Christmas 2007, Ho Ho Ho

0530 hours,

Came in about 4:00 this am and Dar 's eyes were open,we chatted a bit, tickled her feet and she was again responsive, sort of tickled her cheeks and she liked that too. Smiled a big smile.

0545 hours,

Nurse came into check Dar's blood sugar and Dar did not particularly liked being pinched on the finger, responded by kicking her legs, so we now have reaction to pain stimulas and tickles, I don't know if you call tickles pain, especially since she smiles when you do it.

Coming up on the 6:00 hour now, going to get fishing license shortly and take a little break and "wet a fly" at the river. How cool is it that you can be so close to so many outdoor activities 5 minutes away. Just having found my way back to fishing in the last couple of years I realized how much I have missed it. But as with most everything Dar and I do, we do it together, whether it was fishing while we were camping together or taking the bass boat to the lake we are always together. Kinda cool having your best friend with you doing the things you both enjoy. Way cool.

More to follow,maybe a "fish story". Stay tuned.

10:45 am

Well know fish stories to tell, I guess that is why they call it fish'in not catch'in.

Dar bathed and looking well, resting peacefully upon my return, got really antsy after about 9o minutes on the river. Could'nt concentrate, got frustrated, packed it in. Very hard to be away for any length of time.

Dar, Roger, Diane, Dad, Mom- Dads 70th B-Day Lake Tahoe

Taken at beautiful Lake Tahoe, dad celebrated by para-sailing. Not pictured is older sister Christine. Could'nt get away.

Interesting day at the hospital today, about 8:00 ish or so they lost power and were on generator till about 6:30 this evening. Dar never missed a beat, ICU had it a little tougher.

Dar continues to rest well, smiles when I am in the room, laughs when she feels like it or when I tell her about Maverick and the silly things he does.

Today after her bath Dar had sun light thru her window and was able to get a little sun, little rosy cheeks, she really looks good, her hair is cute, she has good color. I just wish she would wake from this nap.

Went to get my fishing license but was not to successful, no power downtown, I will get one tomorrow, might try to catch a steelhead in the river near the hospital, I try to take little short breaks during the day,not able to be gone much more than an hour or so. I just don't feel right for leaving her side for very long. Waiting for a call from Diane in Salem Ore, the week-end calls being covered be her and the week days by mom and dad.

Maybe I will have a fish story for you.

News flash, for the second night in a row Dar has kicked her right foot out form the sheets, Dar met Carolyn ( night shift RN, new to the Dream Team), with a big smile and a very good ho hoho. Resting well and I am getting ready to head for home and feed Maverick. Talked with my fishing buddy Joe and we are going to meet at 7:00 am and see if we can catch a steelhead. I will sit with Dar my usual early morning and take a bbreak and try to catch a fish. Sleep well my friends.

Love to all, Dar/Danny/Mav

PSSSSSS, Just prior to my leaving we discovered Dar very responsive to tickling her feet, she would move them and wiggle her toes and smile and giggle/laugh. Thought you would want to know.

An Evening boat ride with friends, this is the life

Again our trip to Lake Almanor in 2006, just an evening on the lake watching the sunset.



Dar continues to rest very well, in fact today after her bath Sarah again spent great time and I am sure much effort and re-braided Dar's hair and put it all on top. She used scruntchies and it really, really looks cute.



Dar's vital are great, in fact her breathing has gotten much better, chest rise and fall seems to be much more relaxed, and they have only had to suction here a couple of times today. I ordered up a chest x-ray last night and it was taken this am, Dr Sha told her nurse to tell me that it looks better. Maybe the reason for her better breathing.



I talked to Kentfiel for quite awile today rather than go there, We already know from the Pros that this is where she needs to be, I finally realized that the reason I was wanting to go was for myself. To make me feel better, to, I don't know some how make it ok for me. Point is it is not me, Dar is going to get the best care available, Kentfield is where she will get it.



I am told that she will have a very busy schedule beginning with rehab to get off the trake. She will have goals to reach based upon her specific assesment. She will be working very hard several times a day.



Her attending doctor, has 20 years experience in anoxic trauma, she has an aggressive attitude toward different brain stimulus, she will be directly overseeing Dar. Her doc has seen some wonderful things happen in her hospital, lets expect more, ya think?



It appears that Dar will transfer early next week, I am thinking probably Tues/Wed, as I did not hear anything about Monday.



Well my friends, I came home a little earlier tonight, I know who is caring for Dar tonight and at 7:00 am tomorrow, I am going to attempt to sleep in a little longer, maybe 3:00 or 4:00 instead of 2:00.



Tonight I came home and added to Dar's ipod music , will sync it to the Ipod tomorrow am.



I again can't thank all of you enough for your prayes and even the comments left on Dar's blg, they are very dear to me. I would like to say a very special thank you to both my sisters Lorrie, Julie and Lorrie's husband Jerry. It doesn't seem to matter what time I call or need something, they are there. Thank you sis"s and Jerry, Dar and I love you. Dad thanks for your "offers".



To all the others, Elby, Mel, Doug, Pat, David, Megan, Nate, Art, Linda, John, Ev, Lenny, my daughter Jamie,

Bangor School Staff, Christina, Denise, Bertha, Jennifer, Dan, Charlie, Linda, Joe, Robyn, Steve Tammy, Harold, Kim, Heidi H, to all the ones that I have I'm sure forgotten, thank you for your support and prayers for Dar and myself and even the Awesome One Maverick. I will never be able to repay you, please know that Dar and I love you all.



To Dar's family, mom, dad, Christine & Gary, Diane & Roger, Thank you for your support and understanding in times of some heavy decisions. Thank you for the nightly phone calls, thank you for the bithday wishes.

Thank you for raising such a beautiful daughter and sister.

Again, another big thank you to all of the Dream Team members of Unit II of Oroville Hospital. Your care and professionnalism exceeds words. Every nurse, aide, R/T, tech, anyone that has ever stepped into Dar's room to care for her, you have my utmost respect and thanks, you guys and gals are the "BOMB".



Good night dear friends, you are special to me.



Love,

Dar/Danny/Mav

PSSSSSSS.

Damn, I almost forgot the other big news. Tonight Dar moved her right foot under the sheets, when I lifted the sheets to watch she did not move again, but when I picked up the heal of her right foot she pulled it back enough to bend at the knee. Way cool, right? Keep them prayers comin. Good night all, Danny

A good Western and Mav is a happy camper

Yep you read correctly, mav loves to watch TV, especially his favorite, the PBR. He even has his favorite bulls. Twice a week he pulls every toy out of his toy box and pretends he is a bucking bull. Sat and Sundays is quite the event in our house.WE not even watch the show on the tube but we get the added fun of Mav acting out as a bucking bull. No lie, this dog loves western movies,, horses. cows and really anything with hooves.



the picture shown was taken in our first trailer at Lake Almanors Rocky Point campground. Give him a good western on the tube or in this case a computer and life is good.







Restfull night for Dar, smiled a bit this morning when I came in, vitals all good. It's time for her to wake, you think?







Hopefully today early I will get the word from our insurance provider and I will be headed to Marin County to do a surprize walk through of their facility.



7:35 pm



Just returned home. We got verbal confirmation form the Director of the facility and charts and paperwork have been faxed to the Admisssions Office. Now we wait and see, I would imagine they won't transfer on the weekend so I am thinking it will probably be the first of next week.



Dar had her eyes open and looking around the room and blinking for all of my visit this afternoon and this evening. I was able to get her to smile and laugh some too.



Will keep you all updated as we go through this journey. Love you all, and rest well tonight.



Love,

Darlene,Danny and Mav

"Tiny but Fearless "

Just arrived at the hospital, found Dar somewhat awake and responsive to my arrival. We chatted abit and before long she is laughing at my stupid impressions and stories of Maverick.



Ran her through her physical therapy tasks as I was shown yesterday.

She had a restfull night and I was able to get a couple hours sleep myself. Maverick is with me as always still wondering where mom is.

7:57 pm

Today I had a very hard time finding words and making them sound co-herent, I guess I am really tired. Today was also a day of overwhelming paperwork, insurance and job protection. I about had a melt down. But, making one phone call all has been resolved and I am better now.

Dar resting well, still laughing with me when she chooses to wake, staff comes running when I get her wound up. She just needs to do it when I ask her.

After yesterdays eval Donna made a recomendation to our insurance provider to have Dar placed in a rehab facility in Marin County. It comes highly recommended and my research beares this out. I had hoped to do a surprize walk thru tomorrow but I have not received final word from our carrier. The neat thing about this place Dar can stay as long as neccessary and climb the ladder of recovery at her will, then when I decide that she is a strong level 3 or even 4 then I call Santa Clara and off we go. You only get so many days or months in acute re-hab. long term care can go on for a long time, so why not take advantage.

Well I am home earlier than I ever have so I am going to take advantage and Mav and I are going to bed 2:00 am comes early.

As always please continue your prayers and I love and appreciate you all, good night dear friends.

Danny, Darlene, Maverick

I am finding words are hard to come by this morning, it seems a struggle to put my thoughts to pen. Maybe I need to give the "ol" brain a litle rest. Will continue later.

A beautiful lady enjoying God's beauty

Todays evaluation was very good but just not quite enough to have Dar moved toSCVMC. Just not quite there. Based on their requirements Dar needs to be at the third level of their scale. She needs to be able to show more of what she did last night on a little more consistent basis. Even to respond to questions like, hold two fingers up, move your right foot,stick your tongue out. Again a little more Purposeful.



Dar is knocking on the door of level 3, she has successfully passed the first two and is knocking on door number three but still has a little ways to go.



It sounds discouraging and it is to a degree but Donna (SCVM) agrees it is still early, according to her Dar has made great progress. Even better than many she has seen with this type of injury. We have as long as it takes to have her bust thru door #3 there is no time limit. We may see great strides in the next few days, we don't know. Donna has told me that as I see things and make mental notes and blog notes to stay in touch with her. She is only a couple of hours away.

I should probably clarify that the things we are looking for do not have to be consistent, quite the opposite, inconsistent is fine. If you do a google search for....... rancho los amigos levels for traumatic brain injury..... you will see the 8 levels that I am referring to. Dar has passed 1&2 and is on the threshold of 3. Think of it this way Dar has climbed two flights of stairs and is somewhere in between floors 2 & 3. I am confident she will bust thru door # 3. Also keep in mind that she works on her timetable, not ours. Her awake active time seems to be early in the morning and early evening. That is when I need to be busy with her. I am told to always try to wake her when I see her. Give her stimulus, today I was shown how to give her physical therapy. She will get it once a day from the hospital but when I am here I should work with her too

Please try not to be too disappointed, I know it's hard, I'm disappointed, but I also know the road to Dar's recovery is going to be long, hard and not always what I or we want.

It is going to take time. We all remember those words we spoke to one another when we got married. I am, in this for the long haul, it may not be fair, it may not be right, but this is what I have and everyday that I have with Dar is better than a day without her.

Please continue your prayers, there is nothing wrong asking God for specifics, the things we want. Just remember ultimatley all of this is in His hands. Again I appreciate each and everyone of you, if I were to ask anything for myself it would be that I could use a good healthy shot of giddy up and go juice. I am tired, I don't sleep all that well and it is very hard to leave Dars side. But all and all I am holding up very well and as I said " I am in this for the long haul". God bless each of you.

This will probably be my Post for the day, again thank you, stick around we have more miracles coming.

Good night all,

Love, Darlene, Danny and the "Awesome One" Maverick

Dar and Robyn "thats just too funny"

Resting well this am, eyes tracking to light, will close fingers around my hand. All great signs, assesment day today. Keep good thoughts.

Love ya all, Danny