by Allison Moore | Jun 16, 2014 | Day by Day, Uncategorized |
Vernon had an MRI this morning, his regular dialysis in the afternoon, and has been running a fever all day. Hopefully some more draining tomorrow will help with the fever. In trying to cool him down, the nurse had removed his cap, and for the first time I saw the shaved hair growing back. He was starting to look like Vernon again! I almost posted a photo, but Chris suggested it might be a bit dramatic for those not used to seeing him in the state. So take it from me, he is looking good…relatively.
And then there were the hiccups…that went on and on. They were pretty funny to see, but an encouraging sign as its the first we have seen him moving in 24 days.
A Nurse Takes Notes
3 Hours of Dialysis Daily
by Allison Moore | Jun 15, 2014 | Day by Day, Uncategorized |
Happy Father’s Day to all you dads and dad’s-to-be. Basically most men.
Last night the kids and I made more artwork for the ever growing wall.
The hospital staff comes in and looks at whatever we have recently added and many of them even ask me about the kids as they pass me in the hallway. Apparently, they don’t always get a bigger picture of the patient they are working on, or have any notion of their world outside. (Today, however, I heard about a trauma patient who had posters wrapping outside of the room into the main hallway. Hopefully we won’t be here that long.)
And our little project of bringing things to Vernon’s wall, though it was originally about giving him something familiar and special to wake up to, has caused the three of us at home to draw closer at a table without Dad. We can find strength in our collective story, but we also have another way to reach out to him from home. Its a shame only “artists” learn how to express themselves this way, because I truly believe that taking the time to create anything is a powerful tool. Its not about the outcome, as much as it is the experience of getting something out of yourself onto a surface of some kind. Try it, really! (Just don’t be hard on yourself about it…or worry about what someone else might say. That’s the killer.)
Here are some that Maki and I made last night. Mine (on the right) is pretty self explanatory: helmets save lives. (Duh!)
Maki’s is much more interesting. He said the face in the storm is us, happy yet crying tears of sadness, which collect in the ocean of prayers that hold Daddy up in a peaceful boat. Whoa. Even the respirator technician, who came in to the room as I was hanging this, looked at it once and said it should be framed.
Even though I have pretty much used all the tape from the hospital desk (wonder what insurance will charge for THAT?) Tracy, the sweet-taking receptionist, offered me some of her craft supplies to send yet another Father’s Day message to our main man.
From Father’s Day, 2013
by Allison Moore | Jun 15, 2014 | Day by Day, Uncategorized |
by Allison Moore | Jun 14, 2014 | Day by Day, Uncategorized |
Every day, it dawns on me a little more what a waiting game this is. Even though we were told Vernon has begun the awakening stage, its also been suggested that he won’t be ‘with us’ by the time Maki takes off for New Zealand for the summer on Thursday night. I know he had wanted to at least say good bye. But he will be gone for only a couple of months, so hopefully skype and texts will fill in the blanks as we go through the next phase.
Anyway, I can’t tell you how proud I am of this kid. I just wish the timing had worked out better. But as he, his mum, and I have discussed, the timing may not be so wrong in the end, since we have no idea how easy his transition will be.
Please keep praying for a gentle transition for Vernon and please keep Maki on your hearts. He and his dad have always been connected in a deep and quiet way.
-a
by Allison Moore | Jun 13, 2014 | Day by Day, Uncategorized |
Today marks 3 weeks since the accident.
There isn’t much to report today except that Vernon is still being slowly weaned from the sedation and pain drugs Fentanyl and Versed. He has been under such heavy sedation that he must be weaned very slowly, each decreased a very small amount every 12 hours.
The nurses have been trying to prepare us for what it might be like. Some come to very peacefully and for some it is a terrifying experience. Of course we are hoping for the best case scenario for our hero. We are told that people coming out of induced comas tend to remember nothing of their experience as their brains have been in such a deep sleep, but we have also heard stories of amazing subconscious adventures and revelations. Either way, when he comes back, it will likely be a slow awakening through the fog.
They still think it will be at least another week before he will be in connection…and when he does, of course, his jaw will be wired shut and he will not be able to speak. I imagine everything will be very strange for him. But it will be even stranger when he realizes how he has been in the middle of so much love and thoughtfulness from all over the world, this whole missing month of his memory. That may be what I am looking forward to the most!
by Chris Adams | Jun 12, 2014 | Day by Day, Uncategorized |
15 breaths per minute…the speed established by the ventilator.
22 breaths per minute…actual breath taken.
Based on the math Vernon was taking 7 gulps of air on his own accord when I saw him briefly today.
His breathing isn’t strong enough, deep enough or sustained long enough yet…but he is starting to get his lungs under him again.
The pelvis surgery went well. The doctor was satisfied with the patch job after an hour and a half.
According to the nurse he will continue to stir more and more as they reduce the meds every 12 hours.
The kidney tests are improving, though still not in the range they should be.
