Day #6 (part 2)

Daddy and Mom bought a sailboat this last spring and on one of their first voyages out it fell right off the trailer due to a preemptive strap removal.  Daddy and the boat took a tumble and here is where everything skidded to a stop.  The dock guy looks a little disappointed, but the proud owners maintain joy in ownership.

Daddy had his first physical therapy session this morning.  It pretty much consisted of the therapist doing every bit of the work, swinging his legs over the side of the bed to the floor for him and holding him up.  She tried to get him to support himself in a sitting position, but he wasn't having it yet.  He peeked one eye open and that was the sum-up of his performance.  We couldn't help but feel pretty discouraged.  In the afternoon session of therapy he was able to hold himself up with the therapist assisting his balance.  Andrea called her baby girl, Scarlett (The Bop) to be a motivating voice over speaker phone.  He tried to lift his head when he heard her.  It was pretty sweet to hear and see. He still can't talk because of the breathing tube.  We worry about weakness on his entire left side, but realize that we are in the very beginning stages of this and just need to be patient. Mom told him that he needed to help in his recovery by trying to do strength exercise.  So, he gripped the sides of the bed without opening his eyes and tried doing some crunches and leg lifts.  That made him pretty tired so he slept it off for a few hours.   

On a brighter note! Daddy interlaced his fingers between Mom's fingers like he always does to hold her hand.  He waved at Andrea when she came in the room...as much as the restraints allowed. This daddy of ours likes to pull his tubes out. He pulled out his arterial line which reads his blood pressure all by himself! How helpful of him. :) The nurse said that they were planning on taking it out anyway so he was just being very involved with his care.

He also gave me (Char) 2 great big yawns when I stopped by after work today. I'm trying not to be offended. :) Last but not least he gave one of his strongest coughs today!

For anyone interested, we are having a family and friends fast beginning tomorrow evening at 6.  If Daddy doesn't come off his breathing tube within the next couple of days they are going to do a tracheotomy.  Though temporary, it is something we really don't want him to have, so our fast is for him to be strong enough to breathe all on his own.

Thank you all again for your love and prayers sent our way! We feel like we're living in a hug these days:)



Day # 6 (Part I)

Thank you SO much for the outpouring of prayers, thoughts, and love directed towards our father and family. When you stand in my father's room in the ICU it feels like you're standing on holy ground.
 
In the way of an update, quite a bit happened this morning! Dad was taken in first thing for another CT scan and the results were very positive. His brain had been pushed to the side 1.6 cm from the pressure created from the hemorrhage and now his brain has shifted nearly back to normal.  Hopefully the phrase, “that guy’s just a little left of center” won’t apply to my father for very much longer. J
 
Today also started my father’s first regimen with Physical Therapy…  A team of physical therapists had him out of bed and moving (this blows my mind – and they’ll be doing this twice a day for the next little while).  He’s very weak on his left side.  This could mean a lot of physical therapy in dad’s near future.  He’ll be thrilled…
 
A concern is that he’s still dependent on the ventilator for breathing.  He’s just not waking up enough to breathe on his own.  Even though he’s making wonderful progress, responding to questions, giving hand squeezes, and moving both sides of his body, he’s still got some work to do to get out of the ICU, and getting rid of the ventilator is priority one for right now. 
 
Finally, my mother is holding up well.  I’m amazed at what a pillar of strength she is - Truly an elect lady. 
 
Again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  They make all the difference! 

I’ve included one of my favorite pictures of my dad from my childhood.  He spent over two years in the Cook Islands as a young man, and yes, he did catch this shark (as he tells it with a rope, hook, and rotten fish).  You can only imagine the thoughts that crossed my young mind when I first saw this picture of my Old Man - Yeah, he’s pretty cool!

Day #5

(wearing his dad's glasses and hat)

This morning, dad gave the nurse

two thumbs up and opened both eyes

and wiggled all of his toes!!!

It was a very quiet day and he

is exhausted from yesterday!

The nurse said that we had to whisper

because even hearing the tones of our

'normal' voices made his blood pressure go up.

Mom stayed with him all morning.

She was told that he was doing very well,

but very tired. Yesterday she said "honey, it's me. Do you know who I am?" (squeeze) "should we sell the four wheeler?" (nothing....)
The goal for today was

to 'wean from vent'. He is doing most

of the breathing and when I was there it was

rather frightening because the ventilator would

beep saying "the last two breaths were less

than they should be" (so to speak) but the nurse

said that was all a part of him waking up.

Since he was taking very deep breaths after

that - she said to keep calm - all was as it should be.

His neurosurgeon came and flipped on the lights.

Dad immediately started to stir.

He had him open his eyes, squeeze his hands and wiggle his toes. He asked him to lift up his legs and arms but he was too tired. The doctor seemed very pleased and said, "if you wouldn't mind stepping out I am going to remove the drain from his head.... sucher kit nurse!"

Yes sir!!!!

He is now wearing a white turban, as opposed to the
band aid colored one... and drain less!
Two more things before he can leave ICU!

Cheers!!!!

When my brother and sister (and their spouses) went to visit, daddy opened his eyes and saw them. He nodded in response to my nephew's plea to "please don't sell the four wheeler." He followed the nurse with his eyes and moved his head to keep her in his sight.
He seemed hot and when the nurse asked him if he wanted a fan she got a big 'yes!!'

He gets another CT scan tomorrow and the doctor says he is making excellent progress and they need to be getting him moving about soon.

He squeezed my hand many times today and they were strong, good squeezes!

Thinking of You Today, Dad

 

Day #4

Apparently he ran two marathons today!

The sedation-vacation was a huge success!

Apparently daddy is a bit of a light-weight when

it comes to sedation drugs.

10 minutes after they took him off the sauce, he

became agitated. He started being very responsive

to the nurse and the doctor said it was 'amazing and

rather astonishing'.

That was VERY good news!

The moment Amanda walked in the room he saw her and gave her a little wave.

(that was my favorite part of the day)

He opens his right eye. The left appeared to be

a little swollen. Though I think he opened that later. He looked right at my mom and squeezed her hand. He made eye contact with me and looked at the wall where all the pictures that the grand kids had made were plastered. He squeezed all of our hands. He moves his head around to adjust himself on his pillow.

Apparently his foot had an itch so we rubbed some lotion on it and gave his feet a massage.

He shook his head no when asked if he was in pain or if he was uncomfortable. He gagged and coughed every time they repositioned him. Though the breathing tube is his friend, it sure doesn't seem that way to him.

understandably.....

He became rather over-stimulated, so we had to leave and let him rest. Thus limitations with visitors and with ourselves as well.

Today was huge! Probably too huge.

Tomorrow they will very likely remove the drain from his head. He is now breathing on his own but with a bit of added pressure from the machine.

We got huge thumbs up from the doctor

and the nurses. Though now there is a sign on his door saying to 'shush' and let him rest.

His blood pressure is borderline though that

is very likely because he is in pain.

Oh we love him so!!

Also, they need to find a bed that is tall enough for him.

His poor feet keep pushing against the foot board.

Day #3

Lots of good things today!

He is moving both arms and legs so

we know he isn't paralyzed.

He tried to open his eyes for the nurse.

He squeezed some hands.

He responded to the neurological tests fairly favorably.
The drain tube was collecting mainly cerebral fluid and not blood so we were told that it might be removed tomorrow.

He moved his lips in response to mom talking to him.

It was a very delightful and rather sweet moment, especially considering what she said,

"i don't envy you of the headache

you will have when you awake.

Meanwhile, sleep well,

and dream of large women." (the princess bride)

He was obviously agitated by the breathing tubes and would try to raise his hands to fix 'whatever that was'. His pupils are no longer dilated and are responding normally. His cat scan today showed that his brain was almost back to normal. No more bleeding! It had shifted quite a bit due to the pressure.

He tried to override the breathing tube, which was a great sign. He was given a blessing, which was awesome!

We were told that things were still up in the air from the nurse and his doctor.

He had a very slight fever, but that was normal. His temperature was back down shortly after having a few ice packs placed on his arms.

Today felt more positive - especially after the blessing. He is obviously listening and could hear us. We tried desperately to be still and just hold his hands. He furrowed his brow a lot and it just seemed as though he could open his eyes 'any minute.'
My brother said "Dad, I'm going to go now, I love you!"
Daddy reached out trying to find him, and when Matt grabbed his hand, Daddy squeezed it.
(that was my favorite part of today)

The doctor ordered a 'sedation vacation' for tomorrow morning. Meaning that they would take him off the sedation medication and see how well he responds.