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| *stepping in, lighting a candle, shedding a tear for the first friend i ever made in chat*
Leah, i love you. May God's will be done, whatever that may be. My love to you, your family and that precious lil boy of yours.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers. May you continue to have the strength you will need to continue this journey.
all my love
bev..aka bodie
~to fear love is to fear life, those that fear love are already three parts dead. - author unknown
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| | | | reads this ~
feeling a horrible sadness....
prayers ...for denverdoodles and her entire family ~
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| | | | From: AutumnLady1941@.........
Date: 01/19/07 20:06:30
Subject: Re: Leah Update
Hello All,
I was pleasantly surprised to get a phone call from Leah's nurse on Friday that after having been given a ventricular shunt to facilitate the drainage of excess spinal fluid, she was again responding to verbal commands. I waited to believe it until I could get there today to see for myself.
Sure enough, she stuck out her tongue when told; she lifted each leg one at a time and when I sang a silly song that she and I used to sing together, she smiled. It wasn't the Leah smile that I am used to because it was a little crooked, but you could definitely tell it was a smile. All of this made my heart sing. It has been so long since we have had any sort of response from her.
I met her Dr., and he said the game plan now is just wait. He said that what we see in six to twelve months is what we will have. Meanwhile they want to start her on a rehab regimen. I told them that I would like to see her placed in Rusk if at all possible. Her rehab will be quite long and very aggressive and extensive and will probably be for many months.
I left feeling very good about today's visit. You can only imagine my shock when the phone rang tonight with a Dr. at the other end of the line telling me that she is non-responsive and won't even open her eyes. He then told me that if she did not show improvement that she could not even get into a rehab center for the kind of treatment that she will require. Plus there are only three in the state that offer the sort of intensive therapy she will need...Columbia, Sedalia, and Mt. Vernon.
My daughter just called from Columbia...the nurse is hopping mad. She is responding exactly the same as she has been. I may give up on this note and just ask that all keep her in your prayers. I will try to write more tomorrow or I will when I find out something. Right now I think I have a headache....lol
Thank you for your prayers...they've gotten us this far
April
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"Tell me, and I'll listen
Show me, and I'll understand
Involve me, and I'll learn"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." |
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| | | | all i want to say is that Denver, TwinSanity, Kaydeek and the rest of that family are still in my thoughts & prayers..
Friendship is what shows us that we are not alone in any joy or any sorrow - friendship quote by Pam Brown |
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| | | | From: AutumnLady1941@...
Date: 01/24/07 13:33:51
Subject: Leah: News Flash!!!
Hello everyone...
I received some very good news today from the hospital and from people who were visiting Leah early this morning while therapy was in the room trying to work with her. It seems that she is awake and alert and is responding appropriately to commands. (Raise your right arm, raise your left leg, raise your right leg, etc.) She is smiling, and said two words, but is having trouble due to the trach. She is tracking by ear...I'm taking her glasses to her Friday and putting make-up on her for the big move. We know she can smell as she nodded yes when my granddaughter Bekka asked he if she could smell her food.(Bekka's)
Please do not stop the prayers. She still has a long haul, but this is so much better that we had thought it would be. Rusk is the best rehab facility in the state. I was so afraid she would be taken to a place that is 200 miles away from home that I was going nuts inside. This facility is right beside the hospital where she has been all this time and only 30 mi. away.
I guess this is all for now. Oh, yes, a therapist told her a joke today and she laughed appropriately. Yes!!!
Thank you for all you have done for us. This has been the worse nightmare of my life and I made it through, also, thanks to your prayers and concerns.
Our love to all,
April and Leah
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"Tell me, and I'll listen
Show me, and I'll understand
Involve me, and I'll learn"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." |
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| | | | From: AutumnLady1941@...
Date: 02/01/07 23:01:28
Subject: Leah Update
Hello All,
Leah is now at Rusk Rehabilitation Center-315 Bus. Loop 70-West-Columbia, Mo. I forget the zip cold, so you will have to look it up. Her room number is 224-A, She was moved there this last Monday. I went to see her Wednesday and it must have been an off day because she kept her eyes shut and didn't try to talk when they sealed off her trach. Sometimes she responded appropriately with a nod or a shake of her head and some times she didn't.
They had a meeting about her today and they will have to let her go by the end of this month as that is all that the state will pay for. Depending on where she is in her rehabilitation, she will probably go to a nursing facility.
They said she did indicate that she is depressed and that her head hurt where the shunt was put in. She goes to see her neurosurgeon tomorrow for an evaluation.
This is about all I can say for now as there really isn't any news beyond this. I will try to keep you posted as I find out things myself. Please keep up the prayers. There is such a long path she must travel still travel.
Thank you for your prayers,
April
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"Tell me, and I'll listen
Show me, and I'll understand
Involve me, and I'll learn"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." |
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| | | | | it is so hard to believe my friend is in this bad of shape. I give her and her family all my love and blessings and I miss her terribly. |
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| | | | From: AutumnLady1941@
Date: 02/15/07 14:12:36
Subject: Leah Update
Hello All,
I visited Leah today at Rusk Rehab Center in Columbia. Unfortunately she was unable to get out of bed today due to diarrhea. That didn't stop her therapists from coming into her bedside and doing range of motion exercises with her.
Leah was being her sometimes obstinate self today and was partly uncooperative with her therapist until the lady explained to her that she had to report to her doctor about how she was doing in letting them know how her brain was controlling her muscles. At that time Leah gave her the "high fives" that she was requesting of her.
I explained to Leah also that we wanted her home with us and if she did not cooperate with the therapists, she would no be allowed to do that. I told her that her neurologist had told me that he fully expected her to be able to walk into an appointment in approximately one year. I told her I knew that sounded like an awfully long time, but when you put it in relationship to the rest of her life, it may not be so long at all. I told her that it was her that was going to have to work for what she wanted.
I don't think she really wanted to hear that part as she turned her head away from me and went to sleep. So, I politely woke her up from her "sleep" and asked her if she had understood what I had said to her. She nodded her head "yes" and then placed my hand over her heart. I told her she is my shining star and I missed her very much. She then placed her hand to my heart. And I said, "yes".
As it looks now, she will be going to the facility that I fought so hard to keep her out of at the first. It is in Mt. Vernon, Mo. and almost 200 miles away. That's the only reason I objected so much. That seems like from one coast to the other for me. After talking with the staff at Rusk today, I found that the facility in Mt. Vernon is where they send most of their patients that still need rehab, but also require long term care. It has both and is the only facility in Missouri to do so.
Right now I feel both glad and sad, if that is possible. I'm glad that she can get the long term care and the rehab that she will so desperately need, but I'm sad that it is so far away from where I live.
Please keep your prayers going for her and me so we can both come through this with flying colors. I really don't believe we could have gotten so far without the prayers and support of all involved in caring and thinking of us. Our entire family truly appreciates your support.
Thank you again,
April
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"Tell me, and I'll listen
Show me, and I'll understand
Involve me, and I'll learn"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." |
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| | | | From: AutumnLady1941@
Date: 02/25/07 15:39:50
Subject: Leah Update
Hello All,
Leah has had another set-back, I'm afraid. She was admitted into the hospital at Missouri University again last Wednesday morning with a urinary tract infection, and possible pneumonia. They ruled out the pneumonia and are treating her for a urinary tract infection.
Rusk told the hospital that she had lost some of her cognitive skills that she was gaining and the hospital found that she had a low volume of blood. Since no blood showed in her urine or stools, they set out to find it.
They did a brain scan and there appears there is no new bleeding in her brain-which is good. They checked everywhere they could think of and some places twice before they finally found the area they were looking for.
It seems they were changing her from Heparin to Coumadin and-this is not uncommon-she began to bleed into the tissues in her body. The main place she bled was into the long muscle that goes down the length of the spine. I was enough that she lost quite a bit of blood before they found it. Of course, they immediately took her off both blood thinners, but she has not regained the level of consciousness that she did have.
I called for a report on her yesterday evening and this morning and she slept all day yesterday and has kept her eyes open only when the nurse washed her hair and then closed then again. She no longer responds to verbal commands, i.e. Squeeze my hand; Push on my hand with your feet; Or any other commands.
My daughter took Theo, her son, to see her today and she did not respond to him even though she did open her eyes for a very short time and promptly shut her eyes again. She did not respond to her sister or her niece.
I think the plan is to transfer her to Mt. Vernon this week from the hospital. I have left word that I want to speak with her neurologist and the social worker tomorrow morning before any moves are made.
I want to question if the blood loss did irreparable damage that will make her unable to come out from this stage that seems to be semi-conscious. If she is unable to return from this, will they then transfer her to a facility that is closer to me if she is already in a long-term facility? These are questions I want answered.
Don't let the prayers stop and remember us booth. This has been unbelievably hard. I thought I didn't have any tears left until this happened to her.
I thank so many and all of you for your love and support-without which I would have never made it through this. You are indeed blessed people.
Thank you so much,
April
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"Tell me, and I'll listen
Show me, and I'll understand
Involve me, and I'll learn"
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." |
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| | | | | Hi, this is Spunky and my thoughts and prayers continue for you all and the entire family. I worry about you all and about little Theo and wonder if he understand anything about twhat is happening to her. I send you all my love and support through this difficult time. Denver is a marvelous and beautiful woman and I know GOD is looking down and smiling and helping the best he can. |
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