Post by Kristen Gamauf on Oct 28, 2005 22:09:18 GMT -5
DAY 25 AT EDWIN SHAW
Mike is doing awesome. He amazes me each day I come visit. This week he has made huge strides. He is joining in conversations and joking around more than before. He is less "spacey". Mom noticed the other day that his bump is starting to cave in, which is something they told us a long time ago about the bone flap area. It means the brain swelling is disappearing, and sinking back under the level of his skull. It is gruesome, but that hole is a lifesaver.
Mike is walking now with a four pronged cane, not super far, but farther each day. And still with the walker for endurance.
He has an appointment next week with the ear/nose/throat doctor. Early tests showed Mike might have some hearing loss in his right ear. We wonder too if he just has dried blood impacted in there from the injury since he was bleeding from his ears. They will check that out. I guess Sarah, Mike's speech therapist, asked him today while Mom & Dad were there if he had trouble hearing out of his right ear. Mike tilted his head and said, "What?" and then looked at her and laughed!! She just laughed with him and shook her head. She told them he has gone leaps and bounds this week.
He finished painting his horse. He gave it to Grandma today. She cried. He is now working on a spoon rest in recreational therapy. We were crying a lot today. We are able to explain a little more to him each day about what happened. We have started telling him what things were like for us the last few months--the weight loss (not just Mike), the ICP probe, being so scared it makes you physically sick, the phone call to my parents at 2:30 in the morning and Mom almost passing out. He seems curious to know whatever we can tell him about the whole ordeal. He is not scared by it, but more amazed and curious. You can sense what is going through everyone's head without saying it. I even see it in Mike's friends when they come see him. It is the fighting back tears. Everyone's just so happy.
On a sad note, Tim is gone. He got moved today to a nursing home. It just isn't the same without him. I don't know if he will permanently be there, but it means he wasn't advancing any further at Edwin Shaw. He's 49. Those who've met him know how sad that is.
Earl is Mike's roommate tonight, a 97-year-old full of spunk. He gets to go home tomorrow.
Deonna & Denny stopped by tonight. They brought Mike the Kramer poster from Seinfeld for his wall!
I guess Dr. Sanderson came in Mike's room and had to do a double take. He is Edwin Shaw's physiatrist who came and saw Mike at the SICU. He's the one I was disgusted with when he flew into Mike's room, pounded on his chest, and told my mom, "He is very severely injured," and flew out. Well ha-ha-ha, look at him now Doc. You don't even believe it, and I am so thankful he has proven you wrong!
Mike's doctor at Edwin Shaw also told Mom & Dad today that the insurance company is barking to have Mike sent home, but he is fighting it. I guess their paper-pushers are like, "but he's walking 50 feet..." and the Doc is like "yeah, but not like the walking you guys are thinking. I'll make the decision, not you." Which we are grateful. I expect Mike to be in there 2 maybe 3 more weeks.
I've been having a hard time this week. Not because I'm not happy. I am SO happy. So happy it is overwhelming. I really thought Mike would never really return emotionally to the Mike I knew. I think everything is hitting me now. Mike got his hair cut today, and Dad helped him shave off his goatee. He looks like Mike! I just cry all the time. I can't sleep. My emotions/moods are all over the place. It is crazy. I think my brain is confused. It seems like the only time I feel okay is when I am there with Mike and my family. It is the coolest thing, like Sunday Uncle Gary is bringing in a pizza and WE ARE ALL GONNA EAT IT WITH MIKE in the cafeteria. All of us, Grandma & Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends--I just feared for so long that we wouldn't ever do that again. I can't wait for him to come home.
This song was playing on the radio today. It kind of describes how I'm feeling. It's called "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter and is about things going bad and you just keep going and eventually things turn out okay. I think the video is cute, but if you have a slow connection you probably won't be able to get it.
Bad Day - Daniel Powter
You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
Mike is doing awesome. He amazes me each day I come visit. This week he has made huge strides. He is joining in conversations and joking around more than before. He is less "spacey". Mom noticed the other day that his bump is starting to cave in, which is something they told us a long time ago about the bone flap area. It means the brain swelling is disappearing, and sinking back under the level of his skull. It is gruesome, but that hole is a lifesaver.
Mike is walking now with a four pronged cane, not super far, but farther each day. And still with the walker for endurance.
He has an appointment next week with the ear/nose/throat doctor. Early tests showed Mike might have some hearing loss in his right ear. We wonder too if he just has dried blood impacted in there from the injury since he was bleeding from his ears. They will check that out. I guess Sarah, Mike's speech therapist, asked him today while Mom & Dad were there if he had trouble hearing out of his right ear. Mike tilted his head and said, "What?" and then looked at her and laughed!! She just laughed with him and shook her head. She told them he has gone leaps and bounds this week.
He finished painting his horse. He gave it to Grandma today. She cried. He is now working on a spoon rest in recreational therapy. We were crying a lot today. We are able to explain a little more to him each day about what happened. We have started telling him what things were like for us the last few months--the weight loss (not just Mike), the ICP probe, being so scared it makes you physically sick, the phone call to my parents at 2:30 in the morning and Mom almost passing out. He seems curious to know whatever we can tell him about the whole ordeal. He is not scared by it, but more amazed and curious. You can sense what is going through everyone's head without saying it. I even see it in Mike's friends when they come see him. It is the fighting back tears. Everyone's just so happy.
On a sad note, Tim is gone. He got moved today to a nursing home. It just isn't the same without him. I don't know if he will permanently be there, but it means he wasn't advancing any further at Edwin Shaw. He's 49. Those who've met him know how sad that is.
Earl is Mike's roommate tonight, a 97-year-old full of spunk. He gets to go home tomorrow.
Deonna & Denny stopped by tonight. They brought Mike the Kramer poster from Seinfeld for his wall!
I guess Dr. Sanderson came in Mike's room and had to do a double take. He is Edwin Shaw's physiatrist who came and saw Mike at the SICU. He's the one I was disgusted with when he flew into Mike's room, pounded on his chest, and told my mom, "He is very severely injured," and flew out. Well ha-ha-ha, look at him now Doc. You don't even believe it, and I am so thankful he has proven you wrong!
Mike's doctor at Edwin Shaw also told Mom & Dad today that the insurance company is barking to have Mike sent home, but he is fighting it. I guess their paper-pushers are like, "but he's walking 50 feet..." and the Doc is like "yeah, but not like the walking you guys are thinking. I'll make the decision, not you." Which we are grateful. I expect Mike to be in there 2 maybe 3 more weeks.
I've been having a hard time this week. Not because I'm not happy. I am SO happy. So happy it is overwhelming. I really thought Mike would never really return emotionally to the Mike I knew. I think everything is hitting me now. Mike got his hair cut today, and Dad helped him shave off his goatee. He looks like Mike! I just cry all the time. I can't sleep. My emotions/moods are all over the place. It is crazy. I think my brain is confused. It seems like the only time I feel okay is when I am there with Mike and my family. It is the coolest thing, like Sunday Uncle Gary is bringing in a pizza and WE ARE ALL GONNA EAT IT WITH MIKE in the cafeteria. All of us, Grandma & Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends--I just feared for so long that we wouldn't ever do that again. I can't wait for him to come home.
This song was playing on the radio today. It kind of describes how I'm feeling. It's called "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter and is about things going bad and you just keep going and eventually things turn out okay. I think the video is cute, but if you have a slow connection you probably won't be able to get it.
Bad Day - Daniel Powter
You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day