Normal EEG!

Dads EEG came back, It was normal! No seizure activity!

Family blessings

     I have a sweet sister who is a PA (Physicians Assistant) for a cardiologist.  She works down at UVRMC, where Randy had his EEG.  Randy has been having fluid overload problems, which causes him to retain water.  He previously had low BP so they had to up his fluid intake, plus his IV antibiotics.  This is in his feet and hands and lungs and basically everywhere.  They are monitoring it and treating it.  There could be a heart condition, kidney problems or electrolite problems causing it.  It is a concern for me so I called my sister for a little medical coaching, since the heart is her speciality.  She told me what they should be doing, then I went to the hospital and my favorite and nicest nurse came and talked to me, even though she wasn't Randy's nurse that day.  She told me that they were checking all his blood  and enzyme levels every day.  They do it at 3 a.m.  No wonder I didn't know they were doing it.  She let me know that they were doing everything that they should be doing.  His albumin level is going up.  It's 15 and 16 is normal. His kidney levels look good and his heart is good too.  My sister is friends with the neurologist and she said, "she owes me a favor" so she is hoping that she runs into her at the hospital today while she is doing rounds. She said there is a shortage of neurologists in Ut county and they are very over worked.  Hense the delay in reading the EEG.
     Kati's last blog said she was wondering if he was even in there.  I know he is.  I can see it in his reactions when things happen to him.  When I come in in the morning and tell him I am here and say good morning to him he reacts by twitching his feet or slightly moving his arm or facial expressions. So I know he is "in there." He has a cousin that tells him his hunting stories.  He really twitches then.
     So if you read this, if you get up as early as I do, you can add to your prayers that my sister runs into the neurologist at work today.
     Thanks for all you do for us and including us in your fasting and  prayers.

Waiting game!

Well last weekend they took Dad over to Utah Valley to have another EEG done.  This is to check the brain activity going on.  They are concerned about a few things, one of which is being seizures.  The EEG will tell us, A. If he is in a constant state of seizure.... which would be bad.  and B. If he even has any brain function.  We are of course hoping that he does.   Obviously!

The Dr. told us that we would hear back on Monday... so naturally, that is when we were expecting to hear whether our sweet Dad was even alive in his brain or not.  My mom was sick on Sunday and Monday so we took turns going in so that Dad wouldn't be alone.  

When I walked into the room,  I asked my grandma if we have heard anything back yet, the nurse piped in and said to not expect to hear anything soon.... She was NOT being very helpful, to put it lightly.  She also was a little tired of explaining why we didn't have the EEG results yet, and told me, and apparently all my siblings, that they probably wouldn't even be here till the end of the week. That they were doing all they could, so that there was no need for us to be asking them further about the results...    I was a little miffed.   I'm sorry, lady, for caring and wondering whether my dad was ok.  Heaven forbid.

Sorry for that little soap box!

Anyway, we are all just practicing our EXCELLENT patience, and will be waiting a little longer.   In the mean time, from an outsiders point of view... My Dad seems to be doing the same.  he is still twitching his left foot.  He still grinds his jaw, however he now wears a mouth guard,  and he still rolls his shoulders inward.  Today  we will be adding swallowing!  He reached his new record of swallowing 17 times.  Thats his most recent trick!  Way to go dad!

We are thankful continually for all the prayers and for the help we are constantly receiving!  We love you all very much!  It seems that when we hear that someone is praying or fasting it just shows me how much my dad means to all of you!  As well as how much our Savior loves us!  We are VERY blessed!  Thank you again.

Remember the Priesthood Blessings

    Things are getting a little harder for Randy the last couple of days.  He is still retaining fluid in his tissues.  They are giving him a diuretic every day now to help remove some of them.  His white blood count is up again so they started him on an antibiotic again.  They ran all the cultures again to try to find out where the infection is coming from.  He has fluid in his lungs so it is harder for him to breath.  They have not tried to take him off the ventilator at all for the last 2 days. They also have not done PT or Speech Therapy either. (Speech therapy is trying to help him learn to swallow again.) They have this machine they use on him to loosen the secretions in his lungs.  It's like a big vibrator but rougher.  They run it on his chest, then suction his trek.  He has started having "eppisodes" where things get a little crazy, his vital signs are off, and he looks like he is going into respiratory failure again.  The Dr thinks maybe he is having mini seisures because of his brain injury.  Today they took him by ambulance to Ut Valley Hospital and did a EEG on him to check if he was having them.  If he is then they would probably have to transport him to University of Utah hospital in SLC and put him on monitors full time to see if and when he is having seisures. We will probably not know the results of the EEG until Monday.  There has been no one to read the EEG results, as it is a weekend.
     When all of this happens and he is doing so poorly I just have to remember the Priesthood blessings he had that promised that he would return to full health and strength.  I put trust in the Lord and expect him to fulfil his promises.
     P.S. Thank you to all my sisters for the help in the garden.  It was fun to work along side with you. It takes a load off so I can spend my time with Randy. Thanks again, you are GREAT!!!

Yes... it is getting late

     I should just go to bed but it is actually hard to go to bed when you're used to sleeping with your husband for the last 39 1/2 years, and now he sleeeps at the hospital and you can't sleep there. So instead I will procrastinate and give you an update on Randy.
          After that wonderful day of wakefullness and pain for Randy, things have settled back into a more normal state.  They gave him Morphine for his pain two times during the night.( Tues) It is a small dose, only 2 mg. half of what they usually give adults.  It just wiped him out!  He didn't open his eyes for the next two days( Wed and Thur).  His movements have been down.  He is retaining water and they are giving him a diuretic.  His lungs sound "course" as they call it so there is fluid in the lower lobes again.  His fever is still down.  All the cultures they sent in came back negative.  His Dr. discontinued his antibiotics today.  He had 2 bouts of sweating like crazy today.  They say that is a symptom of his muscles waking up more.  He was off the ventalator for 5 hours today . It wears him out breathing on his own.   I take breathing for granted, it comes so naturally for all of us healthy people.  They put a support band around his diaphram and give him a anti anxiety med so he doesn't get too worked up as they take the levels of support down and make him breath on his own.  There is a special RT (respiratory therapist) that watches his numbers and him closely the whole time.
  It is an up and down battle.  Some days are so encouraging and some are depressing.  But on the whole it is slowly getting a little bit better.
     Thank you for all your prayers and help.  That is what is keeping me sane, ... well as sane as I normally am.  We are all a little crazy at certain times in our lives and I am no exception.
     Love to you all.  Good night.
   

Good News

     First I would like to apologize for not posting  for a while.  Last week was a difficult week.  Randy had a fever all last week and was not doing very well.   Hence, that means  I was not doing very well either.  By the end of the week  I was downright  discouraged.  By Sunday I needed another blessing.  Both my sons were sick so they are not allowed in, so my two sweet son in laws came over and gave Randy, his mother and I all blessings.  Doug said that the recovery would hasten in Randy’s illness .  He told me to be strong and don’t be afraid to make decisions that Randy usually makes.  He also said I needed to let people help me because they are anxious to give me support in any way they can.  I should use their talents  to help me with  my needs and Randy’s recovery.   So true.   I guess I need to be a little more humble and less independent.  It is hard for me to have to ask for help, so I am being humbled.

      So here is the good news.  Sunday Randy was still doing poorly.  On Monday his temperature was down.  He was acting more awake and alert, and in more pain.  (bad part, but really good in a way, I'll explain later).  About 4 p.m. he opened his eyes, both of them at the same time and all the way open, focused on me for about 5 minutes.  His mom and I both started crying, because we haven’t seen them or any movement for a week now.   Not only this but he started moving his feet a little bit, and he moved his arms and neck a little also.  We were ecstatic!  They have morphine ordered for him when he needs it and I let them give him some.

      When the neuron sheaths around his muscles start to wake up it is very painful.  People who have had this say it is like a foot being asleep with pins and needles.  That is happening to every muscle in his body so it has got to be painful.  But it also means he is starting to get better and heal.  Hence, good and bad.

     Today when I went in he not only opened his eyes for me but he also moved his arms to answer questions I asked him.  I asked him,  “ if you can hear me move your arm.”  He moved it.  So I thought it was a fluke so I asked him on the other side, he moved it.  I have been reading him the scriptures when he has more wakeful moments and I asked him if he wanted me to read him the scriptures, he again moved his arm.  This is such good news as that means his brain involvement is also improving, along with his body. 

     Today I am happy I can share the GOOD NEWS  with you.  

Same

It is hard to post when things are the same.  He is still running a low grade fever, he is still recieving artibiotics.  The removed his IV and sent it to be tested to see if that is where the infection was coming from.  Then they started another IV.  The Physical Therapist is trying a vibrator to see if they can wake him up more. He is still drowsy and hasn't opened his eyes since the fever started.  When he doesn't feel well that slows all his responsiveness and reflexes.  Keep the faith, hopefull the removal of the IV line will resolve the fever issue and he will continue to impove. Love to you all for your prayers and faith in his behalf.