LISA TODAY

Monday, June 26, 2006
Barrow Neurological Institute
Phoenix, AZ

For Lisa, Monday started off with a massage and a team of orthopedic specialists. She was to receive serial casts. Serial casting is a noninvasive procedure that will help Lisa improve her range of motion so she can respond to her daily therapy with less difficulty. It is a process in which a well-padded cast is used to immobilize a joint that is lacking full range of motion. What happened during the Serial Casting session? Muscle strength and range of motion of the affected joint was assessed prior to application of the cast. The team of specially trained therapists then applied the cast in the joint’s optimal position and range. Casts are changed on a weekly basis until a target range-of-motion goal is achieved. Predicting the number of casting sessions is difficult, as each individual responds to the casting procedure at different rates. Typically, the casting procedure is completed in 4-6 weeks.

Lisa was also received several Botox (Botulinum toxin) injections on Monday. The Botulinum toxin can heal as well as harm. The bacterial toxin that can paralyze and kill if consumed in contaminated food is now safely used, in a purified form, as a medicine to control certain conditions marked by involuntary muscle contractions. The toxin is a protein that helps stop muscle spasms which are caused by chemical messages sent to the muscles from nerves. These messages tell the muscles to contract (to tighten up), and Botox is used to stop the muscle spasms because it blocks these messages. Botox is a standard treatment for spasmodic torticollis, a muscle spasm that causes the head and neck to pull in one direction. Dr. Kwasnica decided to use the injections to treat these and other problems as well.

Then Lisa received a bolus of Baclofen to hasten its benefit. The drug was given quickly by intravenous injection, and now we await the results.
The day was not complete without 3 hours of therapy. Each therapist divides their own time into 3-half hour sessions which are repeated twice by Lisa’s new physical therapist, and occupational therapist, and speech therapist.

Everything was accomplished under the watchful eye of Richard and Michael. Richard’s work in Ada, Oklahoma was completed on Friday, June 23rd, and he spent the weekend with Lisa and Michael.

Please write if you have questions. Several friends send wonderful jokes that I read to Lisa during our weekend visits. Thank you for helping me out.


Till next time….


Michael
mlwintory@msn.com

Lisa Today

June 18, 2006
Phoenix, AZ

Barrow Neurological Institute is an internationally renowned medical center that offers care for people with brain and spine diseases, disorders and injuries. http://www.thebni.com/home.asp

Lisa, after 12-weeks, graduated from Select Specialty Care Hospital on Friday, June 16, 2006. The occasion was an event we celebrate and one that Lisa worked diligently towards since March 24th. This graduation, like most, needed a statement of farewell, and Lisa’s class of one, elected her to perform the valedictory address. Her speech may have gone, in part, something like this: “I want to recognize and thank all of the medical staff, professional nurses, LPN’s, NA’s, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, housekeepers, respiratory therapists, unit secretaries, the chaplain and everyone, whom I may not have mentioned, but who helped me get to this point in my recovery at Select Specialty Care Hospital.

From the beginning, Richard has been beside me, along with my Mom, Family and Friends. They’ve done for me what I couldn’t do for myself, and helped me with encouragement, and applause for my small victories, and never gave up on me. I also want to thank you for telling my story to your colleagues and friends, but especially for the constant prayers, well wishes, cards, letters, emails, phone calls and visits. God Bless you all. God Bless you all.

Dr. Christine Kwasnica decided Lisa’s transfer to the Barrow Neurological Institute on Friday. The hundreds of greeting cards that covered Lisa’s hospital room walls were carefully removed and stored in boxes for transport to her new room, as were her personal effects. Mike, a certified nurse assistant, took Lisa by gurney… with Sherry, baby Michael and me in tow, to the new facility. Lisa’s new address is: Barrow Institute, 350 Thomas Road, Room 08, Phoenix, AZ 85013-4409 (602) 406-3000. Her new hospital room is quite nice, and is close to everything she will need. The staff was very helpful in getting her settled and comfortable. Here is the part I liked the most, Richard is permitted to remain overnight with Lisa and Michael in her room. And, Richard took advantage of it this weekend. He flew in to Phoenix from Oklahoma for his first Father’s Day.

Sherry and I keep telling each other that “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” I say to her, “Ya, know, it’s not the heat…..” BS It’s the heat! LOL

Till next time,

Michael
mlwintory@msn.com

A foot discovered, is a foot tasted------->

Michael today, June 19, 2006

LISA TODAY

June 12, 2006

Phoenix, AZ

Lisa fought the effects of spasticity last week. She expressed her discomfort through the tightness of her muscles and contraction of her fingers. This was readily apparent to those who ranged her during the week as her muscle tone was tight, and Lisa had to work really hard to oppose the effects of spasticity. When Sherry and I arrived with Michael on Friday afternoon, her face was flushed and she perspired as one would from the strain of weight lifting. As an observer, it was difficult to see her struggle with the strain and burden that spasticity makes her bear.

You will recall that a special pump was implanted in Lisa to administer Baclofen in steady, slow, small increments into her spinal fluid. The drug combats her tightening muscle tone. The dosage she receives is carefully monitored by Dr. Bliss and Dr. Kwasnica. Lisa’s Baclofen tolerance allowed the dosage to be increased. At first, it seemed that Baclofen was going to have an easy time knocking the spasticity down, but as if the spasticity had a will; it began to resist the Baclofen. The situation resulted, I think, in causing the discomfort. (As an aside, Dr. Bliss recently slipped and fell in the cafeteria, and required him to have surgery after severely breaking his ankle. Nevertheless, he comes to Lisa’s bedside in a self-propelling wheelchair to manage her care.)

On Saturday Lisa received something for pain management, and began to relax somewhat. At 5:00 o’clock, we all attended Mass in the Hospital Chapel. Lisa, Michael, Sherry, Laurie and I went down to the Chapel for services. The priest was wonderfully compassionate and considerate of Lisa and Michael during the service. He made her really feel comfortable and welcome. It was a warm spiritual experience. Richard called the hospital from Oklahoma. He called from the home of Jack and Napua Davis. There he enjoyed more of Napua’s wonderful cuisine. The telephone in Lisa’s room has speaker phone capability which enables her to hear and respond to yes – no questions. They all spoke to Lisa and she enjoyed hearing from them. She especially liked hearing the music from the sound of Jack’s melodic and haunting flute.

By Sunday morning, Lisa was back, and looked perfectly radiant! The spasticity was beaten down and the battle (not the war) was won. I believe the successful counterattack resulted from the combination of physical and pharmaceutical techniques applied skillfully by her dedicated medical team.

Monday Lisa had more pain which was controlled with drug therapy and she was scheduled to receive more physical therapy today.

Michael

mlwintory@msn.com

LISALATEST.BLOGSPOT.COM

LISA TODAY

Michael is four months old on June 10, 2006. Lisa and Richard's son is quite a guy. Here is a PhotoShow you may enjoy seeing. It's all about the boy!


mlwintory@msn.com
June 9, 2006
Oro Valley, AZ

LISA TODAY

June 5, 2006

This week the battle continues for Lisa’s body. The Allies have professional leadership and staff on their side. They employ the best nursing care, therapy and pharmaceuticals as their weapons against the Axis “Spasticity.” Spasticity is a cruel enemy which, if permitted to have its way, painfully twists and contorts the patient with ever increasing malice. But the Allies are creeping ever forward over the battleground with therapy they apply with professional skill, attention, loving kindness and a genuine determination to conquer the Axis. The terrain where the battlefield rages covers every joint in Lisa’s body, and nothing is being conceded, nothing is being taken for granted except the ultimate Victory when Lisa’s can personally thank you and everyone for carrying her banner during this battle.

Rex and Steve, Lisa’s uncle and cousin, visited Lisa this week. It was heartwarming to see the obvious love and concern they have for Lisa. You might think this is a given, but they are here through no small effort on their part. It was a photo opportunity (with no camera’s present) to see grand uncle Rex showing little Michael the saltwater aquarium in the hospital’s visitor lounge. They have to return home on Tuesday. Richard, as you know, is in Ada, Oklahoma.

Friday was all business for us as Sherry, Michael, Mac & Tosh, and I drove to Phoenix in the early afternoon. Sherry had an appointment with Deb Pope, Therapy Supervisor, to receive training so that Sherry would be able to range Lisa during our weekend visits. Richard described Deb as a-get-it-done-right-the-first-time-person, and I found that to be the case, but she really understands how to communicate well, and motivates one to quickly assimilate the information and techniques required to be effective for Lisa. I felt privileged to see the exchange between Deb and Sherry, and even more so to observe Sherry administer the therapy throughout the weekend.

So what is Lisa doing? Lisa carefully follows the therapy she receives, and silently communicates her responses through eye blinks and facial expressions. Further, Lisa cooperates throughout the therapy session. For instance, Lisa might have her arm resting in her lap when Sherry says, “Lisa I am going to straighten your arm at the elbow and rotate your wrist so that your palm is up.” Then, as Sherry commences the ranging, Lisa deliberately assists by initiating collaborative movement that coincides with what Sherry had previously said. So what am I doing? I’m getting somewhat emotional seeing Lisa work so hard at overcoming the Spasticity.

Michael found his voice this weekend. To his own amusement, he made sounds like a screeching parrot. The nurses, housekeepers, other visitors, were amused, I on the other hand pointed to sherry and told everyone “She taught him that!” Yes, he tried it out on Lisa’s floor, in the visitor’s lounge, in the elevator, on the way to the parking garage, and even in the restaurant where we had lunch. It was there that I really began to get in to the parrot talk because the waitress brought us free lemonade. It was, she said, “… because everyone thought he was so cute.”

Linda Thompson and Lou Keel came from Oklahoma via Tucson to see Lisa. Sherry and I got the opportunity to be with Linda for several hours during Sunday. The picture on the left is of Linda and was taken in Midwest City, OK in late April 06.

Lisa’s picture was taken February 10, 2006 on the day she delivered Michael.

I was thinking about something to share with Lisa that would be a unique, and I came up with the idea of telling Lisa a new joke every time I see her at the hospital. So I called my friend Earlene in Michigan, and she told me the one about the elderly couple who appeared before a judge in court. The wife was charged with shoplifting a can of peaches. The judge asked her, “How many peaches were in the can?” The lady replied, “six, your honor.” The judge sentenced her to 6-days in jail… one for each peach. Where upon the husband raised his hand as asked permission to speak. The judge told him to come forward, and the husband said, “… she also stole a very large can of peas.” Now comes my problem, I am horrible at remembering jokes, and probably telling them as well, so I’d appreciate it if you would send my your favorite, and I can read it to Lisa when I’m there. Who know, a little humor may not hurt.

Michael

mlwintory@msn.com