Christine Update

Well, they didn’t “discharge” Christine yesterday or today but they did let her go “home” on “pass” last night. The Safra lodge has become a little “home” away from home for us and the people there like family. It is a lovely facility which only just opened in 2006. However we weren’t able to leave the hospital until about 8:00 p.m. last evening so there was little to do except go to bed. But at least she could sleep without interruptions and in an environment which is less stressful. I think she slept better but still had a hard time going back to sleep once she woke during the night. They wanted her back in her hospital room at 8:00 in the morning so it was still a short night. Today has been a busy day with physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. For OT she made a salad and did fairly well using the specially designed knives for people with motor deficiencies on one side. Speech therapy was more difficult as she was being tested in many areas. The higher level reasoning and abstract information manipulation was very challenging. The therapist called it “discourse level expression” which is coming very slowly. Normal day to day things and describing/naming objects comes much easier with only 3-5 second delays.

Thankfully she has been off all pain meds for two days now which helps with bowls function. She is still on a steroid to reduce swelling, a blood thinner and Keppra and maybe some other meds. They said they can remove the staples on Thursday. Yesterday another OB visit still revealed a healthy baby. Few babies have had this many ultrasounds. Everything looked good they said.

After talking to the neurosurgeon yesterday, most likely they will keep her here until she regains more strength and function. She easily fatigues with exertion. Even the speech therapy wore her out. If we can stay a few more days but be on “pass” we can get some more rehab before we leave but not have to be in the hospital room. So we may be able to fly home on Friday. I guess the plans change every day so we will see. Today she said “Fly home Thursday!” Every day she feels better and better and is more and more anxious to get on her way home. Elliot is anxious to be with mommy more too. He comes and visit mommy in the hospital ever day but has to leave her every evening. He can’t wait to be with her all the time again. He has grown in the last two weeks we have been back here and is not the same little boy we left.

We are going back to Safra lodge for the evening again. What a blessed sanctuary that place is. God has indeed been good to us. The initially told us that there was no room available but a room opened up on Monday night the very day Christine came into the hospital full time. It has been such a blessing to be here on campus.

Praise God we will get to go home this week. Please continue to pray for the recovery of Christine’s right hand motor function and speech abilities. These can be very frustrating at times. They should know something on pathology soon. Pray that it is a very slow growing variety.

Blessings,

Rob Neall