Friday, March 27th

Hi Everyone,

Cindy's doing so well that she was discharged today at about noon.  As I write this at about 2:30 in the afternoon, she's asleep in her own bed with her two doggies standing guard beside it. About the only instructions we got with the discharge were to keep her head elevated 30 degrees above her body at all times, not to wash her hair for a week, and not to lift anything over ten pounds.  I'll keep you posted as things develop.

 

Thursday, March 26th

I'm happy to report that Cindy continues to do very well.  She had a CAT scan this morning and things looked good.  She'll have another one in the morning (I think) and there's even been talk that if things still look good, she may be able to come home tomorrow.  She looks and feels just fine.  She has no pain (except a sore back from lying down so long) and is perfectly lucid and talkative.  Her memory doesn't seem to have been affected in any way, either. The left side of her forehead is pretty swollen, though.  That's all there is to report, fortunately...I'll keep you all posted as things progress. 

Tuesday, November 25th

Hello Everyone,

Cindy continues to do well.  When I spoke with her rehabilitation doctor this morning, she said Cindy would be there for one week and since she had no motor deficits except weakness, they would be concentrating their efforts on her memory problems.  Nothing much has changed on that front.  She still remembers little from minute to minute (she's very much "in the moment", as it were) and has difficulty with reasoning, particularly math related reasoning.  Otherwise, she's her same ol' self.  She's getting tired of hospitals, though, and is anxious to come home next week.  One upside note is that she was taken off intravenous antibiotics today and will be allowed to come home for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday on a "day pass" (although she still has an IV in her arm for the moment).

Since there are no momentous changes from day to day any more, I think the blog will become much more sporadic or even cease altogether, depending on how things develop.  (I've run out of pictures, too!)  Feel free to go visit her...the more the merrier, or call her to chat. If you call, don't be surprised if she's in Texas or is eating breakfast at 6:30 in the evening.  She seems more confused on the phone.  Feel free to call me, too, if you want an update (503-452-2985).

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers.  Lets keep it up until she's completely well.

 

Monday, November 24th

Cindy "rehabilitating" on the lawn at 

Lake Quinault Lodge

Hello Everyone,

Today, Cindy moved from St. Vincent's over to Providence Portland for a few days of rehabilitation.  She was released from St. V's at about 1:00; I drove her directly over to Providence; she went through the admission process was settling into her new digs by about 2:30.  The staff there got right on it...got her some lunch, gave her some introductory information, assessed her capabilities, set some goals, gave her her schedule for tomorrow, and gave her some occupational therapy.  I mean, they didn't waste any time.  They all seemed to think her stay there will be brief, but she'll need to continue therapy at home or in an outpatient setting.  I think she's going to be a busy little bee for the next few days.

She's on the fourth floor in what they call "4K" in room 17.  Her phone number is (503) 215-1417.  They said I could come by anytime I want to, but that other visitors should only come after 4:00pm since she'll be busy most of the day.  Just calling to chat might be the easiest thing to do.  If you do decide to go see her, get off the Banfield at 39th, go south until you get to the roundabout at Glisan, go around until you turn east on Glisan, go a few blocks and the hospital is on your left.  Go in the main entrance, bear left towards the gift shop and into the hall where the gift shop is on your right and Admissions is on your left. Just beyond the gift shop on the right is a corridor that begins with an uphill ramp.  Go up the ramp to the blue elevators on the left and go to the fourth floor.  When you exit the elevator, "4K" is on your left.  Her room (17) is straight down the hall on the left. 

She seemed to be feeling fine all day, except that her neck hurt in the car going over.  It was probably because she hadn't held her head up that long in over a month.  Thanks again for all the thoughts and prayers. 

 

Sunday, November 23rd

Cindy "caught" at the Giggling Marlin in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Hello Everyone,

Cindy is feeling much better.  She's eating again...not a lot, but at least she's able to keep it down.  I don't think she had any headaches or nausea at all today.  She was alert and talkative whenever I was there and, assuming our insurance pre-approves it, she'll be released to rehabilitation at Providence Portland tomorrow.  Although she'd prefer to come home, she's definitely ready to get out of the hospital, regardless of where she's going.  I hope the rehabilitation center at Providence doesn't feel quite so hospital-like even though it is in a hospital.

That's really about all there is to report.  Isn't that a refreshing break! Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers.

Saturday, November 22nd

Cindy at Crater Lake, taken by Larry 

Hudson

Hello Everyone,

There's not much to report tonight.  Cindy is doing a little better but she's still feeling nauseous and having trouble keeping food down. Nothing sounds good to her so getting her to eat is really difficult.  The doctors and therapists all say she's doing great, but you couldn't tell it by the way she's been feeling.  Their plan, as it stands now, is to release her into intense rehabilitation at Providence Portland on Monday afternoon. They seem to think she won't need to be there for more than a few days before coming home.  This all hinges on our insurance pre-approving the idea.

I was only at the hospital briefly this morning since I had a class all afternoon at the PNCA.  Before I arrived, she had eaten breakfast and done physical therapy.  As we were talking about what she had had for breakfast and discussing ordering her lunch, she threw up the breakfast.  She then complained of a headache and the nurse gave her something to address it.  Evidently, she had had one earlier, too.  I asked him what the deal is with everyone saying she's fine while at the same time she's hardly eating and throwing up what little she does.  He didn't really have an answer but speculated that it might be some of the medications she's on.  (The nurse tonight speculated the same thing.)

When I got back in the early evening, Colleen and Ernie were there and said she had eaten a light dinner.  Within minutes, she was fighting back nausea.  This time, she managed to keep it at bay, though.  (I'm beginning to wonder if it's me, since she gets nauseated whenever I arrive!)  They also informed me that some good friends of Cindy and mine had been there visiting when they arrived and that my brother and his ex-wife (who has remained a good friend) had both called this afternoon (separately, of course).  It sounds like she had a pretty busy day.

By the time I left, she seemed to be feeling pretty good, although she was ready to go to sleep.  I was wiped out, too, so the timing was good.  Let's hope this is the beginning of the uphill road to recovery and that she continues to feel better tomorrow.

Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers. 

Friday, November 21st

Cindy frolicking in the Adriatic as a teenager

Hello Everyone,

Cindy was feeling pretty puny again today.  I got caught up doing things at the house and was running late getting over to the hospital, so I called her at about 10:00.  She had to cut the conversation short because she felt like she was going to throw up.  When I got there at 11:00, her parents had already arrived and she had a terrible headache and was very lethargic.  She still doesn't have much of an appetite since the surgery on Tuesday, so we managed to get her to drink an Ensure and part of a strawberry milkshake the nurse had ordered for her.  At about noon, they took her down for another CAT scan.  

She's felt so bad that she's refused physical therapy for the last two days and the therapist said if she refuses a third time, they'll have to start over from the beginning which will delay her release. Consequently, her parents and I emphasized to her the importance of at least trying to get up and do it if the physical therapist came back. We also convinced her that if she got up and moved around she might feel better, so she and the nurse walked the entire perimeter of the ninth floor.  Shortly after that, the physical therapist did come back and took her off for 30 minutes to an hour of therapy.  I had to leave about then so I don't know how long it actually lasted.  We had convinced her to order some clam chowder, too, just before the therapist came and her Dad said he'd get her some when she got back. Although she said tonight she had had some, I don't know if that's actually the case. (With her memory the way it is, you never can tell for sure.)

When I got back this evening, a good friend and former coworker of hers was there visiting and Cindy was alert and talkative and seemed to feel pretty good.  Colleen and Ernie arrived about the same time and Dr. Gore, the neurosurgeon dropped in soon thereafter.  He got on the computer in the room, pulled up the CAT scan she had earlier, said everything looked "perfect" and asked Cindy how she felt, to which she replied "pretty good".  He then said she'd probably be released to therapy early next week and should be back to normal in a couple of months (adding that no one can be sure exactly how long a full recovery will take).  After the doctor left, Cindy remained talkative and upbeat as long as Scott (the friend) was there.  As soon as he left, though, she got very lethargic again and soon complained of a headache.  She stayed that way until I left around 9:00 (Colleen and Ernie had left earlier).  Since the surgery on Tuesday, she simply hasn't felt as good as she did in the weeks before.  (She puts on a "happy face" for visitors but lapses right back into the lethargy when they leave.)

Now that the doctor thinks they've got things right, let's hope she starts feeling better.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.