" More good news "

December 15, 2010

Good morning to all, as the Holidays draw nearer I find myself feeling all sorts of emotions. Nearing the two-year mark of Dar’s accident, finding the blockage in the left lung on Christmas Day, Dar awakening from her coma on my birthday, Jan 4th.

The last two years have been at the least a time of growth and reflection on my part. Two years ago you could never have made me believe that Dar and I would be traveling a road that one might think is reserved “for the other guy”, I could not have been more wrong.

These last couple of weeks I find myself thinking of the day that Dar and I spent together just before she went off to work, first to the Post Office and then to Walmart. I had cooked dinner early that day and sent her off with a smile and good wishes for a great day. We spoke on the phone during her lunch hour, she was busily doing a Christmas craft project while she ate, a needlepoint project for one of her co-workers if I recall correctly. In fact that very project is still in her Home Depot nylon bag in her room. Little did I know my life would change forever in but just a couple of hours after speaking to Dar.

I had no idea that Dar had been feeling pretty lousy for some time, you see Dar was not a complainer, she wasn’t the type of lady that stayed home from work because she felt a bit under the weather. Even in the years before she and I were married I don’t think she ever called in sick to the school, let alone if she were feeling poorly would you ever be able to tell. That’s just how Dar is, that’s how she rolls. I don’t think I will ever forget that dreadful phone call at 11:45 and the ensuing hours and days till the Christmas afternoon when they found and removed the blockage in her lung which eventually led to her coming off the ventilator.

We have had so many blessings in the last two years, even since last Christmas.

Dar came home in October 2009, she was able to get out and do some traveling to doctors, Jamie and Margie stepped up to care for Dar so I could keep working and occasionally get in a fishing trip. Dar progressed at home in ways that can only be attributed to the “home”. The list is bountiful.

With so many things to be thankful for, so many answers to prayer, so many reasons to be grateful; why am I in this “funk”?

I don’t know if you can begin to imagine the thoughts and thinking one might go through as one travels this road. Most of the time my thinking is level headed, meticulously clear, always with Dar’s best interests in mind, always looking for what might help her regain as much as she possibly can. For some reason, this Holiday Season I am really struggling, second-guessing myself, allowing myself to have thoughts that I have missed something, that I have not done something I should have or I missed the obvious.

Enough about me and my “funk”, I will find my “peace”, I will get back on top of the mountain, I have too.

Yesterday we had more good news, Dar went 8 hours in the “spontaneous mode” on the ventilator, once again “spontaneous” means that she is doing everything on her own and the machine is only there to back her up if for some reason she “forgets” to breath, the machine is set for 10-12 seconds. Thankfully yesterday and during the 8 hours Dar did not have any “apnic” episodes.

Additionally, Dar’s Dilantin levels were totally in the “therapeutic” range, therapeutic range is between 10 and 20. Dar’s level was 16.6. This tells us that in theory Dar should not be having any seizure activity. We are going to have an EEG on the 30th to confirm this. Keep in mind the EEG will only show if she is having any seizures at the time of the test. It will not tell us if she has had any since the last test was done.

These results that I have been so anxious to have are leading up what will be more communication with Dr Doherty regarding Dar’s demeanor and lack of luster. You see, II am of the belief that Dar is suffering from the same thing I am. I believe that she too is in a “serious funk” and has taken the one thing that she can control and is “choosing” to exercise that control. If you recall she has done this before, both at Kentfield and CareMeridian. Both times she became “inward and non-responsive”, both times we were able to find the problem and address it and “all was good in the hood”.

Once we know that the seizures are under control I will seek the advise of Dr Doherty, who is waiting right along with us, and follow her ideas.

The staff continues to amaze me, we even received a personal Christmas card with many of Dar’s caregivers signatures, such a nice thought.

I do have a prayer request specific to Dar’s roomy at Kentfield, do you all remember Latosha Stewart? Tosha was Dar’s roomy and she and her mom and dad took Darlene as one of their own, They all watched out and over Dar when I was not there and if Dar was ever in any trouble Latosha was on that cell phone of hers texting her dad and it would not be too long after that Dar’s needs were met because Stewart made a phone call from home.

Well, Latosha is back at Kentfield, I will reserve details until such time as I have spoken to Carol and Stewart and have their permission to share with you. Let’s just ask that you specifically pray for healing in Latosha’s body, rest for mom and dad and among all peace for the whole family.

It is my plan to drive to Kentfield Saturday morning and spend a few hours with the family and then go see Dar on the way home, after all it is on the way, (ha ha), that’s supposed to be funny, : O )

Well as I said, I will do my best to overcome “my” funk, please pray that Dar will find her perk soon. Oh, maybe a cancellation in the EEG schedule might speed things up too.


Love and thanks to all of our friends and family,

Dar/Danny