and will be sharing all of those with them as they come in. It looks like this will be a long process, so we thank all of you for your support. I'm sure that we will eventually need to take everyone up on their offers to help. I can't say enough about how much we appreciate everything that everyone has done for us.
Carolyn has been taken off of the ventilator and is just receiveing oxygen via the trach that was placed a few days ago. This means that she is breathing on her own but still has not woken up. Her face seems a little more expressive but she still is not responding to requests or commands. As far as her other injuries....the broken scapula and fractured pelvis/hip are still healing. There is still not much they can do for those except let them heal on their own. She did not sustain any other injuries in the accident so we just have to wait until she wakes up. Oh, they did start her on a medication that has shown some success in stimulating the brain in order for patients to wake up, but has not shown any effect for Carolyn yet.
Mike is recovering from surgery to close the incisions in his left arm. There didn't seem to be enough healthy tissue to completely close the incisions so they did a skin graft, using skin from his upper leg, to complete the closure. He sustained a fracture is his neck during the accident, as well as a bulging disc. We are still waiting for them to do some follow-up test to see how these are healing. He still has very little control of movement of his hands. He is breathing easier and his oxygen levels are doing well. Physical therapy, has gotten him out of bed a few times and hope to have him up and walking on Monday.
I have received numerous cards and well wishes for them both and will be sharing all of those with them as they come in. It looks like this will be a long process, so we thank all of you for your support. I'm sure that we will eventually need to take everyone up on their offers to help. I can't say enough about how much we appreciate everything that everyone has done for us.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Day 7 (post accident)
There have only been a few small changes over the last few days. Carolyn is still connected to the ventilator; although, it is now connected through a trach that was placed yesturday. She also has a tube placed into her stomach (through her abdomen) to allow them to feed her easier. She still has not woken-up or made any purposeful movements.
Mike had surgery today to close the incisions that were made in his arm. In case you didn't know- he had to have some screws/plates put in his left arm and because of the swelling they did not close the incisions at that time. He is breathing easier and physical therapy is starting to get him out of bed. He was able to see Carolyn for the first time yesturday. I think it helped to strengthen them both. He still has diminshed control of his fingers, but we hope that it will continue to improve.
I will try to post more later, but just wanted to get everyone updated for now. Thank you for everyones' show of love and support. It means more than words can express.
Mike had surgery today to close the incisions that were made in his arm. In case you didn't know- he had to have some screws/plates put in his left arm and because of the swelling they did not close the incisions at that time. He is breathing easier and physical therapy is starting to get him out of bed. He was able to see Carolyn for the first time yesturday. I think it helped to strengthen them both. He still has diminshed control of his fingers, but we hope that it will continue to improve.
I will try to post more later, but just wanted to get everyone updated for now. Thank you for everyones' show of love and support. It means more than words can express.
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