Amy's Update, April 22
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to touch base with the latest update......
The nurse from Select Hospital in Durham came by yesterday (Monday) to do an updated
assessment on Wout, and she said they are still waiting to hear from the insurance company
on the transfer, but they did get in touch with a case manager now, so hopefully
it won't be much longer before we know something. The doctors discontinued
Wout's scheduled pain meds Monday, and now are giving it to him as needed, which I am
thankful for. Of course, I don't want him to be in pain, but I want him to
have a chance to be more alert, too. Oxycodone is just such a powerful drug, and they/we can monitor him to see when he seems to need it.
The surgery cast was also removed yesterday, and replaced with one that is removable, which was molded right in the room with us. They Physical/Occupational Therapy folks will be coming every day to work with that hand/wrist, now that it is more accessible to them.
Wout has developed a bad case of thrush in his mouth from the antibiotic, which is evidently not uncommon, so they are starting him on Nystatin this morning to help with that.
They are continuing to put him in a special chair for about 4 hours a day, to help change his body position and prevent skin breakdown/bedsores, and also to help with the pneumonia. His cough is now much more productive, and he is able to protect his airway better, which is great. I know it hurts him to cough, but it is so good for him. I found out recently that he has 1 broken rib front and back on his right side, and 4 broken on the back of his left, 5 broken on the right, in addition to his broken collarbone and sternum (top and bottom). So, you can imagine what coughing feels like for him.
I spoke with Wout's main doctor yesterday, who was away from Thursday of last week until yesterday at a conference. He read over Wout's chart from the time he was gone and checked in on him, and I talked to him about what Wout was doing, and I asked him about Wout's level of cognition. I have been so confused about that since he has been opening his eyes so much and scratching his face and making other purposeful movements, and I'm sure all of you are also wondering. He said that Wout is still in a coma, and that he is still considered to be at a level 7 out of 15 on the Glasgow scale. He said what they are looking for now is for him to follow a command, like sticking his thumb up or sticking his tongue out when told to. But, he said that he was encouraged by what he had seen since he was gone, so if he's encouraged, I'm encouraged!
Now, for what I think is the big news. Last night, I was in Wout's room with our friend, Lisa, and he was sweaty, so I took his glasses off to wipe his face. I was holding his glasses, and he looked down at them and reached for them. So, I handed them to him, and he took them and put them on his face by himself!! I looked at Lisa, and said, "Did you just see that?" A little bit later, he pushed them up on the bridge of his nose with his finger! Now, tell me that isn't a purposeful movement!!! It was better than any Christmas I've ever had! I could hardly get to sleep last night because I was so excited!!! I told his nurse when she came in, and she said that she wished she could have seen it, so that she could put it in his chart.
Anyway, on that note, I'm going to go see my sweetie this morning, and see how his night was. Shift change is from 7-8:30 morning and evening, but they let us back in after that.
Thank you so much, everyone, for all of your thoughts, cards, e-mails, and most especially for your prayers! Please keep them up, because they are being heard, and they are being answered!!
Love,
Amy