Really

[victorskid]

Thanks for all the new information @pat c - sending hugs to you too, of course!

I'm sure everyone feels quite helpless at the moment, especially the family. They're right that she is exactly where she needs to be for the best chance at a good result.

Prayers for everyone involved!

 

[pat c]

Thankyou for the update, pat.

All my strength to Really and her family, with every finger and toe crossed that she recovers well. Is there anything we can do to help Gerry during this time?

I'll let Gerry answer that as he can now access this board. But as it's a waiting game, I'd say for the moment, just crossing all your digits and sending good thoughts is good.

 

[Buzz]

Thanks for the update Pat! Good to know she is getting the best of care and her family is hopeful.

 

[MrSatterwhite]

OMG I didn't expect this, get well soon Lee, so heartbroken righ now.

 

[doubleturn]

Lots of thoughts and prayers are with Lee and her loved ones.

 

[skatesindreams]

Thank you for the update, pat c. and Gerry.
Sending continued support to you, and of course, to Lee.

 

[Dave of the North]

I'm shocked by this bad news, hoping for the best for Lee and Gerry & family. Sending good thoughts to them.

 

[Gerry]

Thank you all. I don't have time to respond to you all, but I can tell you Lee appreciates your thoughts and prayers.

They just took her to surgery now, and as I indicated, thus is only the beginning of her recovery.

I will keep Pat updated as we learn more, and she will share with you. Thanks again for being such good friends to Lee.

Gerry

 

[genevieve]

Thank you Pat and Gerry for the updates. We are all pulling for Lee.

 

[rfisher]

Gerry,
We can't help you now other than to let you and the kids know there are many who are sitting in the waiting room with you in spirit. You will need the most help during her rehab. At that point, we may be able to help in some ways. Other than that, use us to vent if you need to. It's hard keeping the brave face in front of your family. We're a virtual sounding board. Some of us have been through similar experiences with our family and we understand. We won't tell you everything will be all right, because only God knows at this point. But, we can listen.

 

[purple skates]

@Gerry, I second what @rfisher said. My husband had a simple operation that went wrong and almost died from it. He was about 40 days in the hospital, at this time of year. This community helped me hold things together.

I'm sending strength and support to you all.

 

[Debbie S]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope the surgery goes well and that Lee is able to recover fully.

 

[Jeanine]

I don't comment here much but I just wanted to say that I'll keep Lee in my thoughts and prayers. Sending love to her family and everyone else who knows and cares about her.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I will be thinking of Lee today and until she gets better. I hope that we can get cupcakes again in the future.

 

[Jayar]

I am completely devastated by this news. She has always been such a beautiful presence on and off of this community, and I am sending all of my love and good thoughts to her for a full recovery. Come on, Really! We need you!!

 

[Lorac]

My love and positive thoughts go out to Lee and her family. Stay strong and know many people from the wide FSU family are with you in spirit {{{Lee}}}

 

[Spun Silver]

So very sorry to hear this! Adding my prayers for Really and family.

As the wife of a brain injury survivor I know that recovery is slow (like a year+) and much of the healing is accomplished by sheer rest. It is as hard on the family as the patient, so you guys should prepare for a marathon and be very good to yourselves. This is life-changing. If I can be of any help please let me know. When/if you want, there is a wonderful Facebook support group for spouses of traumatic brain injury victims -- a closed group so you can really let it out among people who totally get it. You start here and then get approved into the closed ("secret") group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/spousesofTBIsupportgroup/

To give you hope: my husband had what the head of the Neuro ICU said was one of the worst brain injuries he had seen in 20 years of practice. Over the past two years he has made a great recovery and is essentially the same person he was before ... though with some changes and losses. He continues to improve (despite the common advice from doctors that recovery is pretty much complete at 18 months). Things were bleak for a long time but little by little with a lot of hard work (both his and mine) tremendous recovery happened. I wish and will pray for the best for all of you.

 

[Hanna]

What horrible news. Thinking of Really.

 

[JasperBoy]

Best wishes and positive thoughts to Lee and her family.

 

[manhn]

Thank you for the update, Gerry and Pat! We are here for all of you. I am heartened by the fact that the direction is heading positive, albeit slowly.

 

[AYS]

I have all of my digits crossed that the surgery will be successful and damage minimal.

 

[skatefan]

Thank you for the update Gerry, hugs to you all and hoping the surgery goes well.

 

[judiz]

Sending healing thoughts

 

[overedge]

@Gerry thank you for the updates. How devastating for this to happen to Lee. ((hugs)) to you all, and sending prayers for strength and healing to you and the family.

 

[timing]

(((Really and Really's family)))

 

[Erin]

Wow, I don't know what to say to this. Thank you Gerry and Pat for the updates and I'm glad to hear the neurosurgeons are cautiously optimistic. I was lucky enough to meet Lee at two skating events and I hope to see her at a future ones. I'll be keeping her and Gerry in my thoughts today.

 

[Skate Talker]

My thoughts are with you Lee, Gerry and family.

As with some others on FSU, I have first-hand experience. My father suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm some 25 years ago. Many advances have been made in this area in the intervening years. I know the situation is more than serious, but you have passed the first 2 critical steps. Really was strong enough to survive the initial event and the doctors were able to stabilize her. Then the source of the bleed was located quickly enabling this timely surgery. All of these are very positive signs.

In my father's case, there was a 3 week delay before they could locate the damaged blood vessel and operate, during which time he suffered additional bleeds. Even so, he eventually was able to make a reasonable recovery. He ended up remaining in a lengthy coma and eventually had another operation to install a shunt to help drain excess brain fluids, after which he very slowly came out of the coma. I tell you this only so that even if no progress seems to be taking place, or is incredibly slow, don't give up hope of additional recovery. Even the doctor who discharged him turned out to have greatly underestimate the extent to which he would recover. The mind is a truly amazing thing.

As others here have said, please feel free to use us as a place to vent, a sounding board, or anything you need. ((((Hugs))))

 

[sk8pics]

I am so sorry to hear this. I have no words of wisdom, only assurances that @Really and her whole family will be in my prayers.

 

[Meredith]

My thoughts and prayers are with Lee and her family through this crisis.

Thank you @Gerry and @pat_c for keeping us updated.

 

[Jayar]

@Gerry It is easy to be friends with Lee, as you know, she is a fantastic person. I am sitting here in my home in California remembering all of the times that I have been lucky enough to catch up with Lee in person at skating events. Even when I was at my busiest, Lee would make an effort to meet for five minutes for a hug, some quick skating gossip, and catching up on life as best we could in a short time. I am sending you and your family all of my best as Lee fights through this, and thank you for keeping @pat c in the loop so that we are all kept updated. If there is anything that I can do from a distance, please let me know.