A Simple Timeline

A Simple Timeline...

March 9, 2014- Admitted to St E with minor symptoms (on eve of move from house to condo*)
March 10- Guillain-Barre diagnosis and progression to full paralysis and intubation
March 12- Transfer to University Hospital NSICU
March 12-26- NSICU at UC
March 26-27- Brief stay at LTAC- Drake Hospital at Christ
March 27- Emergency surgery for bleeding trach, transfer to SICU
March 28-April 14- SICU at Christ (pneumonia and PE treatment)
April 14-19- MICU at Christ
April 19th- Transferred back to Drake Hospital (at Christ) ROOM 3083 (Easter weekend)
July 31- First time outside in 21 weeks
August 25- First meal in 5 1/2 months
October 16- 67th birthday at Drake
October 31- MICU at Christ for treatment of pneumonia and MRSA infection
November 17th- Return to Drake Hospital (at Christ)
Thanksgiving-Christmas-47th Anniversary- New Year 2015
January 17th- Hematoma (dealt with for about a month following)
March 19- 2 weeks off the ventilator! Trach capped for first time ;)
April 4&5- Baptism service and Easter
April 20- "So long" party with Drake staff
April 23- Move to Providence Pavilion rehab center in Covington, KY
May 26- June 10th- St E hospital (trach out, MRSA treatment)
June 10th- moved to Gateway Rehab in Florence, KY (feeding tube removed)
July 2nd- moved to Rosedale Green in Latonia, KY
August 8th- first time sitting in the seat of a car in 17 months
Oct 16th- 68th birthday party at Rosedale
November 26th- Thanksgiving with family+ at the Rickerts
*November 27th- first time in condo since purchase*
January, 2016- began using a motorized wheelchair controlled by head
July 10- move to HealthSouth rehab to prepare for move to assisted living
July 28, 2016- moved to Elmcroft Assisted Living in Florence, KY. After 871 long nights apart finally sharing a roof with wife again!!
August 2018- moved out of Elmceoft. Steve to Emerald Trace. Nancy to the condo.

Monday, November 3, 2014

ICU/Pneumonia (Update by Nancy)

Yes this Halloween was scary.....I pray I never again see a vacant look in Steve's eyes.  I came in Friday at 10:30 and saw that he was unresponsive. I called for help and immediately about 10 medical staff, including unit directors and two doctors began working on Steve, bringing his vital signs back to normal in about a half hour.  Meanwhile I was asked to wait in the waiting room and they made sure someone came and sat with me, and retrieved updates.  Soon the doctor determined he should be transferred to ICU at Christ Hospital.

A CT scan from neck to knees showed a "big pneumonia" had taken over the lower left lung.  It moved in quickly and he hadn't even developed a fever.  They think the cause was aspiration of food.  He is resting comfortably now and is more alert than has been in days.  He will go back to LTAC when the pneumonia is on the run...probably in a day or two.  So thankful for LTAC staff who know how to work as a team in a crisis, clear decisions and thoughtfulness for the family.  Several have popped up to see how we are doing.

I echo Flora in thanking Sue Giegler and her parents, Lee and Karen, who sat with me all afternoon.  Also, for Rick Thomas who came and took Charlie to his house and then returned to sit with Steve for the evening.  Becky came in Friday night.  The plan was for her to accompany us to the neurologist visit on Monday but of course that has to be rescheduled.  She was just rhetorical reinforcement needed for the last few days!

Before this pneumonia, Steve got a haircut from our hairdresser,  Lisa, who came to his room.  He also got a beard trim, since he has given up hope on making it into Duck Dynasty!  Steve also received a special gift from our Sunday school class....a camera mouse so he can use his computer hands free.  Thank you to the Seekers class of Lakeside Christian Church, and our tech squad of Sam Slayden and Kristy Rickert who got the ball rolling.  Steve will enjoy getting back in the online world when he is feeling a bit better:)

And now for the silver lining in a pretty cloudy week of two steps back....Steve moved a couple of fingers on each hand when Becky and I were coaxing him to try!   God knows we needed this right now and we ask for more!

Thank you again for caring and sharing our journey through presence and prayers.
-Nancy

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