We started off Friday by taking Conor to see the lads at the LCBO. They were thrilled to see him doing so well. Conor couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He used only one crutch and was able to climb up and down a couple flights of stairs. We spent about an hour and a half there. It was great for the guys that couldn't get into the hospital to have the opportunity to see Conor in the flesh. They have all been so thoughtful and supportive to all of us over the past year. When we got home, Conor was surprised at just how tired he was. I tried to explain that for the time he was there ... he was ON. It was physical, cognitive and even emotional to a certain degree. He napped for a good while in the afternoon. Then it was off to Matt's for a quiet night of TV and video games.
Saturday, we went to Best Buy to look at TVs. We ended up with a portable phone ... the kids have been bugging me for a while to get an answering machine from this century (I think they were tired of running for the phone after just two rings) and the phone set has a digital answering machine ... so we're all set for the next score of years! Saturday evening, Conor had a couple of friends over, and they ended up heading to the Superstore in Kanata to purchase a TV (the one we had in the basement was about 20 years old) and a surround sound system. The TV is mine ... but the sound system is all Conor's. Took them about 2 hours to set everything up ... and I must say they did a really good job. Anyone out there want a used, 20 year old TV?
Today Conor had his Occupational Therapist and his Physiotherapist. He blew them both away ... because ... the big news of the weekend is Conor is walking without the aid of anything! He can do stairs unaided, walks to the loo unaided, he's even now having a shower without the aid of anything .... he's been practicing walking without a limp (if you can believe it!) The OT looked like she had tears in her eyes ... the physio booked him into the physio clinic and said "He doesn't need me anymore!"
Those of you who know me, and/or have been following the blog, know that I have been positive, but realistic. Back in November, I took each hour as it came. I was so grateful that Conor had survived the accident ... I was cautiously hopeful but I was girding my loins for the disappointments and setbacks that were sure to present themselves. Please God let me not be jinxing myself ... but Conor's recovery has been headed in one direction only. A mere 70 days after this horrendous accident ... Conor is walking, talking, laughing ... and oh so whole. His father, I am sure, played no small part in all of this. Nonetheless, Conor has shown such astounding strength within himself. Strength, I admit, I did not know he was capable of. I am amazed and humbled at the power of prayer and positive thought. I am so incredibly grateful .... thank you seems so inadequate.
So join with the Lacey's tonight ... in a prayer/word of thanks. When I named this blog ... "Conor's Journey --- A Record of Conor's Recovery" ... it was bravado, I must admit. I am just so thankful that the Big Fella upstairs bought in and made it a reality!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Social Butterfly
Well, the past week has been filled with many firsts ...
We spent a lovely evening over at the Bolger's on Saturday evening. Conor survived his first social engagement (even with a tummy ache) and the Bolgers, the Van Humbecks and I were able to sketch out some plans for a summer trip to Victoria. That I can even contemplate such a venture ... 9 weeks after the accident ... is extraordinary. And truth be told ... I'm a little excited!
Sunday evening, Conor was whisked away to his buddy Randy's house to watch the Colts defeat their nemesis, and finally make it to the Superbowl. It was touch and go for a while ... but they made it! Sorry Pat! Conor was out till well after midnight ... and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Tuesday, I took Conor to Bayshore (local shopping mall) for a haircut. Shortly after he was discharged from the hospital ... I made a sad attempt at cutting his hair. In Ciaran's words ... it was a "monk" cut. I never professed to have any skills in that department ... for good reason. So Conor looks normal again ...
Wednesday night, the Bolger girls came over for pizza. Kathy is in Mexico for a well deserved holiday with girlfriends, so I took the opportunity to introduce Steve to Thai food. Lovely little restaurant on Richmond Road (highly recommended -- Nokham Thai - thanks Jill) and Steve was duly impressed.
Tonight, Conor is heading over to Matt's house for the first time. Matt's house was where Conor spent the majority of his evenings prior to the accident ... I think he's a little excited! I am taking cousin Jimmy out for his birthday ... to some little Bistro on Holland (will provide my critique later!)! Ciaran will have to make do with leftovers as he watches Joey and studies for exams. Don't fret too much about Ciaran ... he's got plans for the weekend.
We got a call this week from the wrist specialist over at the General Hospital. Conor has an appointment to see him for 6 Feb .... hopefully they'll be able to schedule surgery soon. The physio will be seeing Conor three times next week and then she's kicking him out ... he'll be going to a physiotherapy center. For all of you that suspect I am not looking after myself .... arrangements are being made for me to attend the same clinic for therapy on my neck/back (I guess that's where I store my stress) and massage. I'm looking forward to it!
This week Conor walked with only one crutch ... and yesterday he took his first unassisted steps. And yes ... I cried! The physio was blown away! There'll be no stopping him now ...
There ... thought I'd get this update in. With our ever burgeoning social schedule ... it was an effort! Seriously, it is a joy for me to report Conor's return to a reasonably "normal" social life. His friends have been awesome about coming here for the past couple of months ... but it is therapy in its own way for Conor to be able to visit his friends. Having him out of my sight is agony ... but not having him go out is worse torture (and unfair to him). To paraphrase Ciaran: Suck it up, Mum ... these are all steps in the right direction.
We spent a lovely evening over at the Bolger's on Saturday evening. Conor survived his first social engagement (even with a tummy ache) and the Bolgers, the Van Humbecks and I were able to sketch out some plans for a summer trip to Victoria. That I can even contemplate such a venture ... 9 weeks after the accident ... is extraordinary. And truth be told ... I'm a little excited!
Sunday evening, Conor was whisked away to his buddy Randy's house to watch the Colts defeat their nemesis, and finally make it to the Superbowl. It was touch and go for a while ... but they made it! Sorry Pat! Conor was out till well after midnight ... and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Tuesday, I took Conor to Bayshore (local shopping mall) for a haircut. Shortly after he was discharged from the hospital ... I made a sad attempt at cutting his hair. In Ciaran's words ... it was a "monk" cut. I never professed to have any skills in that department ... for good reason. So Conor looks normal again ...
Wednesday night, the Bolger girls came over for pizza. Kathy is in Mexico for a well deserved holiday with girlfriends, so I took the opportunity to introduce Steve to Thai food. Lovely little restaurant on Richmond Road (highly recommended -- Nokham Thai - thanks Jill) and Steve was duly impressed.
Tonight, Conor is heading over to Matt's house for the first time. Matt's house was where Conor spent the majority of his evenings prior to the accident ... I think he's a little excited! I am taking cousin Jimmy out for his birthday ... to some little Bistro on Holland (will provide my critique later!)! Ciaran will have to make do with leftovers as he watches Joey and studies for exams. Don't fret too much about Ciaran ... he's got plans for the weekend.
We got a call this week from the wrist specialist over at the General Hospital. Conor has an appointment to see him for 6 Feb .... hopefully they'll be able to schedule surgery soon. The physio will be seeing Conor three times next week and then she's kicking him out ... he'll be going to a physiotherapy center. For all of you that suspect I am not looking after myself .... arrangements are being made for me to attend the same clinic for therapy on my neck/back (I guess that's where I store my stress) and massage. I'm looking forward to it!
This week Conor walked with only one crutch ... and yesterday he took his first unassisted steps. And yes ... I cried! The physio was blown away! There'll be no stopping him now ...
There ... thought I'd get this update in. With our ever burgeoning social schedule ... it was an effort! Seriously, it is a joy for me to report Conor's return to a reasonably "normal" social life. His friends have been awesome about coming here for the past couple of months ... but it is therapy in its own way for Conor to be able to visit his friends. Having him out of my sight is agony ... but not having him go out is worse torture (and unfair to him). To paraphrase Ciaran: Suck it up, Mum ... these are all steps in the right direction.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
An Overdue Update
It's been over a week since I've posted. To all you "loyal" readers ... my apologies. I find it difficult to post when there's nothing "new" to report. I could tell you about what he had to eat, and how he much he enjoys trying to teach Joey to roll-over, and how grumpy he gets when his orange juice is poured into an improper glass ... you know ... the everyday minutiae of living with an anal-retentive 20 year-old .... but I find that a little arrogant. I like to give you informative "stuff" that has consequence and meaning in Conor's recovery. Despite my previous reports about his bowel movements ... you don't need to know that stuff any more.
This week was full of the usual therapies. The physio missed out on Thursday because of two sick kiddies. I joked with her that it doesn't matter whether their 3 years old or 20 ... you want to be there to nurture them through it.
The speech pathologist and the occupational therapist are astounded at Conor's cognitive recovery. It's all come back. The two areas that he had some noticeable difficulties were vision and, believe it or not, rhythm. These are apparently quite common in right brain injuries. The rhythm was news to me, and Conor relayed that when he played guitar (which he now does quite regularly), his timing was all off. When he's watching MTV ... he tries to "keep beat" with his hand. This obviously was not coming as second nature, and he has had to focus and concentrate on this aspect of playing guitar. The therapists were thrilled at his own insight into his shortcomings, and his ability to problem solve and find his own exercises to strengthen this inadequacy ... one of them commented that he obviously didn't need her. Over the past little while, Conor claims that he really doesn't have problems with his vision ... unless he's really tired. If I had to put my finger on a residual problem ... I would have to say that he tires much easier than before the accident. His attention drifts marginally quicker than before ... keep in mind he's male so it was never great to begin with ... and he tires much more easily. He is masking it well ... but it's hard to hide things from Mum! But that's pretty well it ... his speech is back to normal (not so precise), his ability to be distracted while trying to focus on something else is back to normal, and he's able to see. The key to everything, I guess is the old adage ... "use it -- or lose it". He's got to exercise those parts of the brain and the therapist has given him crossword puzzles, word puzzles, problems, etc.
Now, orthopaedically. The new bone growth in the leg is coming along very well. The surgeon is thrilled with how his leg is healing ... well ahead of schedule (of course). The screws that hold the rod in place at the knee, however, are rubbing on the various tissue on the outside of the knee. The bolt heads are on the inside of the knee, and the ends are on the outside of the knee. The surgeon indicated that he had to use longer than normal screws because of the break just above the knee. He has acknowledged that the screws will have to come out early ... but he has to wait until the knee break heals a bit more. If the screws come out early, the rod can twist and turn inside the bone ... and perhaps break through the entire knee. Not a good thing. So ... Conor has to strengthen his quad (which is difficult on two fronts --- the pain from the screws and the nerve damage) in order for all of this to come together and the rod to heal well inside the femur. The x-rays are sooo cool. I wish I could get a copy to post them for you to see. Anyways ... this ortho doesn't need to see us till mid-February when hopefully the knee break will have healed sufficiently. In addition ... Conor can now fully weight bear on his leg! Unbelievable... nine weeks ago today ... Conor nearly lost that leg (nearly lost his life) and now there is every indication that full strength should return. No more wheelchair (that's been relegated to the spare room), soon no more crutches, graduation to a cane ... and then ...
Now the wrist is a bit of a different story. We are waiting for a call from the wrist specialist we saw a few weeks ago. He wants to consult with the wrist specialist at the General before formulating a plan of action. The wrist is misaligned ... out by about 2 mm. This cannot be left as is because it will slowly but surely wear away the joint. As I've said before, Conor no longer has any cartilage in his wrist joint. He will have arthritis.... but as the ortho says ... he's only 20 ... let's give him as long as possible before arthritis sets in. There is a surgery where they take a piece of bone from around your knee and transplant it into your wrist. The transplanted bone has cartilage attached and it will give Conor some additional years before the arthritis sets in. Conor didn't seem too put out by the thought of an additional surgery and realizes that NOW is the best time for it to occur. I suspect he's also figured out that he's a good healer (there's an understatement) and may as well have everything done now. The real down side of this, at the moment, is that they don't want him to weight bear on the wrist (so no regular crutch) because while they can repair the arm bone part of the wrist ... they cannot really do anything to the hand bone side if damage was to occur. Better safe than sorry. So ... we're just waiting for the wrist specialist to call us for the consultation ... I'll keep you posted on all developments.
Tonight, Conor and I will head over to the Bolgers for supper. Haven't been there for a while ... and frankly ... I've been suffering withdrawal! This will be Conor's first major outing ... and I am looking forward to it. Tomorrow, his beloved Colts are playing the despised Patriots (Conor's words here) and he is going over to his buddy Randy's house to watch the game! Two outings in one weekend ... such a gadabout! Needless to say (and all you mothers of teenagers/young adults can appreciate), the planning for the outing tomorrow is a little lacking ... but magically ... it will surely all come together at the last minute. I don't know how they does it ... but they does it!
Well .. there's my update. Still no major setbacks to report ... and that makes me feel so good. Everything is still on the right track and headed in the right direction. Luck (and divine intervention) is still on our side. Till the next time ... I remain ... very grateful, very hopeful and marginally less tired!
This week was full of the usual therapies. The physio missed out on Thursday because of two sick kiddies. I joked with her that it doesn't matter whether their 3 years old or 20 ... you want to be there to nurture them through it.
The speech pathologist and the occupational therapist are astounded at Conor's cognitive recovery. It's all come back. The two areas that he had some noticeable difficulties were vision and, believe it or not, rhythm. These are apparently quite common in right brain injuries. The rhythm was news to me, and Conor relayed that when he played guitar (which he now does quite regularly), his timing was all off. When he's watching MTV ... he tries to "keep beat" with his hand. This obviously was not coming as second nature, and he has had to focus and concentrate on this aspect of playing guitar. The therapists were thrilled at his own insight into his shortcomings, and his ability to problem solve and find his own exercises to strengthen this inadequacy ... one of them commented that he obviously didn't need her. Over the past little while, Conor claims that he really doesn't have problems with his vision ... unless he's really tired. If I had to put my finger on a residual problem ... I would have to say that he tires much easier than before the accident. His attention drifts marginally quicker than before ... keep in mind he's male so it was never great to begin with ... and he tires much more easily. He is masking it well ... but it's hard to hide things from Mum! But that's pretty well it ... his speech is back to normal (not so precise), his ability to be distracted while trying to focus on something else is back to normal, and he's able to see. The key to everything, I guess is the old adage ... "use it -- or lose it". He's got to exercise those parts of the brain and the therapist has given him crossword puzzles, word puzzles, problems, etc.
Now, orthopaedically. The new bone growth in the leg is coming along very well. The surgeon is thrilled with how his leg is healing ... well ahead of schedule (of course). The screws that hold the rod in place at the knee, however, are rubbing on the various tissue on the outside of the knee. The bolt heads are on the inside of the knee, and the ends are on the outside of the knee. The surgeon indicated that he had to use longer than normal screws because of the break just above the knee. He has acknowledged that the screws will have to come out early ... but he has to wait until the knee break heals a bit more. If the screws come out early, the rod can twist and turn inside the bone ... and perhaps break through the entire knee. Not a good thing. So ... Conor has to strengthen his quad (which is difficult on two fronts --- the pain from the screws and the nerve damage) in order for all of this to come together and the rod to heal well inside the femur. The x-rays are sooo cool. I wish I could get a copy to post them for you to see. Anyways ... this ortho doesn't need to see us till mid-February when hopefully the knee break will have healed sufficiently. In addition ... Conor can now fully weight bear on his leg! Unbelievable... nine weeks ago today ... Conor nearly lost that leg (nearly lost his life) and now there is every indication that full strength should return. No more wheelchair (that's been relegated to the spare room), soon no more crutches, graduation to a cane ... and then ...
Now the wrist is a bit of a different story. We are waiting for a call from the wrist specialist we saw a few weeks ago. He wants to consult with the wrist specialist at the General before formulating a plan of action. The wrist is misaligned ... out by about 2 mm. This cannot be left as is because it will slowly but surely wear away the joint. As I've said before, Conor no longer has any cartilage in his wrist joint. He will have arthritis.... but as the ortho says ... he's only 20 ... let's give him as long as possible before arthritis sets in. There is a surgery where they take a piece of bone from around your knee and transplant it into your wrist. The transplanted bone has cartilage attached and it will give Conor some additional years before the arthritis sets in. Conor didn't seem too put out by the thought of an additional surgery and realizes that NOW is the best time for it to occur. I suspect he's also figured out that he's a good healer (there's an understatement) and may as well have everything done now. The real down side of this, at the moment, is that they don't want him to weight bear on the wrist (so no regular crutch) because while they can repair the arm bone part of the wrist ... they cannot really do anything to the hand bone side if damage was to occur. Better safe than sorry. So ... we're just waiting for the wrist specialist to call us for the consultation ... I'll keep you posted on all developments.
Tonight, Conor and I will head over to the Bolgers for supper. Haven't been there for a while ... and frankly ... I've been suffering withdrawal! This will be Conor's first major outing ... and I am looking forward to it. Tomorrow, his beloved Colts are playing the despised Patriots (Conor's words here) and he is going over to his buddy Randy's house to watch the game! Two outings in one weekend ... such a gadabout! Needless to say (and all you mothers of teenagers/young adults can appreciate), the planning for the outing tomorrow is a little lacking ... but magically ... it will surely all come together at the last minute. I don't know how they does it ... but they does it!
Well .. there's my update. Still no major setbacks to report ... and that makes me feel so good. Everything is still on the right track and headed in the right direction. Luck (and divine intervention) is still on our side. Till the next time ... I remain ... very grateful, very hopeful and marginally less tired!
Friday, January 12, 2007
One Less Doctor
I remember back when Conor was in the ICU, one of the nurses there said that a sure sign of progress, was the removal of all the tubes ... all the paraphernalia. Another sure sign of progress ... is a doctor saying he no longer needs to see you. The trauma doctor gave Conor the "heave-ho" today. He was a very nice man, and truly amazed at Conor's recuperative abilities. Conor went to the appointment using his crutches (no more chair) and Dr Yelle could only smile. He sent him on his way with a prescription for more Celebrex, antiobiotics to keep on hand in the event of an infection (because the spleen has been removed, Conor is at higher risk for certain types of infections), the website for MedicAlert (to alert people to the lack of spleen) and a firm handshake (of Conor's broken hand).
Conor and I have spoken at length with the therapists who come to the home, and we have all agreed that Conor would not benefit greatly from institutional rehab. This means that Conor will continue his therapies at home, and in the next couple of weeks at outpatient physiotherapy (with weights, and equipment, etc). Conor --- of course --- is thrilled. No more hospital food, nor a limit on the amount of visitors. He gets to stay by his computer, his guitars, and all the comforts of home. To be honest, I too, am thrilled. The thought of multiple hospital visits again was daunting to me. Ciaran and I continue to be at his beck and call --- but even that has diminished somewhat in the past week. He is fiercely independent...wonder where he gets that from?!
He still has a few hurdles to pass. He does not want to be seen in public in his wheelchair or his crutches. He despises being stared at. In his own words, he has a big mouth ... and he would have to say something. If only to disavow the "starer" of any preconception of his mental ability. He knows, from first hand experience, the ignorance of a great many people. One of his close friends uses crutches/chair ... and Conor has seen first hand how strangers treat Corey. Corey is "all there" ... articulate, and very athletic ... in fact ... Corey plays basketball for Team Canada and is heading off to Beijing in 2008. I have been trying to persuade Conor to come with me to a shopping mall ... or out to a restaurant for breakfast. He is adamant (and supremely stubborn --- where does he get that from?!) ... not until he has mastered the crutches. This will be a battle of wills ... stayed tuned ...
Next week, we have more therapies in-house and another appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon on Friday. Wait until he sees Conor's progress ... a wrist that moves a centimetre a day ... and a knee that can now bend 110 degrees! He'll be blown away!
Good weekend all ... more updates next week.
Conor and I have spoken at length with the therapists who come to the home, and we have all agreed that Conor would not benefit greatly from institutional rehab. This means that Conor will continue his therapies at home, and in the next couple of weeks at outpatient physiotherapy (with weights, and equipment, etc). Conor --- of course --- is thrilled. No more hospital food, nor a limit on the amount of visitors. He gets to stay by his computer, his guitars, and all the comforts of home. To be honest, I too, am thrilled. The thought of multiple hospital visits again was daunting to me. Ciaran and I continue to be at his beck and call --- but even that has diminished somewhat in the past week. He is fiercely independent...wonder where he gets that from?!
He still has a few hurdles to pass. He does not want to be seen in public in his wheelchair or his crutches. He despises being stared at. In his own words, he has a big mouth ... and he would have to say something. If only to disavow the "starer" of any preconception of his mental ability. He knows, from first hand experience, the ignorance of a great many people. One of his close friends uses crutches/chair ... and Conor has seen first hand how strangers treat Corey. Corey is "all there" ... articulate, and very athletic ... in fact ... Corey plays basketball for Team Canada and is heading off to Beijing in 2008. I have been trying to persuade Conor to come with me to a shopping mall ... or out to a restaurant for breakfast. He is adamant (and supremely stubborn --- where does he get that from?!) ... not until he has mastered the crutches. This will be a battle of wills ... stayed tuned ...
Next week, we have more therapies in-house and another appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon on Friday. Wait until he sees Conor's progress ... a wrist that moves a centimetre a day ... and a knee that can now bend 110 degrees! He'll be blown away!
Good weekend all ... more updates next week.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Conor Walks
As you all know, Conor has had therapists come to the house ever since his discharge from hospital. This team (all lovely ladies by the way) provide a great deal of support to Conor. They mark his progress and by using their experience, provide tips and tools to progress even further .. even quicker. The Occupational Therapist brought her hand kit ... complete with balls, bean bags, and putty. After fifteen minutes ... Conor has been able to move his wrist back an extra centimetre ... he's thrilled.
Yesterday, Conor had the speech pathologist in the morning, and the physiotherapist in the afternoon. We had a few deliveries of equipment throughout the day, namely, a gutter crutch (the crutch has a horizontal pad for supporting the forearm) and a muscle stimulator. Julie, the physio, arrive late in the afternoon, and set to work. Five minutes after her arrival, Conor is walking (on crutches) down the hall. Ciaran and I are standing in the kitchen, and witness this incredible milestone. Ciaran turns to me and says "Are you crying, Mum?" Those of you that know me, know that I cry at everything ... TV shows, Hallmark commercials, paragraphs in novels ... and Ciaran always asks the obvious ... Are you crying? in that disgusted male voice. Of course I'm crying. Tears of pure joy. Conor has a look on his face that I will tuck away and place in that "vault" mothers all have in their head. You all know that look ... "Look at me ... I'm doing it!" He slow, he's cautious ... but man ... he's walking. The hard part for the physio is making sure he doesn't put more that 30 pounds of weight on the bad leg ... but she's enjoying this too.
She lets him enjoy this for about 5 minutes ... then it's back to the "torture chamber" for more exercise ... more progress.
I know I say this in just about every post ... I can't help it ... it's been my overriding emotion for the past 8 weeks. Gratitude. The word does not do justice to what I feel. To family .. to friends ... to these "strangers" that are making such an impact on our lives ... thank you. I feel so very inadequate in expressing what I really want to say. You all have touched me very deep inside ... and I don't know how to reciprocate.
I believe in "karma". I believe that what you "do" --- will be returned to you. My beliefs tell me that what I cannot "repay" ... the Great Weaver will repay. Your incredible acts of kindness and grace will be rewarded ...somehow--someday! Until then ... pat yourselves on the back and smile ... and know that you have truly made a difference. Bless you all!
Yesterday, Conor had the speech pathologist in the morning, and the physiotherapist in the afternoon. We had a few deliveries of equipment throughout the day, namely, a gutter crutch (the crutch has a horizontal pad for supporting the forearm) and a muscle stimulator. Julie, the physio, arrive late in the afternoon, and set to work. Five minutes after her arrival, Conor is walking (on crutches) down the hall. Ciaran and I are standing in the kitchen, and witness this incredible milestone. Ciaran turns to me and says "Are you crying, Mum?" Those of you that know me, know that I cry at everything ... TV shows, Hallmark commercials, paragraphs in novels ... and Ciaran always asks the obvious ... Are you crying? in that disgusted male voice. Of course I'm crying. Tears of pure joy. Conor has a look on his face that I will tuck away and place in that "vault" mothers all have in their head. You all know that look ... "Look at me ... I'm doing it!" He slow, he's cautious ... but man ... he's walking. The hard part for the physio is making sure he doesn't put more that 30 pounds of weight on the bad leg ... but she's enjoying this too.
She lets him enjoy this for about 5 minutes ... then it's back to the "torture chamber" for more exercise ... more progress.
I know I say this in just about every post ... I can't help it ... it's been my overriding emotion for the past 8 weeks. Gratitude. The word does not do justice to what I feel. To family .. to friends ... to these "strangers" that are making such an impact on our lives ... thank you. I feel so very inadequate in expressing what I really want to say. You all have touched me very deep inside ... and I don't know how to reciprocate.
I believe in "karma". I believe that what you "do" --- will be returned to you. My beliefs tell me that what I cannot "repay" ... the Great Weaver will repay. Your incredible acts of kindness and grace will be rewarded ...somehow--someday! Until then ... pat yourselves on the back and smile ... and know that you have truly made a difference. Bless you all!
Monday, January 8, 2007
Yet Another Step
Got a sprinkling of snow here in Ottawa ... not even enough to warrant shovelling! What a bizarre winter!
On Friday, Conor and I went to see the orthopaedic surgeon. He's a lovely man ... and God forbid you should need one ... but I'd highly recommend him. No nonsense ... hail and hearty ... Dr O'Neill is his name. He has allowed Conor 30% weight bearing on his leg. This isn't much ... and the physio has ordered him a special set of crutches given that he cannot bear weight on his right wrist. He can bend his knee 90 degrees which certainly makes moving him around much easier. He is taking only Celebrex for inflammation ... and Tylenol before physio appointments and at night. Extraordinary!
The cast came off the wrist and we're scheduled for a CT scan tomorrow morning. Dr O'Neill is concerned that it is 1-2 mm out of alignment and wants the CT scan to confirm. Talk about precision .... but as Dr O'Neill says ... he's young and we want him to have the best wrist possible for as long as possible ... before the arthritis sets in.
We were able to wash Conor's hand for the first time in seven weeks --- the dead skin that came off was unbelievable. He has some movement, but very little rotation. The physio was able to see him on Friday afternoon and give him a few exercises to promote blood flow and begin the healing process. It will take some time, of course, but fingers crossed he'll be playing Eric Clapton in no time!
This week we have therapists in every day, and an appointment with the Trauma Specialist on Friday. I am fitting in a dental appointment ... and Ciaran has gone back to school. Conor will miss Ciaran desperately ... as he is a source of much laughter ... and normalcy.
On normalcy ... Conor mentioned to me on Friday that a great many people are treating him differently. He wants everyone to know ... and this includes his internet buddies --- that he really is whole --- and very much Conor. Those of you that have seen him personally, can bear witness to this. While I must confess to treating him with kid gloves at times and being ever vigilant for change (however minuscule) ... Ciaran has never treated him any different than pre-accident. He concedes nothing to Conor ... "no quarter asked; no quarter given" .. and truthfully ... Conor prefers that kind of treatment. Those of you that only know him from cyberspace ... I know it's difficult to reconcile the extent of the injuries (and they are extremely serious), but let me assure you that the brain injury has not taken away the core of his personality (the sarcasm, the impatience, the humour, the kindness). In his own words ... I couldn't "problem solve" before the accident (his high school math marks can attest to that!)! He is all there, thank God ... that prayer has clearly been answered!
Since making it down to the basement ... he has changed considerably. He has a modicum of independence --- which he loves. He has gotten rid of the commode chair and rarely uses the wheelchair in the house (preferring to hop). His good leg .. his right leg .. is going to be pretty impressive from all the extra work. He has sorted out his musical library on his iPod and reconnected with all his buds online. He gets himself to bed and falls asleep when he wants. He entertains his guests downstairs now, and I think he's more comfortable without Mum and little brother being around. He is eating much better now and his appetite has truly returned ... so good to see!
I am so glad to be able to report such good news. I look back at the early posts on this blog ... and it's incredible to think that we have come so far in such a seemingly short time. He is thriving ... and I am so very grateful. Thank you all for you continued support ... your prayers ... they are invaluable.
On Friday, Conor and I went to see the orthopaedic surgeon. He's a lovely man ... and God forbid you should need one ... but I'd highly recommend him. No nonsense ... hail and hearty ... Dr O'Neill is his name. He has allowed Conor 30% weight bearing on his leg. This isn't much ... and the physio has ordered him a special set of crutches given that he cannot bear weight on his right wrist. He can bend his knee 90 degrees which certainly makes moving him around much easier. He is taking only Celebrex for inflammation ... and Tylenol before physio appointments and at night. Extraordinary!
The cast came off the wrist and we're scheduled for a CT scan tomorrow morning. Dr O'Neill is concerned that it is 1-2 mm out of alignment and wants the CT scan to confirm. Talk about precision .... but as Dr O'Neill says ... he's young and we want him to have the best wrist possible for as long as possible ... before the arthritis sets in.
We were able to wash Conor's hand for the first time in seven weeks --- the dead skin that came off was unbelievable. He has some movement, but very little rotation. The physio was able to see him on Friday afternoon and give him a few exercises to promote blood flow and begin the healing process. It will take some time, of course, but fingers crossed he'll be playing Eric Clapton in no time!
This week we have therapists in every day, and an appointment with the Trauma Specialist on Friday. I am fitting in a dental appointment ... and Ciaran has gone back to school. Conor will miss Ciaran desperately ... as he is a source of much laughter ... and normalcy.
On normalcy ... Conor mentioned to me on Friday that a great many people are treating him differently. He wants everyone to know ... and this includes his internet buddies --- that he really is whole --- and very much Conor. Those of you that have seen him personally, can bear witness to this. While I must confess to treating him with kid gloves at times and being ever vigilant for change (however minuscule) ... Ciaran has never treated him any different than pre-accident. He concedes nothing to Conor ... "no quarter asked; no quarter given" .. and truthfully ... Conor prefers that kind of treatment. Those of you that only know him from cyberspace ... I know it's difficult to reconcile the extent of the injuries (and they are extremely serious), but let me assure you that the brain injury has not taken away the core of his personality (the sarcasm, the impatience, the humour, the kindness). In his own words ... I couldn't "problem solve" before the accident (his high school math marks can attest to that!)! He is all there, thank God ... that prayer has clearly been answered!
Since making it down to the basement ... he has changed considerably. He has a modicum of independence --- which he loves. He has gotten rid of the commode chair and rarely uses the wheelchair in the house (preferring to hop). His good leg .. his right leg .. is going to be pretty impressive from all the extra work. He has sorted out his musical library on his iPod and reconnected with all his buds online. He gets himself to bed and falls asleep when he wants. He entertains his guests downstairs now, and I think he's more comfortable without Mum and little brother being around. He is eating much better now and his appetite has truly returned ... so good to see!
I am so glad to be able to report such good news. I look back at the early posts on this blog ... and it's incredible to think that we have come so far in such a seemingly short time. He is thriving ... and I am so very grateful. Thank you all for you continued support ... your prayers ... they are invaluable.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Nerve Damage
Good news ... bad news ... hopeful outcome.
Big day today ... major milestones achieved! Conor put himself into the car this afternoon. We had an appointment with the neurologist for a nerve conduction test. Ciaran wheeled Conor to the car ... and he loaded himself in. No assistance required.
When we got back from the neurologist, Conor made it down to the basement. He has been bugging us and bugging us ... and finally today I relented. Going down was not a problem. He went down on what is left of his arse! Then hop .. hop .. hop into his room and onto his computer to download his music collection onto his iPOD. He is truly home! Getting back up the stairs proved a bit more difficult. He was going to try "hopping" up the stairs ... but decided on using that wee arse again ... in reverse. When he got to the top of the stairs he scooched on his bum until he reached Mikey's chair ... then pulled himself up. Not the most graceful undertaking ... but oh so independent!
Now for the part in between these two milestones ... the nerve testing. Thank you Tommy for preparing Conor for the test! Again, not near as bad as the mental image. Conor had needles inserted into his leg at various points and electrical current is passed through the needles. The tests show that Conor has suffered severe damage to the femoral nerve. This is a major nerve which starts in the spine, runs through the pelvis/hip, down the thigh and through the inside of the calf. They tested the nerve activity at his pelvis, at his knee, and mid-calf. There is lots of activity at the pelvis ... but very limited activity at the knee. As a result ... Conor has some sensory changes in the middle of his inner calf.
Remember back 7 weeks, to when the original injury to Conor's leg occurred. He had no pulse in his foot and the Vascular surgeon made an incision on the inside of Conor's thigh. The pulse returned and the femoral artery bypass was not required. Then remember why Conor had the fasciotomies in his calf .. to relieve the incredible pressure building up in his calves. Immediately after the surgery ... his thigh was as big as me ... but after 24 hours, the swelling decreased and fasciotomies were not required in the thigh. This is probably when the damage to the nerve occurred. The neurologist is reasonably satisfied that full strength will return to the nerve over the next few months ... but perhaps not full sensation. His inner calf may feel "odd" ... but ... in the grand scheme of things ... Conor was in real danger of losing his leg --- a little sensation change in his calf we can all live with. The neurologist was happy to report that no surgical intervention was required (now or in the future) ... yet again ... time (and lots of physiotherapy) will heal. Conor took the news in stride ... I made sure he understood what the doctor was saying ... Conor shrugged it off, just pleased that there would be no more surgery.
Tomorrow morning we have an appointment with the ortho ... cast off the wrist and perhaps weight-bearing on the leg. I've negotiated with Conor to have him sleep on the main floor tonight (early start in the morning and I don't want to have to do grumpy!) and he can sleep in his own bed on Friday night. I don't know who is more thrilled with this arrangement ... Ciaran seems pretty chuffed to get his own bed back!
These are all such baby steps ... but they are incredible milestones in his recovery. Keep those prayers coming ... good thoughts required to keep those "baby steps" headed in the right direction!
Big day today ... major milestones achieved! Conor put himself into the car this afternoon. We had an appointment with the neurologist for a nerve conduction test. Ciaran wheeled Conor to the car ... and he loaded himself in. No assistance required.
When we got back from the neurologist, Conor made it down to the basement. He has been bugging us and bugging us ... and finally today I relented. Going down was not a problem. He went down on what is left of his arse! Then hop .. hop .. hop into his room and onto his computer to download his music collection onto his iPOD. He is truly home! Getting back up the stairs proved a bit more difficult. He was going to try "hopping" up the stairs ... but decided on using that wee arse again ... in reverse. When he got to the top of the stairs he scooched on his bum until he reached Mikey's chair ... then pulled himself up. Not the most graceful undertaking ... but oh so independent!
Now for the part in between these two milestones ... the nerve testing. Thank you Tommy for preparing Conor for the test! Again, not near as bad as the mental image. Conor had needles inserted into his leg at various points and electrical current is passed through the needles. The tests show that Conor has suffered severe damage to the femoral nerve. This is a major nerve which starts in the spine, runs through the pelvis/hip, down the thigh and through the inside of the calf. They tested the nerve activity at his pelvis, at his knee, and mid-calf. There is lots of activity at the pelvis ... but very limited activity at the knee. As a result ... Conor has some sensory changes in the middle of his inner calf.
Remember back 7 weeks, to when the original injury to Conor's leg occurred. He had no pulse in his foot and the Vascular surgeon made an incision on the inside of Conor's thigh. The pulse returned and the femoral artery bypass was not required. Then remember why Conor had the fasciotomies in his calf .. to relieve the incredible pressure building up in his calves. Immediately after the surgery ... his thigh was as big as me ... but after 24 hours, the swelling decreased and fasciotomies were not required in the thigh. This is probably when the damage to the nerve occurred. The neurologist is reasonably satisfied that full strength will return to the nerve over the next few months ... but perhaps not full sensation. His inner calf may feel "odd" ... but ... in the grand scheme of things ... Conor was in real danger of losing his leg --- a little sensation change in his calf we can all live with. The neurologist was happy to report that no surgical intervention was required (now or in the future) ... yet again ... time (and lots of physiotherapy) will heal. Conor took the news in stride ... I made sure he understood what the doctor was saying ... Conor shrugged it off, just pleased that there would be no more surgery.
Tomorrow morning we have an appointment with the ortho ... cast off the wrist and perhaps weight-bearing on the leg. I've negotiated with Conor to have him sleep on the main floor tonight (early start in the morning and I don't want to have to do grumpy!) and he can sleep in his own bed on Friday night. I don't know who is more thrilled with this arrangement ... Ciaran seems pretty chuffed to get his own bed back!
These are all such baby steps ... but they are incredible milestones in his recovery. Keep those prayers coming ... good thoughts required to keep those "baby steps" headed in the right direction!
Monday, January 1, 2007
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all of you, and your families. A new year is exciting. It is filled with promise and hope ... like a new page in a copy book. You want everything to be perfect.
I went out for dinner last night with cousin Jimmy and cousin Scotty and their beautiful ladies. It was a lovely evening ... but a dreadful drive home ... the streets were like glass (icy rain again). I made it home to see in the New Year with my boys. Ciaran had friends over (thankfully nice kids) and Conor was on the computer connecting with his internet friends. It was quiet and very "undramatic", a welcome respite from our previous six weeks.
Conor was feeling a little "cabin fever" last night and bemoaning the fact that he couldn't "go out". A sharp look from me with a ... "in the grand scheme of things" ... and he was duly chastised. Do I get it ... you bet! He's 20 years old and he should have been out drinking with his buds! God willing ... he'll be doing that again soon enough. Does he understand just how fortunate --- how blessed he really is? Yeah .. he does. To those of you who have spoken with him ... his conversations are riddled with words like "lucky", "miracle" and "unbelievable". He truly is grateful ... but he's 20 ... and he's raring to go. Soon ... my son .... very soon!
This week is fairly quiet for us until Wednesday ... two therapies on Wednesday, a nerve conduction test on Thursday, and back to the ortho on Friday. No rest for the wicked! But as I said .. it's a new year ... filled with hope and expectation that this recovery will continue.
So enjoy the day ... hold on to those special feelings (which hopefully aren't marred by big heads and rumblin' tummies) ... and here's wishing that 2007 brings great joy and great prosperity to us all.
I went out for dinner last night with cousin Jimmy and cousin Scotty and their beautiful ladies. It was a lovely evening ... but a dreadful drive home ... the streets were like glass (icy rain again). I made it home to see in the New Year with my boys. Ciaran had friends over (thankfully nice kids) and Conor was on the computer connecting with his internet friends. It was quiet and very "undramatic", a welcome respite from our previous six weeks.
Conor was feeling a little "cabin fever" last night and bemoaning the fact that he couldn't "go out". A sharp look from me with a ... "in the grand scheme of things" ... and he was duly chastised. Do I get it ... you bet! He's 20 years old and he should have been out drinking with his buds! God willing ... he'll be doing that again soon enough. Does he understand just how fortunate --- how blessed he really is? Yeah .. he does. To those of you who have spoken with him ... his conversations are riddled with words like "lucky", "miracle" and "unbelievable". He truly is grateful ... but he's 20 ... and he's raring to go. Soon ... my son .... very soon!
This week is fairly quiet for us until Wednesday ... two therapies on Wednesday, a nerve conduction test on Thursday, and back to the ortho on Friday. No rest for the wicked! But as I said .. it's a new year ... filled with hope and expectation that this recovery will continue.
So enjoy the day ... hold on to those special feelings (which hopefully aren't marred by big heads and rumblin' tummies) ... and here's wishing that 2007 brings great joy and great prosperity to us all.
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