Really

[halffull]

^ ditto! Hugs

 

[skatesindreams]

Adding my continued support and best wishes.

 

[FreeAgent]

And adding mine as well.

 

[victorskid]

Thinking about @Really and @Gerry and their family! Can't let this fall off page 1

 

[Spun Silver]

I hope no news is good news!

Yesterday I came across some tips posted by two men in my TBI caregiver support group. I am sharing them in case you mgiht need them, @Gerry.

One called his tips "the TBI 10 Cs":
1) Take care of the caregiver,
2) Take care of the categiver,
3) Take care of the caregiver,
4) Dont take it personal,
5) There will be plenty of room for mistakes, see item 4,
6) You are human and can only do so much, see items 1-4,
7) Things will change,
8) Medical professionals are NOT always right,
9) Do not under-estimate the impact of what you do,
10) You are actually an expert in the care of your loved one.

The other guy posted this:

Ask for help
Its okay to be wrong
Enjoy the little victories
Its okay to cry
Make time for yourself
Ask for help
Take care of your health
Things will never be as they were
NO one knows how the brain heals
Take charge

*

Praying for coping and wellbeing and recovery for both of you! (It is a traumatic experience requiring recovery for the caregiver as well.)

 

[Gerry]

Hi Team

I haven't been on for a while.. things have been happening.

On Tuesday, Lee's Neurosurgeon came to officially set her up for a relocate; like moving from the ICU to Recovery, when she was no longer the sickest person in the Unit, she was finally too healthy for Acute Care, and so they felt she could be transferred back to our local hospital for supportive care and more healing time while she waits her turn on the waitlist for rehabilitation programming.

Wednesday was spent doing some physio, talking with friends who came by to visit, and getting more sleep.

On Thursday morning, in the space of 15 minutes, we learned that:

a) Lee's Doctor had accepted her back
b) our local hospital had an open bed for her
c) an ambulance from our area was already in the building (dropping off another patient) and would be happy to take her home!

We quickly grabbed up all of her stuff, the ambulance attendants arrived with the stretcher, and we bid adieu to the fine staff at the University of Alberta Hospital.. we owe them her life, and will have to return to thank them, once she is on her feet again... too often, hospital staff perform their miracles without ever seeing the results. We don't intend to let that happen this time; her rescue is just too dramatic to let them go unheralded.

By 3:00 pm Thursday - Day 65 - Lee was snug in a bed in our local hospital, in the community where her friends and colleagues all live and work; she will have lots of visitors, and get lots of rest, and opportunity to work on healing, reconnecting her memories, and on rebuilding herself while we wait for the move to (what I feel is) Alberta's Top Brain Injury Rehabilitation centre.

Since then, our kids have come up to visit, bringing their kids (our grandchildren) to make her smile. Yesterday, our daughter spoiled Lee by giving her a long-overdue pedicure, and I have been getting to sleep in my own bed, in my own house, 2 minutes away from the hospital.

Thanks for all the prayers and for holding Lee in your thoughts; I know that has helped her get to this point, and I know it will carry her further. We are blessed to be on this journey in the company of strangers, and friends, secure in the knowledge that good people are doing their best every day to help us get through the wilderness. Today, we are one step closer to home.

 

[Aceon6]

Thanks for the update @Gerry

It's been a long haul. Just having her close by is a major step. Keep on keepin' on. We're here for you.

 

[quartz]

Aaaand crying again......so very happy that Lee is making such fabulous progress.
Thank you Gerry, and your wonderful medical support team, for all you do, every single day, to help Lee get her life back.

 

[MrSatterwhite]

Today, we are one step closer to home.

"Been a long time, little donkey Through the winter’s night. Don’t give up now, little donkey Bethlehem’s in sight"

 

[skatesindreams]

What wonderful news.

I'm sure that being close to home; near familiar people and things, will do much to assist Lee's continued progress.
It is a privilege to be able to follow Lee's recovery; and be part of her "team".

Thank you, Gerry, for making it possible.

 

[AYS]

That is fantastic news @Gerry

 

[Catherine M]

Such great news to hear that Lee is back home among family and friends. You too Gerry. Will say a special prayer at mass today for her continued recovery.

 

[Finnice]

Like @quartz, tears of happiness here, too. Grear news, @Gerry!

 

[manhn]

Excellent news. I am glad she is moving closer to home.

 

[made_in_canada]

Tears here too It'll be so nice to be closer to home and nice for you, Gerry, to be in your own bed.

 

[Kasey]

I just got home from work ,and am sleep deprived, and am crying from happiness too. What a relief and how wonderful for her to be closer to home!

 

[LilJen]

Miracles.

 

[purple skates]

Such great news @Gerry, for all of you.

 

[Dave of the North]

Thanks for the great news, Gerry!

 

[pollyanna]

Thank you for the happy news, Gerry. I'm thrilled for you both! Miraculous!

 

[Garden Kitty]

Wonderful news, thank you so much for this update!!

 

[KCC]

I'm so happy for the great news! Hopefully, she will continue to make strides in her healing and can enjoy a few programs from the world championships.

 

[Jayar]

Thanks for the update @Gerry. Do cards still go to the first address?

 

[Gerry]

Thanks Jayar!

Yes, any cards you want to send go to the Cards_4_Lee box at Bentley School, as before.

 

[skatingfan5]

Wonderful, wonderful news that Lee is now back and only two minutes away from her own home! Thank you so much @Gerry for your continued updates of Lee's progress.

 

[Lizziebeth]

So glad that you and Lee are so much closer to home - what great news.

 

[Spun Silver]

Congratulations, @Gerry. What a victory! This will make a big difference. So happy for you both.

I am also glad that you intend to go back and thank the ICU staff. I have always wanted to do that but have never been able to interest my husband since he has no recollection of that period and is still in denial about his injury in many ways. They rarely get to see the end result of their life-saving work. A lot of us caregiver spouses think ICU doctors are wrong when they commonly say that most recovery is seen in the first 18 months. Maybe if more patients went back after 18 months they would understand how recovery progresses better.

 

[mag]

Such fabulous news; thank you for sharing! As I was reading my FB feed today I was thinking about Lee, and about all the scientists, all over the world, working in labs, writing grant applications, struggling for funding, sometimes working for years without a breakthrough, yet gradually making progress. All the equipment and drugs used to keep Lee alive and to aid in her recovery come from a scientist somewhere.

So I am not going to say it is miracle, but I am going to be I awe of all the hard work put in by the healthcare professionals, by Gerry and family, of course by Lee, but also by all the scientists who are so often forgotten. We have come a long way from leeches, and I am very thankful for modern medicine.

 

[MINAM]

Congratulation! Thanks for the update. I'm really glad to hear that you're only 2minutes away from the hospital and that you can sleep in your own bed.
Honestly, hospital commuting itself can be really stressful. I felt a little hollow when things settled when I was in a similar situation.
I know you don't need to be reminded but please spoil yourself once in a little while. Take care!

 

[Habs]

I think there's something in my eye....

Thanks for the update, @Gerry!