Sunday Update

Today's edition of the blog is brought to you by Doreen's granddaughters Kelsey and Amanda.

Sunday morning we went with Lee, Linda, and Dick to spend a couple of hours with grandma. When we first arrived, she was fairly groggy, but as we talked to her and encouraged her to eat, she perked up quite a bit. We were told her temperature had been high again that morning, but it was closer to normal during our morning visit. We were able to get her to eat all of her serving of watermelon and banana which was a welcome change after a primarily liquid diet the day before. Grandma requested a sweet potato for dinner and eggs and hash browns for her breakfast for Monday. We left around 1:30 to attend the memorial service for Sandra Borgmann.

The service was a wonderful celebration of Sandra's life and we were very proud of grandpa, who was the soloist during the service. We were all very touched by his strength and the beauty of his voice especially during such an emotional time.

After the service we (Kelsey and Amanda) went back to the hospital to spend a couple of hours with grandma. (Giving our parents the opportunity to go home and grandpa a much needed rest.) When we arrived she was very warm to the touch and seemed to be in pain. We talked to the technician who said grandma had a fever again. Once the proper medications were administered her fever was drastically reduced and we saw grandma as grandma again. We were able to get her to eat some of her sweet potato and strawberries and we shared stories in a very conversational way. We were then pleased as she seemed to fall into a very comfortable sleep before we left (unlike any sleep we'd seen in the past two days).

We have been so moved by the outpouring of support through visitors, cards, calls, and kind words that we've witnessed during our visit and heard about during the past month. We are so thankful that our family is in such good hands, especially since we are currently living so far away.

Saturday Update

June 28, 2008

by Judy

We have been told by many as we began this journey involving brain trauma to expect good days and bad days—2 steps forward and one step back. Well, today was at least one step back. The nurses could not wake Doreen enough to give her breakfast, and we could get almost no response from her. She had a slightly elevated temperature that became a fever as the day went on. The doctors decided to get another CT scan.

It is unfortunate that this “down” day came when two of the grandchildren came to visit. Kelsey and Amanda came from New Jersey and New York respectively to visit their grandmother (and their parents). There were some advantages to this situation, too, however, as the granddaughters were able to do some very basic care with their grandmother, including feeding her some Jello and ice cream, rubbing her legs, and trying to keep her appropriately warm without being too hot.

The family was still awaiting some explanation for why this lethargy occurred and what was causing the fever as the day ended. We were all thinking as we were reluctantly preparing to leave for the evening that steps sideways would be easier to handle emotionally than steps backwards. Then, amazingly, she wakened a bit, she looked at her granddaughters, she held their hands, and she talked a little bit. She also asked about any cards and listened (and commented) as they were read to her. Whew! It was a great relief for everyone after a day of inactivity and overt quietness. (And yes, don’t doubt that one can be overtly quiet.)

Friday Update

June 27, 2008

by Judy

Today we began to see a bright light at the end of the tunnel! We can be fairly sure that no more surgeries lie ahead, and we said good-bye to intensive care. Doreen had 7 different visitors (in 3 groups) and a long phone call, and handled them all very well. She cooperated with the therapists and initiated some of the exercises herself. She fell asleep only a few times. We have lots of reasons to feel positive and optimistic!

When Dr. Kachmann came to see her in ICU, it took very little time for him to say it was time to get her out of that unit. He said it was time to get her closer to home. Clearly, the shunt surgery did what it was supposed to do, and he feels we are ready for the next step.

The therapists came to ICU before she was transferred, and they had Doreen sit on the edge of the bed, which she did with only minimal support, and she was able to correct her balance reasonably well. They had her lift her legs while sitting, and they had her push against resistance with her arms and her legs. Her left side is still clearly weaker, but she was able to lift her left arm by herself. To get it over her head, though, she needed help. When they asked her to comb her hair (what is left of it), the purpose was occupational therapy, but she wanted a wider-toothed comb. We are afraid there will need to be a little more attention to her hair before it will meet her standards.

Eating remains a concern. Anything that seems too heavy is difficult for her to handle. So she has more interest in fruit, Jello, and drinks than in main dishes. She does have a lot of flexibility in what they will allow her to eat, though, so we are continuing to look for new and appetizing options that will also be nutritious.

When Judy did a crossword puzzle with Doreen today, she was doing it very quickly. She did not get a confused about some of the clues as she had in the past few days. So it may be time to try harder puzzles, although it will get easier when she is better at using her vision. Some confusion still shows in the understanding of when things will or did occur in her social schedule. We will gradually try to help her understand the extent of interruption that is occurring in her life. The increased awareness and functioning is both an advantage and disadvantage as she remembers her plans and needs to be told what will not be possible.

This weekend will be a time to visit with some grandchilden and others. It is wonderful that she will be able to enjoy it more after these advances!

Thursday Update

June 26, 2008

by Judy

We hope that today's surgery will be the last that Doreen will need for a very long time! For the fourth time in the last month, she had a neurosurgical procedure done. This time it was the installation of a shunt. Dr. Kachmann removed the drain and threaded a tube from that spot in her brain through her neck and chest to her abdomen. This will be permanent and self-regulating. When the pressure from the cerebrospinal fluid is too great, it will allow for drainage from the brain into the abdomen where it will be absorbed by the body. When the pressure is fine, the shunt will stay closed.

When Dr. Kachmann removed the drain, he said that a significant amount of fluid spurted out. This confirmed for him that Doreen needed the shunt. That build-up explains some of the concerns that we all had about Doreen's behavior over the past few days since the drain was clamped off. It will take some more days to see whether things really improve now, though.

In the pre-op area, Doreen said she did have a question for Dr. Kachmann. She asked him if he was planning to use a chain saw. We interpreted that to mean that she was relatively relaxed before the surgery!

After she returned to her room, she was in a quite a bit of pain. She said her head hurt, and that her mouth and throat were sore. She also indicated that her abdomen was sore where 3 small incisions were made for laparoscopic procedures to locate the output areas of the shunt. Some of the problem with her mouth and throat would be due to the fact that she had a tube in her throat during the procedure again.

Because she was in pain, the nurse offered pain medications. Several possibilities were offered by the doctor's prescriptions. A dose of Demorol was given IV at the lowest prescribed level, but it clearly was VERY strong for Doreen. After getting that injection, her heart rate, pressure, and respiration dropped lower than was comfortable for any of the rest of us. The nurse did several things to keep her alert and try to raise those levels. A couple of hours later, she was resting very peacefully and sleeping well--even if it was somewhat drug-induced.

Before the family left in the evening, the nurses pried her eyelids open to check her pupils and asked the usual questions of where she was, what year it was, and why she was there. She answered the questions very well, although in a very drowsy way. We look forward to tomorrow when the drugs continue fade so that we can measure the success of this latest intervention. It is possible that she could be moved from intensive care back to the other hospital unit tomorrow, and the surgeon is predicting that she will be discharged from the hospital next week, although no day was given. We are looking forward to a new setting closer to where we are staying!

Wednesday Update

June 25, 2008

by Judy

Today Doreen seemed bright and alert when Judy and Carl arrived. But they found out that she had eaten very little breakfast. They tried to encourage her to eat more English muffin, and they filled each other in on the happenings of the previous day. When the mail came, Doreen read her own cards, although slowly. It was exciting to see her using her vision and processing the things around her by herself.

At lunch, she ate with a lot of help and encouragement. She did fairly well. When the occupational and physical therapists came, it was a struggle to get Doreen to participate. She leaned heavily on the support they provided, and she struggled to sit up and maintain her own balance. The goal was to get her to take a few steps with the walker (as she apparently did the day before), but she did not have enough strength. She kept saying that she wanted to lie down. The therapists finally got her to standing and had her take about two or three side-steps to move up futher on the bed, and then they let her rest. Doreen said that maybe she could cooperate more if she knew ahead of time that they were coming. They said that was very hard for them to do, and they also pointed out that she had done very well the previous day, and that was without any warning either. We hope this will get better in the future!

One thing that may have contributed to the poor performance was the discussion that Doreen and Judy had just before the therapists came. Doreen said that she really needed to go to the memorial service for Sandra, their good friend, on Sunday. Judy had to explain that it just could not happen. She would not be released from the hospital before then, and her needs would be too great. Doreen is a person who has always been able to make things happen when she wanted them. This disappointment is very difficult for her. Added to that is the brief discussion they have had about how unlikely it is that she will be able to live in her former home.

Shortly after all of this, Dr. Kachmann came in. When he saw the Doreen was listless, heard that she was not eating well, and heard that she went in and out of being alert, he instructed the nurses to put her on the schedule for Thursday morning to have the shunt put in. He explained that people of this age are not likely to become unconscious or totally unresponsive as an indicator that they have problems with the brain fluid build-up, but instead would show the pattern of being more and then less alert as she had shown. He also had another CT scan taken. We understand that it showed no change.

Please keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers as Doreen undergoes her fourth surgery on Thursday morning.

Tuesday Update

June 24, 2008

by Judy

Today was a day to renew ourselves by taking a short break from hospital visits. Judy returned to Purdue and talked with 45 middle-school 4-Hers in two sessions about Living with Parents. Although the issues that teens face when living with parents are different from what Carl and Doreen's children are facing now, there are important overlapping themes of learning to understand and respect each other's needs and perspectives. Carl took a day to visit with many friends at Timbercrest. He estimated that two dozen people stopped to ask about his and Doreen's well-being at dinner. There are many friends who will welcome them when and if they can make that move! Thanks to all of you who made him feel so welcome.

Reports from nurses and phone calls with Doreen indicate that there is not much change from the last few days. She is not eating very well, and she goes from being very lucid and aware to showing some confusion about where she is and what is appropriate in that setting. She has requested items from her bag or her room, and she sometimes forgets she is in a hospital rather than in someone's home.

We think that the doctor did not visit Doreen today, and there is no surgery nor CT scan scheduled for tomorrow, although that may change. It is likely that the doctors and nurses need to observe her longer now that the drain has been clamped off to determine the next steps. The lack of having any scheduled procedures does mean, though, that her condition did not deteriorate enough to mean that something needed to be done immediately.

Some notes that were not in the last posting: Yesterday Doreen helped to complete a complete crossword puzzle. She provided all the answers after Judy read the clues. Although she did not look at the puzzle, she knew all the answers. Now we need to get her to look at the puzzle itself! It also is important to note how she is trying to understand and get some control of her care. When Dr. Kachmann visited on Monday, Doreen asked, "If I didn't have a stroke, what did I have? Was it an aneuriysm?" She had heard much of the discussion about her condition, but she is trying to work through more of the details. It also is telling to consider how she answered one of the questions from the cognitive assessment. The item was "What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a doctor?" The advantages she listed were that you could care for your family members and could understand your own health well. The disadvantage was the hours.

Sunday & Monday Update

June 22 & 23, 2008

by Judy

On Sunday, Carl and Judy attended churches in North Manchester and Lafayette respectively, so they arrived later than usual at the hospital. Doreen was awake, wearing her glasses, and asking questions. She had been expressing concerns to the nurses that she had responsibilities for the memorial service for Sandra Borgmann. That memorial service will take place on June 29, and Doreen would have been involved with planning the service and reception, and she is not quite convinced that she will not be able to take that role.

Judy had not seen Doreen for a few days, and she found her to be stronger and more conversant than when they had last been together. It is important to mention that Doreen asked about Judy's health and wanted an update on issues she had dealt with. Doreen is still very much the caregiver.

On Monday, Doreen was still talking about what she needed to do to get ready for the memorial service. The family promised to try to record the service so that she can expeience it, but we acknowledged that it will be very difficult for her to miss this event. Later in the morning, Doreen talked with granddaughter Amanda on the phone (a very coherent conversation), and said that she hoped she and Grandpa Carl would be able to visit Amanda in New York on the way to or from the church's Annual Conference in July at Richmond, Virginia. We have not yet discussed the fact that she will not be able to attend that event, either. There are many disappointments that everyone will need to face over time.

Also on Monday, Dr. Kachmann visited and gave the order to clamp the drain. This will continue for 24 to 48 hours unless there is a need to do something different earlier. They will look for headaches, excessive drowsiness, or loss of the some of the gains Doreen has made. If any of those things occur, they will reopen the drain. We believe they will also do another CT scan on Tuesday (or later) to see if there is an accumulation of fluid. Either of those outcomes would provide evidence of the need of a shunt. If Doreen does well and shows no additional accumulation of fluid during this period (and maybe a little longer), they will assume that she does not need the shunt. So now we wait.

One of the challenges at this point is keeping Doreen eating. She does not have a lot of appetite, and she has lost weight. We continue to try to find things that interest her, and we continue to offer the magic mandarine oranges, but she does need more than that!

The speech therapist who visited on Monday focused on cognitive functioning rather than speaking and swallowing. Doreen did very well with correcting senctences that did not make sense and identifying the advantages and disadvantages of various situations. The area in which she struggled involved using her eyes. She continues to keep her eyes closed much of the time, and that seems to be causing some confusion. We realized that she was making a lot of assumptions from short glances and not carefully looking at the things around her or by not looking at all. So, for example, she said that there were 5 chairs in her room, even though there were only 2. So looking and interpreting things around her will be major tasks in the near future.

On Tuesday, Judy needs to be at work, so the family is taking a one-day break from visiting the hospital. Carl has been there every day since May 30, so family mimbers are encouraging him to think about other things and to further explore the Timbercrest Retirement Community. So he will be there spending time with friends, and he and Judy will check in with each other again in the evening and travel together to Ft. Wayne on Wednesday morning, hoping to hear the verdict after the drain was clamped. It is difficult to be away from Doreen, but it is also important that the family keep the rest of their lives in balance. Note that anyone who would like to visit the hospital may want to wait until Wednesday or later when family members will be available.

Saturday update

by Linda

Doreen was newly curious today for an extended conversation with lots
of give and take. This was reassuring after the steps that felt either
backward or, at best, sideways. She has asked a few things before but
she started this morning asking a series of questions, one after
another, in a logical progression toward understanding "what happened
with my head." Time frames are very foggy and hard for her to put
together but she is working and thinking and trying to process the
situation a lot of the time now. She pulls some things from memory and
some things from the present and seems to combine them logically some
times and quite creatively other times. She was able to participate in
a conversation that was downright chatty with her brother Jay. She
spoke for 8-10 minutes with the telephone resting on her pillow. Her
speech was a bit slow and thick but she was on target. After she has
exerted herself like that, she hibernates for hours.

Eating continues to be a huge undertaking. She chose spaghetti today, a
challenge for her helpers to balance the wiggly stuff on the fork, as
she quite adeptly uses the fork to feed herself. It just simply takes a
long time. She waits to decide which food she wants for each bite,
chews slowly and deliberately, asks for sips of drinks, closes her eyes
for a bit, asks why she doesn't have Parmesan cheese or garlic bread,
and then LOVED the taste and texture of her dessert of cheesecake but
needed to have us hunt down some hot peppermint tea to have with it! It
was actually heartwarming to have that opinionated determination
surface again.

Tag---Judy's it. She is coming Sunday afternoon again as Linda and
Parker need to return to Illinois tonight. We are strongly encouraging
Carl to attend the morning church service in North Manchester with the
desire to return to some semblance of normal routines.

Friday update

by Linda

10 steps for Doreen, a giant leap for peace-of-mind! This morning
before we arrived at the hospital, the physical therapist and nurse
helped Doreen take some steps (with a walker and their support) to a
chair where she sat for a couple hours! This major activity absolutely
exhausted her but we all felt so encouraged by the move out of bed
where she has spent nearly all her time for three weeks. After a good
long nap, she was eager to spend time with visiting family and several
dear friends from N. Manchester. She has an awkward grip on some of the
time sequences of the past weeks but a sure grip on some quick quips
and comments. "Mom, are you OK? You're making some really funny faces."
"I only have one face," she replied.

Doreen was able to use a spoon to eat half a bowl of tomato soup and
some jello and not one drop fell onto her "bib." I had never seen
someone chew a bite of jello for half a minute but she was savoring the
flavor and texture every moment. Eating takes a long stretch of time
and she exerts a lot of effort but she is taking more and more personal
care of her nutritional wants and needs.

We often need to remind her to open her eyes in order to help her
center her attention on a task like eating or exercising. She finds it
comforting to visually close out some of the things around her when she
is trying to concentrate but looking at what she is working on will
help her reinforce the brain pathways she needs to strengthen.
We are considering next steps----all the who, where, how kinds of
things. Now that we are out of the basic crisis mode, future questions
loom large. Moving from reactive to proactive decisions is a challenge
for the four of us offspring (and extended family) as we are stretched
around the country. We want both parents to be engaged in some kind of
enriching tasks and to be looking forward. Steps along the journey...

Wednesday/Thursday update

by Judy

Wednesday was another coasting day for Doreen. She seems to need to
take some days to process all the things going on around her and simply
regroup and gain strength. She was inactive much of the day with her
eyes closed. We try to remember that each step of the journey is
another step along the journey.

Thursday has been a different day regarding activity. (And after four
days of being away, Linda clearly sees marked improvement as she takes
the baton of caring from Judy for a few days.) Doreen was helped by the
physical therapist to stand a few moments as she moved to a welcome new
piece of furniture--a potty chair. It was actually encouraging to hear
her complain of tired neck and shoulder muscles from so much physical
exertion! Carl noticed that she brightened considerably when grandson
Parker arrived for a visit. He was glad to be able to help her with
lunch. When he asked what she likes so much about the mandarin oranges,
she said she likes the juiciness. Occupational therapy induced good
responses with the left arm and some growth toward more balance as she
sits on the side of the bed for a minutes or so. We are being asked to
encourage her to practice using the left side. It's important to repeat
activities to strengthen the pathways in the brain that control each
movement.

Dr. Kachmann was so pleased with the different response from yesterday
that he questions whether or not he will need to insert the permanent
shunt. He will experiment with clamping off the drain on Monday to see
how she tolerates any fluid excess for a day and then decide from
there. We are eager to learn if she can avoid more surgical
intervention.

Doreen fed herself supper (mostly) and it was an adventure of catching
noodles and stabbing mandarin oranges with a fork. When Linda snitched
a bite of chicken saying she was making sure it was safe for Doreen to
eat, Doreen quiped that it would have been more helpful to have tested
the food before she had already eaten several bites. A point well made!
When she was given a choice of vanilla or chocolate pudding, she asked
for some of both with, of course, mandarin oranges on top.

She is humbled by the cards, visitors, calls, and all the love being
sent this way. We thank you.

Tuesday update

June 17, 2008

by Judy

This was a good day! According to the nurses, Doreen fed herself part of her breakfast and sat on the edge of the bed before Judy and Carl arrived in the morning. Then she was tired and slept quite a bit. She got a lot of help with lunch. But as the afternoon went on, she visited with Timbercrest friends who came to see her, sat on the edge of the bed again, had a discussion with Lois and Dale Brown over the phone (and they could understand her fine!), and asked the family to go to Aldi's and get her some mandarine oranges. (The theme continues...)

At suppertime, she fed herself supper with almost no assistance, and she ate well. She thought her glasses may be helpful, and while wearing them she did seem to be more alert and to open her eyes more often. It is unclear, though, whether she needed her glasses because she was opening her eyes, or she found it easier to open her eyes because she was wearing her glasses and could see better. But there was progress! Conversations seemed to be longer and more coherent, and she is gaining strength in torso, legs, and arms. She can't yet balance herself very long when in a sitting position, though.

Another interesting discussion today was related to the telling of the story of May 29. As Carl was talking to a visitor about what happened, she explained her perspective and what she was doing at the soccer field. It may have been one of the first times that she heard and understood Carl's experience that evening. It will be interesting to see her continue to process those stories.

Today included more steps in the long journey we are undertaking together...

Monday Update

June 16, 2008

by Judy

We saw the neurosurgeon, Dr. Rudy Kachmann (pronounced Cashman) today for the first time since the surgery. He continues to be pleased with the progress, but it is going to take a long time. He told us that he will keep Doreen on the drain for 7 to 10 days and then wants to put in the shunt. So we will be in intensive care at least the next 7 to 10 days. It is good to know that she is not there because she is not making progress, but because the type of treatment she is getting requires the equipment and attention that is provided in the ICU.

Visitors can see Doreen and the family while she is in ICU, but there are some restrictions on visiting. Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. During the 2:30 to 4:30 "quiet time" the family may not be easy to find, especially because cell phones don't work in the cafeteria. If you expect to visit during these hours, you will not be able to see Doreen, but you could let the family know to look for you.

Doreen was not quite as alert and strong today as yesterday, but she continues to show progress in a variety of ways. She wanted the credit card so she and Carl could go out for a special supper. She sang the good-night song with us again. Although her harmony was not as good as before, her voice was stronger. We look forward to her joining the choir as a full-fledged member soon!

Sunday Update

Sunday, June 15, 2008

by Judy

Today gave us some encouragement and energy. Doreen remains in intensive care because of the drain, but the unit is now familiar to us, and we know many of the people there. One of of favorite nurses from the last ICU stay was on duty this afternoon and evening. When we arrived at the room this morning (after celebrating Father's Day--Judy, Linda, Lee, and Carl), we found that Doreen had been awake quite a bit in the course of the morning. The TV was on and was broadcasting the Golf Channel, because she had requested it (she loves Tiger Woods). But she wasn't watching much, and she was then tiring. We visited some and continued talk to her and get some short answers. We help with her simple lunch, but then needed to leave for "quiet time" between 2:30 and 4:30.

After that break, we saw much more alertness, and found that she opened her eyes and talked with us. She complained about a little bit of confusion, but still piped in to correct Carl as he tried to tell some stories to son Steve on the phone. She is very regularly ribbing the staff and family. Her sense of humor is likely to be very helpful as she moves through this process. And after a meager supper of applesauce and mashed potatoes, guess what she asked for. And the staff made sure she got what she wanted later--mandarine oranges!

One of the most promising signs was evident during her range-of-motion exercises. When we did them with her over the past 3 days, her left arm was basically dead weight, and that was discouraging, considering that she was showing increasing strength and cooperation before that. Today, though, Judy asked her to try to push back when moving her forearm up and down, and there was definite strength in that effort. Doreen was also able to rotate her forearm almost by herself. And she did her breathing exercises (blowing through a tube against pressure) with strength as well. So we are moving forward!

The nurses report that it is most likely that we will be in intensive care for at least 5 days, considering what they have seen from other patients. Unfortunately, we still have not seen the surgeon since the surgery took place. But we are confident that things seem to be going well. We expect to see daily progress now! Watch for the updates (which may shift back to every other day, unless significant changes or more dramatic events call for daily updates).

June 14 update

by Judy & Linda

Today involved yet another surgery. As a result of reviewing yesterday's CT scane, the neurosurgeon felt is was important to reduce the pressure on the brain from excess cerebrospinal fluid, so he decided to insert a drain right away. Although we reported in yesterday's post that he wanted to put in a stent--which actually should have been referred to as a shunt (thanks to Gordon Bucher for the clarification!), he decided that we may or may not to have that procedure done. In his step-by-step approach, Dr. Kachmann (Rudy) felt the next step should be relieving that pressure and monitoring the output and nature of the fluid that is drained. It still may be possible that she will need a shunt, but it is also possible that she will not.

Carl and Judy were notified as soon as they arrived in the morning that this surgery would be taking place. It was necessary for Doreen to move back into intensive care to monitor the drain, so the family and the nurses needed to move all the "stuff"out of the room in which Doreen has been over the last week. Nothing is allowed in intensive care, so things were transferred to the car. Linda and Lee arrived at the hospital almost at the same time as Dorren being placed in the new ICU room. We were all very pleased to see Doreen somewhat awake and responsive, although that responsiveness increased as the afternoon went on. Over the course of the evening, Doreen began to ask whether it was good or bad that we wanted to get her back to feeling normal. She also talked about all the things that she thought should have been added to the broth she was given in order to make it tastier. It is probably important to note the mandarine oranges entered the conversation again!

It is unclear how long the stay in the ICU will last this time. There have been hints at a day or two all the way to 5 or 6 days. We do know that she will not be released from the hospital on Monday as was suggested earlier. For the second time in the past three days, she joined in the good-night song we have been singing together many of the evenings--All Night, All Day, Angels Watching Over Me, My Lord. This journey is not all over yet, but we are taking "baby steps." We are encouraged with the returning sense of humor and Doreen's increasing ability to enter into the flow of conversation, even if it is somewhat subdued. We go to bed tonight with lighter hearts and revitalized hope. We look forward to seeing what tomorrow brings.

update June 12 & 13

Thursday, June 12 & Friday, June 13, 2008

by Judy

The primary accomplishment during these two days is that Doreen is eating better and is graduating to more normal foods rather than ground-up and pureed items. It has been a challenge to feed her things like vegetable soup while she is lying flat on her back, but we have figured it out! And we are figuring out what tasty things we should order for her meals.

The concern today that she was very lethargic and sleepy again (Friday). She showed no movement or response with her left hand, although she did move her left leg. She spent very little time with her eyes open. When the surgeon saw her in the late afternoon, he expressed dissatisfaction with her condition and suggested that he might need to take one more step. He is afraid that the brain has been unable to absorb the brain fluid (something that often happens with older people after they have had bleeding in the brain). His approach to treatment througout this time has been to do only as much as he knew was necessary at each point, but he feels it may be necessary to put in a stint to move excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain. This would entail inserting a tube in the brain that would drain into the abdominal cavity where the fluid would be absorbed nomally by the body. The neurosurgeon would do the work in the brain, and another surgeon would work on the abdomen. He anticipated that the surgery would take about an hour and a half. He talked about doing this on Monday, but said that he was on call this weekend, and may do it sooner if it looks warranted. We hate to see yet another surgery, but we appreciate the surgeon's step-by-step approach, and clearly we want to maximize the chances that Doreen will be able to recover most or all of her capacities.

We also spent some time today looking at options for Doreen after discharge from the hospital. Although the first choice is Timbercrest, they have told us that they are not able to accept someone with her current medical needs at this time. That situation may change by the time Doreen is discharged (earliest date--Monday, June 16), but we need to have another option in mind. Judy and Carl visited Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester today, and found that it was a pleasant place with many options for care. Some representatives of Peabody were already planning to visit Ft. Wayne today, so they came by the hospital and talked with the staff and Doreen. By the end of the day, they let us know that they would be happy to admit her when she is discharged from the hospital. So Peabody will be Doreen's next residential location unless something changes with Timbercrest before that time. The Peabody arrangements would be seen as temporary in any case, with the hope that something would open up as soon as possible, perhaps for both Carl and Doreen to move in to Timbercrest as their new permanent home.

Carl is continually impressed by the loving care Doreen is getting in the Lutheran Hospital environment. It is expressed not only to us but also to others. Each time a person comes to room, he is careful to tell him or her about his satisfaction.

Tornado Update

by Clay

The tornado that hit Manhattan last night has been classified EF-4, with winds in excess of 170 mph. By the time it bounced across town to our neighborhood, it had diminished to an EF-1 or lower, which probably explains why our house wasn't severely damaged.

After a few hours of sleep we woke up this morning to find that most of the trees in our immediate neighborhood sustained irreparable damage. It's a not stretch to say that all the trees on our property sustained some damage, with only two able to be saved.

Piles of debris are already piled 10 feet and higher in front of homes all the way down the block. (Interestingly, two blocks away, you wouldn't even know there had been a storm, let alone a tornado.)

Amazingly, none of our homes suffered more than minor damage: a few shingles missing here, a gutter broken off there. After seeing the damage in the light, it's clear that at least part of the tornado hit on the side of our front yard (taking out a group of trees), bounced over the house, then tore through the back yard and into the ravine destroying dozens of trees and taking all the power and utility lines with them. The force was so strong on the lines that it snapped the utility pole at the corner of our property. It's this pole, and the tons of debris lying on the line that is causing the delay in restoring power and phone service. Several different tree crews have come to look at the situation, but all of them have left without doing any work.

The large blue spruce in our backyard (one of our favorite trees) fell toward the house and appears to have clipped the electric meter. No word yet on whether it's damaged. The other large tree in our backyard, a large silver maple, split in half and the tornado lifted a large part of it dozen or so feet into the ravine and is splayed across all of the other debris.

As we started walking around this morning, we started picking up debris including: a cancelled check from 1980, a business card from the Honda dealership that was devastated on the OTHER side of town, invoices, an intact test tube, photos, pages from a text book, game cards, insulation, shingles, and various other things used to build homes, businesses, and campus buildings. I've experienced this before when I worked for the Red Cross, but it's been surreal to have it happen to our house, our neighborhood, and our city.

Reports are that over 45 homes were completely destroyed on the west side of Manhattan where the tornado first touched down. We know that area well: some of our closest friends (the Haar's) live on the hardest hit street. They evacuated early this morning and are staying with friends.

As we continue without electricity for a second night, our nerves are starting to fray. It's been especially tough on Cameron who's had his life interrupted. We're hopeful that his summer theatre program is back in session tomorrow to give him some different scenery.

We're excited that Hjalti's brother is arriving tomorrow night, but hope that the electricity is back on by then. It's going to be quite a shock for someone who's never been to the U.S. before!

Thanks for your kinds words and good wishes. My mobile phone remains the best way to contact us.

www.myers-bowman.com
785 – four-one-zero-three-three-one-nine

Wednesday Update

June 11, 2008
by Judy

This has been another eventful day! In the morning, Doreen and Carl's best friends for over 60 years, Lois and Dale Brown, came to visit. Their daughter Deanna and her husband Brian Harley also joined the get-together. It was a good visit and allowed the best briends to share stories and reminisce. After the visit, however, Doreen was quite tired, and she said later that the visit was not very satisfying--not a surprising assessment when a visit is spent flat on the back! The physical and occupational therapists were somewhat relaxed because of her exhaustion. Although the visit contributed to the lack of energy, it was not responsible in and of itself. Being easily tired out is par for the course. After the visit, Carl accompanied the Brown family to visit Timbercrest Retirement Community in North Manchester.

Around noon the surgeon returned and looked again at the incision. He continued to be concerned about the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid, so he recommended another surgery to take care of the leakage. This surgery went very well. He replaced some of the membrane around the brain and felt confident that it would take care of the leaking. (The replacement was treated pig membrane--making Doreen literally "pig-headed," according to an unnamed daughter.) He also did not see any bulging, which would have indicated an excess of fluid. So the assumption is that the fluid was leaking but not building up excess pressure.

When Doreen returned to her room around 7:00 or so, her eyes were wide open, and she was talking about what was happening. Her dinner had come while she was gone, and she thought that the root beer float she had asked for earlier sounded really good. She drank much of it. She said her head hurt some, but she seemed to feel good otherwise. Because the surgery involved the cerebrospinal fluid, she needs to remain flat for 48 hours in order to avoid a bad headache. That means that she needed to drink her float through a straw while lying on her side. She also asked for something cruncy and salty, but that is not yet her diet. It would be good if these requests are a sign that her appetite is improving!

We are hopeful that this surgery will help Doreen move ahead faster, although we will be happy with just steady progress. The support of the many people who have called and written and included her in thoughts and prayers is a big part of her healing!

Manhattan Tornado

We're o.k. And safe. The tornado that hit manhattan last night lifted off the ground as it tore thru our neighborhood and over our house. We had just returned from picking up Karen from the KC airport when the sirens sounded and we headed to the basement. About 20 mintutes later we heard it swoosh by overhead. No damage to our house. Others were not so lucky. LOTS of trees down. One tore down the main phone and electric lines behind our house.

We'll report more once it's lite outside.

Use my mobile number to contact us.

Clay
Sent from my Treo
-----------
Clay Myers-Bowman
Manhattan, Kansas
www.myers-bowman.com

Monday & Tuesday Update

Monday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 10
by Karen

Doreen has spent much of the last two days sleeping. It now seems to be a much more restful sleep than it was the first week of her hospitalization; therefore, it is a gratifying thing for us to see. When she is asleep, she is deeply asleep. This means that she is more alert when she is awake. Because of this, she is able to interact and converse in a way that is more satisfying (for her and for us). She has even held a few phone conversations with some of her children and grandchildren in which she could speak for herself (without the need for someone to "ïnterpret" her side of the conversation), as long as the person on the other end is listening very carefully.

She has moved from a diet of pureed foods to a soft, moist diet. This pleases her greatly. She was able to have those mandarin oranges she requested. She also has eaten a few bites of an egg salad sandwich, spaghetti, yogurt, and her favorite - strawberry and chocolate protein shakes! It is wonderful to see her eat again, even though it is a very tiring experience for her and she eats only a few bites at each meal.

Her physical and occupational therapists continue to be pleased with the small, but significant, improvements she makes each day. She sat on the side of the bed this afternoon without support from the therapist. She had to concentrate very hard to keep her balance (sometimes needing prompting and reminders from the therapist), but she could hold herself in a mostly upright position. Also, she is now able to lift her left leg to a horizontal position as she sits on the side of the bed. Regarding her upper body, she can wiggle her left fingers slightly and can bend her arm up at the elbow with only minimal assistance. These improvements are wonderful to see! The therapists predict that she will regain mobility, but the extent of that is to be determined over the next year or so.

The hospital doctor who oversees her medical care (the hospitalist) indicated that Doreen will be able to be released from the hospital into a nursing facility by the end of the week - as long as arrangements can be made with a facility that satisfactorily meets her needs for care and rehabilitation. We are currently working with Timbercrest (in North Manchester) in hopes that she will be able to receive the needed care and services there. This is the place she and Carl had chosen as their intended retirement community, and a large support system awaits to provide them with the needed love and encouragement.

FYI - At this stage of Doreen's recovery, we are planning to provide updates every two days instead of daily. Her condition has become quite stable, in a medical sense, and updates show less change every day. Plus, with just one of us here at a time (Karen is leaving to return to Kansas on Wednesday and Judy is back in Fort Wayne) it's quite a lot of work to manage the caregivers, administrators, future plans, and communications.

Also, Judy's cell phone is the one to contact for the on-site report beginning tomorrow (Wed.) afternoon.

Weekend Update

Sunday, June 8
by Karen

Today Doreen has slept much of the day. She had a visit from the physical and occupational therapists this morning, and they reported to us that she worked very hard sitting on the edge of the bed (with significant support), lifting both legs, and concentrating very hard to keep her balance. She also completed exercises (with the help of a daughter) several times – and each time she got just a little bit stronger. After finishing the required number of repetitions, she often will do several more on her own (with her stronger right side).

She has not been very excited about the pureed foods. They are not quite up to her culinary standards. In fact, if we can get her to take a few “bites” (she objects to the use of this word with food in this form), we feel successful. Several times today she requested foods more to her liking – toast with jelly and mandarin oranges, for example.

Many of you have asked how Carl is doing throughout this situation. His attitude has been extremely positive and he has been lovingly attentive to Doreen each and every day. The details of the experience are often difficult for him to recall and navigating the hospital corridors has proven to be a significant challenge. We have been staying in North Manchester every night, which means that we are on the road for about 40 minutes every morning and every evening. He is rather weary from all of the travel, stress and worry, but he remains very optimistic and hopeful.

Now, as we read back through the entries from the last few days, we realize that our perspective from seeing her every day may lead us to report her progress as faster and farther than it may appear to others who did not see where she started 10 days ago. We tend to focus on the positive steps we see each day, because they are so exciting to us, but we probably need to clarify that these have been “baby steps.” While she is able to communicate with us in a coherent (and even conversational) manner, her speech is slow and in a low whisper. She knows that she is in the hospital and that she had brain surgery, but she is still confused about where she is. (She has asked several times today whether we are in Elgin and she has requested that we bring her some mandarin oranges from her cupboards.) And, while she is able to show some small movements with her left hand and while she is able to move her left leg during exercises, these occur only with great effort and concentration. Her right side has been much stronger than her left, but even her movements with this side are difficult and take much thought and effort.

We just want to make it clear that this is going to be a LONG process of recovery (maybe a year or so), and that it is likely that she will not return to the same level of physical ability that she exhibited before the hemorrhage and surgery. However, we remain very optimistic and encouraged by the baby steps we see her take every day. She continues to inspire us with her effort and determination!

Thank you for all of your inquiries, cards, calls and visits. She feels quite loved and supported and she wants us to pass along her gratitude. She can have visitors, but they should be limited to only a few at a time.

FYI – Linda and Lee returned to Elgin this morning because of work commitments, and Judy and Dick are going back to Lafayette for their employment duties. Therefore, if you want to contact Carl or Doreen, Karen’s mobile phone would be the one to use until Wednesday. At that time, Judy will come back to Fort Wayne as Karen returns to Kansas for a while to be with her family and to finish teaching a class that has been covered by one of her colleagues while she’s been in Indiana.

Saturday Update

Saturday, June 7
by Linda

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! The question of the day is: Which is longer? 61 years of marriage or a week in the hospital with a loved one in critical care? Dad’s answer is that it is all part of the same commitment and the question is, therefore, irrelevant. Cards and flowers added to our celebration. It was wonderful to celebrate the date.

Weekends are not hotbeds of activity in the regular care unit. The physical therapist worked with Mom through her arm and leg exercises and the speech therapist stopped by for a few minutes. Mom’s big forward progression of the day was eating some pureed food bites. The dietary staff takes the blended glop and creates formed replicas of the food from whence it came. In other words, they squeeze peach puree into peach slice look-a-likes, green beans into a blob with green bean shapes molded into the mound, etc. After tasting a bit of her Turkey Manhattan, it is understandable that Mom ate only a little! The mashed potatoes were great. Actually, she gets stronger with each meal.

Her other muscles are gaining strength bit by bit, too. Each repetition of the arm and leg exercises involves more of Mom’s own movement. She is helping more and more with lifting, bending, and twisting the left arm while someone provides basic support.

Friday Update

Friday, June 6

When we arrived at the hospital this morning, Mom had her eyes open and was whisper-talking with the speech therapist who had come to check on her swallowing again. She did so well with the ice chips, water and applesauce that she is now cleared to receive nourishment orally (in a pureed form, through a straw, as long as she is alert at the time). The speech therapist says the breakfast choices on this particular menu are really good. Her favorites are the cinnamon roll and the pancakes. (Doesn’t that sound great – pureed cinnamon roll?!) We hope she will be able to begin this new process tomorrow morning.

Dr. Kachmann (the neurosurgeon) came to visit this morning as well. He indicated that he is very pleased with her progress and explained more about her surgical procedure. We were encouraged by his optimism regarding her recovery.

Good news – she has moved out of ICU into a room in the neurological surgical unit. Her room number is now 359. This means that she no longer has to be monitored as closely as she was in ICU. She also should be able to get more rest, because the nurses will disturb her less frequently.

The most exciting news of the day is that Mom has shown some movement on her left side. Up until now we have seen very little – especially on command. However, today she was able to turn her wrist and show slight movement in her fingers as we were going through the recommended exercises with her left arm. We are to complete each exercise in sets of 10. We are trying to count aloud, but sometimes we seem to miscount, because she immediately corrects us.

While she is still very tired and rarely has her eyes open, Mom has been asking quite a few questions today in a weak, but deliberate, whisper. For example: 1) she has been curious about the presidential democratic nomination (she specifically wanted to know what happened in Florida); 2) she asked about her grandson’s (Parker) job interview; 3) she wanted to make sure the crafts group at Highland Avenue is set to “go” without her; and 4) when she heard Fazoli’s was serving food at the hospital today, she said, “I like Fazoli’s,” but then she said she thought it didn’t sound good as a meal through a straw.

We are now sitting in her room watching the severe thunderstorms run through the area. We hope they pass us (and you) by without any damage.

Thursday Update

Thursday, June 5

Today has been a rather quiet day. This is related to the fact that Doreen had been very annoyed by and uncomfortable with the hiccoughs yesterday. In order to control them, the doctors ordered a medicine that proved to have a strong impact on her ability to stay involved and connected with what was going on around her (in other words, stay awake). Because of that, the speech therapist was not able to rouse her enough to do a swallow study in the morning. The physical therapy and occupational therapy staff came to do an assessment, and she was in many ways a rag doll. This is due in part to some lost muscle tone, but it was also due to the medication. In the afternoon, another therapist did some swallowing assessments, and this time she did much better. She handled ice chips and applesauce with very little difficulty. The medication is beginning to wear off, but it may take some more time.

An exciting part of the day is that all of her physicians approved her moving out of intensive care to another room. This evening, we are just waiting for that move to take place. It depends on whether a room is available, but we hope it will take place soon. We reassured her that we would stay close; they can’t get rid of us. Karen said we would “stay on their tails.” Doreen then asked, “Are you sure they have tails?” Her sense of humor is still intact! Of course, the delivery of the one-liners will work better when we can hear her better!

We were pleased and thankful to get a number of greeting cards today. We shared them all with Doreen, and she thanks all of you for them. For those of you who do not have the hospital address and would like it, it is:

Doreen Myers c/o Lutheran Hospital
7950 W. Jefferson
Fort Wayne, IN 46804

We hope to tell you her new room number tomorrow!

Wednesday Update

It’s been another good day! Mom’s condition has remained very much the same today as it was yesterday. She has continued to communicate with us in a very quiet whisper and by nodding or shaking her head in response to a question. She has smiled and even “corrected” a story Dad was telling. (~Clay: That never happens.)

Yesterday, we discovered that her memory is still remarkably sharp. She remembers everything up until the surgery. When she realized what day it was, she remarked that it felt like she just got here yesterday. (Thankfully, she may not have to remember any of the really difficult days.) She also could recall all the activities in her schedule. She inquired about whether or not she might be home by Friday. If not, we were to contact people about canceling some of her appointments. (Sounds like the Doreen we all know and love!!)

She's been pretty groggy and tired throughout the day. We assume this may be a result of all of the excitement and activity of yesterday. Also, ICU gives very little opportunity for sleep. She has professionals checking on her at least once every hour and sometimes more often than that.

Today she has been seen by a speech therapist, Kelli, to evaluate her swallowing capability. Her evaluation yesterday indicated that she was not yet ready to swallow. She choked on the ice chips and sips of water they offered her. Today, however, she handled the ice chips and sips of water very well. She even had a little applesauce. Kelli told us that this is a great sign. It probably means that she has not suffered brain damage regarding her swallowing ability. Instead, her throat just needs to heal from having the breathing tube in for so many days.

A nurse from the neurosurgeon’s office also visited. He was very pleased with her progress. Her left side is causing some concern, because she has not been able to move her left arm at all since the surgery. However, she was able to move her left leg when he asked. (This is an improvement from yesterday.) He also detected some movement (though slight) in her hand when he asked her to squeeze his hand. This is very encouraging. He indicated that even the slightest movement is an indication that recovery can be achieved. It is when there is no movement at all that we assume nothing will occur in the future. In Doreen’s case, she is showing only good signs!

The cardiologist has weaned her from the medications she was being given to regulate her heartbeat (its steady beat and its speed). Instead, she is now receiving medications orally (through a nasal-gastric tube). This frees her to be discharged from ICU. We anticipate a move to the “regular” neurological unit tomorrow.

As stated at the beginning of today’s entry – another GREAT day!

FYI – For those of you in the Fort Wayne area, she is able to receive visitors, but please be aware that she needs her rest and is not ready to do much visiting. We all look forward to when she’ll be ready to entertain again!

Catch Up

I've finally gotten a pretty thorough overview of the situation from Karen and her sisters. I've split up each day into a different post, so start at the bottom and work your way up. As we get new information, I'll post it.

Clay
http://myers-bowman.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Details

Tuesday, June 3

It was Linda's turn to stay close, so she slept at a friend's near the hospital in case she was needed overnight. She arrived at the hospital around 9:00 a.m., and found that Doreen was about the same as the previous day: she acknowledged Linda's presence, but still had the breathing tube in. She stayed with her until the rest of the family arrived.

Judy, Karen and Carl joined Linda at the hospital around 11:00 a.m. When we walked into the room she immediately opened her eyes and acknowledged our presence by nodding and squeezing. She indicated that she was not in pain, but was having trouble lying still because she felt restless. (Can you imagine, Doreen is having trouble keeping still?!)

At around 1:00 p.m. we were shooed out of the room so they could remove the breathing tube. All went well with the removal. She is now breathing on her own. She has a very sore throat and will be coughing up all of the stuff that has built up over the last several days.

She is trying to communicate, but it is difficult. However, she can clearly indicate yes and no and she can even tell us simple things.

THIS IS A GOOD DAY! We are all feeling very thankful!

Details from Monday

Monday, June 2, 2008

On Monday morning, Judy called the hospital and found out that other emergencies had kept the surgeon from completing the procedure during the night. He had decided to let the original surgeon make the decision to do that or not. The nurse also asked for permission to put in a PICC line—a line that goes through a vein in the arm to the space just above the heart. This allows the medical staff to eliminate most or all of the IVs and to draw blood without needing to stick the patient again. The family provided permission for that.

When Judy arrived at the hospital, Doreen was much more alert than on Saturday or Sunday. She opened her eyes several times and squeezed hands and moved body parts in response to commands. As the family members interacted with her, she communicated yes and no and showed emotion. It was possible to communicate with her in a way that had not been possible for several days, and she seemed like herself again.

This was a day with lots of activity, though. Respiratory students studied her ventilation tubes, nurses inserted the pick line, a portable X-ray machine was brought in to check the position of the line, the neurosurgeon ordered a new CT scan, and friends and family members visited. As she became more conscious, some of the procedures and especially the ventilation tube seemed to bother Doreen more and more. This caused another increase in her heart rate. The medical staff decided that maybe she was TOO alert, so they gave pain medication to help her relax. When she did wake up, though, she continued to show some good alertness.
Carl, Karen, Linda and Judy left the hospital sometime after 10:00 to get some sleep.

Details from Sunday

Sunday, June 1

On Sunday morning, Linda, Lee, Judy and Carl came to relieve Karen. Karen went to the home of a friend who lives 4 miles from the hospital to try to get some sleep. It was a quiet day, as Doreen was sedated with pain medication and others to regulate her heart rate and blood pressure. The neurosurgeon (the one on duty on the weekend—the son of the surgeon who did the original surgery) asked for another CT scan and that Doreen should have a drain inserted, which would require another simple surgical procedure that could be completed in her room. Linda and Lee headed for Elgin around 11:15 am, because Lee had to go to work on Monday. Carl, Judy and Karen waited all day hear when (and whether) that surgery would take place. At the end of the day, it was decided that one family member (it was Judy’s turn) would stay close to the hospital at the home of a friend in case someone was needed. When Judy called the hospital at 11:15 that night, the procedure had still not been completed.

Details from the first two days

Friday, May 30

Judy and Dick traveled by car from W. Lafayette, IN to Fort Wayne Thursday night. They arrived just as the surgeon was emerging from surgery. Karen left her home at 2:30 am (CDT) driving from Manhattan, KS to Kansas City. She flew from KC to O’Hare (unfortunately experiencing a 2-hour delay in landing because of wind shear warnings), finally arriving by 10:00 am. Linda, Lee and Carl picked her up at O’Hare and they drove to Fort Wayne arriving by 4:00 pm (EDT).

The report from the surgeon right after surgery was that things had gone well. He removed a large clot from the outside of the cerebellum at the back of the head. He said it seemed to be as good a situation as could be expected. The cerebellum is the most “forgiving” of the areas of the brain, because traumas to that section can often be accommodated for by another part of that section. He said that recovery would be a long process. He did not put a drain in at that point, but completed some procedures that would make it simple to do so if necessary.

During that first day, family began to visit with Doreen around 7:30 a.m., about the time she roused from the anesthesia. Judy and Dick were the first to visit (after trying to sleep in the hospital hallway), and they found that she showed recognition when they first greeted her by trying to open her eyes and squeezing hands, in spite of having a breathing tube in her throat. She seemed to be somewhat less responsive after that, but each time a new family member came in the room and greeted her, she would turn toward that person to show recognition, even though she very rarely opened her eyes. She was clearly exhausted and still dealing with the after-effects of the operation and sedation. Because we had not slept the night before, all of the family members left the hospital around 11:00 pm and drove to N. Manchester for some sleep.

Details from last week

Saturday, May 31

The family slept in on Saturday so that we could function that day. We got to the hospital just after noon. It was a day when there was little response from Doreen. She did not respond much to commands from the medical professionals, nor from us, to open her eyes or squeeze hands and she slept a lot. This is expected after brain surgery. The swelling often reaches a peak 2-5 days after surgery. The challenging issue Doreen faced on Saturday was high blood pressure. The hospital staff tried several strategies to try to lower her BP, but none was successful. This remained a concern all throughout the day.

The family was getting adjusted to what had occurred and began to think about possibilities, options, and many questions. The hospital staff has been wonderfully supportive and has dealt with the Myers clan and its assertiveness (how’s that for a nice word?) gracefully.

The family returned to North Manchester that evening, arriving around 10:30. Approximately 15 or 20 minutes after arriving in the home where they were staying, the hospital called to say, “Mrs. Myers is not doing very well right now. It would be good if you could return to the hospital.” This was a very distressing and unsettling experience. The family drove back very quickly, afraid of the worst. When they arrived, they found that Doreen’s heart rate was erratic and much too elevated, reminiscent of the situation she faced in Pennsylvania four years ago when she was diagnosed with a severe kidney infection and pneumonia. It seems that this may be a response of her circulatory system when she is experiencing a serious illness. It is a serious concern in Doreen’s current condition, because elevated blood pressure and high heart rates increase the likelihood of hemorrhage. A cardiologist was brought in and was doing everything in his power to stabilize her condition.

The family decided that one member (Karen) would stay with Doreen throughout the night to monitor her status and keep the family apprised of any new information. Karen stayed in her room all night to hold her hand, rub her feet and hands, get the nurses’ attention when needed and try to keep her from squirming out of her IVs, tubes and other devices. Her heart rate and blood pressure finally stabilized at 4:05 am. After that she was able to relax (as was the family).

Details from last week

Thursday, May 29

Doreen traveled from Elgin, IL to N. Manchester, IN to attend the 60th reunion with her classmates from Manchester College. She also was planning to help her grandson, Parker, move his things home since he graduated from Manchester on May 18.

Around 7:00 pm she was at the soccer fields helping the team Parker was coaching celebrate the last practice. (In fine Doreen fashion, she had brought watermelon for all the kids.) Kurt Borgmann, whose son is on the team, went to the field to pick up his son at about 7:20 pm. When he arrived, he saw Doreen sitting on a cooler looking as though she was not feeling well. He inquired about how she was doing, and she indicated that she was experiencing nausea and dizziness. When she did not improve over the next several minutes, Kurt called a physician friend who lives near the soccer field. He came right over and suggested that they call an ambulance to take Doreen to the hospital in Fort Wayne immediately. He had identified several symptoms that may indicate a stroke and he wanted her to be under medical care as soon as possible. She was accompanied to the hospital by Kurt, who rode in the ambulance, and Parker, who followed in a car.

Once at the hospital, it was identified that she had experienced a severe brain hemorrhage at the back of the brain. Surgery was immediately necessary to attempt to prevent her death from this incident. She was out of surgery by 1:45 am EDT, Friday, and we were told that the surgery went well.

Updates on Doreen

I'll try and post daily updates on Doreen's status and progress as she recovers from the brain hemorrhage she suffered late last week. I hope to get information from the family that is gathered in Fort Wayne. As of Sunday evening, June 1, Carl, Karen, & Judy are present. Everyone else is waiting for more information. More later.

Clay
myers-bowman.blogspot.com