This section has been long in publishing due to the fact that I have recently had radiation treatment which has made me take a step backward in my speech abilities but everyday I am improving.
I was in the early days of recovery; I do
NOT know what was happening, but I do remember some things.
I know that I had staples through my head. Georgiann wrote a daily diary of this brain tumor recovery.
Tony and Kathy were there around 9am in Day 2. It want good to see them.
Georgiann told me, “Jim wants control of the TV remote”.
I remember the Physical, occupational, and speech rehab.
They were able meet.
Going to the bathroom
Brushing teeth
Eating with a fork
Dr. Gurther – Aphasia – This is an inability to communicate.
Georgiann said:
Not the best patient
I was angry at her
He wants to do things for himself.
I do remember going to the ninth floor.
I do remember the Rehab in Sentara.
Words
Physical
Bike
I also remember some of my visitors:
Larry (ODU)
Dick (ODU)
Eileen (ODU)
Liz (ODU)
Jim L
Ray
Earl
I also remember the:
Big Basket of fruits/flowers from SAIC
Flowers from GATS
All the cards from everybody
I know about some of the things but she also writes many that I do not remember.
Georgiann’s Diary
· Day 2 of Recovery April 25
Gauze bandages are removed to reveal big metal staples in incision area.
He still has a BIG purple eye. Jim’s speech still very limited, but I am glad he can even talk at this point. Nurse in ICU says she sees improvement. I guess she can see differences I don’t see. His words consist of Yes, no, okay and he can laugh.
More Vicodin for the pain.
I know he is okay because he wants control of the TV remote!!
Dr. Petra Gurtner orders Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies to begin soon.
The catheter has been removed and now has a “Pee Container” hanging on the side of his bed. I keep asking Jim if he has to pee cause I don’t want to see an “accident” (wet bed) happen.
· Day 3 of Recovery April 26
Tony, Jim’s brother is already at the hospital since he is the early riser. His wife, Kathy and I (Georgiann, Jim’s wife) arrive as early as we can. Our usual arrival is 9:00 am or so since tunnel traffic is so bad in the morning.
The swelling has gone way down and he has improved greatly since yesterday.
Occupational and Physical Therapists came to see Jim today. I am learning so much about Medical staff. Occupational therapy helps one to relearn the everyday things we do…going to the restroom, brushing teeth, eating with a fork… The Physical therapist aids him with the mobile attributes of our body. Moving the legs, walking, and exercise getting muscles back in shape. Occupational therapist instructs
Jim to feed himself today, best he can
and the Physical therapist helps him walk down the hallway, then sit down in a chair.
Dr. Gurtner comes in and teaches me how to work with Jim. She informs me he has Aphasia the inability to communicate. He can think what he wants to say, but does not have the ability to say what he wants to say. She tells me that I am his best speech therapist.
Little did I know how many “hats” I would wear in my life.
The use of library books with pictures and my speaking the words and asking him to repeat will help to reconstruct the neurons in his brain. Jim is not the best patient for this. He is so frustrated and shows anger at me. He wants to do things for himself. But I persevere. I am so happy about his improvement.
· Day 4 of Recovery April 27
Sleepy, sleepy Jim.
Nurse said he did not sleep well last night. Very few words today.
Dr. Rodrigue is in this morning. She said he is exhausted. She said small blood vessels in the brain need time to heal. Don’t know how long.
Poor Jim is very constipated. The nurse has given him an enema, prune juice and still no progress. Jim moans with pain. I hope he poops soon.
Tony said the therapist for speech came in today for a quick evaluation and a person from Rehabilitation came in to see what needs Jim has.
Doctor moving Jim to a regular room today when a bed becomes available.
He is past the critical point now. I am so happy.
He will get more rest in a quieter environment.
Today Jim shows me lots of affection with kisses.
He constantly is touching my hands and arms.
· Day 5 of Recovery April 28
Today is so wonderful. Jim had a bad day yesterday.
Later in the day he was in pain because the Doctor finally realized he had to urinate. Jim’s prostrate gland was very enlarged and prohibited him to urinate. PAIN, very bad pain but really Jim unable to tell us what was wrong. He was catheterized and went to sleep. Finally was moved to a regular room at 2:00 am.
Upon seeing Jim this morning he was sitting in a chair in his new room. He is looking very good today. He says more words and small sentences.
He has already had physical and occupational therapy this morning and he told Tony that he had fun. I went home at 5:30 or so. The tunnel traffic is so bad at this time of the evening.
When I finally did get home, Jim called me on my cell phone. He told me he called to say “I love you.” I was so happy. I know he is getting better.
· Day 6 of Recovery April 28
Jim is reading the signs on the walls because he is repeating the phrases. Several small words are added to his vocabulary. It appears he knows how to tell time also. Doctor from Rehabilitation came in and evaluated Jim. He said Jim was fast tracked to Rehab and would go there soon. That is the Ninth Floor… which is the floor just before you go home. I need to bring clothes.
· Day 7 of Recovery April 29
Jim is in his new room on the Ninth Floor in Rehabilitation.
He is getting a real work out physically—walking and various exercises. He is taking “cat naps” between all the nurses, doctors, therapists.
Dr. King visited. We learn he is from Jamaica. He is so very nice and Jim really likes him a lot. Dr. King says Jim has no heart problems, just an enlarged prostrate right now. Flomax is prescribed to relieve and to help the urine to flow by itself. They still check the bladder every 4 hours. Jim still has head pain and takes Vicodin every 4-6 hours. It appears he will be here at least another week.
Dr. Rodrigue the neurosurgeon will be in to talk to us at 5:30.
· Day 8 of Recovery April 30
This morning Jim’s eye is beginning to close up again. The fluid has drained down from his head and into lower left side of his head.
Dr. King called for a CAT Scan. Everything is OK. Dr. King actually says the brain looks better.
This morning Jim is “pissed”, because he thought the nurses were giving him the wrong medicine all night. I tried to reassure Jim that they were the correct meds, but only after he heard it from Dr. King would he stop complaining about this.
Jim had lots of activity today with a volleyball game. Of course, not the traditional game but an easy one played with a giant beach ball bounced back and forth by other patients. He was the server and his team won! He exercised on a bike that feet and handle bar move like a bicycle. He is very tired and told me and Kathy to go home at 6:00.
· May 3, 2009
Jim’s eye has swollen up again and he is a bit depressed when he saw his eye.
I talked with Dr. Gurtner and she assures us it will return to normal and if later the fluid does not go down they may have to put a shunt in to help drain the excess spinal fluid that may be collecting in his brain.
Jim is moving around the hallways in a wheelchair by himself. He did not want to do any exercises with me. Kathy went back to Maryland at 1:30.
She and Tony have been a Blessing to Jim and me.
Jim needs more pain medication and can hardly speak without having it in his system. His prostrate still is enlarged and prohibits flow. The catheter has been in place for a few days now collecting bodily fluid. Alice, my sister notices pus collecting at the surgery site on his head. I ask for a doctor to check this.
So far, Larry Atkinson and Dick Zimmerman from ODU have been to visit other than the usual Alice, Kathy, Tony, Rick and myself. Flowers arrive from GATS and a big basket of fruit/flowers from SAIC.
Thank you so much!!
This year many people well help me the Rehab (Physical, Occupational and Speech). The Speech-Language Pathologist, Karen, and two people help me in the front office will in the Sentara Obici Hospital.
I will post some information in the section (I hope it works). Then I were to this blog.