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Linda would like to share that it's awkward using the telephone on her back with neck brace and trying to speak louder. For those who've tried, especially the grandchildren, please understand that she actually sounds much clearer in person, and sometimes she just feels better than others and if somebody calls during a lower feeling, when she's sleepier, it's difficult for her to perk up quickly. It may sound like her mind is not the same over the phone, but believe me, she is still alert and aware. Nana is still Nana and will get stronger! We are grateful that she is managing with less pain medicine. Healing takes time. We all can't wait for the broken ribs and broken wrist to heal because then she can truly wiggle and change sides, etc... Oh, how boring it is to be in the same place for so long! She knows that many would like to speak to her, and she wishes she could do so many more things and have more freedom to move. We read many of her cards and letters to her. Thank you all, and also to those who have mailed or donated online to the Firehouse Hostel & Museum in her honor.
I pray that her dreams tonight will be full of adventure and variety!~Mindy
John and Linda Fordyce
- Linda
- We are so blessed to have a great family and so many, many good, loving friends who are concerned and praying for Linda when she needs it. Thank you!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Parade
At times, it seems like a parade is making its way through Linda's room each day, with a nurse, doctor or technician coming in within each hour throughout each day and night to check this, change that, poke this, prod that, drop off this, pick up that, and then there is the stream of visitors. Whenever visitors are in, there are always interruptions for the various activities. Linda loves to see her friends and family, it really lifts her spirit, but please understand that its important to limit visits to very brief periods so that she may get adequate rest and that the staff can do their jobs efficiently. She loves to converse, but it does tire her to retell the same story.
Linda had a heavy workload on Thursday and felt very tired Friday morning. She was not smiling as easily at first, plus the increased exercise caused more swelling in her legs and feet, so now she has tight stockings up to her knees plus full-time booties puffed up with air. The plastic surgeon team had to remove all of the dressing from her skin graft and it caused her rather severe pain as they pulled out staples from her wound, so she requested Morphine to help her deal with that. It really did help, and since they must repeat this same procedure on Monday, she will have the Morphine before they start! Most of the skin graft looks good except for the elbow which has been moving too much, so they have applied a cast to keep the elbow from bending and strict orders not to move that arm or support her weight on it when moving. Her team came in and listened to our many concerns and checked the stitches in her neck and said they look good, but the neck brace becomes rather uncomfortable to wear. She was feeling much better in the late afternoon and was very sleepy.
Please keep praying; it is working! It may soon be possible for her to transfer from UAMS to another facility that offers better rehabilitation services to prepare her for eventually coming home.
Linda had a heavy workload on Thursday and felt very tired Friday morning. She was not smiling as easily at first, plus the increased exercise caused more swelling in her legs and feet, so now she has tight stockings up to her knees plus full-time booties puffed up with air. The plastic surgeon team had to remove all of the dressing from her skin graft and it caused her rather severe pain as they pulled out staples from her wound, so she requested Morphine to help her deal with that. It really did help, and since they must repeat this same procedure on Monday, she will have the Morphine before they start! Most of the skin graft looks good except for the elbow which has been moving too much, so they have applied a cast to keep the elbow from bending and strict orders not to move that arm or support her weight on it when moving. Her team came in and listened to our many concerns and checked the stitches in her neck and said they look good, but the neck brace becomes rather uncomfortable to wear. She was feeling much better in the late afternoon and was very sleepy.
Please keep praying; it is working! It may soon be possible for her to transfer from UAMS to another facility that offers better rehabilitation services to prepare her for eventually coming home.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Linda's first blog post!
Mindy typed this as Linda says, "Mindy just finished reading all the blogs and comments to me. I am so grateful to Diane for setting up this blog, and for Mindy following up, and I want to give Dean so much credit for being here almost all of the time that I've been in the hospital. He has been so loving and attentive. John is truly remarkable. I know he's tired but there have been times that he would not leave my side. We're excited that Leslie will be able to fly here for two days next weekend. As the reality seeps in slowly, I want to cry for what they have been going through, but I rejoice that God has given me a family that loves me so much. My heart aches that they've had to hear how bad things looked before they got better. It was merciful that I don't remember everything from the first two weeks but John and the children do. But, they were here for me and I thank them so very much. It's spiritually overwelming to think how God is blessing me but I know God will continue to show me how to trust Him. All of us have found our faith grow because of this, and now I understand what St. Peter must have meant when he said, "God, I'm just a fisherman." I know that right now I don't have to do anything. All I have to do is trust at this point. Thank you all for your love and prayers. I look forward to growing stronger. Love, Linda"
physical therapy
I'll be brief because it has dawned on me that some of you read via cellular phone and the files often exceed the limit!
Linda rests quietly (accompanied by purring snores) after hours of being in a wheelchair in which she toured the entire 4th floor with Brad, her physical therapist. Her blood pressure rose a little from the exertion but she's fine and feeling less confined! I'll stay tonight here because her push button didn't work and they couldn't hear her voice. The push button isn't sensitive enough for her weak fingertips that peek out of the wrist brace/cast.
Thanks for keeping in touch. She's enjoying hearing the blog and cards read to her and requests that often. If anyone wants to help, indeed, come to Rm435 in 4C to read cards to her!
Mindy
Linda rests quietly (accompanied by purring snores) after hours of being in a wheelchair in which she toured the entire 4th floor with Brad, her physical therapist. Her blood pressure rose a little from the exertion but she's fine and feeling less confined! I'll stay tonight here because her push button didn't work and they couldn't hear her voice. The push button isn't sensitive enough for her weak fingertips that peek out of the wrist brace/cast.
Thanks for keeping in touch. She's enjoying hearing the blog and cards read to her and requests that often. If anyone wants to help, indeed, come to Rm435 in 4C to read cards to her!
Mindy
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Still improving; it's all good news!
Today, Linda sat up in bed to have a delightfully long visit with at least 4 visitors at once. She is so happy to be able to see her friends.She's enjoying the fact that there is enough space to seat at least 4 + 1 sitting on the edge of her bed. She can't turn her neck so it's important to stand or sit in her line of sight. I read her today's cards and emails that she's received at the hospital. It may take weeks for her to catch up with all the sweet cards, phone messages, emails, and blog comments that have been flooding in since her accident. How blessed she is to have so many loving friends!
The skin graft dressing was changed today, and looks very healthy and taking well.
She's glad they've bathed her every day. She is often too warm and using a fan. The temperature cannot easily be adjusted to suit her and with the cold spell the hospital has already switched to heating from air conditioning.
Right now, someone from orthopedics is removing her splint and cast from the right arm and after they check on her wrist I believe she'll be allowed a bit more freedom in the use of her arm and fingers. That will make a big difference in her sense of confinement and limited mobility, but of course she'll need to be even more careful not to put stress on the wrist before it fully heals.
Many have asked how soon she'll be able to come home, but this can't be determined yet. We expect to know around Monday whether the skin graft is successfully growing and then she'll need enough occupational and/or physical therapy to be able to function at home. It may be a while before she can negotiate the many stairs at home.
~Mindy
The skin graft dressing was changed today, and looks very healthy and taking well.
She's glad they've bathed her every day. She is often too warm and using a fan. The temperature cannot easily be adjusted to suit her and with the cold spell the hospital has already switched to heating from air conditioning.
Right now, someone from orthopedics is removing her splint and cast from the right arm and after they check on her wrist I believe she'll be allowed a bit more freedom in the use of her arm and fingers. That will make a big difference in her sense of confinement and limited mobility, but of course she'll need to be even more careful not to put stress on the wrist before it fully heals.
Many have asked how soon she'll be able to come home, but this can't be determined yet. We expect to know around Monday whether the skin graft is successfully growing and then she'll need enough occupational and/or physical therapy to be able to function at home. It may be a while before she can negotiate the many stairs at home.
~Mindy
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Milestones
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10/29/08, CORRECTION TO BELOW INFO.: I am told she was wearing a helmet, so the black matter on her scalp is more likely either padding material rubbed off from inside the helmet or just dried blood, but she did have a few sores on the head--nonetheless, it seems lucky that she did wear a helmet!~Mindy
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It's blood from her neck surgery. She looked better before that, except for swelling. They had to put her on her face and the blood ran all over her head. The sores are from her lying on her face. They must have had something bracing her that dug into her head (I mentioned marks in a post but didn't go into details). She looked awful and it was a real mess afterward and took them days to get a little at a time cleaned off. She needs a really long shower! It's hard to wash hair when you're lying in a bed. The helmet came through all of this in great shape. - Diane
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Just yesterday, Mom said she really wished she could scratch her nose and tried with her right arm which has a very heavy cumbersome cast. Well, by this afternoon she was resting that hand above her nose upon the top of her forehead!
Mom could barely sit up less than a week ago. Today she had strength enough to lift her trunk and legs entirely off the bed as well as walk, sit, stand, and lie down with balancing support from John or myself.
This evening, Dean, John, various nurses and I enjoyed reading out loud with her about five days worth of this blog and your loving comments. She smiled so much that her cheeks developed little rosy circles -- she resembled "Mrs. Claus!"
It really began to dawn on her just how devastating the news was in those first few days, and how uncertain everybody was about her prognosis. She's just in awe of this story as we unravel the details for her little by little. It is such a blessing to have it so well documented on Blogger. She still can't remember anything past the fact that she was riding her scooter home that Wednesday. We know she was in much pain upon arrival at the emergency room, so it is probably best that she doesn't remember that. She agrees.
Mom still has drainage tubes connected to her right lung, her skin graft, and booties attached to an air pump to reduce the swelling in her feet. She has dozens of scratches, scrapes and stitches that are steadily healing on nearly every area of her from head to toe. Today, I began to carefully clean some of the pavement that is still imbedded into abrasions on her scalp.
I hope to remember her optimistic spirit if I am ever incapacitated in any way. I believe I would more likely wallow in self-pity for a while. She amazes me!
Linda is anxious to dictate her own comments and posts to this blog as soon as we manage to read it all to her. Ergonomically speaking, it's much too awkward for her to have the laptop in front of her or to type, but her fingers are really very agile and will be ready as soon as the right wrist is freer and her left forearm has healed a bit.
~Mindy
10/29/08, CORRECTION TO BELOW INFO.: I am told she was wearing a helmet, so the black matter on her scalp is more likely either padding material rubbed off from inside the helmet or just dried blood, but she did have a few sores on the head--nonetheless, it seems lucky that she did wear a helmet!~Mindy
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It's blood from her neck surgery. She looked better before that, except for swelling. They had to put her on her face and the blood ran all over her head. The sores are from her lying on her face. They must have had something bracing her that dug into her head (I mentioned marks in a post but didn't go into details). She looked awful and it was a real mess afterward and took them days to get a little at a time cleaned off. She needs a really long shower! It's hard to wash hair when you're lying in a bed. The helmet came through all of this in great shape. - Diane
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Just yesterday, Mom said she really wished she could scratch her nose and tried with her right arm which has a very heavy cumbersome cast. Well, by this afternoon she was resting that hand above her nose upon the top of her forehead!
Mom could barely sit up less than a week ago. Today she had strength enough to lift her trunk and legs entirely off the bed as well as walk, sit, stand, and lie down with balancing support from John or myself.
This evening, Dean, John, various nurses and I enjoyed reading out loud with her about five days worth of this blog and your loving comments. She smiled so much that her cheeks developed little rosy circles -- she resembled "Mrs. Claus!"
It really began to dawn on her just how devastating the news was in those first few days, and how uncertain everybody was about her prognosis. She's just in awe of this story as we unravel the details for her little by little. It is such a blessing to have it so well documented on Blogger. She still can't remember anything past the fact that she was riding her scooter home that Wednesday. We know she was in much pain upon arrival at the emergency room, so it is probably best that she doesn't remember that. She agrees.
Mom still has drainage tubes connected to her right lung, her skin graft, and booties attached to an air pump to reduce the swelling in her feet. She has dozens of scratches, scrapes and stitches that are steadily healing on nearly every area of her from head to toe. Today, I began to carefully clean some of the pavement that is still imbedded into abrasions on her scalp.
I hope to remember her optimistic spirit if I am ever incapacitated in any way. I believe I would more likely wallow in self-pity for a while. She amazes me!
Linda is anxious to dictate her own comments and posts to this blog as soon as we manage to read it all to her. Ergonomically speaking, it's much too awkward for her to have the laptop in front of her or to type, but her fingers are really very agile and will be ready as soon as the right wrist is freer and her left forearm has healed a bit.
~Mindy
A friend of mine that my daughter, Shannon, babysits for took this picture of her and just sent it to me. I thought Mom's schoolmates would enjoy seeing how much she looks like her at this age of 12. Shannon's hair is a beautiful golden red color and full of curls. She misses talking to and getting to see her Nana. We hope to all come down in a week or two to visit.
I'm so thankful that Mindy can be there with Mom. She will be writing most of this blog now and I look forward to reading her posts and keeping up with Mom's progress from her perspective. - Diane
Keep getting stronger Mom!
Linda voted today!
By absentee ballot, our patient was allowed to vote with John's help! I wish I could too, next week, but since I'm registered in the CNMI they won't let me. ~Mindy
Monday, October 27, 2008
Skin graft surgery went well.
Just after arriving from Saipan, late this afternoon, John drove me straight to UAMS but Mom was still in pre-op. and it was a few hours before I could see her in the recovery room. I was so amazed to see how alert and optimistic she looked, since I had only been able to talk to her by telephone 2 days ago, and even though she'd just woken up from skin graft surgery on her left arm 30 minutes earlier, she asserted amazing energy, even lifting both arms and shoulders trying to hug me! She bubbled over with much to say about everything that's been happening, and was so overstimulated that we soon had to leave the recovery room because it was raising her blood pressure. I thanked mom for never giving up without a fight! She smiled so radiantly and appreciatively. We met her upstairs in her room about a half hour later. She was so thirsty, once again, because they just couldn't give her more than a few ice chips before and after surgery so as not to upset her tummy. She will be so grateful for an oasis in the dry, arid desert of thirst that she must endure. She asked for sweet, cold, icy drinks!
It was so hard to leave her side, but I want to be useful to her tomorrow, and since I have barely slept in about 32 hours since departing Saipan, I had to let John drive me to the house for a little rest tonight.
The skin graft went very well. Dr. Yuen, the plastic surgeon, took a patch of skin from her thigh for repairing the damaged skin of her left forearm. She will be observed about a week to make sure it takes well and healthy new growth of skin resumes as expected. He said that once about 80% of the graft is working, the rest will soon follow. The skin graft is covered with a spongy bandage and covered in plastic "shrink wrap" connected by a tube to a vacuum device which will assist the healing process. Fortunately, the irritating respirator was removed immediately following the surgery. It is such a relief that her breathing is doing so well, and also that she will be able to stand and move around a bit when needed. The recuperation will take a lot of patience as her body tries to catch up with her mental fitness. We also spoke to Dr. Ahmed, who had done the surgery on her neck who said she must also wear the neck brace to avoid moving her neck for 8 to 12 weeks. She may take it off while resting, but it seems risky because of her desire to animate her speech with so many jestures. She really wants to see and partake in everything around her as much as she can and the brace limits her peripheral vision. We think the pain medication leads her to believe she can do more than she's ready for!
Good night, Mom. It's so great to be here with you and kiss your smiling face and hold your hand. Love, Mindy
Thank you to all of the people who have sent such nice flowers, gifts and cards for my mom. They are all around her room and at the house and in the refrigerator, and I will gradually get to help her read and view them all this week, now that she's out of her amnesia. She is so thankful for all the prayers and kindness.
It was so hard to leave her side, but I want to be useful to her tomorrow, and since I have barely slept in about 32 hours since departing Saipan, I had to let John drive me to the house for a little rest tonight.
The skin graft went very well. Dr. Yuen, the plastic surgeon, took a patch of skin from her thigh for repairing the damaged skin of her left forearm. She will be observed about a week to make sure it takes well and healthy new growth of skin resumes as expected. He said that once about 80% of the graft is working, the rest will soon follow. The skin graft is covered with a spongy bandage and covered in plastic "shrink wrap" connected by a tube to a vacuum device which will assist the healing process. Fortunately, the irritating respirator was removed immediately following the surgery. It is such a relief that her breathing is doing so well, and also that she will be able to stand and move around a bit when needed. The recuperation will take a lot of patience as her body tries to catch up with her mental fitness. We also spoke to Dr. Ahmed, who had done the surgery on her neck who said she must also wear the neck brace to avoid moving her neck for 8 to 12 weeks. She may take it off while resting, but it seems risky because of her desire to animate her speech with so many jestures. She really wants to see and partake in everything around her as much as she can and the brace limits her peripheral vision. We think the pain medication leads her to believe she can do more than she's ready for!
Good night, Mom. It's so great to be here with you and kiss your smiling face and hold your hand. Love, Mindy
Thank you to all of the people who have sent such nice flowers, gifts and cards for my mom. They are all around her room and at the house and in the refrigerator, and I will gradually get to help her read and view them all this week, now that she's out of her amnesia. She is so thankful for all the prayers and kindness.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Another good day of progress
My whole family talked to Mom today and she was excited to hear us. She says she is growing stronger and better with each day and is moving a little more for a little longer too. She gets up and walks some and has help with anything she needs.
She said there are 14 people on the ward where she is and she is sharing all your prayers with them too. She feels so blessed to have so many prayers for her recovery and said that it is really a special thing to have people telling you every day that they are so glad you're still here and praying for you to continue getting better. Everyone is telling her they love her and want the best for her. She's really rejoicing.
Tomorrow's surgery is not planned but they said will most likely be in the afternoon. They have taken a chunk of skin from her thigh and cultured in the lab to prepare it to placed it on her arm tomorrow. Unfortunately, they are going to put her on a respirator again for this surgery due to the injuries of her lungs.
They told her she had over 9 ribs broken and she feels them, even through the pain medicine, although not too bad. She really dislikes being drugged but she understands that she really needs it right now. She is still having a little fluid retention and swelling in her feet so they gave her some new tight fitting booties today that blow up with air to squeeze her feet and make funny farty noises when they deflate.
John said her blood pressure was slightly elevated today so they put her on the meds for that. Pray that is will be normal tomorrow and not an issue for the surgery.
Mindy is due to arrive around 4:30. It takes her two days to get here but she is 14 hours ahead of us so she leaves on Monday and arrives on Monday, or something like that. Mindy is in graduate school! She's taking online courses for a masters in library science. She can continue from here and help Mom too.
John says Mom is really upbeat and chipper and has quite a bit of her sense of humor despite her issues. She loves hearing from her friends and loved ones and she wants so much to read your messages on this blog but just can't focus on much right now. John read some of it and said she will get some printed copies to look at soon. Thanks everyone for reading and keeping up with her and especially for all of your prayers.
She said there are 14 people on the ward where she is and she is sharing all your prayers with them too. She feels so blessed to have so many prayers for her recovery and said that it is really a special thing to have people telling you every day that they are so glad you're still here and praying for you to continue getting better. Everyone is telling her they love her and want the best for her. She's really rejoicing.
Tomorrow's surgery is not planned but they said will most likely be in the afternoon. They have taken a chunk of skin from her thigh and cultured in the lab to prepare it to placed it on her arm tomorrow. Unfortunately, they are going to put her on a respirator again for this surgery due to the injuries of her lungs.
They told her she had over 9 ribs broken and she feels them, even through the pain medicine, although not too bad. She really dislikes being drugged but she understands that she really needs it right now. She is still having a little fluid retention and swelling in her feet so they gave her some new tight fitting booties today that blow up with air to squeeze her feet and make funny farty noises when they deflate.
John said her blood pressure was slightly elevated today so they put her on the meds for that. Pray that is will be normal tomorrow and not an issue for the surgery.
Mindy is due to arrive around 4:30. It takes her two days to get here but she is 14 hours ahead of us so she leaves on Monday and arrives on Monday, or something like that. Mindy is in graduate school! She's taking online courses for a masters in library science. She can continue from here and help Mom too.
John says Mom is really upbeat and chipper and has quite a bit of her sense of humor despite her issues. She loves hearing from her friends and loved ones and she wants so much to read your messages on this blog but just can't focus on much right now. John read some of it and said she will get some printed copies to look at soon. Thanks everyone for reading and keeping up with her and especially for all of your prayers.
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