Thursday November 10, 2011
Today was filled with therapy. They added a couple extra since we are going home tomorrow. Jim is progressing very well and has more movement in his left fingers than he had previously. It is still extremely frustrating for him to use his left hand though. We are both so excited to go home but getting nervous for what changes that will bring. Jim has been so exhausted after his therapy that he sleeps for a few hours after. He is frustrated by his lack of energy and stamina but I can see improvement even in that daily. My parents came to visit today and took me out to lunch. It was nice to get out again, though it seems like stimulus overload after being in the hospital environment for almost two weeks.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Jim
Wednesday November 9, 2011
Today has been an insightful day. Jim is doing well in all his therapies. He is very excited to go home but is becoming a little worried too. Today in occupational therapy they had him practice typing and it was incredibly frustrating for him. He could not get his left hand to cooperate. He used to type at around 75-80 wpm and could not even get one wpm. I could see how hard he was concentrating and could see the frustration building. He also did a peg game, where he had to put pegs in a hole while he was on his hands and knees. He was so focused and trying so hard but using his left hand was so frustrating. As I watched it reminded me of when my kids were small and would try to put Lego's together and how frustrated they would get. It was amazing to think about all the things we learn as children and all the things we take for granted as adults. Jim is having to start all over to train his hand to work correctly again. He is doing well but is realizing that it is going to take some time to get back to normal. We look around at the others in therapy and feel so grateful for the extent of his injuries. We both know we have been so blessed and that things could be so much worse. My mom and sister came in to visit today and took me out on the town. We went to IKEA and wandered around for a couple of hours. It was fun to get out with my mom and sister but felt so strange to not be with Jim. It will be so nice to be home and be with our kids again. We have both missed them so much.
Today has been an insightful day. Jim is doing well in all his therapies. He is very excited to go home but is becoming a little worried too. Today in occupational therapy they had him practice typing and it was incredibly frustrating for him. He could not get his left hand to cooperate. He used to type at around 75-80 wpm and could not even get one wpm. I could see how hard he was concentrating and could see the frustration building. He also did a peg game, where he had to put pegs in a hole while he was on his hands and knees. He was so focused and trying so hard but using his left hand was so frustrating. As I watched it reminded me of when my kids were small and would try to put Lego's together and how frustrated they would get. It was amazing to think about all the things we learn as children and all the things we take for granted as adults. Jim is having to start all over to train his hand to work correctly again. He is doing well but is realizing that it is going to take some time to get back to normal. We look around at the others in therapy and feel so grateful for the extent of his injuries. We both know we have been so blessed and that things could be so much worse. My mom and sister came in to visit today and took me out on the town. We went to IKEA and wandered around for a couple of hours. It was fun to get out with my mom and sister but felt so strange to not be with Jim. It will be so nice to be home and be with our kids again. We have both missed them so much.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Jim
Tuesday November 8, 2011
Today has been a fantastic day. Jim started his therapy today about 8am and was busy until 3pm. He met with Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Dietitian, Psychiatrist, and Doctor Ryser. He told the therapists that he wanted to go home by the weekend and he worked like he meant it. He walked with a cane, walked up a flight of 14 stairs and worked a great deal with his left hand. We found out today that we will be headed home on Friday. Jim was so excited about that. He did not like being told that he could not be back to work on Monday and had to be cleared by the doctor or that he couldn't drive until he was cleared either. He has been very upbeat and worked so hard today. I was so proud of the progress he made today.
Today has been a fantastic day. Jim started his therapy today about 8am and was busy until 3pm. He met with Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Dietitian, Psychiatrist, and Doctor Ryser. He told the therapists that he wanted to go home by the weekend and he worked like he meant it. He walked with a cane, walked up a flight of 14 stairs and worked a great deal with his left hand. We found out today that we will be headed home on Friday. Jim was so excited about that. He did not like being told that he could not be back to work on Monday and had to be cleared by the doctor or that he couldn't drive until he was cleared either. He has been very upbeat and worked so hard today. I was so proud of the progress he made today.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Jim
Monday November 7, 2011
Today has been pretty low key. Jim had therapy for a while today and walked farther than he has previously. We are both pretty tired today. We just found out that we are approved to stay here for therapy. This brings me a great deal of relief to know that we will still be here in the hospital close to the medical team that has been working with him, since we still do not have an answer as to where the clots originated. We should be moving to the twelth floor sometime this afternoon.
Today has been pretty low key. Jim had therapy for a while today and walked farther than he has previously. We are both pretty tired today. We just found out that we are approved to stay here for therapy. This brings me a great deal of relief to know that we will still be here in the hospital close to the medical team that has been working with him, since we still do not have an answer as to where the clots originated. We should be moving to the twelth floor sometime this afternoon.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Jim
Sunday November 6, 2011
Today has been a fantastic day for Jim-likely one of his best this week. He woke up refreshed and feeling happy. We got him showered and shaved and he was excited to see the kids again. He was really pushed by his therapist today. She made him use his left hand to put pegs in some small holes. He did well but his hand was really shaky today. His therapist told him to walk over to the table. He began walking fast and she said do it in about 6 steps. He said "well, you tell me to do it in 6 and I will do it in 5." It was good to see his fighting spirit back today. The kids came about noon and were more relaxed today. Jim had many more visitors today. It was really funny as we were sitting and visiting, the cleaning lady came and asked "Is this guy the mayor or something?" "He is so popular, i thought I better check to make sure I am doing a good enough job." She then said "He must be a very good man." We replied "yes, he is." That gave Jim a big smile on his face. His aunt Elo and uncle Shane and their son Joseph came today. His Grandpa Douglas, Trevor and his mom and grandparents (Dennis and Jan) all came to visit today too. He even had some visitors from Loa-Gaelynn and his wife Ramona and their son Nate all came to visit too. His friend Russ and his wife Tamara and their kids Sam and Rachel came to visit. The girls both colored cute cards to give to Jim. Dane Leavitt called and visited with Jim and brought a smile to his face. Jim has received many cards, flowers, and a funny balloon from my mom. He loves looking at the gifts and I catch him smiling every time he looks at them. He has been walking really well today and walked the kids to the elevator, which made them very happy. His spirits are improving and he is making great progress. We will find out tomorrow what the plan is for rehab. I will update as soon as I can. Thanks again for all the love and prayers. I know they are making a difference.
Today has been a fantastic day for Jim-likely one of his best this week. He woke up refreshed and feeling happy. We got him showered and shaved and he was excited to see the kids again. He was really pushed by his therapist today. She made him use his left hand to put pegs in some small holes. He did well but his hand was really shaky today. His therapist told him to walk over to the table. He began walking fast and she said do it in about 6 steps. He said "well, you tell me to do it in 6 and I will do it in 5." It was good to see his fighting spirit back today. The kids came about noon and were more relaxed today. Jim had many more visitors today. It was really funny as we were sitting and visiting, the cleaning lady came and asked "Is this guy the mayor or something?" "He is so popular, i thought I better check to make sure I am doing a good enough job." She then said "He must be a very good man." We replied "yes, he is." That gave Jim a big smile on his face. His aunt Elo and uncle Shane and their son Joseph came today. His Grandpa Douglas, Trevor and his mom and grandparents (Dennis and Jan) all came to visit today too. He even had some visitors from Loa-Gaelynn and his wife Ramona and their son Nate all came to visit too. His friend Russ and his wife Tamara and their kids Sam and Rachel came to visit. The girls both colored cute cards to give to Jim. Dane Leavitt called and visited with Jim and brought a smile to his face. Jim has received many cards, flowers, and a funny balloon from my mom. He loves looking at the gifts and I catch him smiling every time he looks at them. He has been walking really well today and walked the kids to the elevator, which made them very happy. His spirits are improving and he is making great progress. We will find out tomorrow what the plan is for rehab. I will update as soon as I can. Thanks again for all the love and prayers. I know they are making a difference.
Jim
Sorry for the lack of updates. I did not have access to a computer but have found one at the hospital I can use now.
Saturday November 5, 2011
Jim did not sleep well last night-his cpap was very difficult to get used to. He was so excited to see the kids but very nervous too and wanted to be on his best. We got him up to the bathroom and as I was putting him back in bed I noticed his right arm was swollen very badly. We had called for the nurse about 7 to get his cpap turned off and it was now 8 and we had still had no response. We called again to let them know about his arm and it was another 45 min before anyone came to check on him. I was not very happy and went to the front desk and spoke to a head nurse about the situation. This solved the lack of attention for the rest of the day. They did an ultrasound on Jim's arm to see if there were any blood clots. They did not find any so they had him wrap it in warm cloths to bring the swelling down. They then removed the IV and figured it was a bad IV. he has not had to have one put back in because he has been drinking enough water. He had many visitors today. Our kids (minus Trevor), my parents, my sister Carisa, his parents, his brother Dan and his son Jake, and Nate and Jenny all visited today. we also received a visit from some of our friends from Cedar City-James and Gaylynn Froyd. The kids were very nervous to see Jim at first and you could see the apprehension in their faces. After they visited with him for a time they relaxed and enjoyed their time with him. They played balloon volleyball with him and loved being part of his "therapy". Zack asked me when we went down to lunch at the cafeteria if dad had been down to eat with me. I told him no and he said" but mom all he has to do is walk to the elevator." Ellie asked Jim why his gown said "central laundry" on it. Jim teased her and said "they gave me a job at the hospital cleaning clothes".. being gullible like her mother, she believed him and said "that is cool that they let you work while you are in the hospital." Jim really enjoyed the time with the kids and had a big smile on his face when they left. He was really sad that Trevor had not come up with the other kids but he had wanted to stay and go rollerskating with the school for getting good grades. My parents and my sister and I went to look at rehab centers for a time and looked at two possibilities. Aspen ridge and Health South are both near the hospital here and were promising options. Sat evening was quiet and Jim and I both took a much needed rest. Bishop Leavitt called and gave Jim some comfort. He told Jim that our ward would be doing a special fast for him tomorrow and Jim was very humbled and touched when he heard that. Jim got a good night sleep as the respiratory therapist tonight started his cpap at a lower level and gradually increased the pressure. he woke up Sunday feeling much more rested and refreshed. During the night the aide that came to check vitals was a little ornery with Jim and Sunday morning Jim was referring to him and I said "oh you mean the star trek guy?" Jim laughed and said I thought sweater vest but that is a more accurate description. I had woken up when he came in and rolled over and saw him standing there and thought I was dreaming. He had a sweater on, dark hair, and features that made him look like he was straight off of star trek. We had a good laugh about this. Overall today was a good day. Jim's speech has improved and he did really well at therapy.
Saturday November 5, 2011
Jim did not sleep well last night-his cpap was very difficult to get used to. He was so excited to see the kids but very nervous too and wanted to be on his best. We got him up to the bathroom and as I was putting him back in bed I noticed his right arm was swollen very badly. We had called for the nurse about 7 to get his cpap turned off and it was now 8 and we had still had no response. We called again to let them know about his arm and it was another 45 min before anyone came to check on him. I was not very happy and went to the front desk and spoke to a head nurse about the situation. This solved the lack of attention for the rest of the day. They did an ultrasound on Jim's arm to see if there were any blood clots. They did not find any so they had him wrap it in warm cloths to bring the swelling down. They then removed the IV and figured it was a bad IV. he has not had to have one put back in because he has been drinking enough water. He had many visitors today. Our kids (minus Trevor), my parents, my sister Carisa, his parents, his brother Dan and his son Jake, and Nate and Jenny all visited today. we also received a visit from some of our friends from Cedar City-James and Gaylynn Froyd. The kids were very nervous to see Jim at first and you could see the apprehension in their faces. After they visited with him for a time they relaxed and enjoyed their time with him. They played balloon volleyball with him and loved being part of his "therapy". Zack asked me when we went down to lunch at the cafeteria if dad had been down to eat with me. I told him no and he said" but mom all he has to do is walk to the elevator." Ellie asked Jim why his gown said "central laundry" on it. Jim teased her and said "they gave me a job at the hospital cleaning clothes".. being gullible like her mother, she believed him and said "that is cool that they let you work while you are in the hospital." Jim really enjoyed the time with the kids and had a big smile on his face when they left. He was really sad that Trevor had not come up with the other kids but he had wanted to stay and go rollerskating with the school for getting good grades. My parents and my sister and I went to look at rehab centers for a time and looked at two possibilities. Aspen ridge and Health South are both near the hospital here and were promising options. Sat evening was quiet and Jim and I both took a much needed rest. Bishop Leavitt called and gave Jim some comfort. He told Jim that our ward would be doing a special fast for him tomorrow and Jim was very humbled and touched when he heard that. Jim got a good night sleep as the respiratory therapist tonight started his cpap at a lower level and gradually increased the pressure. he woke up Sunday feeling much more rested and refreshed. During the night the aide that came to check vitals was a little ornery with Jim and Sunday morning Jim was referring to him and I said "oh you mean the star trek guy?" Jim laughed and said I thought sweater vest but that is a more accurate description. I had woken up when he came in and rolled over and saw him standing there and thought I was dreaming. He had a sweater on, dark hair, and features that made him look like he was straight off of star trek. We had a good laugh about this. Overall today was a good day. Jim's speech has improved and he did really well at therapy.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Jim
Friday November 4, 2011
Sorry to leave everyone with such a depressing post last night. I apologize for the openess and detailed nature of my posts but it has been theraputic to me to be able to recount exactly as things happen. I hope it will be a good way for us to learn and remember the trials in the good times and be grateful for the blessings we have.
Today has been a much better day and has lifted our spirits. Jim slept better last night with the c-pap and seemed more rested this morning. He was very weak from not being able to eat again but was in much better spirits. His brother, Nate and his wife Jenny, his brother Spencer, and Dan, Shelby, his mom and dad all came this morning to see him. Russ and his wife Tamara came a little later today to visit too. He was happy to see Nate and began joking and laughing with him immediatley. They took him for a swallow test mid-morning to determine if he could eat or not again and he passed! He was so happy when they brought him back to the room that he would be able to eat again. I gave him a shower and shaved him and he felt much better after, though I could tell he was very weak from not eating again. His Physical Therapist came this afternoon and made him work hard. He walked to the elevators at which point she put him in the wheelchair to go to the therapy room. There he had to do a leg rowing machine and though you could tell he was fatigued he did very well. We then played basketball and balloon volleyball. She had him push a shopping cart down the hall and the hardest thing of all, walk backwards with the shopping cart. He did really well on all the activities. Before we got on the elevator to go back up to his room the therapist had him look out the window and pick out moving objects, focusing on things to his left. He has such an amazing mind for detail-he could find the things she asked for faster than I could. He walked part of the way back to the room and I could tell he was getting very fatigued as he had less control on his left foot. He visited with his family and friends for a while and really enjoyed himself. He was flirting with the nurse again this afternoon. tori came in to check his eyes and grip. He turned to us and said "she just wants to hold my hand". It is amazing to see the improvement from yeaterday.
The plan at this point is that we will be here until Monday. At that point he will either transfer to the acute rehab here in the hospital or go to a skilled nursing facility in SLC for 7-10 days. Then we will head home to Cedar and either spend a few more days a t Kolob or be able to do outpatient therapy and go directly to our home. Thank you again for the love and prayers. I know the Lord is hearing and answering our petitions and I am so grateful to Him for his love. I will not post any more tonight as I will not have a computer but will post again tomorrow.
Sorry to leave everyone with such a depressing post last night. I apologize for the openess and detailed nature of my posts but it has been theraputic to me to be able to recount exactly as things happen. I hope it will be a good way for us to learn and remember the trials in the good times and be grateful for the blessings we have.
Today has been a much better day and has lifted our spirits. Jim slept better last night with the c-pap and seemed more rested this morning. He was very weak from not being able to eat again but was in much better spirits. His brother, Nate and his wife Jenny, his brother Spencer, and Dan, Shelby, his mom and dad all came this morning to see him. Russ and his wife Tamara came a little later today to visit too. He was happy to see Nate and began joking and laughing with him immediatley. They took him for a swallow test mid-morning to determine if he could eat or not again and he passed! He was so happy when they brought him back to the room that he would be able to eat again. I gave him a shower and shaved him and he felt much better after, though I could tell he was very weak from not eating again. His Physical Therapist came this afternoon and made him work hard. He walked to the elevators at which point she put him in the wheelchair to go to the therapy room. There he had to do a leg rowing machine and though you could tell he was fatigued he did very well. We then played basketball and balloon volleyball. She had him push a shopping cart down the hall and the hardest thing of all, walk backwards with the shopping cart. He did really well on all the activities. Before we got on the elevator to go back up to his room the therapist had him look out the window and pick out moving objects, focusing on things to his left. He has such an amazing mind for detail-he could find the things she asked for faster than I could. He walked part of the way back to the room and I could tell he was getting very fatigued as he had less control on his left foot. He visited with his family and friends for a while and really enjoyed himself. He was flirting with the nurse again this afternoon. tori came in to check his eyes and grip. He turned to us and said "she just wants to hold my hand". It is amazing to see the improvement from yeaterday.
The plan at this point is that we will be here until Monday. At that point he will either transfer to the acute rehab here in the hospital or go to a skilled nursing facility in SLC for 7-10 days. Then we will head home to Cedar and either spend a few more days a t Kolob or be able to do outpatient therapy and go directly to our home. Thank you again for the love and prayers. I know the Lord is hearing and answering our petitions and I am so grateful to Him for his love. I will not post any more tonight as I will not have a computer but will post again tomorrow.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Jim
Thursday November 3, 2011th
We went to get Jim's CT scan and his speech seemed to be getting worse. When he was done he asked for me and I went over and took his hand. He looked at me and started crying and said "I am tired of being strong. I want to go home." I told him I knew he wanted to go home and that I knew he missed the kids. He said "no, I want to go home". I told him we would be home soon and he said again "I want to go home." I understood what he meant at that point and told him "Sorry I am too selfish but I need you here". He said "Sorry i am selfish and I want to go." My heart broke as I saw how much this has broken his spirit and will. I stepped back and the sobs began. I tried to compose myself but could not for a time. He was back in the room with his family but Dan came out and said Jim wanted me. I composed myself some and went in with him. We got him his dinner and he began to eat. He took a drink of water and began to choke. He told me his tongue, nose, and throat felt numb on the right side. We called the nurse and she came and evaluated him again. She brought the doctor back in and after she had evaluated him she said we needed to get the speech therapist in right away to evaluate his swallowing. She started him on sodium drip to increase his blood pressure as she felt this was likely a clot in the artery where he had his strokes and the blood was not flowing past it so it was worsening the effect of the strokes he had already had. She said the CT scan did not show another stroke but it may not show up until later on. The therapist came in to do the swallow test and Jim was gurgling and aspirating and his speech was even more slurred than before. She said he can have nothing to eat or drink and we will do further evaluations in the morning. He has been sleeping the last couple of hours. He woke a few min ago and was perspiring heavily again and is still seeeing double and very dizzy. He seems to be resting well and we are hoping that this will be a temporary setback and he will feel much better after a good night rest. Please keep praying for him to keep his will strong and that the doctors will be led to find out all we need to so he can be healthy and not go through this again. Please pray for our kids as I know this is very difficult on them, especially as I cannot be close to love and comfort them. Thanks again for all the love and prayers.
We went to get Jim's CT scan and his speech seemed to be getting worse. When he was done he asked for me and I went over and took his hand. He looked at me and started crying and said "I am tired of being strong. I want to go home." I told him I knew he wanted to go home and that I knew he missed the kids. He said "no, I want to go home". I told him we would be home soon and he said again "I want to go home." I understood what he meant at that point and told him "Sorry I am too selfish but I need you here". He said "Sorry i am selfish and I want to go." My heart broke as I saw how much this has broken his spirit and will. I stepped back and the sobs began. I tried to compose myself but could not for a time. He was back in the room with his family but Dan came out and said Jim wanted me. I composed myself some and went in with him. We got him his dinner and he began to eat. He took a drink of water and began to choke. He told me his tongue, nose, and throat felt numb on the right side. We called the nurse and she came and evaluated him again. She brought the doctor back in and after she had evaluated him she said we needed to get the speech therapist in right away to evaluate his swallowing. She started him on sodium drip to increase his blood pressure as she felt this was likely a clot in the artery where he had his strokes and the blood was not flowing past it so it was worsening the effect of the strokes he had already had. She said the CT scan did not show another stroke but it may not show up until later on. The therapist came in to do the swallow test and Jim was gurgling and aspirating and his speech was even more slurred than before. She said he can have nothing to eat or drink and we will do further evaluations in the morning. He has been sleeping the last couple of hours. He woke a few min ago and was perspiring heavily again and is still seeeing double and very dizzy. He seems to be resting well and we are hoping that this will be a temporary setback and he will feel much better after a good night rest. Please keep praying for him to keep his will strong and that the doctors will be led to find out all we need to so he can be healthy and not go through this again. Please pray for our kids as I know this is very difficult on them, especially as I cannot be close to love and comfort them. Thanks again for all the love and prayers.
Jim
Wednesday November 2, 2011
Jim was anxious today waiting for surgery but the therapist kept him pretty busy. She made him walk a long way. We then played ball, first he bounced it to himself and then we passed back and forth to one another. She then made him take clothespins off a wire and put them back on-all with his left hand. He did really well and I can see great improvement daily in his motor skills. They took him for surgery about 3:30 and the nurse came in about 5:30 to tell us he was done and would be in recovery for a couple hours. A few min later I recieved a call from his recovery nurse saying he was asking for me. I went down to recovery and the nurse told me she had asked him if he wanted anything and he said "my wife, a mountain dew, and some cool ranch doritos." All the nurses love Jim for his wit and sense of humor. She went and got him what he asked for and he had a big smile on his face. He said he watched most of the surgery and that it was pretty amazing. He was really tired after surgery but had more color in his face than I have seen in a long time. He was finally able to eat after being restricted for almost 24 hours. You could see his strength increase after eating. We came back to the room about 7 and he was able to rest for a while. Around 10 a technician came in to do a sleep study. They hooked him up to wires that measured brain activity, breathing, leg movement, heart rhythms, etc. He had to sleep with all these wires all over his face, head and body.
The night passed pretty well though Jim said he woke up every time the nurses usually come in so i don't know that he got much rest.
Thursday November 3, 2011
This morning was quiet until about 9 am. The Neuro asst, Susie, came in and explained results of the testing yesterday. She said Jim had a factor 5 something that causes him to clot easily. It is a genetically inherited trait. She told us we would meet with a friend of hers, an internal medicine doctor, to discuss this further. She told us that he did have sleep apnea and we would be meeting with the dr over that today also. After she left, Jim got up and showered and shaved and was feeling much better. Around 1:00 I was sitting in the chair next to his bed and visiting with him and I saw the color drain from his face. He told me his lip felt numb on the right side and that he had a headache on the right side also. He started perspiring heavily and his speech became slurred. His lip began to droop on the right side also. We called the nurse in and she quickly got the dr, who did an evaluation and said she wanted to send him for another CT scan. We are still waiting on that but in the meantime they have done an EKG, an ultrasound on his heart, an ultrasound to look for clots in his arms and neck, and multiple blood tests. We had discussed possible release tonight but the dr said we will for sure be here until tomorrow now. It was very scary as that is how he was when he had his strokes on Sunday. It really scared him and he was feeling very emotional. His dad and brother gave him a blessing which comforted him and helped him relax some. I will continue to update today as I can. Again i am so grateful for all the love and prayers and the help being offered. We love you all!
Jim was anxious today waiting for surgery but the therapist kept him pretty busy. She made him walk a long way. We then played ball, first he bounced it to himself and then we passed back and forth to one another. She then made him take clothespins off a wire and put them back on-all with his left hand. He did really well and I can see great improvement daily in his motor skills. They took him for surgery about 3:30 and the nurse came in about 5:30 to tell us he was done and would be in recovery for a couple hours. A few min later I recieved a call from his recovery nurse saying he was asking for me. I went down to recovery and the nurse told me she had asked him if he wanted anything and he said "my wife, a mountain dew, and some cool ranch doritos." All the nurses love Jim for his wit and sense of humor. She went and got him what he asked for and he had a big smile on his face. He said he watched most of the surgery and that it was pretty amazing. He was really tired after surgery but had more color in his face than I have seen in a long time. He was finally able to eat after being restricted for almost 24 hours. You could see his strength increase after eating. We came back to the room about 7 and he was able to rest for a while. Around 10 a technician came in to do a sleep study. They hooked him up to wires that measured brain activity, breathing, leg movement, heart rhythms, etc. He had to sleep with all these wires all over his face, head and body.
The night passed pretty well though Jim said he woke up every time the nurses usually come in so i don't know that he got much rest.
Thursday November 3, 2011
This morning was quiet until about 9 am. The Neuro asst, Susie, came in and explained results of the testing yesterday. She said Jim had a factor 5 something that causes him to clot easily. It is a genetically inherited trait. She told us we would meet with a friend of hers, an internal medicine doctor, to discuss this further. She told us that he did have sleep apnea and we would be meeting with the dr over that today also. After she left, Jim got up and showered and shaved and was feeling much better. Around 1:00 I was sitting in the chair next to his bed and visiting with him and I saw the color drain from his face. He told me his lip felt numb on the right side and that he had a headache on the right side also. He started perspiring heavily and his speech became slurred. His lip began to droop on the right side also. We called the nurse in and she quickly got the dr, who did an evaluation and said she wanted to send him for another CT scan. We are still waiting on that but in the meantime they have done an EKG, an ultrasound on his heart, an ultrasound to look for clots in his arms and neck, and multiple blood tests. We had discussed possible release tonight but the dr said we will for sure be here until tomorrow now. It was very scary as that is how he was when he had his strokes on Sunday. It really scared him and he was feeling very emotional. His dad and brother gave him a blessing which comforted him and helped him relax some. I will continue to update today as I can. Again i am so grateful for all the love and prayers and the help being offered. We love you all!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Jim
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
