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.

Thursday, November 20th

Cindy a few years back

Hello Everyone,

After a generally lousy day, Cindy was feeling pretty good this evening. When I arrived at about 8:30 this morning, things hadn't changed much since last night.  She was still very lethargic, had an excruciating headache, and was nauseous.  She threw up within five minutes of my arrival.  The nurse was a little slow on the uptake and it took quite some time to get something to relieve her pain.  She went down for still another CAT scan at mid-morning and the neurosurgeon and his assistant came by at about 11:00.  Between the CAT scan results and examining Cindy, they concluded that they had opened the shunt too much yesterday and she wasn't retaining enough of the cerebrospinal fluid.  They said they would have to adjust the valve with the magnet again to slow the flow down.  The doctor added that it might take several tries to find just the right setting.  As soon as they finished the exam, I had to leave for Mt. Hood Community College to take care of some things concerning the adjunct teaching positions they gave me for the winter term.  (They really came through for me in a tough time...thanks MHCC Art Department!)

I dropped in again at about 3:00 on my way home to try to get some work done finishing up the kitchen and things hadn't changed.  Cindy was still in a great deal of pain, nauseous, and very uncomfortable. Her parents were there and informed me that the shunt had not been adjusted yet.  They were rather put out by the whole thing.  They couldn't understand why the doctors would let Cindy suffer so much pain for four hours when it would only take a few minutes to rectify the situation.  Point well taken, it seemed to me.

When I got back over to the hospital at about 7:00, she had been asleep but was just starting to come around.  I found the nurse and quizzed her on the status of things and was informed that the neurosurgeon's assistant had finally come by at about 4:00 to adjust the valve on the shunt.  (She had never seen it done and was quite impressed by the whole thing.)  When I got back to Cindy's room, she was awake and felt much better.  When asked, she told the nurse she had no headache or pain of any kind.  

Colleen and Ernie arrived between 7:30 and 8:00 with some chicken chili Colleen had made and Cindy ate a fair amount of it.  I think it was the first thing she had eaten all day.  Then, she got a phone call from some good friends and chatted for quite some time.  All of us in the room agreed she seemed very lucid during the conversation and much more talkative than she had been with us before the call. (We accused her of being bored with us because she's seen so much of us lately.)  After that, she was wide awake and talkative until we left around 9:00.  She really seemed to feel much better.

Your thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated.  Let's hope the worst is over for her.

 

 

Wednesday, November 19th

Cindy and her "Master Earthdog", Frank in Turner, Oregon (note the "M.E." on his bandana)

Hello Everyone,

I arrived in the ICU this morning at 9:30 to find Cindy's parents already there.  They informed me that this morning's CAT scan had revealed the shunt put in yesterday was not draining the cerebrospinal fluid to the doctor's satisfaction.  His assistant had come by earlier to open a valve in it with a magnet (without success).  That's the programmable aspect the doctor had mentioned yesterday (the antibiotic action comes from a coating on the shunt).  The assistant came by later in the day with a stronger magnet and opened it successfully.  

Cindy was awake all morning and seemed to feel pretty good despite the ordeal she had endured on Tuesday.  She ate some breakfast and was pretty talkative, although she complained of a headache (for which the nurse promptly gave her something).  An evaluator from Providence Portland's rehab center came by to ask her some questions (to see what kind of rehabilitation she might need) and didn't seem to think Cindy would have to be in rehab very long.  Later in the day, she was moved out of the ICU and back up to the ninth floor.  

I left about noon to go home and take care of some things and when I got back at about seven, Cindy seemed to feel much worse.  Colleen and Ernie had arrived just before I did and they agreed that she seemed to be rather uncomfortable.  She said she didn't have a headache, but I suspect the soreness from having that tube reamed down through her neck into her chest was really beginning to take hold. She had complained about it a little in the morning, but I think it had turned into a generalized ache that was making her miserable.  She just laid there with her eyes closed and a scowl on her face and said very little the whole time we were there.  We only stayed about an hour, then left so she could get some rest.  She'll be getting another CAT scan first thing in the morning to see if the shunt is draining to their satisfaction.

She's in room 945 but I don't suspect she's going to feel well enough to have visitors quite yet.  A phone call might cheer her up and take her mind off the discomfort, though.  Her number is: (503) 216-3945.  She can have flowers again, too.

Thanks once again for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.  Let's hope she's over the hump and set to start feeling much better.

Tuesday, November 18th

Cindy having a better day

Hello Everyone,

Today was a long, tiring day for all of us, especially Cindy.  I arrived at the hospital at about 8:00 to be sure I was there by 8:30, as instructed. Of course I had to wait until after 9:00 for the doctor to arrive to explain the surgery he was going to perform on Cindy and to sign the consent form.  After that, it was a day of waiting...waiting until 12:30 for them to take her to pre-op before a scheduled 1:30 surgery; waiting in pre-op until 3:00 for the anesthesiologist to come take her to surgery; waiting until 4:45 to be told she was out of surgery and in recovery and that the doctor would be out momentarily to tell us how things went; waiting until 5:30 for the doctor to actually come out to see us; waiting for someone to tell us when she had been moved to the ICU, then finally asking and being told she had been there for fifteen or twenty minutes. Is there anything more tiring than just waiting, waiting, waiting?

The doctor said the surgery went very well and that he had inserted a programmable shunt that would release antibiotics to reduce the chances of infection (a risk he had told me this morning would persist for six months).  He went on to say that she would spend tonight in the ICU, get still another CAT scan in the morning, and probably go back up to the ninth floor tomorrow.  After a few more days up there, she'll go to a residential rehabilitation center for a week or two before she comes home. 

For Cindy, this was a very trying day and the straw that broke the camel's back.  Throughout this whole ordeal, she has been nothing but upbeat and cooperative.  The nurses have all commented on what a sweet person she is and what a pleasure she is as a patient.  When we got into the ICU tonight, though, she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said in the most plaintive voice, "Stephen, take me home." She's clearly had enough and who wouldn't after three and a half weeks in the hospital, two catheter procedures into one's brain and a surgery. I know I'd be wanting to go home.  Unfortunately, because of the scenario the doctor outlined, that's not going to happen any time soon.

Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  

Monday, November 17th

Say Whaaaaat?

Hello Everyone,

Unfortunately, there is something to report tonight.  Cindy's CAT scan this morning revealed that her ventricles have continued to swell, indicating that her brain is not absorbing the cerebrospinal fluid as it should.  This revelation prompted still another CAT scan this afternoon for further assessment.  

Consequently, I have to be at the hospital no later than 8:30 tomorrow morning to sign consent forms for her to go into surgery at 1:00 to have a permanent, internal shunt put in.  This will drain the fluid into her body cavity where it can be absorbed.  Of course, this is not what we had hoped for, but it's better than having the risk of serious problems down the road.  We're told it's a pretty straightforward and commonly performed procedure, but as we all know, any surgery carries a fairly high degree of risk.  She'll have to go back to the ICU for at least one additional day after the surgery for observation.  It's just one more insult I wish she didn't have to endure.

This puts a temporary halt to any visitors, flowers, etc.  I'll let you all know when the visitation situation reverts to the conditions since Saturday.  The visitors who came by over the last two days certainly lifted her spirits, and I'm sure she'll welcome more when the time comes.

Otherwise, she continues to improve daily.  She's been walking around the halls, getting physical therapy, and her memory gets a little better each day.  She still can't remember things from minute to minute, though, and much of her cognitive therapy addresses that deficit specifically.  The therapists give us mental games to play with her to exercise her short-term memory as much as possible.  (Half the time, I can't do much better than she does!)

Please keep her in your thoughts prayers.

Sunday, November 16th

Cindy, me, & the wieners at St. Gregory's University in Shawnee, Oklahoma

Hello Everyone,

Once again, there is very little to report, fortunately.  Cindy will get another (and, hopefully, the last) CAT scan first thing tomorrow morning to determine if her brain is doing what it's supposed to do.  If it is, she'll be kept for a little more observation, evaluated for rehabilitation and released to a facility to receive it.  Evidently, the evaluation and the paperwork for insurance, etc. will bog the process down a bit, so she may not get released until Wednesday, or so.  She continues to improve daily, getting more and more of her memory back all the time.  She still can't remember things from one minute to the next, though.  Physically, she seems just fine except for being weak from being in bed so long.  I think the rehabilitation will certainly address that, but will mostly deal with cognitive issues.  They are still giving her intravenous antibiotics to address the infection issue, but I'm not clear as to whether or not she has an infection or if they just want to be extra safe on the matter before they let her go.

Once again, she's fine with having visitors and had several today. Actually, I think seeing some fresh faces and talking about new things is helping her memory.  (I think we family members are getting a tad boring for her.)  Remember, she's in room 944 and her phone number is (503) 216-3944.  To get to her room, go in the main entrance at St. Vincent's, go up the Green Elevators to the ninth floor, and her room is right across from the nurse's station on the south side.  You can visit pretty much any time.

Thanks once again for all your thoughts and prayers.

Saturday, November 15th

Cindy awaiting breakfast in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Hello Everyone,

There's very little to report tonight which, of course, is very good news. Cindy is doing well and continues to regain her memory bit by bit.  Her brain still plays tricks on her, but if you tell her it is, she just rolls her eyes and takes it in stride.  She had the opportunity to take a shower and wash her hair today and I took her some of her own gowns and a robe so she's ready to receive guests.

They moved her to a new room today, so that info is a little different from what I gave you last night.  She's still on the ninth floor, but now she's in room 944.  Consequently, her phone number has changed, too, and is now (503) 216-3944.  She had a visitor tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it, so if you're inclined to do so, by all means go see her.  Just go in the main entrance at St. Vincent's, go up the Green Elevators to the ninth floor, and her room is right across from the nurse's station.  Visiting hours are pretty wide open.  Tonight's visitor brought all kinds of baked goodies, so you might luck into a cinnamon roll or a cupcake.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support.  Go up and see the results of your efforts!

Friday, November 14th

Cindy at a recent get-together with friends

Hello Everyone,

Well, the big day finally arrived.  At about 3:00 this afternoon, Cindy was moved out of the ICU.  They gave her another CAT scan early this morning and determined that her brain appears to be absorbing the cerebrospinal fluid as it should.  She ate a big breakfast and right after I arrived (followed shortly by Colleen and Brooke), the nurse bundled her up, put her in a wheelchair, and took her outside for some fresh air. It was a beautiful day and she enjoyed it immensely.  No sooner than we had returned to the ICU, her Mom and Dad showed up.  At that point, the neurosurgeon's assistant had given the preliminary OK that she was good to go, but we had to wait for Dr. Gore to look at the CAT scan and give final approval.  When that finally came, they bundled her up, put her back in the wheelchair, and proceeded outside again en route to her new room (they went outside just for fun).  She'll get another CAT scan on Monday to be sure everything is OK and to establish if she'll need a permanent shunt.  The big scandal of the day, though, was the fact that in her sleep last night, she yanked out the big honking catheter in her arm!  Can't leave her alone for a minute!

Although, technically, she can have more visitors now, she'd like for everyone to hold off until late Saturday or Sunday so she can, hopefully, take a shower and wash her hair.  They wouldn't let her do that today and it's not really clear if they'll let her tomorrow.  I think they want the hole in her head to heal a little before she gets it wet.  In short, she's not "keen to be seen" until she can get cleaned up a bit.

Should you go see her, I think you'll find the Cindy you know, but don't be surprised if she tells you she was in Colorado Springs yesterday, or met your mother for lunch on Tuesday (in Chicago!) or some nutty thing like that.  Her brain is still playing tricks on her.  You can take her flowers now, too, if you like.  She's in room 926 at St. Vincent's and her phone number is (503) 216-3926.  The nurse tonight said they're pretty loose about visiting hours.  If you'd like, give her a call and see if she's ready for visitors.

Once again, thank you for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers and keep up the good work!

   

Thursday, November 13th

Cindy in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Hello Everyone,

I'm happy to report that late this afternoon, they took the shunt out of Cindy's head.  Yeah!  They got her up at about 5:00 a.m. for a CAT scan which revealed that although her ventricles were still a little swollen, they had not changed since yesterday.  I arrived at about 10:00 to find her sound asleep, although the nurse told me she had been up, sitting in the chair for a couple of hours earlier in the morning.  She slept for about two more hours, then I had to leave at about 12:15.  When she woke up, though, she was alert and chipper. Her Mom and Dad arrived sometime after I left and Colleen came by sometime during the afternoon.  Late in the day, the neurosurgeon's assistant came to her room, pulled out the shunt (which Cindy didn't even feel, I'm told), put in a couple of staples to close the hole, and called it done. 

 

When I got back at about 5:00, I ran into her Mom and Dad in the parking garage as they were leaving, and they said she had been sitting up in the chair again.  By the time I got to the room, though, she was back in bed and they were wheeling in her dinner.  She was very lucid and felt much better since the shunt and tubing were gone and she was no longer restrained.  She still has the catheter in her arm for intravenous medications but they haven't said how much longer it will have to stay.  Her appetite is still very good and she ate the whole dinner.

Colleen and Ernie came by at about 7:00.  They brought her a chocolate milkshake from the cafe outside the ICU and some chorizo soup that Colleen had made.  Cindy was asleep again when they got there, though, so I ate a little of the soup and drank some of the milkshake.  

Dr. Gore, the neurosurgeon, came by at about 7:30 and said he was very pleased with her progress.  He said they'll take another CAT scan tomorrow morning to make sure nothing has changed.  If everything's fine, she'll be moved to a regular room.  He said he'd call for one dose of Plavix in addition to the aspirin she's on to get her through the weekend (they took her off the Plavix to remove the shunt).  She still may need a permanent shunt, so they want the Plavix to wear off by Monday in the event they need to put one in.  She'll get still another CAT scan early on Monday to establish whether she needs the shunt or not and if she doesn't, she'll be discharged to a rehabilitation center for a week or two.

Shortly after the doctor left, Cindy woke up, drank what remained of the milkshake and ate some soup. Then she, Colleen, Ernie, the nurse and I chatted, and joked for about an hour before Colleen and Ernie had to leave.  Cindy was really "with it" and very much herself despite the memory problems (which even she makes light of now).  Then she and I chatted and watched the tube until about 10:00 when I had to leave.  I left her wide awake, watching the tube.

She appreciates and has enjoyed all the cards everyone has sent. (The nurses are very impressed with how many she has received...we're running out of room for them all!)  Thanks for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.  

Wednesday, November 12th

Cindy being goofy at Lake  Quinault

Hello Everyone,

Cindy had her CAT scan bright and early this morning and the results indicated that her brain is absorbing the cerebrospinal fluid as it should. There was a little swelling of the ventricles, but evidently that's to be expected.  The drain didn't come out today since they want to see if the ventricles continue to swell or not.  If they do, she'll need a permanent shunt under the skin to the abdominal cavity so the fluid can be absorbed there.  She'll go in for another CAT scan at about 5:00 in the morning and if there's nothing unexpected, the drain will be removed.  If she doesn't need the permanent shunt, the procedure will be done right in her room in the ICU.  If the shunt is needed, she'll have to have surgery, of course.  Let's hope the latter is not the case.  After that, she'll probably go to a regular room by Friday and may come home early next week.  (They won't even close the hole in her skull.  It just gets sutured over and it will heal on its own over time.)

She gets more "with it" every day.  Her niece, Brooke, flew in from Iowa today and came to visit Cindy with her sister Courtney and their Mom (Colleen) around 12:30.  Cindy was really alert and talkative and they chatted for some time.  When I came back about 5:00 with more matzo ball soup, she was still very lucid and we discussed everything that has happened as she ate it (commenting all the while on how good it was).  She's beginning to remember the ordeal from our talks about it, but doesn't really remember it, per se.  I took some pictures of the house over to her when I went this morning in hopes of jogging her memory about it a little.  Tonight, she seemed to be recalling much more about the place and even a little about her new kitchen.  

Colleen, Ernie, and Brooke came back about 8:00 and the five of us talked about all sorts of things.  Cindy conversed just fine except for the occasion comment that her memory is shot.  She seems to really understand what's going on now, although she still "forgets".  We were kidding her again tonight that she has to remember that she forgets and she understands what we mean.  She was asking the nurse perfectly reasonable questions about what's next on the agenda, etc. and joking with her about life in the ICU.  She seems more or less normal except for the big gaps in her memory.  All-in-all, very encouraging.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and let's hope her recovery is nearly complete.

Tuesday, November 11th

Cindy engaged in one of her favorite pastimes

Hello everyone,

Well, what seemed like rather discouraging news late yesterday turned out to be a false alarm.  Both the CAT scan and the second culture from Cindy's cerebrospinal fluid came up negative...no abscess and no bacteria in her brain.  The doctors concluded that the bacteria that had shown up must be growing in the tube that the drain from her head connects to, so they replaced it with a new one this afternoon. Problem solved.  Her cerebrospinal fluid also cleared up enough that they began "challenging" her brain today by cutting off the siphon action.  Every indication so far is that her brain is absorbing the fluid as it should.  If it wasn't, one of the first symptoms would be headaches and she hasn't had any since the process began.  She'll go in for another CAT scan first thing in the morning and if everything looks good, I think the plan is to take out the drain tomorrow.  Woo-hoo!

She slept most of the morning (the whole time I was there and most of the time her Dad and Colleen were there around lunchtime), but by early afternoon when her Mom and aunt went by, she was awake and talkative.  They had spent the morning cleaning up the house some more before they went over to see her.  They've really been lifesavers in that regard; very "merry maids", as it were (and fast and thorough, too!).

When I got back over there at about 5:00, she was awake, alert and talkative.  I took her some matzo ball soup and cookies that some good friends had made for her.  She ate a GREAT big bowl of the soup (she'd had it before and loved it) before eating a big dinner.  Then she ate several of the cookies, as well, commenting all the while on how good they were.  Better yet, she remembered having the soup before and the friends that made it.  That was striking in that the friends are relatively new and the previous partaking of the soup rather recent. Another hint that her memory is slowly coming back.  (Thanks Yvonne and Jenny!).

Colleen and Ernie came by about 7:00, as usual, and Cindy just chatted away until we all left around 9:00.  Although we never overtly commented on it, I think we all felt like she was more "with it".  Her memory is still off, but now she seems to be aware that it's off and that's a striking change.  We were even joking with her that the has to remember that she forgets...and she seemed to get the joke.  She's also asking for the details of what has happened and can remember that she had an aneurism burst in her brain.  It's really very encouraging.

Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers so we can keep her on this track.  

Monday, November 10th

Cindy in a more pensive mood

Hello Everyone,

Cindy was especially alert and "chipper" this morning when I arrived. She ate a big breakfast and was very talkative.  She still thinks she's been places and seen people she hasn't and thinks she needs to meet people and do things she doesn't.  Her memory is still very spotty and unpredictable with things coming and going from minute to minute, hour to hour, and day to day.  As usual, I left about noon to come home and do things.  Her Mom and aunt had come to the house at 9:00 to start cleaning and putting the house back in order after the chaos of the kitchen remodel.  When I got home, I was amazed at how much they had gotten done and how nice it looked.  Talk about a BIG help!  I spent most of my time painting baseboards that need to be put back in place and re-hanging the pictures they had cleaned.  At least the living room and breakfast room are back to normal now.  The two of them will be back tomorrow to work their magic on more rooms.

When I got home, they both took off to visit Cindy and, I suspect, spent a couple of hours with her.  I didn't get back over until about 4:30 on my way to my Monday night drawing class.  It took a while for them to let me into the ICU (you always have to check in and be let in) because her nurse was dealing with someone coming back from a CAT scan.  When I finally got in, it turned out that Cindy was the one she was dealing with.  It seems the doctors juggled her medications to see if one of them was causing the fever and high white cell count and came to the conclusion that she does have an infection.  Then the culture they took this morning from her cerebrospinal fluid came back positive for bacteria.  They took another culture to confirm the first result and the CAT scan was to see if she has an abscess in her brain.  (Last week they got a positive result on a cerebrospinal culture and the second one came up negative.)  I called to check on her after my class and no results were back yet on either the second culture or the CAT scan.  We'll have to wait until morning to see where she stands.  They have her on two powerful antibiotics that cross the blood-brain barrier just to be on the safe side and to nip anything that might be there in the bud.  All-in-all, not the greatest news.  The doctors won't even consider taking out the shunt until any infection has been cleared up.  On the bright side, her cerebrospinal drainage was very pale all day.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and let's hope this is just a minor bump in the road. 

Sunday, November 9th

Cindy at the Jardin in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Hello Everyone,

Cindy had another good day today.  She put away a breakfast big enough for two people and was awake and "chipper" all morning.  I taped some sheets of paper below the TV with information on them like where she is, why she's there, what the date is, etc. as the speech therapist suggested yesterday.  The idea is that they will serve as a constant reminder for her and we won't have to tell her the same things over and over again.  Her parents came by late in the morning, as usual, and stayed until 3:00 when Colleen and Ernie came by.  I spent the afternoon at home putting some finishing touches on the kitchen (touching up paint, etc.).  She stayed alert and talkative all day but Colleen and Ernie said she rattled on about things she really isn't doing and people she's not really seeing.  It's amazing how much she's managing to do without leaving her bed!  Her memory is still pretty scrambled but little bits seem to be making their way back.

Her cerebrospinal fluid is beginning to clear up.  After starting out yellow this morning, it only turned a very pale pink as the day wore on. The doctor on call in the ICU came by while I was there tonight and said things are "perfect" except for the slight fever and high white cell count...indications of an infection.  He said they're beginning to think one of her medications is causing the problem so they've begun juggling them a bit to see if that helps.  They continue to take cultures, though, especially of the cerebrospinal fluid, since an infection at the shunt entry or in the brain would be very serious indeed.

After she ate a big dinner, she nodded of almost immediately.  It was almost nine by then, so I went ahead and took off so she could sleep.

Thanks for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.