Today Was a Very Great Day!!!!!

Today was a great day because Howard was comfortable without the heavy drugs he has been given for pain control.  He greeted me with outstretched arms for hugs and kisses.  Then he began to talk and the words were so much easier to understand.  Asking what are these he held up his wrists so the bandages and restraints were next to my face.  I explained that the bandages covered spots that had been hurt and the restraints were so he wouldn't remove the oxygen and nutrition lines.  He then moved on to the wrist splint, the big wrap around brace on his knee and finally sat up straighter and said "What are those?" about the external fixators on his feet.  It was as though a fog had lifted today and he was putting things together in real time.  

The  payrolls he does in the business was on his mind as well but I assured him that John McDonald was doing one and Kristi would be coming this afternoon to do the rest.  He rested a bit and then pulled me closer and said, "you are going to have to get a new one."  He then repeated those words and I realised he was talking about the car.  We have been wondering for days how much of the accident he will remember.  Joe arrived for a short visit and they talked a bit before the "turn crew" came to gently ease him into a different position.  He was a bit tired.

Kristi and Jon timed their visit to be together.  He greeted them and then asked where Sophie was, she visited him with Kristi just one week ago but he remembers.  Jon and Kristi report that he talked with them and laughed at Jon's jokes.  Apparently they all had a good time.

Tomorrow is foot surgery day.  Will keep you posted.  It may be late in the day, a lot of new patients checked in this weekend on they operate on an as needed basis.

A Usual Day

Howard was resting quietly this afternoon.  His body is healing but the medical staff keeps his medication levels high enough to let him escape the pain and as a result he is groggy when awake.  He tries to talk but it is hard for him to organize his thoughts and form the words.  His brow creases like always and frowns when he is figuring things out.  He asked us again, "What happened?"  Sleeping is just much easier so that he does.  Joe and I sat beside his bed all afternoon watching the pattern of his sleep cycles but jumping up if he stirred so he could see us.  We learned a couple of things we didn't know, they are trying to get him more into the normal night/day schedule to orient him back into the rhythum of the rest of us.  We also learned that what they are feeding him through a tube in his nose is Ensure with some added nutrients.  He really is just resting and waiting for the surgery on his feet now set for monday.  We continue to see improvement in color and swelling of his hands and feet.  We continue to pray for those caring for him and thank God for the healing happening all the time.

In answer to those of you who inquire about when you can visit, it will be only one or two family members at a time until he is transferred out of the tramah unit to another floor of the hospital.

What wasn't included on wednesdays blog is that Anna and I walked into Howard's room just as he tried to clear his throat and couldn't, was obviously in distress.  Anna raced down the hall to locate help and shortly we backed out of the way of many people and machines for he had stopped breathing.  When next we saw him he was back on the breathing machine and heavily sedated again.  The care he has been getting has been first rate but this shook all of us.  God's timing has been incredible and we are grateful.

Now to the present:  Mike just called from the hospital and says Howard can answer questions about who he is and who we are but continues to struggle with saying words clearly.  He responds to funny things with a smile and creases his brow when he is sorting out what to say.  What good news!   We are planning an evening visit tonight and look forward to seeing him.  We will gather in the waiting room and go in one or two at a time.  

Howard was to be the "add on" patient if there was time, but once again more serious cases came to the trahma center so his foot surgery has been rescheduled for monday.  The bones are healing, the swelling is still going down and his color is much better.

As you can see, I have a little problem with adding one of Howard's favorite photos to the blog heading.  Amy and I have a plan to fix that (and I will learn something new) tomorrow when we coordinate NYC and Pacific time to work.  Then hopefully both photo and text will stand separately.

Anna accompanied me today and she was most helpful.  Joe brought me home and we had a chance to look at a replacement car for the Hartford Insurance Co will soon stop providing the rental car.  What's not to like, it is a well-cared for low mileage Buick?  Belongs to the mother of good friends.

Today I spent some hours at the hospital, watching Howard sleep but every now and then he would wake and try to sit up and talk.  It is hard to tell how much he understands of what happened to him.  We continue to ask him for his name and to wiggle his toes.  He usually responds to those requests then goes right back to sleep.  Gets cranky because we tell him he can't get off the bed and go to the bathroom.  He is off the heavy drugs but much tylenol is added to the feeding tube.  

Tomorrow they will do the surgery on his feet.  If they get enough of the bones in the feet and left ankle stabilized the External Fixators can be removed.  We are getting closer to the time when he will be able to move around in the bed and even sit up straight.   

Mike has figured out that he responds more to the grandchildren than to the middle generation.  But then hasn't it always been that way?

Today was an encouraging day.  Joe, Deb, Jon and Anna visited Howard this morning and he was able to laugh at little jokes and seemed to understand who they were.  This afternoon Kristi, Sophie, Mike, Kathi and I journeyed up the "hill" and visited two at a time.  He seemed much more able to understand who we are.  His words were easier for us to understand and he smiled more than we had yet seen.  His feet looked so much better with less swelling and normal color. His surgeon is very pleased by his progress but has not yet scheduled the surgery for them.  They have discontinued the drugs that kept mostly sedated so that his mind can clear.

Kristi worked in Shepherd Accounting and the rest of the above family worked here in our yard to clean up some areas and repair our garden drip system 

Enlightening info today

A conference with one of Howard's surgeons helped us understand some things better.  This doctor attended him from the time he arrived in the emergency room and so knew him before the heavy sedation was even started.  They got to talk together and this same orthopedic surgeon has been part of the team from the beginning, he understands more of what Howard is really like and that sure makes us feel better.  The bones are healing and the huge bruises are being reabsorbed (is that really a word).  Swelling is down a lot, especially in hands and feet and that will make the pain be less.  

We have about all of the information necessary for the car insurance etc. but have looked in vain for the title of the car.  Howard's files are immaculate and orderly going back to his student days at Portland State University studying accounting.  It startled me to be reminded that he started on this new career when he was 54 years old.  We were very careful to put everything back the way we found it.

Kelli and Brian have been here this week and have driven me, fed me, planted my deck pots and garden things, and made up the beds for Kris and Sophie who arrive tomorrow.  The family continues to function like a team.

I got a phone call....

It's been a whirlwind of a week!  It began with a phone call from OHSU Trauma Center.  Howard had been injured in a car accident and needed surgery.  Right away, the help began to come. Needing a ride to the hospital, Jan MacDonald quickly offered to drive me.  Jan and I were greeted at the emergency room door by a social worker who took us right to the trauma center.  This would be the first of many times the excellent service of OHSU helped us through a difficult situation. The whirlwind began spinning with papers to sign, surgery to authorize, calling family and seeing Howard briefly, as the doctors were compiling the list of broken bones.  (The final total is still not finished!) The surgery was pushed back to the next day as more critical cases came into the trauma unit. Finally, the anesthesiologist began his pre-surgery prep and as Howard's bed was being rolled toward surgery, one of the nurses said, "It's time for hugs and kisses," and he chimed in, "Hugs and kisses," as he squeezed my hand.   The first surgery took 7  hours, with teams of doctors working on different parts of Howard's body.  His feet were bolted to a metal halo to stabilize them until he can tolerate another surgery to set the broken bones in both feet and right ankle.  The doctors cleaned a deep gash on his left knee and replaced the ball of his femur with a metal ball.  Finally, his right wrist was splinted, awaiting pins and a plate in a future surgery.  The family gathered at the Trauma waiting room during his long surgery.  Being together helped to pass the anxious time and when Howard was rolled back into his ICU room, we took turns going into his room 2 at a time.  They had sedated Howard deeply after the surgery, but when we got there we found that they had lightened up the sedation on the chance he might respond to us.  Anna was the only one who really got a response.  He tried to raise his arms and shoulders to give her the customary hug.  He squeezed my fingers, and then by the time Joe and Deb took the last turn in the room he could wiggle his big toes.  He is kept pretty heavily sedated so that he can stand to lie still and heal between turnings and that keeps him groggy almost all the time lets him rest in spite of the pain.
Joe and I went to see and clean out the car and we are evermore grateful that he survived the crash.  About all that survived of the car was the leather seats which are in perfect condition except for the glass laying around them and the back tires and trunk look the same as always.  The guys at the impound lot said the trunk couldn't be opened but I had my little clicker in hand and it responded instantly.  My fancy Safeway bags were in there and my emergency bag.  The jaws of life really lifted the whole roof and the drivers door in order to get him out.
We waited for 4 days hoping Howard would wake up and talk to us.  But between the breathing tube and the pain, we all knew he was better off sleeping. Each day, our visits to Howard's room, we noticed that fewer machines and hoses were needed, less swelling, lightening of the eggplant colored bruises and he began to look more like himself.  Of course, if he's getting stronger, it must be time for another surgery!  So I got a call from OHSU, asking for authorization for more surgery, this time to put pins and a plate in his wrist, drain and clean his knee and hip incisions.  Kelli and I had just finished our early morning project of washing the deck, a good change in activity and useful as people gather here at home.  We barely changed clothes and jumped in the car hoping to get to the hospital in time to give him a hug before surgery.  But the whirlwind continued to keep us off balance, as his surgery was delayed 3 hours and the day turned out to be a 10 hour wait in the ICU waiting room.  But the wait was worth it, as we were escorted back to see Howard and he recognized us!  He looked me straight in the eye and said, "Get me out of here!"  Kelli was greeted with "Hi, daughter."  And Howard tracked Joe as he walked across the room and said, "I gotta go!"  Not a dry eye in the room as we celebrated the first conversation in almost a week.  
Today Howard is sleeping peacefully and resting for until the next surgery to do some of the same cleaning and dressing of hip, knees and begin work on the ankle and feet.  They have not said anything yet about the broken pelvis and torn ribs. He looks so much better as the swelling goes down and the bruises are beginning to fade a bit and will be allowed to rest and gather strength.  We will make our visits shorter and quieter.
It has been so great to have such support from family and friends.  Howard would be so pleased to see that his children are all helping do what they do so well and it results in a strong team to work together and get everything done.
We so appreciate your prayer and the many offers of help.

Howard's fancy new bed!

Today, Howard was resting well on his new air bed.  The new mattress puts less friction and stress on his skin, hopefully making him more comfortable.  He was able to stay awake a little longer today, but continues to have trouble focusing long enough to interact with his nurse or family members. I can tell he is trying to communicate and one day soon, he'll be successful!  

Still no date set for the surgery on his feet.  But we are encouraged that he is no longer on IV drug doses, but every 4 hours they actually crush up pills in water and inject the liquid into his feeding tube.  

Tomorrow is a new day.  Thank you for your prayers and concern.