The Douglas Place

My mom had a great idea to post on our blog so everyone can stay updated on Jim's status. We are so grateful for the love and prayers from everyone. I feel the sustaining power from them. We have seen many little miracles already.
For any who are not aware of what has happened I will start at the beginning....
About two weeks ago Jim was working in Salt Lake and had an episode of what we were told was vertigo. He went to McKaydee hospital and was treated for the vertigo. He was very dizzy and nauseous and ended up down in bed for several days. He seemed to improve, though not completely. He was more tired than usual and just seemed a little off. This last Sunday morning he woke up feeling like he had the vertigo again. We got him started on the medicine they had given him at the er before and got him back to bed to rest. He seemed to be sleeping soundly so I took the kids and went to church with plans to check on him after sacrament meeting. During the sacrament I had a strong impression that I needed to go home right away and check on him. I did and was so grateful I listened to the prompting. When I arrived Jim was asleep with a plastic bag filled with throw up all over his mouth and nose. If I would not have gone he very easily could have aspirated or suffocated. I ran back to church to get my sharing time covered that I was supposed to do and then stayed home with him. He slept the whole time. I went back to get the kids and my friend suggested we get a doctor from our ward to come take a look at him. He and his son came over and assessed him and felt like he had Meniere's disease. He said to let him rest and recover. Around 4 I went in and checked on him and he was sweating profusely. I uncovered him and tried to wake him but he was sleeping soundly (or so I thought). Around 6 he woke up and asked to go to the bathroom. When I helped him up he felt like dead weight and we both almost fell. It really scared me and I knew I needed help. Somehow we got him to the restroom and sitting on the toilet. I looked at him and noticed his eye and mouth were drooping on the right side. I quickly called our Bishop and asked for his help to get Jim to the ER. He and his son moved Jim to the van and we took him to the ER. They quickly began a batttery of tests to determine what was wrong. He had the drooping on his face, slurred speech, and poor motor function but was alert and cognitive. After a time they came in and told us he had had a stroke and they would be lifeflighting him to Salt Lake. We were both completely shocked to hear those words. Jim asked the Dr "Did you just say I had a stroke?" It was surreal from that moment on the rest of the night. Jim's brother Nate came to the hospital and before we left on lifeflight his parents and brother Spencer all arrived. Bishop Leavitt and Nate gave me a blessing that has given me so much comfort and strength. Melissa Leavitt, Laurie Vincent, and Mike Evans were all in the waiting room. I spoke with them and felt strengthened by their love and care. We left Cedar on Lifeflight about 10:15. I was able to ride on the flight with him. He was exhausted at this point and slept most of the way. He did ask all about the plane and remembers clearly what type of plane and many other details about the flight. The flight team was fantastic. The nurse was so attentive to both our needs and gave us a great deal of comfort. We arrived in Salt Lake around 11:30. When we arrived in Salt Lake they transported us to IMC in Murray. We were told they have the best neurology team available anywhere in Utah. Many family members were there waiting to greet us. My parents and sister, Alisha were there. Jim's brother Dan and his wife Shelby were there along with his sister, Karen. Shortly after, Jim's parents arrived also. It was so great to have such support and strength from our family. They did more tests in the ER and we met with the neurologist and found out he had multiple strokes in his cerebellum. The next step was to find the cause and begin treatment. Around 4:30 am we were moved to the neurology floor into our room. They told us there would be more testing in the morning. Neither of us got any sleep as they were constantly in testing or monitoring something. Monday morning they came in and did more tests and we met with the neurologist. The rest of the day was a blur as we met with therapists and waited to hear something. At one point we thought Jim was having another stroke because he started sweating profusely and had a faraway look in his eyes. The back of his neck was burning up and he said he felt funny. I got the nurse and she came and looked at him but was very insensitive and told me he didn't have a measured fever so what did she want me to do? She had been short and curt all day but this was extremely frustrating to me as I felt like she was not listeneing or caring at all. I asked her to get the dr in as soon as possible. The dr came and sent him for another CT scan right away. It showed no new strokes, which was positive but I was left feeling very strained by the whole experience. Our family pressed me to go home with my sister and get a good night sleep and shower but I did not feel I could leave Jim with this nurse. I kept praying that when shifts changed he would get a better nurse. Danielle came on around 7pm and was an answer to my prayers. She was so attentive and caring that my whole feeling changed and I felt a great deal of peace. She asked Jim if he would like some pie and his eyes lit up and he reached over and touched her arm and smiled at her. he said " I like you". I told him maybe I better not leave if he was going to flirt with the nurse and we all had a good laugh that was much needed. Jim had many visitors today. His brother Dan and his wife Shelby, his sister Karen, his parents, my mom and sisters, his aunt and uncle, Joe and Linda,and his friend Russ all visited and helped Jim laugh and relax. I went home to my sisters and enjoyed a much needed shower and had a good night sleep. I felt like a new person on Tuesday. His brother Dan stayed and got Jim his pie and some milk. He enjoyed every bite as they watched the office and relaxed. Dan left around 11 because he felt so confident in Danielle and said she was very attentive to Jim's needs. Tuesday morning I arrived around 7:30 am. Dan had arrived about an hour earlier and had been visiting with Jim. They took him to do a scope down into his heart to see if there were any issues in the heart. They found a hole called a PFO (patent foramen ovale) and anohter defect alled an ASD (atrial septal defect). They then did an amazing test, right here in Jim's room, that assessed how much of the blood that was mixing in the heart was going to the brain. They mixed saline to create bubbles and put it into his IV. They had a device on his head that measured the blood flow in the veins and arteries. Immediately we saw the bubbles go into his brain. The scale is from 1-5 with 5 being the worst. Jim's results were 5 plus. They told us that he was a candidate for a surgery to close the hole and defect but it had to go through a board of cardiologists to be approved. They had just met that morning so would not be meeting for two more weeks. I felt so unsettled and anxious hearing this. I knew he needed to get this surgery done to prevent further strokes but was again feeling frustrated. The cardiologist came in and visited with us about the surgery and shared pros/cons/risks and asked our thoughts. I shared with him that I felt very strongly that it needed to be done and not in two weeks. Jim asked him if it was him what he would do and without hesitation he answered "get it fixed". The cardiologist said he was going to try to contact the board and get approval to do surgery on Wednesday but not to get our hopes up as the board is very conservative and is not likely to give approval. I sent out a text asking many of our family and frieends to pray that the surgery would be approved. I was so overwhelmed with the responses and the love and care. Jim had many visitors again today. His parents, my mom, Dan, Russ, Bishop Leavitt, and some of his employees from Legacy Tile and Granite- Rick, Gordon, and Tyler all came to wish him well. His therapist made him work hard today. he walked down the hall and even walked up some stairs. In the evening everyone left and Jim and I had our first real time alone. It was really nice to spend some time talking and enjoying time together. He has stayed very positive throughout all this but has moments where he breaks down. It breaks my heart every time he cries and feels frustrated. He is so worried about "being a retard" and not being able to function. He feels so uncertain about the future and at times has said he wished he would have died so he doesn't have to be a burden on anyone. He is so determined and has such strength of character that I know he will recover quickly. I am so grateful that he has all his mental faculties. I know progress will be made in regards to balance and coordination and motor control. He makes progress daily and works so hard to get better. Tuesday night we were able to get him showered and he felt so much better afterward. Our nurse, Heather and our aide, Brian were fantastic. They really made Jim feel comforted and strengthened. They did a test to check for sleep apnea and so the oxygen alarm kept beeping all night. They took his catheder out Wednesday morning and Jim was very grateful for that. Today the cardiologist came in and told us the procedure was approved and would be done around 4 or 5 this afternoon. Jim has been really tired but did great with his therapy. He had to take clothespins off with his left hand and then put them back on. His left hand has been very uncoordinated but he did fantastic. We walked all the way to the end of the hall. We even played a little basketball-passing the ball back and forth and then Jim had to dribble with both hands. He did really well. Today has been pretty quiet just waiting for the surgery. Jim has been resting a lot. The neurologist came in a few min ago and said Jim has sleep apnea which is another stroke risk factor. They will be sending us home with a cpap for him to wear when he sleeps. I am so grateful for good doctors and nurses and for the amazing technology we have been blessed with. Thank you again for all your love and support and prayers. We feel so very blessed to live in such a great area with so many fantastic friends and neighbors.
I am so grateful to my sister Carisa for taking care of my kids and house and puppy. There have been so many offers of help for her and the kids and I know they are being taken care of. It is so nice to not worry about them and be able to focus my attention on Jim. Right now they are thinking we will be discharged tomorrow or Friday. Jim will go to Kolob, a care center, in Cedar for a week or two to do therapy and then transition to home. I will continue to update the blog as I can and keep everyone updated on what is happening.