A Follow up on Homelife for Katy

We've been home almost two weeks and we're so thankful to be here. Katy is doing very well. She has rehab in Stanley three times a week. We've been working with UWEC to set her up for online courses this Fall and she will be taking an writing class and a wellness class. 

She never had to have any surgery though they are going to keep an eye on her arm that is numb and if it doesn't get better in a few months, they will do an ultrasound to look and see if the nerve was just stretched or was severed and will decide if they should do something about it. There is still the double vision but they set up her Domo glasses with tape half covering the one side and it helps! She said it's getting better.

She does a lot of logic puzzles and crosswords, etc. and loves doing her speech therapy homework as well. We expect continued success and restoration of her frontal lobe functions as we go along this Fall. In October she will have another neuropsych test to see how she is improving and to get an idea if she might be ready to live on campus for the Spring semester. I am confident her improvements will continue.

In November she will have another MRI to see how her shearing has healed and to make sure all is going well. We have not experienced any seizures and hope never to have that happen. 

Her memory is coming back little by little. Sometimes she'll think of something but is not sure if it's from a real memory or from what people told her.

We are so grateful to everybody for their positive thoughts and prayers, for the cards and letters, Facebook posts and visits. We are thankful for the staff in Marshfield at the hospital and at the Ronald McDonald House and to all the people who donate or collect pop tabs for them. Thank you so much to my mom for helping with the kids and my house and plants and to Rita N for keeping my lawn from growing into a jungle while we were gone. 

We thank God every day for Katy's positive attitude. She never has a bad day, has not felt down on herself, depressed or angry. She appreciates all her friends and her family and has grown spiritually and emotionally so much.

Tuesday is the Big Day!!!

We had our meeting with the team this morning and found out we are getting out of here on Tuesday. It is so exciting to know that we will again get to be in our own home after over two months in the hospital.

Her Neurologist came by and showed Katy the MRI and CTs that she had when she first got here and the follow up CTs so she can see the extent of the injuries. She showed her the injury to her corpus collosum which is deep inside the brain and connects the two sides as well as controls her motor skills. She also showed her the inside of the injury to her right side and explained more about the injury to the frontal lobe which is the processor to what is stored in the brain. She explained how, as amazing as it is to have all the memory stored without a great loss, it must be processed and that is where we still need to heal, along with the motor skills. She also explained that the nerve in her right arm was most likely destroyed and not just damaged and so she will probably have to work around it and learned how to use her muscles while not feeling the use of it. She writes just fine, it's just when she tries to throw something, she can't judge the throw so it doesn't go far.

She also is going to have to add stimulation from the outside slowly. The way they explained it was that the brain normally knows how to organize your focus on what you are doing as well as giving little focus to what is around you. With the damage, every stimuli that is around is getting equal attention and it confuses her processing. We have to heal that area with continuing rest at home as well as keeping her surroundings more quiet and not going anywhere that a lot of stuff is going on. They said to try introducing a trip to the store when we only need a couple of things or going out to eat at a quiet place at first and build up slowly. Sunday we get to go to Taco Bell and the zoo in Marshfield to try another outing. When she gets away from the area she's been used to since she's been here, it gets exhausting for her in a short time.

We will be meeting with UWEC shortly to discuss what we can do this semester online and hopefully return to campus for the second semester. I have to say, with the different campuses that we worked with, UWEC has been the most helpful and accessible of any of them.

Katy has started a blog to put things in her own words.  She's been starting a new blog each day so we're going to get those together so she has one blog page with different posts. I'll continue to keep mine updated with her medical progress and include her own words from her blog. Here is hers from today:

Oh my gosh, I am way too excited. Apparently I am being discharged Tuesday afternoon!! That is the fourteenth and only five days away! I can't wait to be home again! I miss everyone so much!! Especially my family, all my friends, and my wonderful boyfriend Ben! It is so nice that everyone's come to visit, and a special thank you to Ben and Paige for being here so much, we well as Austin and his mom who come once a week. I know Ben does too, and Paige was here for a few days in the beginning - which I am so thankful for. I don't remember it because of my mini case of amnesia.

I also want to thank my mom for all the support. She has been here so much for me. She actually saw the doctors shaking their heads when they saw my MRI or CT and she still stayed so positive for me. She said she wanted to cry but she knew I was too strong-willed NOT to recover.

It's probably going to be a while before I can leave the house. I'm going to try to see if I can work at Subway again, hopefully by easing into being with a lot of people at once. My Wal-Mart trip made me pretty exhausted, but that trip even makes Mom pretty tired.

Also, I am talking to Austin's mom about Austin. He is pretty upset because I found out something and now he thinks I'm upset with him. I just want to state on here that is NOT true. If you think about it, if I hadn't gotten in that car or drove myself, then I wouldn't have been in that accident, meaning that I wouldn't have said that [quite embarrassing] thing to Austin and been so upset with him because I thought he was telling everyone. I mean, technically you have to blame me too because I could have drove I'm sure - I'm not even scared of driving at night like I used to. I probably should have worn my seat belt (I usually do) too. But living in the past doesn't help anything at all. I just don't want him to feel bad, I mean, it was my fault too.

It's so weird not taking naps anymore. I used to be a late sleeper, but now I go to sleep at like 9, wake up around 7:30, and not need naps throughout the day. I wish nap times were at the right time then - like 4ish in the afternoon. Otherwise I don't get good sleep during my therapies.

Another Great Day to Remember

It was a big day for Katy. Her Speech Therapist brought in a folder with a planner and divided tabs. I've never seen her so excited to get anything ever!

Later she had Phys Therapy and they decided it is time she's able to get up and walk without help and without her safety belt. She'll be able to walk on the peds floor whenever she likes and she can go in the bathroom without waiting for help. She was very excited about the freedom.

Tonight we walked over to where I stay and had McDonald's for dinner.

We still hope to be out of here in the next two weeks. Tomorrow she has neuropsych testing to see what she'll be able to do for her continued education this Fall.

Twice today she had a spinning sensation upon lying flat on her back. Otherwise she is feeling really great.

Two...More...Weeks!

We had our weekly meeting with Katy in the room this time. We had a list of questions but every single one of them was addressed before we had to ask. What a great team! Of course Katy's most immediate question was when she can go home. We are shooting for two more weeks. What a blessing that will be! She might even spend her birthday at home on the 17th!!!!

Yesterday when I came in, Katy had a bad burn on her leg from a hot pad that had been heated too long. It was somebody new who hadn't taken care of her yet and it concerned me that she did not feel how much heat there was for a while. 

Katy is doing so well and shows so much appreciation for her healing. We've grown closer and have had some wonderful talks. She knows how many thousands of prayers were made for her, how great the medical staff is and how many people were so positive. Most important of all is her baseline personality, which is pure determination and will. Sure, it gave her minor problems in her life but look what we have now!!! We have Katy here to brighten our days and watch mature and grow into the incredible woman she is destined to be!

She will have her neuro-psych consulting and testing early next week but we already know that she will be home for a while. She will be able to have company but will need to be at home while her vestibular system continues to heal and she regains her decision-making and judgment abilities to full extent. She's got double vision but they said that will heal as well. She alternates an eye patch between eyes when she reads. The doctors said she can't drive or go to concerts for six months while she continues to heal. She will have 3-4 days per week of therapy but we will be able to go to Stanley for that, thankfully.

We will most likely decide to take an online course or two that she will feel confident handling then return to college in the next two semesters.

She will be happy to have visitors at the house. I will be looking for a daybed to put in the living room so she doesn't have to go upstairs in case anybody sees one for sale, it would be most helpful if you'd pass the word along to me. I don't want to spend a whole lot since I'm not working but if there is something reasonable, that would be great. 

Katy's looking forward to seeing people, helping me with cooking and baking and just being comfortable at home! 

We continue to be grateful to everybody for their thoughts and prayers as she continues to heal.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Katy is now doing so well, we're starting to see the end of her stay here in Marshfield coming up in the next few weeks. She has some neuro & psychology to get through to see where she is and to prepare her for the next steps.

She just gets so much better by the day. As most of you know, she has her computer now and has been on Facebook as well as playing music and games. She can walk really well, do most of her own bathing and getting ready and yesterday had her gastric tube taken out so she's more comfortable. 

She reports problems in her right arm and right leg where she had more damage but we remain grateful that she looks and feels so very well for what she went through.

Katy keeps saying she wants to be a motivational speaker to let people know the dangers out there that she took for granted. We are not sure how this Fall will go; the next 2 or 3 weeks will give us an indication of what we're ready for when we go home. She'll be most likely spending her birthday here but will probably go home soon after!

She has very limited visiting time as she has therapy all day long with a short rest in the middle. If you would like to see about visiting, please message me through Facebook (I'm friends with Katy) or email me.

She gets a little confused still about times and days that haven't been taken so it should come through me.

She is well enough now to be without a 24-hour observer so that was a huge step this week. She'll start Recreational Therapy this week to go along with her other therapies so she'll be even busier.

As for me, I can't wait until we're home again, with the kids, my yard and my own kitchen. Katy's going to help me cook in the kitchen and we'll enjoy the patio as we haven't been able to, being here all summer.

When she is home, she will not be able to go places for a while without me along. She can't drive for 6 months and will need to stick close by until her capacity is back up to 18 years old and she has full capabilities of making sound choices and decisions. She will be able to visit at home though.

A Very Special Guest Blogger Today

As many of you know, they've been letting Katy use a computer for a few times a day to go on Facebook and check in with everybody. She has been coming along amazingly well; I cannot express my gratitude in words that would be worthy of its depth.

She has a goal of August 19th to go home. She came up with that herself and many of the staff say it's good to have a goal. She has them list out what things she needs to accomplish first and she works just as hard as she can to obtain those goals. She is very cooperative with everybody and understands everything they ask will help her.

She told us her eyes are blurry. Once when we were walking, she said it's blurry, and I asked, "Everything?" She said, "Just the things I look at." We both had a great laugh over that one. She actually has double vision still. They have her wear a patch over each eye and switch it but they do say that will correct itself.

She also has pain in her right leg and right arm that is still bothering her but physically she has done so well. She's done remarkably well in her cognitive healing. They have her do math and puzzles and some writing every day. She has been practicing in a book, writing letters to people, until she was able to use the computer and now she's practicing on that. She's also reading a book herself.

We got to walk to Subway together to have dinner. Hopefully soon she won't even need a sitter at night. She probably doesn't now but they have to wait for approval on Monday. On Thursday they usually meet on her case. This Thursday Katy would like to go to the meeting. Hopefully we'll be able to start the neuro therapy this week to begin the process of life afterward.

Here is Katy's first guest blog. I am going to type out exactly what she wrote so when you see that I'm 20, that's her being her charming self. She tells everybody who comes in the room that her mom's 20:

Hello everyone! Thanks for reading my mom's blog :) She is still 20.

I'm aware of everything now, whether it was my mom's really good lemonade, classical music, or The Hunger Games, or a combination of the 3, that I'm aware of everything now. I thought this was a dream, then the past, then the future for a while, but I am convinced myself now that I'm happier here than I was, this is a better life I have created. Ben Deml is really nice AND a great boyfriend.

Sorry that I scared all of you then went into a coma/stupor. Sorry that Austin and I got into an accident. I'm getting a Grand Prix next. I will miss everyone here. Getting popsicles too.

Love, Katy

45 Days - Moving About and Wanting to go Home

Katy wants to get out of here. She is starting to realize that there are goals we need to attain and she is trying harder in her therapies and telling everyone that she is aware now. In PT she unlatched her belt and got up so they put a back secure belt on the chair and told her that safety is one of the goals .

She is walking fairly well with one person supporting and was able to help wash her hair a little yesterday.

She asked to check her Facebook on Sunday so we did that and started to answer some posts but then she started to parrot the posts so I'll wait another few days and try again. We played Yahtzee a little and she's been watching Adventure Time that Paige loaned us and enjoying that. She's trying to read but she says her eyes are blurry so we're getting that checked out.

They are thinking of moving her down in front of the nurse's station again with an alarm bed in case she tries to get up so she doesn't have to have 24-hour observers anymore. That will be nice! 

All the biting is gone and she's not repeating herself anymore, but does repeat her answers to people. Mostly she tells them they are beautiful and saying, "That's good," and less often, "Understandable." Otherwise she talks about her g-tube being removed and going home. She is starting to try and control what she says to people out in the hall. Whew!!! It's nice to see she's aware of it and can refrain from it by herself most of the time. She does take her wheelchair over to the door and waves at everybody she sees.

Her neurologist stopped by and examined her yesterday. Some notes were that her right leg does rest to the right, and she doesn't have as much mobility in her toes. Her right hand also shakes when she reaches for stuff but she doesn't tremble too much anymore when she pushes on her feet. Her right side was where she broke and scraped up her shoulder, had the huge bruise down her leg and the laceration on her head. I can't even think about what she would have gone through that night and I'm so very grateful that she won't remember.

They'll start working on the impulsivity, memory and psychology soon, which is good. Sometimes I don't know what to say when she asks questions. She doesn't seem worried about what she will do this Fall yet but she is still not putting any relevance to time yet. She doesn't remember what her last meal is but she'll ask for chocolate oatmeal every day for breakfast. She talks about whether this is the future or not and asks if she can go back in time and not get into the accident. She also says this is a bad dream and that she will wake up.