October 29 Update

Well Sam/we made it through the last eight days pretty well.  I remember when Sam's desire and goal were to get the surgery done and have his head whole.  Now its get those darn stitches out.  Most of us have had stitches at some time in our life from a single stitch to many stitches, maybe even more than Sam's 48 stitches.  Those of you who have had multiple stitches will sympathize with Sam.  One or two stitches itch a bit and can be tolerated.  A day doesn't go buy that at least half to all of his stitches are itching.  This is a good thing as it shows they are healing and there is no infection which can also be determined if we look closely at his head.  I do this quite frequently to Sam's dismay. 

 

Sometimes I'm just watching Sam in total awe at doing a simple thing like watching t.v. and other times I am checking out the forehead to left ear incision that looks like a horseshoe on my son's head.  Many times not really looking for anything, just looking.  His peripheral vision is great and he sees me and lets me know with a simple "Yes, mom what is it"?

 

There have been glitches in Sam's rehab and tutoring.  Upon entering Doernbecher last week Salem Hospital released him from their care which means his neuro surgeon must authorize him to continue/start with rehab.  Our tutoring request came back from drs. authorizing Sam to start school.  This is good except the school and I feel that at this point in the semester it would be better to have him tutored for the remainder of this semester.  Maybe we're wrong.    I am questioning that decision now.  He so wants to be a part of something more than stuff at home, and I get that.  There are some classes he will not be able to catch up in but then he isn't sitting doing any better here waiting for the wheels of bureaucracy stop and start like they are.   

 

Okay, I see that this is not so much specifically about Sam today but about the things that make up his life.  I believe I needed to write this to help me his mom see the big picture and that is what is best for Sam, not necessarily what is easiest for him.

 

Thank you for all your prayers and silent guidance as Sam and us, his family, continue on our journey through these unknown waters of recovery after a TBI.

 

God bless you all,

 

Stephanie/Mom

SAM IS HOME!!!

Yes, Sam is home and is well.  He came home yesterday afternoon and spent the evening, night, and this morning sleeping, eating, and napping. 

 

His incision looks great.  He has some swelling at the left side of his face which turns out is a inflamed muscle.  The muscle that runs up from the left year to the top  of his head had constricted when the bone flap was taken out.  When the bone flap was put back in the muscle had to be stretched to fit and it has become sore and swollen.  He's taking Tylenol most of the time with a little pain medicine as a chaser, otherwise he is doing great.

 

He has his follow-up in two weeks to take out the stitches and have a checkup.  I'm positive all will be good.

 

I will write more later.  I taking the boys out for a welcome home dinner.

 

Thank you all for your prayers. 

 

Stephanie/Mom

24 Hour Post Surgery Update

Sam is doing great.  His surgery started about two hours behind schedule but only ran about 2.5 hours, when it could have taken 4 hours.  He had a rough night last night.  He nurse had to check him, do vitals, and a neuro exam every hour all night long.  He didn't get to more than catnap at best.  Even with heavy duty drugs for pain he didn't sleep much. 
 
His spirits are a bit low right now.  He had a couple of tubes and his arterial line taken out early this morning that cause each alone would have been minor pain but all three done in the a.m. hurt, especially the drain tube that was put in to drain fluids from his 48 stitch incision on his head.  The tube was over three inches long and he could feel it was it was pulled out.  I wish I could have taken away that pain.  Then it had to be stitched.  The morphine he was given for pain didn't hit until about 15 minutes after they were done.  Then this afternoon his IV line quit drawing and a new one had to be placed but after three attempts and failures by the nurses to get a new line in IV therapy was called.  She was great.  She put warm packs on his arm to draw out the veins, and used all her expertise to get his veins to take the needle.  They like to put the IV in hands and not the arm because its easier to get to for the IV and you don't have to worry about the bending of the arm.  Well, she had to go the arm as she couldn't get Sam's vein to stay in place for the very small needle she was using.
 
So my friends, Sam started out this venture excited about getting the bone panel in, getting through surgery, to saying he wished he had waited which of course was not an option.  He gave me a big smile when I left tonight and I know he will get a good nights sleep.  His Aunt Dart is there giving him TLC, all tubes and lines are out except the one, and he got a new Ducks jacket from his brother and I tonight that is kind of silky on the inside. 
 
I know this is brief, I started to write more but want to keep some to ourselves.  Ultimately Sam will be glad this is over and again God is giving him love and strength to get through this day. 
 
More later, I think I'll go to sleep.
 
Sam sends his love and thanks to everyone.  Our family truly appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
 
God bless,
 
Stephanie/Mom 

10 Hours But Who's Counting!!!

Hi All....
 
Well Sam, Cameron and I are here at Ronald McDonald House waiting for the morning.  Sam is scrubbing his head clean with a sponge similar to what the doctors use to clean their hands before a surgery.  Well he's done and I still can't see the yellow tint his head is suppose to have to prove its clean, guess they'll have to take our word that he scrubbed.  
 
Not alot to say really.  Sam has spent the last 10 days excitedly waiting for tomorrow, almost like Christmas and for him it is. I think he wants to burn the helmet up but we all know that would be bad for the environment, so we'll find an environmentally safe way to get rid of it.
 
Well time for lights out.  Take care to you all.  Keep us in our prayers. 
 
In God's safe hands,
 
Stephanie, Cameron & Samuel 

EXCITING NEWS!

We woke up yesterday expecting it to be normal day; eat breakfast, dress, brush our teeth, etc. and then head to Portland for Sam's CT scan and neurology follow-up.  In anticipation of slow traffic on I-5 we left by 8:45 for a 10:15 appointment.  Both Sam and Cameron whined a bit about losing half an hour of sleep, but had we left later I know there would have been a traffic jam and we would have been late.  Yes, we got there early and had his CT early.  Well, now we were early for our 11:00 neurologist appointment which then ran an hour late.  Grammy, Dart, Sam, Cameron, and myself occupied the time chatting and watching a ship being built out the window. 

 

When Sam's name was called we all got up and traipsed our way in to his exam room, stopping first for blood pressure check and weight which were both good.  The exam room had three chairs and a table.  Sam of course got the table and three of us pushed two chairs together to make a bench, sort of.  Imagine Cameron and I sitting at the ends with half a butt cheek hanging over and Grammy in the middle.  We needed a camera.  Dart, of course, great aunt that she is got the third chair.  We all took turns walking around the 8x8 foot room until a resident came in to review the CT results with us.

 

Well, it was great.  You could see where the brain had shrunk and was a good size.  He does have some fluid in the empty space, that is to be expected since there is no scull to hold it in, which will be drained during his surgery.  There is also a bit of pressure still on the ventricle in the middle of his brain but that is most likely due to the accumulation of brain fluid.  The hematoma in the temporal lobe has decreased in size so much that it is hard to believe how big it was and how much damage it did at the time.

 

The doctor also did some testing to check for balance, speech, etc. to see how Sam did with in these areas.  He was very positive about the results and felt the bone flap could be put back in.  This of course is not his call, but it is the neurosurgeons.

 

About 10 minutes later Dr. Seldene (sp?) the neurosurgeon, the resident, and their NP came in to talk.  The doctor reviewed the results with all of us.  He also did a few quick tests of Sam's reflexes, speech, etc.  He then said that Sam was definitely ready for the replacement of the bone flap and told us it was scheduled for either the 20th or 23rd, not sure of the date because that really isn't his area of expertise.  He does the surgery but doesn't set the date.  After checking with Angela the surgical appointment assistant we found out that indeed....

 

SAM'S SURGERY IS ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2008.

 

Then came the questions, how long would it take, would he have to wear his helmet, how long would he be in the hospital, could he do sports afterwards, how about a trip to Disneyland, how long would his recovery be, would there be any ill effects from the surgery.  Thank goodness I had Mom and Dart there to help, I was not prepared to discuss surgery in just 12 days.  I was planning (there I go again) that it would be in November. 

 

So what went from a easy going follow-up appointment to becoming the preop appointment and the beginning of the next phase in Sam's recovery.   Sam had his preop lab work done after the appointment, so we pretty much just have to wait for the day and drive to Portland for Sam's surgery.

 

Oh in answer to some of the above questions: 

    The surgery will take between three to four hours.

    He WILL NOT have to wear his helmet afterwards.

    He will be ICU for 24 hours and then on the Dornbecher ward for two to three days depending on how he does.

    He CANNOT DO ANY SPORTS THAT DELIBERATELY INVOLVE HIS HEAD.  In easy terms, he will not be able to play football, ever, maybe flag at family events but nothing in school.

    He can ride amusement park rides like at Disneyland after three months or so.

    The doctors anticipate his recovery to go well.  He may slip back into some of the symptoms he had after the injury itself but they don't expect these to last long.  There are a number of things that could go wrong, but with most of them the percentage is so low, 1-2% in Sam's case, that I'm not worried about them, and my faith and prayers are ongoing that everything will go well. 

  

Our family thanks you for all your love, support, and prayers.  These have been difficult and scary times.  Your prayers have kept us all going and reminded us the power God has when we all work together.  

 

God bless you.

 

Stephanie/Mom

 

P.S.  Mom and Dart, thank you for being there with us.  I will always need your love and support.  Stef 

Another day at home!

It's been too long since I have written.  The days tend to blend together and go by much too fast.  Sam is doing well.  He went to his first high school football game last Friday night  It was Sprague's homecoming.  He and his brother painted one of his helmets with the school colors, symbol, and "Olys" on the front for the game.  He got a lot of compliments and even had his picture taken. 

 

He had his therapy evaluations and will be starting next week.  The wheels of bureaucracy had slowed down a bit so I called and got them sped up, seems my health care provider only approved for Sam evaluation and not therapy.  He's only going to need three or so visits for PT and then about two months of OT and Speech.  The school is providing him a tutor for the rest of this school semester and into the second one if he needs.  He is scheduled to start school in January for the second semester.  He's getting bored so pray for patience for all of Sam and for us.  I'm sure once therapy and tutoring starts we will be very busy.

 

Yesterday as part of his home therapy he wrote the grocery list after checking out lack of food and then he and Cameron went grocery shopping with Sam leading the way.  He had to find the items in the store, compare prices, and make sure he didn't forget anything.  He called me a couple of times asking about brands and how many, etc.  When he got home he had a bit of a headache and Cameron helped him find a couple of things yet he did pretty good. 

 

Sam has follow-up neurologist and CT scan appointments are tomorrow and hopefully we will be able to make the appointment to get the bone flap put back in.  Mom and Karylinn are joining us for that visit and it is great to have their love and support.  Sam's accident brought us closer and now it seems weird not to see them every day. 

 

I'll write more after his appointments. 

 

We still need your prayers.  Please pray the CT scan shows enough healing that the doctors can reinsert the bone flap.  This brings us one more step towards "normalcy", whatever that may be.

 

God bless everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Sam's recovery.  Faith and love has pulled us all through this and will continue to do so.

 

Mom/Stephanie