I spent hours in Andie's room today. Most of the time she seemed out of it but when they brought down the sedation she opened her eyes, and moved around - her hands had been bound to stop the thrashing and grabbing at tubes - the nurse took the left one out of the restraints and said my parents and I could do that too but I didn't feel comfortable with that if he wasn't there. When the hand was free she was touching her face where it's swollen and was not too combative today that I saw. There was a tear in her eye and I wonder how much she realizes about what's going on.
More lists of to -dos and I carry my little notebook that comes out about half way into what the doc is saying since he seems to pop in and as he's talking I try to grasp it but know I should write it too so I can take it all in and remember and look stuff up later.
This doctor is fabulous. Ironically one of the women at my parent's church had an issue that was tended by him an few years ago. He indicated that since there was quite a bit of damage of Andie's temporal lobe but seemed pleased with her progress - even though it didn't seem like much to me... Talk of taking the breathing tube out but it was still there when I left and earlier there was mention of 3 - 5 days. Obviously, it's moment by moment stuff.
They say she can hear us and might not remember it later but I find it remarkable that she was more active today - alot while the pastor of my parent's church was visiting - and thought her eyes didn't really seem to focus I wonder if she saw us. My Dad thinks she tapped his palm - after I left and was driving home- and she does seem to respond to his voice as in getting more active... as much as a person can while hooked up to all kinds of lines and tubes and lying like that.
I'm home now and will chill here this evening and rest as much as possible and will decide about going back tomorrow or Tuesday once I've pondered all this.
Since I've applied for and gotten Dima's benefits and that kind of stuff is related to what I did when I had a paying job I should be the one to work out her insurance issues, Mom and Dad don't need more to think about. I do want to get back to Allentown to deal with that with the help of the hospital people. I've got files started that I left at Mom + Dad's about the hospital and Andie's mail so far with empty files remaining to be used as needed.
Again: DO NOT VISIT NOW she needs... above all... to rest and recover and most of you know how vain she is ...just don't go - when things have changed I'll let you know - I'll do my best to post nightly updates and we will call you - or at least I will - when we need extra hands.
The lack - of- job thing and car problems seem so trivial now!
Good Night. Guten Nacht. Buona Notte. Spakoina Noche
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Andie's day
She's still sedated because each time they try to bring her out of it she gets combative and spikes her blood pressure and was bleeding from the incision site so back into Lulu Land she went ... they'll try to gently bring her back out of it during the night.
Doc was concerned about brain function last night since there were issues with her reflexes on her right side (the part of the brain that was necrotic and removed was on her left the Left Middle Cerebral Artery and therefore the area responsible for speech and movement on the right side of the body) so.... she's better today than last night since reflexes are there - the surgeon was a bit concerned about that last night but optimistic this morning. The doctor also said it was "big surgery" so it's going to take a while to recover.
My parents and I went to her apartment today got the mail and stuff like that and last night I was making lists of stuff to do well into the night and still trying to wrap my mind around the whole thing. At this point I'm planing on going home to Glenmoore tomorrow after some time at the hospital. I'll regroup there and then get back here.
Her surgeon is wonderful seems like a nice guy, great bedside manner, spent time answering our questions and has an amazing background:
http://www.lvhn.org/Careers/Physicians/Why_Im_a_Physician_at_Lehigh_Valley_Health_Network|879
For all who have asked about how to help: For now her blood pressure and comfort are key issues and they try to keep things calm in the Critical Care Unit so visitors need to be limited. I'm confident that her care is in good hands - in a few weeks when she comes home I'll let you know how day to day things will be once she's here at my Mom and Dad's - that 's when we'll need extra hands.
I really do feel the good vibes and the love from everyone - yesterday -even after going over the potential worst case scenario with the doc and after the stress of seeing her wheeled toward the OR and a few tears ... about an hour into the surgery I had a peaceful feeling and don't even know how to describe it.
still feels like a dream to me ....
Doc was concerned about brain function last night since there were issues with her reflexes on her right side (the part of the brain that was necrotic and removed was on her left the Left Middle Cerebral Artery and therefore the area responsible for speech and movement on the right side of the body) so.... she's better today than last night since reflexes are there - the surgeon was a bit concerned about that last night but optimistic this morning. The doctor also said it was "big surgery" so it's going to take a while to recover.
My parents and I went to her apartment today got the mail and stuff like that and last night I was making lists of stuff to do well into the night and still trying to wrap my mind around the whole thing. At this point I'm planing on going home to Glenmoore tomorrow after some time at the hospital. I'll regroup there and then get back here.
Her surgeon is wonderful seems like a nice guy, great bedside manner, spent time answering our questions and has an amazing background:
http://www.lvhn.org/Careers/Physicians/Why_Im_a_Physician_at_Lehigh_Valley_Health_Network|879
For all who have asked about how to help: For now her blood pressure and comfort are key issues and they try to keep things calm in the Critical Care Unit so visitors need to be limited. I'm confident that her care is in good hands - in a few weeks when she comes home I'll let you know how day to day things will be once she's here at my Mom and Dad's - that 's when we'll need extra hands.
I really do feel the good vibes and the love from everyone - yesterday -even after going over the potential worst case scenario with the doc and after the stress of seeing her wheeled toward the OR and a few tears ... about an hour into the surgery I had a peaceful feeling and don't even know how to describe it.
still feels like a dream to me ....
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Inky hands
If you see me walking around later today with ink on my fingers it's because I plan to go out to get fingerprinted this morning to get my application to the school district going. I got my college transcript last night via fax - COBOL in 1983??? - I really don't know why I thought that could be a good career path for me.
Anyway, just last night I submitted the application on line and want to get it moving I'm feeling energized and excited about going to work within the schools. For now I'd just like to substitute as needed so I can still be here with Josh before school most days, uh... so I don't have to pay for child care, then I'd like to move on to something more permanent once he's in first grade next year. It looks like they have some openings for substitute clerical / secretarial and I think my varied back ground at the front desks of the dental offices I worked in should have prepared me for that - let alone the paperwork involved in the adoption of our boys and now advocating for Dima and his AD/ HD Wrap Around benefits. I've been planning to get around to doing this at some point and now that Chris is here working on working I could technically leave Josh here with him to free me up to get to work but I'd still like to be flexible enough to free him up when he has an interview and once he's actually going to an office.
As far as the job search, he's still searching and making calls and poking around on corporate websites all day every day. He got a call from a friend yesterday who's been searching for 6 months (yikes!) who gave him information on what's worked to get him interviews and interest in his resume. Chris has had a few interviews with companies and with recruiters and hopefully one of them will lead to a job.
Since he's still looking, if anyone has any connections please forward the resume I sent out earlier - email me if you need me to send it again. Some of you out of towners have asked about the possibility of moving, actually Chris's former boss said he could work right now if we'd be willing to move to Chantilly, VA but I don't think we're at that point in the search yet. We'd like to stay close to the family we have around here. Not to say that six months from now our outlook won't change, just want to try to stay local if we can.
Now that I think about it do they even use ink for fingerprints anymore? The last time I did this was 2003 pre-adoption - maybe they have newer technology these days. Retinal scan? Finger scan? I guess I'll find out.
Anyway, just last night I submitted the application on line and want to get it moving I'm feeling energized and excited about going to work within the schools. For now I'd just like to substitute as needed so I can still be here with Josh before school most days, uh... so I don't have to pay for child care, then I'd like to move on to something more permanent once he's in first grade next year. It looks like they have some openings for substitute clerical / secretarial and I think my varied back ground at the front desks of the dental offices I worked in should have prepared me for that - let alone the paperwork involved in the adoption of our boys and now advocating for Dima and his AD/ HD Wrap Around benefits. I've been planning to get around to doing this at some point and now that Chris is here working on working I could technically leave Josh here with him to free me up to get to work but I'd still like to be flexible enough to free him up when he has an interview and once he's actually going to an office.
As far as the job search, he's still searching and making calls and poking around on corporate websites all day every day. He got a call from a friend yesterday who's been searching for 6 months (yikes!) who gave him information on what's worked to get him interviews and interest in his resume. Chris has had a few interviews with companies and with recruiters and hopefully one of them will lead to a job.
Since he's still looking, if anyone has any connections please forward the resume I sent out earlier - email me if you need me to send it again. Some of you out of towners have asked about the possibility of moving, actually Chris's former boss said he could work right now if we'd be willing to move to Chantilly, VA but I don't think we're at that point in the search yet. We'd like to stay close to the family we have around here. Not to say that six months from now our outlook won't change, just want to try to stay local if we can.
Now that I think about it do they even use ink for fingerprints anymore? The last time I did this was 2003 pre-adoption - maybe they have newer technology these days. Retinal scan? Finger scan? I guess I'll find out.
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