Post by azredhead on May 31, 2019 17:44:18 GMT
I got a text message from his wife. This is dad #2. I have 3. He fell later in the evening helping a neighbor trim gutters and a tree. He fell 20 ft. Fortunately he felt himself falling and tried to remember how to land even though he blacked out. But that 'saved' him sort of. He has an MRI at 1pm. It was at 10 but he's serious but stable. He has several broken ribs and a punctured lung. The lower parts of his back are fractured. He will have surgury for part of that tomorrow.
He is in Utah. I am in Arizona and the only sibling out of many here. The group messages have been between his wife and siblings as the fall out since my mom died. She died falling down the stairs. An accident. He and I have a good relationship, he's only been in the pic since shortly just before mom died. I don't mind his wife. Just just gets to pushy to personal fast. They were actually supposed to be here on Sunday for a week. Not staying with us but one of the resorts here. They are both from here.
He's not out of the woods but I talked to him a couple hours ago and then the dr came in. My two other siblings that I do speak to are headed there now. He is in the trauma unit. They will know more on surgeries after the MRi. He's 70. It's also DH's bday today!
Anyway it's a rollercoaster for sure.. a little insane! Life changes fast!
3pm The MRI came back clean. Meaning the fractures weren’t as as bad as First assessed. They cancelled the surgery for tomorrow.
The main concern is the lung. But he’s regained his feeling for the most part.
DRs are a little surprised.He’ll get a brace and extensive therapy. So he will go to a rehab place after he gets the all clear. He’s got a long road but a much better and lucky outcome!
THANK YOU for the prayers! No one ever can tell me they don’t work. Just in different ways sometimes.
ETA small addition he was not awake when his wife and ambulance got him in. It wasn't until he got to the hospital that he regained concienceness. Oh and he joked that he did not hit any branches on the way day. He went straight through.
6/27 -HomeBound
All things considering he's doing ok. Fairly safe except for the pain. That will be monitored at home! He's going home today. They have hospital bed as he will be bed ridden for most and more therapy. They are saying right now surgery is too dangerous. So they are holding off. I think there's a few things in play there. He's doing better at the brace. He has to repractice things like getting in and out of the car esepecially. He can't lean over period unless therapy tells him to. Or pick ANY thing up without assistance and over 4lbs. So the kids will hate it. But it's what it is. At least he's out of the hospital and the rehab place. He is in good spirits. But pain days are hard. We talked alot of that as I'm in a different spot but pain wise out of control.
So he's doing ok. The ribs take time there are five so he is trying to be patient.
Thanks so much for all the prayers, good thoughts, good wishes. Looking at the 5yr Pea timeline blew my mind yesterday! Ya all rock! Thank YOU!
6/16 UPDATE REHAB - so he's been in rehab just since late Thurs. It took a bit but he's a little relieved. And doing remarkably better with the new specialized back brace. He is standing on his own. Not very long but all things considering. I know some of it is that they are having him take the pain meds at least an hour before rehab so he can do a little more. He doesn't want to have a walker. When he can start to walk. He'd rather have a cane if he has to have something like that. They worry more about other people around him. He is stable when he does stand. He's doing better pain wise as well. Nights are still rough but better. He doesn't have to sleep with the brace but if he has to get up for other reasons than he has to put it on. So it just depends on his energy level and strength.
My neices and nephews have all been there today. I posted in the other vent thread about hugging patients. They had the talk with the kids about it. Even with the brace they have to be careful with him. They wanted to decorate his brace. His 'turtle shell' they call it. So they did that today. He wasn't too thrilled but he let them do it. lol! But his wife kept in control as he says. lol.
He likes the place but he says it's smaller and more of a hospice place so that was a little discouraging at first. But it also gives him more motivation to get out and home. They are working on insurance to get him a hospital bed at home as well as in home care. Not 24/7 but during the day a few times a week. He'll have to have the brace part at least 3mos. For the most part he's healing well. They'll revisit spine surgery before they release him. it will depend on PT and the brace.
The friends who were in the home he was working on have been by to see him and feel horrible.They are helping ways they can and insurance wise. They were friends anyway. The Dr told him he could go back to bus driving for the school but it would be while.
6/1 AM UPDATE -It took a bit to get an update. he's in excurciating pain. I guess he asked for heorin instead of morphine. they put the wrong size brace on him. It's gonna be touch and go for the next couple days. The lung is a little worriesome. Especially with the brace I'm sure. So no brace for at least three days. Till they can control the pain. They said they 8 nurses on him last night. And the trauma team in this morning. Another MRI today. That could change. It's just gonna be a rough couple days. I haven't decided if we're headed up.
6/3 - They are in no hurry to move him out of the trauma unit. With so many fractures. He has to be able to sit up, hold his head and pee on his own (no catheter). So I am ok with that. The professional can help him with that. The next couple days. And until they get his brace fitted right. That’s some of the hold up. Five broken ribs. Most of the lower spine is fractured. We saw the numbers this morning and that’s the part that will be the hardest as far as being able to do the basics. Till they start healing. He was just above the ladder.
Anyway we got the pic of the scene is not graphic but how far he fell.
UPDATE 6/6 The afternoon is looking up. Dad has done his physical therapy with flying colors. He is up and eating lunch. We still don't have a transfer time to rehab but it will be sometime today. They could come as late as 5 or 6 p.m. pain level is between 2 and 6 depending on what he's doing but it's the first time he's had an appetite in 3 days. He still looks pretty swollen but not as purple.💜
UPDATE 6/7pm - I think my days are all mixed up. lol! We're at late Fri. They got a little anxious to get to rehab. But several things have to happen first. He has two more tests he has to have and his pain is still not good. or at least managed. I think they got excited as we able to do some of the basics. But they have to order a few things for him so that he can start being more mobile. Like a special bed, brace again for his back and legs. There is extensive damage to his spine. Which we knew but I know it's always up and down as far as swelling goes down they get a better pic. He is still better than expected.So he will be in there at least through the weekend and not at the rehab to the first part of the week at the earliest. They put the IV back in so they can adminster additional meds to help him be more comfortable. He's got a long road ahead him.
I don't post pics very often but I think I know the peas well enough and he's ok with it, that i know he wouldn't mind. And if people offer prayers etc Which I thank you all for the prayers and words of encouragment.. sometimes it's nice to see a face. The peas know so much of our family story and yet we've just scratched the surface. But it's amazing in the text messages there are some rare convoys going on. This will be tough but he is a tough guy. He's done construction most of his life, so he's not a sit still kinda guy.He was really discouraged today and yesterday. So my sister was sending funny box of kitten and puppies videos on the messages. It was pretty funny!
He is in Utah. I am in Arizona and the only sibling out of many here. The group messages have been between his wife and siblings as the fall out since my mom died. She died falling down the stairs. An accident. He and I have a good relationship, he's only been in the pic since shortly just before mom died. I don't mind his wife. Just just gets to pushy to personal fast. They were actually supposed to be here on Sunday for a week. Not staying with us but one of the resorts here. They are both from here.
He's not out of the woods but I talked to him a couple hours ago and then the dr came in. My two other siblings that I do speak to are headed there now. He is in the trauma unit. They will know more on surgeries after the MRi. He's 70. It's also DH's bday today!
Anyway it's a rollercoaster for sure.. a little insane! Life changes fast!
3pm The MRI came back clean. Meaning the fractures weren’t as as bad as First assessed. They cancelled the surgery for tomorrow.
The main concern is the lung. But he’s regained his feeling for the most part.
DRs are a little surprised.He’ll get a brace and extensive therapy. So he will go to a rehab place after he gets the all clear. He’s got a long road but a much better and lucky outcome!
THANK YOU for the prayers! No one ever can tell me they don’t work. Just in different ways sometimes.
ETA small addition he was not awake when his wife and ambulance got him in. It wasn't until he got to the hospital that he regained concienceness. Oh and he joked that he did not hit any branches on the way day. He went straight through.
6/27 -HomeBound
All things considering he's doing ok. Fairly safe except for the pain. That will be monitored at home! He's going home today. They have hospital bed as he will be bed ridden for most and more therapy. They are saying right now surgery is too dangerous. So they are holding off. I think there's a few things in play there. He's doing better at the brace. He has to repractice things like getting in and out of the car esepecially. He can't lean over period unless therapy tells him to. Or pick ANY thing up without assistance and over 4lbs. So the kids will hate it. But it's what it is. At least he's out of the hospital and the rehab place. He is in good spirits. But pain days are hard. We talked alot of that as I'm in a different spot but pain wise out of control.
So he's doing ok. The ribs take time there are five so he is trying to be patient.
Thanks so much for all the prayers, good thoughts, good wishes. Looking at the 5yr Pea timeline blew my mind yesterday! Ya all rock! Thank YOU!
6/16 UPDATE REHAB - so he's been in rehab just since late Thurs. It took a bit but he's a little relieved. And doing remarkably better with the new specialized back brace. He is standing on his own. Not very long but all things considering. I know some of it is that they are having him take the pain meds at least an hour before rehab so he can do a little more. He doesn't want to have a walker. When he can start to walk. He'd rather have a cane if he has to have something like that. They worry more about other people around him. He is stable when he does stand. He's doing better pain wise as well. Nights are still rough but better. He doesn't have to sleep with the brace but if he has to get up for other reasons than he has to put it on. So it just depends on his energy level and strength.
My neices and nephews have all been there today. I posted in the other vent thread about hugging patients. They had the talk with the kids about it. Even with the brace they have to be careful with him. They wanted to decorate his brace. His 'turtle shell' they call it. So they did that today. He wasn't too thrilled but he let them do it. lol! But his wife kept in control as he says. lol.
He likes the place but he says it's smaller and more of a hospice place so that was a little discouraging at first. But it also gives him more motivation to get out and home. They are working on insurance to get him a hospital bed at home as well as in home care. Not 24/7 but during the day a few times a week. He'll have to have the brace part at least 3mos. For the most part he's healing well. They'll revisit spine surgery before they release him. it will depend on PT and the brace.
The friends who were in the home he was working on have been by to see him and feel horrible.They are helping ways they can and insurance wise. They were friends anyway. The Dr told him he could go back to bus driving for the school but it would be while.
6/1 AM UPDATE -It took a bit to get an update. he's in excurciating pain. I guess he asked for heorin instead of morphine. they put the wrong size brace on him. It's gonna be touch and go for the next couple days. The lung is a little worriesome. Especially with the brace I'm sure. So no brace for at least three days. Till they can control the pain. They said they 8 nurses on him last night. And the trauma team in this morning. Another MRI today. That could change. It's just gonna be a rough couple days. I haven't decided if we're headed up.
6/3 - They are in no hurry to move him out of the trauma unit. With so many fractures. He has to be able to sit up, hold his head and pee on his own (no catheter). So I am ok with that. The professional can help him with that. The next couple days. And until they get his brace fitted right. That’s some of the hold up. Five broken ribs. Most of the lower spine is fractured. We saw the numbers this morning and that’s the part that will be the hardest as far as being able to do the basics. Till they start healing. He was just above the ladder.
Anyway we got the pic of the scene is not graphic but how far he fell.
UPDATE 6/6 The afternoon is looking up. Dad has done his physical therapy with flying colors. He is up and eating lunch. We still don't have a transfer time to rehab but it will be sometime today. They could come as late as 5 or 6 p.m. pain level is between 2 and 6 depending on what he's doing but it's the first time he's had an appetite in 3 days. He still looks pretty swollen but not as purple.💜
UPDATE 6/7pm - I think my days are all mixed up. lol! We're at late Fri. They got a little anxious to get to rehab. But several things have to happen first. He has two more tests he has to have and his pain is still not good. or at least managed. I think they got excited as we able to do some of the basics. But they have to order a few things for him so that he can start being more mobile. Like a special bed, brace again for his back and legs. There is extensive damage to his spine. Which we knew but I know it's always up and down as far as swelling goes down they get a better pic. He is still better than expected.So he will be in there at least through the weekend and not at the rehab to the first part of the week at the earliest. They put the IV back in so they can adminster additional meds to help him be more comfortable. He's got a long road ahead him.
I don't post pics very often but I think I know the peas well enough and he's ok with it, that i know he wouldn't mind. And if people offer prayers etc Which I thank you all for the prayers and words of encouragment.. sometimes it's nice to see a face. The peas know so much of our family story and yet we've just scratched the surface. But it's amazing in the text messages there are some rare convoys going on. This will be tough but he is a tough guy. He's done construction most of his life, so he's not a sit still kinda guy.He was really discouraged today and yesterday. So my sister was sending funny box of kitten and puppies videos on the messages. It was pretty funny!