Update April 21(22 to most), 2007

Well, first of all, a huge blessing and thank you to my beautiful sister, Mindi, for updating my blog when I was simply incapable of doing so last night. God certainly knew what he was doing when he made us sisters. You are my very best girlfiriend and I love you dearly.

Well, your prayers must be working today in the sense that we at least have newfound strength and peace to handle each day. Here is an update on today:

Saturday, April 21, 2007
Brian woke in ICU (or at least when they would let me in during their NAZI ridiculous visiting hours) in better shape in the sense that he was much more alert and aware than yesterday. ON April 20, he had been under anesthesia for 5 hours, and then they were trying to analyze him neurologically. He was groggy and out of it and sick. He was also in pain, which they were afraid to over treat thinking it would be too hard to analyze him neurologically. Anyway, in the end, he was better this morning, not hurting as much, able to swallow and able to motion better.

Brian is still unable to move his right side arm and lip/face. He is not able to talk more than pretty much “yeah, or no”. He can shake his head, he can answer yes or know and he wants so desperately to be able to communicate his needs, but he just cannot. Dr. Edwards this morning said not to be discouraged yet. He said that he expected lots of problems post-operatively, but Brian does not seem to be improving much with respect to speech throughout the day. He did, however, shift his standard response from “yeah” to “well”. I was so happy and proud of him. He is my hero and he is superman (just ask our boys) even when he is down. He is moving his right foot and told me through gesturing and yes and no questions that he felt as though some of the right side hand functions could come back. (He can feel, but just cant move his right side) Probably the most frustrating is the speech. Imagine knowing what everything around you was said, being able to read, being able to completely know how you wanted to respond, but simply INCAPABLE of getting out the words must feel. I can’t even comprehend. I know how disappointed and frustrated I am when I can’t figure it out and he is trying so hard to tell me something. Last night, he was trying so hard to tell me something and his blood pressure was slightly rising and he was getting upset. I could not figure it out. It had something to do with the medicine that he takes and what we maybe brought with us. He kept pointing to his hip. The nurses gave up, took breaks, and even told us that they were going to have to give him blood pressure medication if he didn’t calm down (I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt – they are ICU nurses and their job is to watch stats). Jan (Brian’s mom) came in and I was telling her about it and she said, “oh his pill box that he carries around every day” at which he said, “YES” with resounding relief. He wanted to make sure he was getting his Tegretol (anti-seizure meds). They assured him he was getting anti-seizure meds and they were taking good care of him. He was so relieved. I was so proud of him for thinking of it.

He was transferred today to the neurological unit – to a room called Neurological Close Observation Room (NCOR). They are awesome in there and so much more lenient on his visiting hours (can you tell I was struggling with that? I just want to sit with him and hold his hand. I don’t even have to turn on a light or a TV). Anyway, there are 2 nurses in the room for 4 patients. It is not very private, but it is where he needs to be until he gains some functions. Today, the NCOR nurse asked me about his Tegretol because guess what??? His tegretol levels are low. Can you believe it? He was trying to tell us that last night and the ICU nurses shrugged it off and said it was all being taken care of. In the meantime, he was temporarily being given a different seizure medicine, but as soon as he started taking things orally, he was not given that anymore and his tegretol levels had dropped, as he had feared while in ICU the night before. So, he is at risk for seizures, but they are working to catch him up on his dose.

Okay, so a lot to take in. Bottom line, he understands, tries to communicate and tries to move, but cannot speak more than a couple of words and can only barely move his right leg. He is supposed to meet with physical and speech therapy tomorrow. Speech therapy is supposed to have a communications board, which is a board that Brian can point to to express some basic needs. We are doing fine in the hospital, but it would be very challenging at home when his needs are more complex.

On a totally separate note, Brian’s mom, Jan O’Neill, who is here for support for Brian as well as his brothers and his dad and myself, was diagnosed a few weeks ago with Atrial Fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. One of the side effects of this particular condition is weak, but rapid pulse, accelerated heart beat and changes in blood pressure. Her condition was reversed, but came back 2 days before they left for California. She has been experiencing some problems here with heart rate and weak pulse. It takes a lot of playing around with the medications, but her cardiologist is back in Peoria. Anyway, today she was in the ER at Stanford due to the above condition. They have adjusted her medication to control the heart rate, but she easily gets winded and needs to be very careful.

Anyway, we could use some prayers for the following:

The pathology that they are going to reveal early this week

Brian’s postoperative condition – speech, right side weakness.

Jan’s heart

Gavin and Grant to handle our absence (Gavin has been crying a lot for missing me)

For my mom, Karen, to be able to handle the kids and the challenges that come with them. She is doing great so far and I thank God for that and I bless her for that.

The ability to take one day/one challenge at a time

KEEP BELIEVING
Angie, Brian, Gavin and Grant O’Neill