7/31/09 He moved AGAIN

Okay, okay stop me if this gets old because it won't get old to me until he is walking again. Chris moved his leg side to side today!

 Caitlin and I went to visit Chris today after his first full day in rehab. He looked exhausted! He had pushed, pulled, moved, shook any which way possible today. I called the hospital in the morning to ask what would be the best time to visit and they said 3 pm, thats a long day of working out, especially for someone who has been on their back for the last three weeks. He brighten up when Caitlin ran into his room. He said "I have a new trick today, want to see it" and then he moved his right leg side to side, again, ever so slightly. It just gives me hope!

We had a great visit and while we were reading some of the cards he received in walks a high school friend from Boston that just happened to be in California on vacation when he heard the news about Chris. Chris was so touched by his visit. Again, he cried.( Oh, he is going to mad when he gets to read all my posts for himself! )

Among other great news we also found out Chris will have his trache removed permanently on Monday. Even though he is breathing and talking on his own, they left it in just to be safe. It really bothers him and makes him cough a lot, so I know how happy he is to be rid of it.

I had a frustrating day doing paperwork. Thanks to Steph and Alicia for watching the girls today as I try to navigate our complicated system called social security. You think you are done and they send you a letter saying, opps, you forgot to fill out form XYZ!@#$$%^. Well if they had given that form to me the first, second or third time I had been to their office, I would have filled it out. I just don't get it. 

It has been great having Chris' brother Tim here (from Washington DC) to see Chris and visit with the girls. While I am lucky enough to have FIL (Father in law) living with us right now, it is comforting to see the girls looking to Tim for guidance and reassurance. He also very kind playing horsie and giving them as many piggy back rides as they want. His poor back.

Thank you again for all your love and prayers, I feel them working.

Love,

Christy

PS If anyone wants to visit Chris I recommend calling the day before you want to go (or even the same day) to ask the nurse what his schedule is. His scheduled work outs for tomorrow are different than they were yesterday, so they may vary from day to day. St Jude's number is 714-992-3000, ask for the rehab desk.

7/30/09 He moved!!!!

I don't know what to write about first, there is so much to share.

First last night was amazing at Z Pizza and Yo Yum Yum!!!! It reminded me of the feeling I had at my wedding, so many people I cared about in one place, so much warmth and love. I wanted to stay all night in that happy place. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that came and bombarded these two business all for Chris. Z Pizza said they did 3 times there normal business, that's what I'm talking about! I am so touched by all the familiar and not familiar faces I saw eating and wearing a Sheetz 09 shirts. I already printed out the pictures and showed them to Chris. I'm not gonna lie, it made him cry.

Next, the best news yet...CHRIS MOVED HIS TOE!!!!!!! ever so slightly, but it moved. Of course no Dr. is saying that it means anything but a week ago they couldn't tell me when he would talk again and look at him now, he doesn't shut up. I have all the faith in the world that he WILL walk again and so does Chris. It has only been three weeks, what progress.

Then, today, he was accepted and moved to St Jude's Hospital in Fullerton for rehab. This was a surprise to me and Chris but once they decided they had a bed open for him, they wanted to get him there as soon as possible. They loaded him up in ambulance (once again but not as scary this time) and made the trip to Fullerton. The girls and I followed. This is only the second time they have seen him since the accident and they couldn't wait to talk to him. Last time they saw him he was not talking yet. It was the best to see all three of them having a chat in Chris' new room.

I think you can visit any time but they are aggressive with his workouts and have him doing stuff until about 1:00 tomorrow. I will let you know what is the best time, for now probably late afternoon, early evening.

My love and thanks to you all,

Christy

7/28/09 Mystery meat and lemondae

Well, another first today. Chris was able to eat some solid food. Oatmeal type stuff for breakfast. Tonight I fed him his mystery meat, mashed potato and washed it down with 3 cups of lemonade. He was very happy to have solid food, just not happy it is hospital solid food.

Thanks for friend Miranda who brought him 4 boxes of root beer popsicles that he has been talking about for the last 3 days. Chris asked me to please bring a cooler with water, sprite and smoothies. My brother Dave walked in with the cooler asked the nurse for some ice and told her she was welcomed to join us for Margarita's. Without skipping a beat she said she couldn't drink while she is on duty.

FIL and I toured St. Jude's in Fullerton this morning. What a beautiful hospital. It looks like they have a great rehab program, beds available and they are willing to take medi cal pending. I talked to Chris about the struggle to get him into Rancho Los Amigo's and he is anxious to get started in some type of re hab. He would like to pursue St. Jude's, so that is what I am going to focus on.

Today Chris ran a fever of 102, so they are doing some x-rays to make sure there are no blood clots. He ran a high fever the first 5 days in the hospital and they were worried about pnumonia (sp?)(I don't know how to use spell check on this, sorry), so I am hoping that is not the case now. The nurses have also been trying to get him to sit up in bed but he becomes dizzy quite quickly and his blood pressure drops. I am sure it will just take some time.

At home life remains very busy, taking Caitlin to VBS this week and many friend who have stepped up and offered playdates for Regan. This has allowed me some free time to fill out the mountains of paperwork I have to prepare for Social Security. What a bunch of red tape! Caitlin is still having issues with me leaving, which makes it hard to get to the hospital as often as I would like to. It is a balancing act, kids, hospital, work and maintaing the home (to some degree). Luckily my mom and brother arrived to help for a few days. As always I have FIL too!

I am off to read some more Twilight and then to sleep.

I encourage everyone here in Huntington Beach to go to Yo Yum Yum and Z Pizza tomorrow for the fundraiser. Tell them it is for chriswillwalk.

Love,

Christy

7/27/09 Popsicles and applesauce.

Another day, another miracle.

Yesterday the Dr.'s decided to test Chris without the ventilator for an hour at a time. He did really well and therefore spent most of today breathing on his own!!!!! This is a huge step forward in Chris' recovery. He is talking and breathing on his on efforts and he is thrilled. It does seem to wear him out faster and he barely opened his eyes when I went to see him this afternoon but that is okay. It is all part of the healing process.

Chris has been begging the Dr.'s for something other than ice chips, so yesterday morning they agreed to let him try a popsicle. The first one went down well, so they let him have another and another. By the end of the day he had consumed four popsicles (sounds like a dream day for daughter Caitlin who has a huge sweet tooth). Today, they let him have some apple sauce.

Really everyday is something new, something good. Something to be happy about.

Tomorrow FIL (father in law) and I are going to tour St. Jude's rehab center. I am looking forward to settling on a place and getting Chris there fast. He is anxious too. As much as I want to get Chris into Rancho Los Amigos in Downey (a nationally ranked rehab center for Acute Nuerology) there are a few complications crossing county lines and pending medi-cal. So I am researching all the options.

On another note, I want to thank the Huntington Beach locations of Z Pizza and Yo Yum Yum for hosting a fundraiser for the chriswillwalk foundation on Wednesday (all day). Please let them know you are there for the chriswillwalk fundraiser. Thank you again to Kim  for setting that up. Chris was so touched when I told him about it.

Goodnight,

Christy

7/25/09 He called me!!!!!!

I have not heard my husbands voice for two weeks. How many times do wives wish their husbands would shut up??? I don't think I will ever wish that again for the rest of my life. 

It was a regular Saturday morning (or as regular as our lives have been in the last two weeks). It's 10:00, kids are still in their PJ's, neighbor Olivia is already over for a playdate (it's never too early for a playdate, right?). The phone rings, caller id says Western Med, my heart skips a beat as it always does when the hospital calls. I pick up, it's silent for a moment, then I hear "Babe, it's me, get your butt over here" AHH my man is back. I put him on speaker, everyone, including his parents gather around the phone and he tells us all how much he loves us.

Wow, what miracles we have had everyday, they just keep coming. I have always believed in the power of prayer, but now I know the power prayer.

Just had to send a quick note because I want to call each and every one of you myself to tell you the news but that would take all day :)

My love and thanks to you all,

Christy

Update 7/24/09 The girls visit!

Well today was a great day! We had arranged with the child specialist, Melissa to bring Caitlin and Regan in to see Chris this morning.

I have to say I am so impressed with the specialist. Melissa met with the girls in her office first for about 45 minutes to explain what they were going to see when they walked into the room. First she asked them what they knew and how did they feel. She was great about about letting them take their time to talk and express themselves. Then she showed them a doll that had a breathing tube, let them feel it and explained how it all worked. Melissa had pictures of what the different equipment in Chris' room was and again explained what each thing did for their daddy. Lastly, she showed them a picture of Chris to prepare them for what he looks like.

By the end of the 45 minutes they were really excited and anxious to see him. 

We walked into the room and Chris' face just lit up! Caitlin walked right over to him, leaned on his bed, hugged and kissed him. Regan was a little more hesitant but after about 5 minutes she was all over it. They read his lips quite well, it brought tears to my eyes (okay I was tearing up the whole time). They turned into little nurses giving him ice chips and putting lotion on his feet.

After 30-40 minutes Regan asked when we could go home, it had been a long morning. Then wanted to know if we could take daddy with us. I said not today (again with tears in my eyes).

It was a relief for me to have the girls finally see daddy and start to understand a little more about what is going on.

My mother in law is going back to Connecticut tomorrow and I am very sad. She has to go back to work. I know she will be back as soon as she can.

On another good note, they are going to start to wean Chris off the breathing tube and give him a (oh, forgot what it's called!) thingie to help him talk. It will also help expand our options for rehab centers because a vast majority of them will not take patients on a breathing tube.

It has been a long, emotional day (a good one though). I am off to sleep (and maybe read a chapter or two of Twilight, so good!)

Update 7/22/09

 I think my father in law Don noted, Chris was moved yesterday from the ICU to a step down unit. He is now in room 402 with visiting hours from 1-8.

I was having a down morning, after the red tape and run around I got at the Social Security office. I walked into Chris' room and he just beamed. He was cheering me up, that didn't seem right to me. I like his new room on the 4th floor, he has a view and the nurses are very nice. He asked for ice chips constantly, he is quite dried up. While I was there a team of Dr.'s /Physical Therapists came in a had Chris do a series of test. I felt like a proud mom, as all the Dr's said what great strength Chris showed in his upper body. Still limited use of his hands but I was encouraged that it could still come. Poor guy, they also pulled a safety pin and stuck him all over his body. Still having feeling in his toes but the right side of his body seems to have more feeling over all than his left. That's okay, he's feeling, that 's the greatest thing. Sometimes I have to remind myself it's only been a week in a half. SO many things to be grateful for.

Caitlin had a melt down last night, crying out for her daddy and says she wishes he never hit his head. I just sat, cried with her and said me too. The hospital has a fabulous child specialist who has met with me twice and is there to assist when the girls are ready to come in. Yesterday Chris said he wasn't ready for Caitlin and Regan to see him. Today I said I didn't think I could hold them off much longer, he agreed, he needed to see them too. I told the girls they could see daddy on Friday and they were jumping up and down. Caitlin circled the day on her calendar. I think she gets that from me.

There have been some complications getting Chris into Rancho Los Amigos but I am not giving up! It's the pending medical that is holding him up.

I am very tired but wanted to at least get some kind of update out tonight. Thank you again to everyone far and wide that have given us their love and support. I am blown away by the cards and gifts we have received from people who we have never met. Good night for now. Christy

He recognized me!

He recognized me!!!!!!! It was the first time I knew for sure that Chris knew it was me. He pursed his lips, he wanted a kiss. His lips are chapped so I asked him if he wanted Ruby red or Pretty pink chapstick. He made a face like he was trying to decide which color, then mouthed the words, pretty pink. That is my guy, still joking under these conditions. It warms my heart, he can still make me laugh from the hospital bed.

I read him all the cards in his room, he smiles at the funny ones. My friend Kim printed out a bunch of pictures for me that were in my camera (thanks again Kim!) and I showed them to him before I hung them on his wall. That made him cry.......I was trying to cheer him up, not make him sad. So I moved on to reading. Chris reads about one book a year, so I joked with him how many books I will be reading to him this year. We started a Michael Connelly book, his favorite author.

Chris moved in pain, which sounds awful, made me happy. I am happy he can feel.........so the nurse gave him some more pain medicine. I read two more pages of chapter four and he is out for the night. They are now limiting my visits to 10 minutes at a time.

They think they will move Chris upstairs this weekend, out of the ICU. I can't remember the name of the department. They throw their hospital lingo around like Kobe with the basketball during play off time.(During the regular season, he doesn't always try that hard) The move is a good thing, that much closer to getting him to a rehab center.
As for getting Chris into rancho Los Amigos, my rehab center of choice.....it is ranked among the top ten centers for this type of injury in the US. Good news is they are the only local rehab center that will take patients on a ventilator, which Chris will still be on for a while. Bad news is we applied for Medical in Orange County and Downey is in LA County which could cause some complications but the nurse says it has been done before.

I can't believe the girls have given me this much time alone to type. They either want me to come play or kick me off the computer so they can play webkinz. As for the girls they are doing as well as expected. Regan asked this morning when daddy is coming home........I don't lie to her.......I just say I don't know because that is the truth. Caitlin, who is six has many more questions. She seems to have accepted the fact that he won't be home soon and has moved on to wondering why I can go and see him but she can't. Again, I don't know what to say. They are getting me through this, keeping it real, as my neighbor Sandy said. They still make me laugh everyday and keep us busy with their daily activities.