April is back home in one piece. The boys are sooooo excited to see their mommy.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
April is back home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April is back home in one piece. The boys are sooooo excited to see their mommy.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
April is coming home
April has been released out of the hospital and is back at the hotel. If all goes well she will be fling back tomorrow. She is very excited to come home and she needs to get her rest. She won't be up for any phone calls just yet. whoopeee!!!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Oooh...GROSS! Hey, you asked for them!
These are some pictures of my incision. I wasn't going to post them, but SO MANY people kept begging for me to send them to them, so I conceded. If anyone has any suggestions of how to style my hair I'm taking any suggestions!Out of the Neuro ICU
Written yesterday at 5:00 pm
I get to make a jailbreak from the 24 hr/day, arm-sticking, people-waking, loud talking, "Nurse Wardens" in the ICU - who I also must say have taken great care of me - as soon as they get a room ready...yippee & wahoo!!! I can't wait! I have approx. 16 gillion wires everywhere that love to get tangled and drive the nurses crazy. =)
I have to say that this surgery was much harder than I had predicted, mostly b/c the worst kind of pain I'm experiencing -muscle spasms- cannot be treated with pain medicine. They're treated with muscle relaxers, but they have had to be careful to protect my airways. Hmmm...I thought if you just gave in to being a "druggy" you could always find a way out of pain...nope!
Sunday was a terrible pain day also. And I never, ever thought I could hit someone, but when the Physical Therapist came in and "so cheerfully" told me to get up out of bed so I could start walking (without offering me any help), she almost got a left hook! But, I could just hear Jack telling me "that's not a good choice, Mom," so I just let out a huge "hhhmmphhh" and rolled my eyes dramatically. (I'm guessing that wasn't the first time she'd gotten that reaction?!? I'd have had a lot more motivation if she'd dangled a Krispy Kreme donut on a stick out in front of me and told me if I caught up to it I could eat it! So, after about 30 minutes with my dad's and PT's help, I got out of bed, took two steps, and had to get right back in bed because it was so excruciating.
I slept the rest of the day....ahhhhhh....
Monday, "little miss positive" came back in and got me out of bed, again...grrrr. But much to my surprise I got out of bed easier and went about 10 feet with my walker and then back to the chair in my room where I sat upright for 3 hours!...now, I know that doesn't sound like a huge feat, but it was! The rest of that day I felt horrible and just battled the incredible swelling in my neck and the rock hard, bulging muscle spasms. Dad massaged my neck a lot and we used heat packs to soften them up. He and my doctors decided I looked like a linebacker.
Tuesday was great! Overall, I felt 200x better than Mondayand I have to humbly admit, the docs and therapists were right that getting moving would be hard at first, but it was the only way to start feeling better.I was able to walk 2 laps around the nurses station in the ICU and it was the first day I didn't sleep all day - in fact I didn't even take a nap and my neck started to look dramatically less swollen. I was also able to sit in the chair instead of lying in bed for a good portion of the day. And...drum roll...at 8 pm last night they released me from the NeuroICU to a real room!
Written Today at 10am
The doctors just came in (Wednesday am) and asked me if I was the same person they saw on Monday because I look so dramatically better! They told us not to cancel our flight home that's scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00pm. They would like to get me out of here today, but my sodium is too low for them to legally discharge me. So, they gave me some more Lasix and dad went and bought me enough salty foods to give me a heart attack and I'm shoving them down my throat. I'm doing the best I can do, but I realize that God's plan may be different.
Please pray that He would grant me and the doctors wisdom in this decision.
Now my goal is to get HOME!!! I miss you all and I love you guys so much. Thanks for all of the wonderful, encouraging messages and all of your hard work for us on the homefront!
April
I get to make a jailbreak from the 24 hr/day, arm-sticking, people-waking, loud talking, "Nurse Wardens" in the ICU - who I also must say have taken great care of me - as soon as they get a room ready...yippee & wahoo!!! I can't wait! I have approx. 16 gillion wires everywhere that love to get tangled and drive the nurses crazy. =)
I have to say that this surgery was much harder than I had predicted, mostly b/c the worst kind of pain I'm experiencing -muscle spasms- cannot be treated with pain medicine. They're treated with muscle relaxers, but they have had to be careful to protect my airways. Hmmm...I thought if you just gave in to being a "druggy" you could always find a way out of pain...nope!
Sunday was a terrible pain day also. And I never, ever thought I could hit someone, but when the Physical Therapist came in and "so cheerfully" told me to get up out of bed so I could start walking (without offering me any help), she almost got a left hook! But, I could just hear Jack telling me "that's not a good choice, Mom," so I just let out a huge "hhhmmphhh" and rolled my eyes dramatically. (I'm guessing that wasn't the first time she'd gotten that reaction?!? I'd have had a lot more motivation if she'd dangled a Krispy Kreme donut on a stick out in front of me and told me if I caught up to it I could eat it! So, after about 30 minutes with my dad's and PT's help, I got out of bed, took two steps, and had to get right back in bed because it was so excruciating.
I slept the rest of the day....ahhhhhh....
Monday, "little miss positive" came back in and got me out of bed, again...grrrr. But much to my surprise I got out of bed easier and went about 10 feet with my walker and then back to the chair in my room where I sat upright for 3 hours!...now, I know that doesn't sound like a huge feat, but it was! The rest of that day I felt horrible and just battled the incredible swelling in my neck and the rock hard, bulging muscle spasms. Dad massaged my neck a lot and we used heat packs to soften them up. He and my doctors decided I looked like a linebacker.
Tuesday was great! Overall, I felt 200x better than Mondayand I have to humbly admit, the docs and therapists were right that getting moving would be hard at first, but it was the only way to start feeling better.I was able to walk 2 laps around the nurses station in the ICU and it was the first day I didn't sleep all day - in fact I didn't even take a nap and my neck started to look dramatically less swollen. I was also able to sit in the chair instead of lying in bed for a good portion of the day. And...drum roll...at 8 pm last night they released me from the NeuroICU to a real room!
Written Today at 10am
The doctors just came in (Wednesday am) and asked me if I was the same person they saw on Monday because I look so dramatically better! They told us not to cancel our flight home that's scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00pm. They would like to get me out of here today, but my sodium is too low for them to legally discharge me. So, they gave me some more Lasix and dad went and bought me enough salty foods to give me a heart attack and I'm shoving them down my throat. I'm doing the best I can do, but I realize that God's plan may be different.
Please pray that He would grant me and the doctors wisdom in this decision.
Now my goal is to get HOME!!! I miss you all and I love you guys so much. Thanks for all of the wonderful, encouraging messages and all of your hard work for us on the homefront!
April
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday Update
Just got an update from April's Dad.
April is doing better today. She ate a big breakfast and is not as tired. April's neck is really swollen and is causing her to have double vision so walking is still hard. The doctors are changing her meds to help with the swelling. Once her swelling goes down she will be moved from the ICU, maybe as early as tonight. The doctors still think that she will still beable to fly on Thursday.
April is doing better today. She ate a big breakfast and is not as tired. April's neck is really swollen and is causing her to have double vision so walking is still hard. The doctors are changing her meds to help with the swelling. Once her swelling goes down she will be moved from the ICU, maybe as early as tonight. The doctors still think that she will still beable to fly on Thursday.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Im home and april's dad is in new york
April is still in a bunch of pain but she is making progress. I made it home and the kids were excited to be back home. april's dad is with her and says she is doing fine. I will have more details tomorrow.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Exercises
April is still waiting on a room so I only get to see her 30 mins or so every 4 hours. She started doing some of her exercises to loosen up her muscles. The nurse said this is going to be by far the most painful day. We are going to stay on our original schedule so I will be flying home tomorrow to watch the kids and get everything ready for moving( we are closing on our house on Aug 7th). April's dad (Thad Joyner) will be taking over and they should be fling home on the 31st.
At least the waiting room has free coffee.
At least the waiting room has free coffee.
Waiting on a room
I got to see April last night for an hour and she is doing well. Im about to see her again and we will hopefully get our own room soon this morning. Here are some pics of the kids at thier grandparents house.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
April in recovery
Visiting hours
I wont beable to see her until 7:30 est and can only stay for 30 mins. But they say she is doing fine and will be moved to her own room tomorrow.
Surgery finished with out a hitch!!!
Just taked to the doctor and everything went great. I should be able to see her in 30 mins.
We're Here...Waiting, Waiting, Waiting!!!
We are sitting in the waiting room just listening for my name to be called...boring! We both slept great and are excited that I will be feeling so much better soon...yippee and woohoo! That's it for now...Paul will be posting for a while as I'm going to be very drunk for several days...yippee and woohoo! (don't feel sorry for me...I'm going to be feeling no pain in Margaritaville!)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
April's Blog
I set up this blog for April to keep everyone updated with the latest
status of her operation and recovery. Click the link below to see
the blog.
status of her operation and recovery. Click the link below to see
the blog.
http://aprilhenrynyc.blogspot.com/
Thanks,
--
Paul Henry
(512) 633-3829
Tomorrow's the Big Day!!!
7/23/08
Paul and I came to NY two days ago to prepare for my Invasive Cervical Traction and Tethered Spinal Cord surgeries. I was supposed to have the ICT today and the TSC surgery tomorrow, however, what fun would it be if everything went according to plan?!?
After the Chief of Neurosurgery, Dr. Thomas Milhorat, who happens to be the very best doctor in the world specializing in Chiari and related disorders, saw the radiographical changes in my neck before and after traction and witnessed the wonderful relief of my neurologic symptoms, he changed the plan. He said I had severe cranial settling and that it needed to be fixed before the tethered spinal cord. He also said I had a perfect textbook case of craniocervical instability in a patient with EDS and asked if he could have my permission to publish my case in his book. I’m going to be famous!
So, we will report to the North Shore University Hospital at 6:00 a.m. for a craniocervical fusion. Paul will post updates on this blog as he gets them.
I will be in the Neuro ICU for 3-5 days and then a step-down unit for 3-5 more days. I will then have to spend a night or two in NY to make sure I am OK to travel home. I will be unable to receive phone calls or flowers in the NICU, but Paul and I always appreciate your prayers.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and for all the help you have given us during the past year. We could not have done it without you and are so grateful for your continued help. We are so blessed and we love you all!!!
Paul and I came to NY two days ago to prepare for my Invasive Cervical Traction and Tethered Spinal Cord surgeries. I was supposed to have the ICT today and the TSC surgery tomorrow, however, what fun would it be if everything went according to plan?!?
After the Chief of Neurosurgery, Dr. Thomas Milhorat, who happens to be the very best doctor in the world specializing in Chiari and related disorders, saw the radiographical changes in my neck before and after traction and witnessed the wonderful relief of my neurologic symptoms, he changed the plan. He said I had severe cranial settling and that it needed to be fixed before the tethered spinal cord. He also said I had a perfect textbook case of craniocervical instability in a patient with EDS and asked if he could have my permission to publish my case in his book. I’m going to be famous!
So, we will report to the North Shore University Hospital at 6:00 a.m. for a craniocervical fusion. Paul will post updates on this blog as he gets them.
I will be in the Neuro ICU for 3-5 days and then a step-down unit for 3-5 more days. I will then have to spend a night or two in NY to make sure I am OK to travel home. I will be unable to receive phone calls or flowers in the NICU, but Paul and I always appreciate your prayers.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and for all the help you have given us during the past year. We could not have done it without you and are so grateful for your continued help. We are so blessed and we love you all!!!
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