Part 5 of accdent recovery

After Andrew started talking a lot of things changed.  Up until then we had no idea what if any damage the stroke had caused.  The good new was that for sure without a doubt Andrew was awake and functioning.

In the beginning of this new stage Andrew often got confused. When asked how old he was he would say he was 23.  Then they would ask him when he was born, January 3rd 1980 (the right answer).  Then they would tell him it was 2010 and re-ask his age and he would still say he was 23.  He knew Avery and Miles were his childrens' names but would say he had 4 children.  He gave his dad's home address when asked what his home address was.

Sometimes he was searching for words. However, we were usually impressed at what he would come up with as a replacement.  For example Andrew wanted  his dad to shut the window shades and said "Can you help me with my outdoor illumination?"  

Next step was to get into Craig Hospital.  We found a giant hurdle.  Even though Andrew was mental ready for Craig Hospital his body was not.  His muscle tone was so tight he could barely move even with physical therapy.  This was because of the stroke.  The doctors increased a muscle relaxer called Baclofen and that seemed to help with the muscle tone.  Andrew's doctor discussed the possibility of a Baclofen pump.  This pump would be inserted into his abdomen and the medication would be delivered into his spine.  This way the medication would not have to travel through the blood stream when he would take it orally.  

Andrew decided to go for it.  The first steps of this process were horrible.  University Hospital was going to do the surgery and there was some miscommunication with Kindred.  University told Kindred that Andrew should not have any Balcofen in his system so they could do a test to see if the pump would work.  Instead of stepping the dose down slowly they took Andrew off the medication all at once.  They did not inform us that they were going to do this.  It was horrible, Andrew going through withdrawl.  He was hallucinating and getting angry that we did not believe him.  We were so angry when we learned why he was this way.  

The good new was the test showed Andrew was a good candidate for the pump.  He was back on the medication and we waited for the the surgery.  Finally in October the pump was in, the surgery healed and Andrew was on his way to Craig Hospital.  Memory was improving even though is was not perfect.  Things were getting there.

 Day 113 after accident (Location Kindred)

    Family visit - 1-year-old Miles sleeping on Daddy's bed.  (September 10, 2010)

 Almost 3-year-old Avery visiting with Daddy (above) and again sleeping Miles (below) September 30, 2010

Part 4 Andrew's recovery after accident

When the social worker at University Hospital had told me that Andrew was stable enough to move out of the ICU he had only been there 2 weeks.  I was really confused as to why we were moving him out of the hospital, however I was happy to know he was stable.

The social worker told me to look at Kindred Hospital.  She told me I could look other places if I wanted to, but Kindred was the best.  I took my in-laws with me and we went to Kindred.  The facility was older than University Hospital but I felt good about the move so we said ok.  It was now July.

My mom and I took the kids to the hospital to see Andrew.  Miles was sleeping, Avery was running around but Andrew was watching him.  Avery had his stuffed Ponyo toy.  Ponyo is a sweet movie if you have not seen it.  We think it brought Avery some comfort,  Ponyo is a magic fish and she has magical healing powers.  I had explained to Avery that his daddy was really hurt and was away to get better, and we think he brought Ponyo along for that reason.  The kids would come with me every now and again.  Kindred was called "Daddy's house." 


Then there was the day that I lost it.... the social worker at Kindred came to see me while I was visiting Andrew.  She had told me that they felt he was no longer improving and they wanted to move him to a new facility, a Skilled Nursing Facility.  This was in August now and exactly 3 months since the accident.  She said I needed to find one right away because they wanted to move him the very next week.  After she left the room I could help but cry hysterically, right in front of Andrew.  "I need you to get better."  I cried.  We knew he was understanding us and trying to communicate but they did not seem to see it.  They were not satisfied with his ability to nod to answer "yes".

Two days later my in-laws and I were scheduled to tour a SNF.   Deak, Andrew's dad, and I both stopped by Kindred first.  A nurse named Noelle came in to the room and surprised us by asking "Does he talk your ear off?"  He started to tell her that we have not heard him talk since before the accident.  "Oh he can talk," she said, "he can say 'hi'.  Say 'hi'  Andrew."

"Hi Noelle." he said.  Even Noelle was going to cry, he remembered her name.  He said even more, but we had to leave for our appointment to view the SNF.  We saw it and did not like it but that was ok we were now excited.  I had return home to the kids but I received a call from my mother-in-law telling me I needed to bring the kids and come back to Kindred.  As soon as I walked in the room the first thing Andrew said to me was "I love you." I am still crying about this one.

Andrew later told me that he thought he was talking to us the whole time, he did not know we could not hear him or that he was not talking.

 * 90 days after the accident while at Kindred.  This was before Andrew started talking.  I had just given him a hair cut.  This was also the first picture I took of him after the accident.