"October 6th, Pump Placement"

Sept 23, 2009
0536 Hours

Skype Webcam photo last week

Good morning to all,

Last evening while talking to Dar I learned the final details for Dar’s upcoming procedure.

Dar and I will head to Marin General on Monday the 5th and her procedure will be on Tuesday at 10:00 am. We will spend one more night and barring any complications or issues we will return to CareMeridian on Wednesday.

Monday Dr. Duncan from Kentfield evaluated Dar and requested the usual small tests common before surgery. As it turns out Dar has another UTI, Dr Duncan prescribed antibiotics for 7 days and another round of different ones after these have run their course. The second set is preventative and precautionary before and during surgery.

Dr Duncan will also meet with Dr. Dawson the morning of surgery.

As you can well imagine it has been very frustrating as we await the date for Dar’s procedure. Dar in the last few days seems by all accounts to be making some great strides. Her speaking has increased tremendously, although words are not always clear it is very clear that she working very hard to follow what the therapists are asking her to do.

When I speak with her on the Skype she is participating in all conversations and attempting to complete new tasks. Christy told me yesterday that Dar’s vocabulary is changing also. She is using words that she has not used before.

On Monday Christy was working with Dar on the mat in the PT room when I called. We arranged that when Dar returned to her room that I would call again. Shortly after the call I received a call from Dar. She was not in her room; in fact she was in her chair still in the PT room. It turns out she did not want to go back to bed and wanted to stay up.

During our 1-hour call I noticed that Dar appeared not to have her headrest on her chair. The reason I noticed but could not be sure was because Dar kept picking her head up and moving it forward as if she was looking at something on the floor. It so startled me that I thought she was going to fall forward out of her chair. I asked her to put her head back and she did. There was no way for me to see her headrest but I felt better. As we continued to talk Dar again lifted her head this time looking to the left and right and then as before looking at something on the ground. Again she freaked me out. I asked her again to put her head back and she did. Finally Rosa came into the room and turned the light on so that I could see Dar better. I asked Rosa if Dar’s headrest was on her chair and indeed it was. Rosa told me that Dar had been doing this new “feat” for about 3 days.

Folks I have to tell you that this is a huge step!!! Not only does this show that Dar is gaining strength, but it also shows that she is able to do something now that she has not been able to do in almost 9 months. It also shows that Dar can follow a request and process the information being requested of her. The brain is finding pathways of completion to end a requested task. The brain is continuing to heal!!!!!

As Dr. Doherty said the very first day I met her. “Time” is Dar’s best friend and sleep is her best tool.

I find myself like a puppy with a new toy as we approach the date of the procedure. Seeing the things that Dar is able to do “pre” placement only allows me to think of the things she will hopefully be able to do “post” procedure. For all these many months Dar has been “locked” but now we are seeing small, very small changes in her status. These things that we see now before “placement” just give me cause to be “oh” so hopeful that after the procedure we will all be able to “praise” and give thanks for what things Dar may be capable of doing. I will do my best to keep all things in perspective but it is oh so hard.

We are off to see the eye specialist tomorrow at 1:30, Dar is excited about going in the Silverado with me and Maverick. I ask her all the time if she remembers where we are going on Thursday and with her best effort she tells me that we are going to the “eye doctor” even this is a huge accomplishment. It tells us that her short-term memory is getting better, her ability to recall recent events is improving, and equally as important, she is trying to increase her vocabulary. As I said I am like a puppy with a new toy.

These are exciting times and these times could not be realized without the prayers from all of you, without God above, and most of all without the “fight”, “faith” and desire of a very special child of God. Many months ago I told all of you that Dar is the most “selfless” person I know. This little tiny “fireball” is making her way back to all of us. The story she will have, the testimony of faith, hope and love to share to all of us and we with her.

Thank you everyone, please pray “hard” these next couple of weeks, pray for tomorrow, but most of all give thanks that this little angel of God is showing all of us what faith and hope and the power of prayer is really all about.

God bless all of you and from the bottom of my heart, Dar and I love you all.

Danny