Linda returned home to Arizona yesterday after spending another week with Marie. Glenda arrived from Tulsa this afternoon to take her place and will also stay for about a week. No word yet as to when approval from insurance company will come to transfer her to the rehab center.
Glenda reported early on that Marie was in a lot of pain again today and overall, she was not having a good day. In addition, Dr. Kregor came in and took off the cast and bandages from Marie's left leg today. So far, Marie is blessed with no infections and there is still a pulse in both feet.
Glenda reported early on that Marie was in a lot of pain again today and overall, she was not having a good day. In addition, Dr. Kregor came in and took off the cast and bandages from Marie's left leg today. So far, Marie is blessed with no infections and there is still a pulse in both feet.
Glenda's post:
I quietly sit here in the hospital next to Marie's bed watching her sleep after a busy afternoon of trying to make her comfortable and convincing her more than once that I could not bring her a pair of scissors as she has requested so she can cut off one of her casts that she is convinced is too tight.
I take a break myself and recall just a few days ago while still in Oklahoma getting a phone call in the middle of the afternoon from Marie, in tears, confused and in pain. Through the sobbing she was trying to explain how all her pain meds were taken away and they were not going to give her anymore. She said, "They just keep asking me questions. They ask me if I know my birthdate, do I know where I'm at, and who the president of the United States? Then when they ask me my pain level and I tell them they don't even care." Still crying she says, "They must think I'm stupid or something. All they care about is if I know who the president of the United States is." Turns out that after I called the nurse on the phone myself, I found out that one of her prescriptions had ran out and they were waiting for her doctor to write another one, and that was on top of needing to change the other prescription, again waiting for doctors orders. Good news is it all got worked out and within a few hours we were back on track.
...Marie's nap and my break didn't last long as we were interrupted by a visit from her surgeon. Word got back to the doctor over the concern of her cast causing her a lot of discomfort. He stopped in and checked it out and made a quick decision that it was no longer necessary to leave the cast on her left leg and started removing it. As he's pulling, tugging and removing gauze it shot Marie straight up in the bed. I think if she had the ability to move her leg on her own she would have given him a good kick to the chest.
Removing the cast and bandages and seeing her leg for the first time since the accident was a little shocking to Marie and I both. It became very obvious as to the extent of what her injuries were as we had been told, but had not seen.
Upon removal of the cast doctor put her knee to the test in bending it at a 90 degree angle and holding it for a while, then pulling her leg out as straight as he could, making her keep it straight for a period of 15 minutes. This simple procedure was almost unbearable for Marie, but the doctor explained that there is enough hardware holding it together that she will not hurt or break anything by starting to bend the knee and how critical it is to start doing these simple exercises with her knee.
The cast on the right leg will need to remain on for another 10-14 days as he is still very concerned with how it will heal. There is still no feeling in her left foot after removing the cast and doctor said with the amount of internal damage to the leg it will just take time before she will know the final outcome.
Even after all that Marie wanted loaded up in the wheelchair in the early evening hours so she could go outside for a while. After getting her back to the bed and settled in she was craving a good steak. I went and got her a steak dinner from Longhorn Steakhouse, which she ate the whole thing. I left her tonight with very droopy, tired eyes, and with the hope that she would be able to get a good nights rest.
Glenda
We express our love and appreciation for everyone's prayers and continued support. Our little Marie is hanging in there like a champion and a princess!
I quietly sit here in the hospital next to Marie's bed watching her sleep after a busy afternoon of trying to make her comfortable and convincing her more than once that I could not bring her a pair of scissors as she has requested so she can cut off one of her casts that she is convinced is too tight.
I take a break myself and recall just a few days ago while still in Oklahoma getting a phone call in the middle of the afternoon from Marie, in tears, confused and in pain. Through the sobbing she was trying to explain how all her pain meds were taken away and they were not going to give her anymore. She said, "They just keep asking me questions. They ask me if I know my birthdate, do I know where I'm at, and who the president of the United States? Then when they ask me my pain level and I tell them they don't even care." Still crying she says, "They must think I'm stupid or something. All they care about is if I know who the president of the United States is." Turns out that after I called the nurse on the phone myself, I found out that one of her prescriptions had ran out and they were waiting for her doctor to write another one, and that was on top of needing to change the other prescription, again waiting for doctors orders. Good news is it all got worked out and within a few hours we were back on track.
...Marie's nap and my break didn't last long as we were interrupted by a visit from her surgeon. Word got back to the doctor over the concern of her cast causing her a lot of discomfort. He stopped in and checked it out and made a quick decision that it was no longer necessary to leave the cast on her left leg and started removing it. As he's pulling, tugging and removing gauze it shot Marie straight up in the bed. I think if she had the ability to move her leg on her own she would have given him a good kick to the chest.
Removing the cast and bandages and seeing her leg for the first time since the accident was a little shocking to Marie and I both. It became very obvious as to the extent of what her injuries were as we had been told, but had not seen.
Upon removal of the cast doctor put her knee to the test in bending it at a 90 degree angle and holding it for a while, then pulling her leg out as straight as he could, making her keep it straight for a period of 15 minutes. This simple procedure was almost unbearable for Marie, but the doctor explained that there is enough hardware holding it together that she will not hurt or break anything by starting to bend the knee and how critical it is to start doing these simple exercises with her knee.
The cast on the right leg will need to remain on for another 10-14 days as he is still very concerned with how it will heal. There is still no feeling in her left foot after removing the cast and doctor said with the amount of internal damage to the leg it will just take time before she will know the final outcome.
Even after all that Marie wanted loaded up in the wheelchair in the early evening hours so she could go outside for a while. After getting her back to the bed and settled in she was craving a good steak. I went and got her a steak dinner from Longhorn Steakhouse, which she ate the whole thing. I left her tonight with very droopy, tired eyes, and with the hope that she would be able to get a good nights rest.
Glenda
We express our love and appreciation for everyone's prayers and continued support. Our little Marie is hanging in there like a champion and a princess!