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.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

End of December update (by Nancy)

Hi,

This week has been mostly uneventful to the naked eye, with the big exception that every now and then Steve moves a muscle in lower arm or hand that I hadn't seen before! Some movements are when I ask him and he concentrates very hard and some I catch out of the corner of my eye. He likes to practice on something and then surprise me:) However, it doesn't always come at will. Nerve regrowth has its own time table and is invisible most of the time. We know the Healer is at work on them:)

Steve had a swallow test last week and was given Cincinnati Chili to try and some other things.  Result is he has to stay on his restricted, soft food diet for now. A happy discovery last night.....nurse said there is a whole pack of Luigi Ice in the freezer with his name on it! Thank you to whoever was so thoughtful:)  It is his FAVORITE thing to have. (Mom, little birdie Flora here - I know who sent it - it was my sister, JJ, via my parents :) ) 

The PICC line situation has settled down and we went with the midline which delivers medicine to a smaller vein and not to the large one that goes directly to the heart. His antibiotics from the last infection will be finished Dec. 23. Thankful for the doctors who stay vigilant and decisively act to knock these down as soon as they appear. Thankful for the antobiotics to choose from, some quite expensive. Thankful for insurance.

Monday the 22nd is Steve's opthamologist appointment. Please pray he can be in a position for the exam to be done (likely traveling on a gurney) and that there is answer to correct the remaining issue with eyes focusing together. That's a factor when Steve tries to use the internet with the laser light on a headband. (Thanks, Sam Slayden, for continuing to tweak that process!)

This Christmas season is certainly very different but it does make simplifying easy:) Our kids' families were both here today (Sunday) and Steve enjoyed seeing everyone gathered around his bedside. He was very conversational. We had communion together and even sang a couple of Christmas carols. Steve joined in!   

Thank you to our small group from church who came to see Steve Thursday night. It was a special time. We will spend a quiet day together on Christmas and also our anniversary (47!) on the 27th.  Steve gets a pass on shopping this year. (I'll save my list)

Merry Christmas everyone and here's to a new year of continued healing!

Nancy and Steve

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