Well Carol's birthday went great. The nurse in the afternoon made sure she was well rested for the evenings festivities, or maybe Carol did. Anyway, thanks for all the birthday wishes to Carol. Each and every one of them was passed on to her, and she was so appreciative. Thanks everyone!!!! Apologies to the folks, especially on the East Coast, that want to speak to her, and it hasn't happened yet. Timing on that has proved to be a bit of a challenge, but I will get her on the horn with you all as soon as I can.
Carol's 2nd grafting surgery was today. 4 hours long or so. Her arms look great, so they were able to place the Integra dermal grafting layer where needed. Her thighs/hips needed a little more debridement, mostly of adipose tissue. So allograft was replaced on that. More than likely next Friday will look similiar. Hopefully move on to Integra on the legs, and final grafting on the arms. Carol has developed a staph infection, the resistant type. Being in a hospital for this long it very common. They took out her hickman port that has been there for 6 weeks I think. They think this is where the infection started. Also they changed her trach, just a smaller size. It's an adjustment speaking. It took here a couple days to learn how to talk through the first one. It must be that the air needed to talk is different?
goodnight
scott
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
8/6/2008
Some friends of Carol's father and stepmother are putting on a golf tournament in the Tricities in honor of Carol. Thought I would post it so people could hear about it if they want to play.
Scott
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
8/5/2008
So Carol had a pretty good mellowday. A little bit of a rough morning. Some nightmares through the night and morning. Probably the methadone. She is sleeping now peacefully. Chloe and Safiya are doing well. Erin, the nanny is working out wonderfully. Chloe really seems to be adjusting to the situation well. I'll have to post some new pictures of Safiya soon. Even since the photos Erin my sister posted, she has grown. Her cheeks are getting all puffy.
I don't think I posted the events of yesterday. Carol had a little of a rough day. They did dressing changes, which is always very painful. They also showered/bathed her, which she described as the most painful thing she has ever endured. An opthomologist came by and looked at her eyes again. Her dilation issues seem to be better, but she still can't see, and can't see light/dark anymore at all. The opthomologist thought Carol was asleep, and spoke freely in front of her that this was a bad sign. It kind of ruined Carol's day shall we say. He then said things like the body does miracoulous things and that anything can happen. From the beginning I have been pretty real and logical about the possibility of amputations, etc. I could be wrong, and maybe just hopeful thinking, and I/we will be fine either way, but I think her eyes are going to be fine for some reason. Her MRI also still looks good. I asked the night Dr. (Dr. Jensen..really nice guy) if we should have the psychologist come by again, and he assured me she comes by a few times a week. Before she and I went to bed we did the normale brushing of the teeth, washing face, deoderant, and hair brushing.
When she wakes up she is always in pain. I don't think it is really clear that she is. There seems to be a big anxiety component for her, which I think, she then forces herself to feel pain, kind of cyclical. Not to negate the obvious painful situation, but I hope you see what I mean.
So her birthday is on Thursday, and I think we have things situated to have some cake and what not between 630-7ish. Thanks for all the ideas. I know people are getting/doing some neat things for her. More than anything she just wants to be home, so I think I am just going to try and bring some of home to her. Bring the girls up, her own pillow, and blanket, that sort of thing. Probably some godiva chocolate is in order as well...anywho..good night.
ps: happy birthday tomorrow Jo!!
scott
I don't think I posted the events of yesterday. Carol had a little of a rough day. They did dressing changes, which is always very painful. They also showered/bathed her, which she described as the most painful thing she has ever endured. An opthomologist came by and looked at her eyes again. Her dilation issues seem to be better, but she still can't see, and can't see light/dark anymore at all. The opthomologist thought Carol was asleep, and spoke freely in front of her that this was a bad sign. It kind of ruined Carol's day shall we say. He then said things like the body does miracoulous things and that anything can happen. From the beginning I have been pretty real and logical about the possibility of amputations, etc. I could be wrong, and maybe just hopeful thinking, and I/we will be fine either way, but I think her eyes are going to be fine for some reason. Her MRI also still looks good. I asked the night Dr. (Dr. Jensen..really nice guy) if we should have the psychologist come by again, and he assured me she comes by a few times a week. Before she and I went to bed we did the normale brushing of the teeth, washing face, deoderant, and hair brushing.
When she wakes up she is always in pain. I don't think it is really clear that she is. There seems to be a big anxiety component for her, which I think, she then forces herself to feel pain, kind of cyclical. Not to negate the obvious painful situation, but I hope you see what I mean.
So her birthday is on Thursday, and I think we have things situated to have some cake and what not between 630-7ish. Thanks for all the ideas. I know people are getting/doing some neat things for her. More than anything she just wants to be home, so I think I am just going to try and bring some of home to her. Bring the girls up, her own pillow, and blanket, that sort of thing. Probably some godiva chocolate is in order as well...anywho..good night.
ps: happy birthday tomorrow Jo!!
scott
Monday, August 4, 2008
8/4/2008
Allright, Thursday is Carol's birthday and I need ideas. What to get/do for her is a toughy this year. Cake is the only request she has made. So if you have any ideas, let's here them!!
Scott
Scott
Sunday, August 3, 2008
8/3/2008
So no real huge news this weekend. She had a uncomfortable night the night before last, but yesterday was decent. She needed alot of pain medication, so much so that the nurses didn't feel comfortable giving her anymore. The take an xray to see if something may have been wrong with her feeding tube, where much of her pain med's go through. It was kind of curled up so the placed a new one. She seems to be doing better now I guess. Also she was put back on antibiotics and had her catheter changed in a related matter. Thanks for posting the pictures Erin. They came out cool.....not the hair I would have chosen for Chloe' ;), but they came out super cute. I need to get her another haircut.
scott
scott
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Pictures...finally
Hi, I am Erin, Scott's sister. We took Chloe and Safiya to get their pictures taken on July 31st. I asked Scott's permission to post them here, especially for those who aren't closeby to see them. So here you go!
Friday, August 1, 2008
8/1/2008
Well Carol went in for surgery around 11:45. A little earlier than expected but, just as well. She was kept pretty sedated this morning. So much so that after the surgery when I was talking to her, she still thought it was the morning.
The surgery went great. In two hours they were able to graft all area with allograft, revise her left arm a bit, and suture some of the wounds to try and get some closure. When she cam out of surgery she was very sedated, felt cold, and a little shaky as expected. But she is doing well. They expect her pain level to go down abit, since the wounds are covered somewhat now. Again, the surgeons expressed how good the wounds looked, and how well she was taken care of over at Swedish.
The plan moving forward is as follows. She will not have any wound changed until monday, which is great, in that alot of her pain comes from those dressing changes. Next Friday, she will go down to the OR again, and if everything goes to plan, get a new type of grafting meant to bulk up her dermal layer of skin by a centimeter or so with a material called Integra. This as I said is to add some thickness of skin, as most the areas, when healed will be left pretty deep divets (not sure on the spelling there). That will be allowed to heal for 14 days. If everything looks good there, then her own skin graft will follow, those will be allowed to heal for at least 14 days, and if all goes well, rehab, etc. may start to begin. Somewhere in there her right hand will have to have surgery. The physical therapy on it hasn't allowed her to extend her fingers all the way as hoped. I don't think I have written about this yet. Her fingers were kind of in a fist for the first couple weeks, which has tightened the tendons. She can only straighten one finger, if the others are bent down. So some sort of tendon relieving surgery. The want to get this going, since everyone recognizes that use of this hand is neccessary. She is sleeping well. I have Chloe, and mom has Safiya.
THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING EVERYONE. THE OUTREACH FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CAROL AND OUR FAMILY IS TRULY AMAZING!!!!!!!
scott
The surgery went great. In two hours they were able to graft all area with allograft, revise her left arm a bit, and suture some of the wounds to try and get some closure. When she cam out of surgery she was very sedated, felt cold, and a little shaky as expected. But she is doing well. They expect her pain level to go down abit, since the wounds are covered somewhat now. Again, the surgeons expressed how good the wounds looked, and how well she was taken care of over at Swedish.
The plan moving forward is as follows. She will not have any wound changed until monday, which is great, in that alot of her pain comes from those dressing changes. Next Friday, she will go down to the OR again, and if everything goes to plan, get a new type of grafting meant to bulk up her dermal layer of skin by a centimeter or so with a material called Integra. This as I said is to add some thickness of skin, as most the areas, when healed will be left pretty deep divets (not sure on the spelling there). That will be allowed to heal for 14 days. If everything looks good there, then her own skin graft will follow, those will be allowed to heal for at least 14 days, and if all goes well, rehab, etc. may start to begin. Somewhere in there her right hand will have to have surgery. The physical therapy on it hasn't allowed her to extend her fingers all the way as hoped. I don't think I have written about this yet. Her fingers were kind of in a fist for the first couple weeks, which has tightened the tendons. She can only straighten one finger, if the others are bent down. So some sort of tendon relieving surgery. The want to get this going, since everyone recognizes that use of this hand is neccessary. She is sleeping well. I have Chloe, and mom has Safiya.
THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING EVERYONE. THE OUTREACH FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CAROL AND OUR FAMILY IS TRULY AMAZING!!!!!!!
scott
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