I’m Richard’s father, Michael; this is the 3rd installment of Lisa Today. It is Monday, March 6, 2006, but today’s update actually started late Sunday afternoon after I sent my last message. Lisa became active. I told you about Richard placing Michael onto Lisa’s chest, well last evening as soon and Michael snuggled in, Lisa’s heart rate went up from 89 to 97 and was witnessed by, not only Richard, but the nurses as well. Let me tell you Richard was really heartened by what he saw Lisa accomplish. David, Lisa’s brother, saw her raise her arm to her chest from a relaxed position beside her hip. The move was so deliberate that it startled him. David asked a nurse to verify the achievement. The nurse pinched Lisa under her arm (between her shoulder and elbow) and she immediately withdrew her arm and had a look of displeasure on her face. The nurse entered her responses into her medical record. We all really enjoyed our supper last night which was provided by Lori and Steve Bunting and daughter Kendall, and Carol and George Vetrano. High spirits and hope are abundant from the late afternoon and evening news we received from Lisa, thank G_d. I’m writing this portion at 11PM Sunday night because I wanted to capture the moment. It is exciting to sit at the dinner table and listen to the observations made by the family members who were with Lisa; because of the varying perspectives and the snapshots in time of their observation. We report what we witness, and not report wishful thinking. This is important to us all, and I’m sure you agree.
Lisa is scheduled to receive a MRI tomorrow, and I hope to be able to tell you more about it and the results.
All of the above was written last night. It’s Monday morning now the 6th of March, people here around Richard’s house are all in their new routines, and Richard is at the hospital. At 8:30 AM, Richard called and Sherry put him on the speaker phone. He had something that he wanted us to hear the same way and at the same time. Dr. Stein, Lisa’s chief neurologist and the medical staff team leader, changed one of her prescriptions. The new meds make her nerve endings more sensitive. This morning Lisa responds to commands, i.e. Richard asks: “If you can hear me blink.” Lisa blinks. (The blink is more a squinting as her eyes do not actually open, as if the effort to open her eyes is too strenuous.) Richard asks: “If you understand me, move your eyes side to side.” Lisa moves her eyes side to side. (The eye movement is with eyes closed, but the effort can be seen as her eyeballs shift from side to side underneath her eyelids. The nurse moves Lisa’s arm across her chest and Lisa assists the nurse with the effort. She also moved her foot and her leg by herself. The nurse said, “We will not continue challenging her, because I want Dr. Stein to witness this for himself. It is important. Finally, she is breathing on her own 16 out of 20 times. The MRI is still scheduled, and in the nurses opinion enough activity on Lisa’s part suggests an additional EEG is warranted, and will mention it in her report.
Richard will ask Dr. Stein for a family conference to go over the results of Lisa’s tests. He anticipates if schedules permit we’ll meet with Dr. Stein late today or tomorrow morning.
10:30 AM Mountain Standard Time
Michael
