April 14, 2006
54 Day into the ordeal
St. Joseph Medical Center
Specialty Care Hospital
Phoenix, AZ
Our plan was for Richard to drive to Phoenix early this morning with Michael to be
with Lisa this Easter Holiday weekend. Lisa, we learned developed an eye infection yesterday so Michael’s travel plans to be with his Mom are being delayed until we learn if the infection is contagious or if it presents any danger to the baby. So for now, we are on runway alert, so to speak, and as soon as we get clearance from the docs in Phoenix, Sherry and I will take Michael to his parents.
Richard
talked with Connie, Lisa’s occupational therapist yesterday. Connie told him of a conversation she and Maureen, the speech therapist, had with Lisa during their therapy session yesterday morning. It illustrates Lisa’s cognitive ability. Maureen asked Lisa, “… are you glad your mom is here?” Lisa motioned affirmative. The questioning is part of Lisa’s 45-minute therapy sessions. But, I must digress for a moment, please indulge me. I hope you remember when I described Lisa’s first efforts to communicate way back on March 6, 2006? Let me refresh your memory. I wrote, “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.” Today, we have an entirely different scenario. One that I think you will appreciate. It is a demonstration of courage and perseverance by all concerned. But first, I learned, just now, that the eye infection Lisa has is conjunctivitis or pink eye as some folks call it. It is being treated with antibiotics. Lisa also was found to have more of the nasty staphylococcus bug, and the antibiotics will deal with it as well. Besides delaying Michael
’s visit with his Mom, it is delaying the removal of the PICC line. What I’ve just done is given you the bad L news. Now for the “rest of the story, Lisa is holding the line with regard to the contractures she has; this is muscle tightening and defined as, “a permanent abnormal tightening or shortening of a body part, such as a muscle, a tendon, or the skin, often resulting in deformity.” She is holding her own through the efforts of dear, Godsend friends who visit her regularly and provide range of motion therapy. The ranging combats the contractures. How huge is it to have friends, who are not in the healthcare business, volunteering their time to provide this extremely useful hands-on-therapy.
Significant and measurable progress was made this week as Lisa went through her 45 minute workouts with the 3-Amigos (PT, OT and ST).
Getting back from my digressions now, Lisa initially could only respond to very elementary requests such as, “blink” if you understand. Today she accurately responds to complex questions that require her to simultaneously utilize a large set of thought: comprehension, memory, recollection, evaluation, decision making, and response. Check this out…
Question: Lisa, did you meet your husband in college at the
University of Oklahoma?
Response: No. Lisa is still unable to vocalize a response, but capably moves her head in a negative response.
Lisa was postured in an upright sitting position with the assistance of three nurses while she was at the Arizona Burn Center. Yesterday, one therapist sat her at the edge of her bed, posed her arms behind her, and spotted while she maintained her balance for several minutes.
And going further, with assistance, she can hold her head upright and balanced between her shoulders. All the things we take for granted she must summons from within herself to restore..
With this issue of Lisa Today I have included a picture of Sherry and Me. Our 25th Anniversary was April 4, 2006 and we celebrated with some wonderful folks at a wonderful Japanese restaurant in Tucson. It was a very happy occasion for us, and it was made so by the great folks we were in the company of.
Michael
mlwintory@msn.com
54 Day into the ordeal
St. Joseph Medical Center
Specialty Care Hospital
Phoenix, AZ
Our plan was for Richard to drive to Phoenix early this morning with Michael to be
with Lisa this Easter Holiday weekend. Lisa, we learned developed an eye infection yesterday so Michael’s travel plans to be with his Mom are being delayed until we learn if the infection is contagious or if it presents any danger to the baby. So for now, we are on runway alert, so to speak, and as soon as we get clearance from the docs in Phoenix, Sherry and I will take Michael to his parents.Richard
talked with Connie, Lisa’s occupational therapist yesterday. Connie told him of a conversation she and Maureen, the speech therapist, had with Lisa during their therapy session yesterday morning. It illustrates Lisa’s cognitive ability. Maureen asked Lisa, “… are you glad your mom is here?” Lisa motioned affirmative. The questioning is part of Lisa’s 45-minute therapy sessions. But, I must digress for a moment, please indulge me. I hope you remember when I described Lisa’s first efforts to communicate way back on March 6, 2006? Let me refresh your memory. I wrote, “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.” Today, we have an entirely different scenario. One that I think you will appreciate. It is a demonstration of courage and perseverance by all concerned. But first, I learned, just now, that the eye infection Lisa has is conjunctivitis or pink eye as some folks call it. It is being treated with antibiotics. Lisa also was found to have more of the nasty staphylococcus bug, and the antibiotics will deal with it as well. Besides delaying Michael
’s visit with his Mom, it is delaying the removal of the PICC line. What I’ve just done is given you the bad L news. Now for the “rest of the story, Lisa is holding the line with regard to the contractures she has; this is muscle tightening and defined as, “a permanent abnormal tightening or shortening of a body part, such as a muscle, a tendon, or the skin, often resulting in deformity.” She is holding her own through the efforts of dear, Godsend friends who visit her regularly and provide range of motion therapy. The ranging combats the contractures. How huge is it to have friends, who are not in the healthcare business, volunteering their time to provide this extremely useful hands-on-therapy.Significant and measurable progress was made this week as Lisa went through her 45 minute workouts with the 3-Amigos (PT, OT and ST).
Getting back from my digressions now, Lisa initially could only respond to very elementary requests such as, “blink” if you understand. Today she accurately responds to complex questions that require her to simultaneously utilize a large set of thought: comprehension, memory, recollection, evaluation, decision making, and response. Check this out…
Question: Lisa, did you meet your husband in college at the
University of Oklahoma?
Response: No. Lisa is still unable to vocalize a response, but capably moves her head in a negative response.
Lisa was postured in an upright sitting position with the assistance of three nurses while she was at the Arizona Burn Center. Yesterday, one therapist sat her at the edge of her bed, posed her arms behind her, and spotted while she maintained her balance for several minutes.
And going further, with assistance, she can hold her head upright and balanced between her shoulders. All the things we take for granted she must summons from within herself to restore..With this issue of Lisa Today I have included a picture of Sherry and Me. Our 25th Anniversary was April 4, 2006 and we celebrated with some wonderful folks at a wonderful Japanese restaurant in Tucson. It was a very happy occasion for us, and it was made so by the great folks we were in the company of.
Michael
mlwintory@msn.com
