Phew ... a big update from me!

[zillazangel]

Wow, what a completely insane last few weeks. I cannot remember (literally!) exactly what I've shared with who so pardon the redundancies, but I gave myself a severe concussion, a basiliar fracture, about 3 weeks ago. The first few days after it happened I was mostly OK, but then I started developed serious symptoms. I had a CT scan, MRI, x-rays, blood work etc and all of it showed a very severe brain injury. My brain swelled and I cracked the base of my skull .... RIGHT ABOVE C1 !!!!! .... in 3 places and the fractures had little eggshell fractures that radiated out from each of them. It was bad, bad, bad. I was down for the count for about 3 weeks and I am just now getting back to normal, although it does not take much at all to fatigue me. I work from home writing and designing things for drug development, so it fatigues my brain to work and physical activity fatigues me too! So, I am slowly coming back to speed. I take frequent breaks - about 1 hour work to 2 hours of rest or nap. It's been really hard and was/is scary because I have post concussive syndrome now and who knows how long that will last. But the good news is that I am vertical (at times! lol) and I feel MUCH better.

Our caregiver/PCA: FANTASTIC. Oh. My. God. The saying "good things come to those who wait" must be true. We have searched the world over at least twice and never came up with anyone that we would even remotely consider hiring and then this woman fell into our laps. It started by us advertising for someone to do 1/hr a day of range of motion on Chad as that was always the one thing I could never get done on a consistent basis for him, and it's so important. We hired her for that and then over the last few months we all agreed she should quit her full time job and work for us full time. We pay her $14/hour, which is alot compared to what Chad's paid in the past, but she is worth every every every penny. We are having to sacrifice quite a bit to afford this - I am going to sell my car and only drive the EVIL red van (where I fractured my skull), but it has been so wonderful. I would walk barefoot in the rain in trade to have her around!

Stanley: doing absolutely fantastic! I discipline him every rigidly since he is training to be a service dog, and so he got really sloppy the last 3 weeks because other people were walking him. (I had a spreadsheet that could rival Wal Mart's employee schedule for dog walkers!!) He got two 45 min walks a day while I was down, which is the minimum I do when I take care of him. So he was not destructive and bored, but towards the end every single walker said they could tell he really missed me. The first (very very slllllow) walk I took him on, he bounded around with pure joy - it was so gratifying to have that dog love me so much! Actually, I have to un-attach him from me, he gets severe separation anxiety when apart from me as I am with him 24/7, he needs to bond more with Chad and to be able to be alone, so we are working on that.

Small Boy - turned 6!!!!!!!! Had a really fun birthday party with a face painter and a bounce house (our neighbors own one, they loaned to us for free) and 25 kids. Yes, 25! All under age 7. But it was a good time and Small Boy had a great time. Mama is sad that her baby is getting so big though. Sniff, sniff. But he's such a good, good boy and I'm really proud of me for raising such a sweet little boy. He just left this AM to visit his grandparents on his dad's side, I miss him already! But he was excited to go and he has terrific family on his dad's side, so I'm very glad that he is going. We had to go buy "up nawth" clothes for him yesterday though!!! He has only t-shirts and he outgrew alll of his winter stuff from last year. So we made an emergency trip to the mall yesterday! We had photos taken of him too, I'll post them over in members pictures sometime later when I get them scanned in.

Chad - he is doing really well. He currently has two very small sores on his butt, but they are healing quickly as they very shallow. They are mostly due to being up a long time every day last week for various reasons. But his spirits are good, his sores are healing and he is happy as a clam now that he gets lots more attention with a PCA and me.

So, other than a broken head, life is GREAT!

Ami

[Wise Young]

As some ancestor of mine probably said, Oyeve! Ami, it has indeed been an incredible month for you. A basilar fracture? I am astounded that you are posting here, 3 weeks later. Chad is one lucky man. I think that you should be crowned caregiver of the century.

Wise.

Originally Posted by zillazangel

Wow, what a completely insane last few weeks. I cannot remember (literally!) exactly what I've shared with who so pardon the redundancies, but I gave myself a severe concussion, a basiliar fracture, about 3 weeks ago. The first few days after it happened I was mostly OK, but then I started developed serious symptoms. I had a CT scan, MRI, x-rays, blood work etc and all of it showed a very severe brain injury. My brain swelled and I cracked the base of my skull .... RIGHT ABOVE C1 !!!!! .... in 3 places and the fractures had little eggshell fractures that radiated out from each of them. It was bad, bad, bad. I was down for the count for about 3 weeks and I am just now getting back to normal, although it does not take much at all to fatigue me. I work from home writing and designing things for drug development, so it fatigues my brain to work and physical activity fatigues me too! So, I am slowly coming back to speed. I take frequent breaks - about 1 hour work to 2 hours of rest or nap. It's been really hard and was/is scary because I have post concussive syndrome now and who knows how long that will last. But the good news is that I am vertical (at times! lol) and I feel MUCH better.

Our caregiver/PCA: FANTASTIC. Oh. My. God. The saying "good things come to those who wait" must be true. We have searched the world over at least twice and never came up with anyone that we would even remotely consider hiring and then this woman fell into our laps. It started by us advertising for someone to do 1/hr a day of range of motion on Chad as that was always the one thing I could never get done on a consistent basis for him, and it's so important. We hired her for that and then over the last few months we all agreed she should quit her full time job and work for us full time. We pay her $14/hour, which is alot compared to what Chad's paid in the past, but she is worth every every every penny. We are having to sacrifice quite a bit to afford this - I am going to sell my car and only drive the EVIL red van (where I fractured my skull), but it has been so wonderful. I would walk barefoot in the rain in trade to have her around!

Stanley: doing absolutely fantastic! I discipline him every rigidly since he is training to be a service dog, and so he got really sloppy the last 3 weeks because other people were walking him. (I had a spreadsheet that could rival Wal Mart's employee schedule for dog walkers!!) He got two 45 min walks a day while I was down, which is the minimum I do when I take care of him. So he was not destructive and bored, but towards the end every single walker said they could tell he really missed me. The first (very very slllllow) walk I took him on, he bounded around with pure joy - it was so gratifying to have that dog love me so much! Actually, I have to un-attach him from me, he gets severe separation anxiety when apart from me as I am with him 24/7, he needs to bond more with Chad and to be able to be alone, so we are working on that.

Small Boy - turned 6!!!!!!!! Had a really fun birthday party with a face painter and a bounce house (our neighbors own one, they loaned to us for free) and 25 kids. Yes, 25! All under age 7. But it was a good time and Small Boy had a great time. Mama is sad that her baby is getting so big though. Sniff, sniff. But he's such a good, good boy and I'm really proud of me for raising such a sweet little boy. He just left this AM to visit his grandparents on his dad's side, I miss him already! But he was excited to go and he has terrific family on his dad's side, so I'm very glad that he is going. We had to go buy "up nawth" clothes for him yesterday though!!! He has only t-shirts and he outgrew alll of his winter stuff from last year. So we made an emergency trip to the mall yesterday! We had photos taken of him too, I'll post them over in members pictures sometime later when I get them scanned in.

Chad - he is doing really well. He currently has two very small sores on his butt, but they are healing quickly as they very shallow. They are mostly due to being up a long time every day last week for various reasons. But his spirits are good, his sores are healing and he is happy as a clam now that he gets lots more attention with a PCA and me.

So, other than a broken head, life is GREAT!

Ami

[Le Type Français]

Wow Ami, you've come through a lot. I'm glad you're doing better. Keep healing!

[davesgirl aka anty]

Glad that everything is getting better for your family AMI

[kkmay]

Nice to hear.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Ami I have missed you. You sent me some quick emails but definately wasnt yourself....

I am glad things are looking up. Sometimes sacrifice is the best. If the lady is worth that money then you just have to figure out a way. I have heard others horror stories....

Looking forward to catching up when you have the time. Small boy is growing up on you....I went on my trip so IM when you have the time....

Im glad you are better.

[zillazangel]

Originally Posted by Wise Young

As some ancestor of mine probably said, Oyeve! Ami, it has indeed been an incredible month for you. A basilar fracture? I am astounded that you are posting here, 3 weeks later. Chad is one lucky man. I think that you should be crowned caregiver of the century.

Wise.

LOL! *** puts on tiara *** <--- it looks quite fetching on me.

But darn, I'll have to not really wear it as I'm just a regular girl trying to get by!! But now I have a phenomenal excuse when I do something stupid ... uhhh, "that was the head injury talking".

[ergvepeog]

Yep... Caregiver of the century! You go girl!

Sieg

[Susan M]

Ami--I'm glad you are doing better. Scary stuff, girl! Cool on the PCA--mine is PRICELESS!!

Little guy is growing up--just blink your eyes and he'll be a stubborn teen. Not fun!!

Keep hanging in there!

Susan

[dan_nc]

Way to go Ami. So happy to hear that you're on the mend!