So you're probably wondering why the frequency of our posts dropped off so suddenly. Short answer: In Mom's case, follow on developments to her surgery put her in a debilitated state for 2 or 3 weeks. Only now is she starting to recover from that.
In my case, I kept my day job through all of this. Now that I'm showing up at the office again, they're giving me stuff to do. Also, I flew back to Columbus on April 15th to get Will's car and things. I drove back to Bountiful in 2 days, arriving in the wee hours of Friday morning the 18th. That and work kept me wiped out since then. But Will now has his car, piano (electronic), guitar, and other things we hope will be helpful to his recovery.
Abby and Sarah are home for the summer and helping with Will. You may see posts from them occasionally.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
A Post-stroke Return
Wednesday afternoon Will’s speech therapist, Lisa, came with a wonderful article about Tedy Bruschi, a football player for the New England Patriots who had suffered a stroke and gone through extensive rehabilitation, mostly with physical therapy. The article really hit home. Bruschi is the first foot-ball player ever to return to the pros following a stroke. His success was attributed mainly to hard work and a good medical team working in his behalf. The therapists didn’t cut him any slack, but put him through exercises capable of restoring muscles to peak condition. The doctors closed up the PFO in his heart the same way they did Will’s and monitored his progress very carefully to determine the advisability of his resuming his career. After all was said and done the neurologists could find no reason why Bruschi shouldn’t be able to do anything he wanted to do. He and his wife decided he should continue to fulfill his life’s dream.
It was a very encouraging article, for while the part of the body that was affected by the stroke in Bruschi, was very different from Will’s, the age and general well being of both stoke victims was very comparable. Will’s bi-lateral stroke will likely require more time for healing, but his alertness and stamina continue to increase. His memory and speaking skills also show marked improvement. At times he sounds like his old self. He is currently taking cooking and institute classes, has become a very avid reader, and is participating in companionship study of the gospel with his returned missionary little sister. They currently have an investigator they are very eager to see enter the waters of baptism. Things are looking up!
It was a very encouraging article, for while the part of the body that was affected by the stroke in Bruschi, was very different from Will’s, the age and general well being of both stoke victims was very comparable. Will’s bi-lateral stroke will likely require more time for healing, but his alertness and stamina continue to increase. His memory and speaking skills also show marked improvement. At times he sounds like his old self. He is currently taking cooking and institute classes, has become a very avid reader, and is participating in companionship study of the gospel with his returned missionary little sister. They currently have an investigator they are very eager to see enter the waters of baptism. Things are looking up!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Other Notes from Tuesday's Appointment
Will and I told Dr. Edgley about our 3-lap run around the Bountiful High School track. Dr. Edgley is very impressed that Will is able to run.
We discussed cognitive skills. Mom mentioned that Lisa, Will's speech therapist, had administered a shape-matching exercise to Will the day before. Mom sat next to Will and did the same exercise. Will beat her hands down.
Dr. Edgley will arrange for a neuropsychological evaluation of Will in early July. Dr. Edgley explained that Will had had several MRI's of his brain. The neuropsych eval is like an MRI of the mind. Its purpose will be to find any cognitive deficits that Will has at that time, and to fine-tune his therapy to address those deficits.
We discussed cognitive skills. Mom mentioned that Lisa, Will's speech therapist, had administered a shape-matching exercise to Will the day before. Mom sat next to Will and did the same exercise. Will beat her hands down.
Dr. Edgley will arrange for a neuropsychological evaluation of Will in early July. Dr. Edgley explained that Will had had several MRI's of his brain. The neuropsych eval is like an MRI of the mind. Its purpose will be to find any cognitive deficits that Will has at that time, and to fine-tune his therapy to address those deficits.
Wedding Bells and Other Goals
Tuesday Will had an appointment with Dr. Edgely, the doctor who is overseeing his recovery. He wanted to know how the Peg-tube removal and PFO closure had gone. Will assured him they had both gone well. Dr. Edgely was pleased, but asked Will to get his cholesterol levels checked to make sure his diet was consistent with the goal of maintaining a healthy heart. Will’s Easter candy is still sitting on his dresser, untouched, a quiet reminder to me that he prefers food with nutritive values. We hope the cholesterol screening will confirm that he is getting just that.
The next question was where did Will see himself in a year from now? His answer was "back in residency." The doctor thought that was a good goal and encouraged him to set smaller goals that might help him to reach that end. He asked Will what other goals he might have in mind. Will said, "get married!" The doctor didn’t think he could do much to help him with that particular goal, but he agreed it was a worthy goal to shoot for.
Wally suggested he might want to get his Driver’s Training course scheduled pretty soon. The reason is Wally is flying back to Ohio to pick up Will’s car on April 15 and will be driving it back over the next couple of days. He is hoping Will will be in a position to drive quite soon. Dr. Edgely felt that he could help with that goal and suggested the Occupational Therapist, Marc, be brought in to assess Will’s readiness for taking on the highway.
A goal of Dr. Edgely for Will is to check with the state of Utah to see what programs they offer in vocational rehabilitation. He suggested Will look at taking courses on line so that he could progress through them at his own rate. He also changed some of Will’s prescriptions to help magnify his cognitive recovery.
As the appointment progressed, I sensed that both Will and Dr. Edgely were sizing up the situation. Dr. Edgely was reading Will for any emotional deficits that might be understated, and Will was reading Dr. Edgley's assessment of his progress. He was receiving from Dr. Edgely’s assuring manner, a spiritual boules as it were. Things were progressing extremely well. I had wondered if the appointment was coming too soon after the PFO Closure, but concluded it was a very necessary visit.
As we left the University of Utah hospital, we ran into one of the doctors who had done the PFO procedure. He was happy to see us and we to see him. He had seen the pictures and article on the blog. It was gratifying to know that our circle of friends is being magnified through this whole experience.
The next question was where did Will see himself in a year from now? His answer was "back in residency." The doctor thought that was a good goal and encouraged him to set smaller goals that might help him to reach that end. He asked Will what other goals he might have in mind. Will said, "get married!" The doctor didn’t think he could do much to help him with that particular goal, but he agreed it was a worthy goal to shoot for.
Wally suggested he might want to get his Driver’s Training course scheduled pretty soon. The reason is Wally is flying back to Ohio to pick up Will’s car on April 15 and will be driving it back over the next couple of days. He is hoping Will will be in a position to drive quite soon. Dr. Edgely felt that he could help with that goal and suggested the Occupational Therapist, Marc, be brought in to assess Will’s readiness for taking on the highway.
A goal of Dr. Edgely for Will is to check with the state of Utah to see what programs they offer in vocational rehabilitation. He suggested Will look at taking courses on line so that he could progress through them at his own rate. He also changed some of Will’s prescriptions to help magnify his cognitive recovery.
As the appointment progressed, I sensed that both Will and Dr. Edgely were sizing up the situation. Dr. Edgely was reading Will for any emotional deficits that might be understated, and Will was reading Dr. Edgley's assessment of his progress. He was receiving from Dr. Edgely’s assuring manner, a spiritual boules as it were. Things were progressing extremely well. I had wondered if the appointment was coming too soon after the PFO Closure, but concluded it was a very necessary visit.
As we left the University of Utah hospital, we ran into one of the doctors who had done the PFO procedure. He was happy to see us and we to see him. He had seen the pictures and article on the blog. It was gratifying to know that our circle of friends is being magnified through this whole experience.
Monday, April 7, 2008
The Traveler's Gift
Monday Will and I had a very enjoyable day. Lisa, his speech therapist, brought an article from the Salt Lake Tribune which referred to a project they are considering building on the University of Utah campus–a project which mirrors one that has already been built on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. As Will read the article aloud, it brought the two worlds of Utah and Ohio together. Will had been in the Ohio State project and knew that both campuses would benefit from having commercial spaces where students and teachers could mingle together. Bringing communities of students, and teachers together as friends in an enriching and welcoming environment is definitely a worthy goal.
After Lisa left, Will and I started reading a book which Will's Aunt Mary Anne had purchased called The Traveler’s Gift. It's by Andy Andrews, a comedian, author, inspirational speaker, and serious fisherman. As we started out, it became apparent to both of us that this book was very pertinent to Will’s situation. The main character, David Ponder, had not suffered a stroke, but he had gone from being a successful executive to a desperate man within a few short months. As he faced his devastating losses, grief and overwhelming despair engulfed him. At the very moment when he was about to surrender himself to these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, he was granted an olive branch. He was permitted to go on a journey backward in time. There he met people from history who too had faced moments of extreme crisis. Each of them spoke to him, listened to him, and acknowledged awareness of his need for help. In the end, they each offered him a letter defining a key decision which had enabled them to turn their potential tragedies into triumphs.
As Will and I got into the book both of us started crying. It seemed that the author had been inspired to write it for us. I would like to share the seven keys because I think you will see their relevance. 1- The buck stops here. I am responsible for my past and my future. (We acknowledged that Will was not responsible for his stroke, but he does have the power to control the future. The past does not need to exert undo influence over the present or the future.) 2- I will seek wisdom. I will be a servant to others. (Who seeks wisdom more keenly or desires more earnestly to serve others than a physician?) 3- I am a person of action. I seize the moment. I choose now. (Anyone who was in the singles ward while Will was Elder’s Quorum President knows how hard he worked to meet the needs of the quorum and ward members.) 4- I have a decided heart. My destiny is assured. ( Now that he has had the PFO closure, his heart is decidedly less apt to interfere with the unfolding of his destiny.) 5- Today I will choose to be happy. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit. ( Everyone who has seen Will since his stroke knows how cheerfully he has faced this trial. His smile and sense of humor have lifted all of us.) 6- I will greet the day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive myself. (This was the key offered by Abraham Lincoln who asked that the nation go forward after the Civil War "having malice toward none and charity for all." Will has felt the power of forgiveness in his own life, and is moving forward in that same charitable and forgiving spirit.) 7- I will persist without exception. I am a person of great faith. (Will is eager to go forward, resume his residency and reclaim all that was lost. His faith in the blessings that have been given him, that he will suffer no permanent losses and that his recovery will not plateau, is unwavering. That seed of faith, planted in his heart, has been nurtured by hope, and bolstered by his steadfast faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.) In the book, the key of faith was given by the Angel Gabriel.
Will and I started out reading the book together, but ended up reading it separately, neither of us being able to put it down until the last page had been turned. We recommend it highly to anyone wanting a positive affirmation of the power of the human spirit to rise above adversity.
After Lisa left, Will and I started reading a book which Will's Aunt Mary Anne had purchased called The Traveler’s Gift. It's by Andy Andrews, a comedian, author, inspirational speaker, and serious fisherman. As we started out, it became apparent to both of us that this book was very pertinent to Will’s situation. The main character, David Ponder, had not suffered a stroke, but he had gone from being a successful executive to a desperate man within a few short months. As he faced his devastating losses, grief and overwhelming despair engulfed him. At the very moment when he was about to surrender himself to these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, he was granted an olive branch. He was permitted to go on a journey backward in time. There he met people from history who too had faced moments of extreme crisis. Each of them spoke to him, listened to him, and acknowledged awareness of his need for help. In the end, they each offered him a letter defining a key decision which had enabled them to turn their potential tragedies into triumphs.
As Will and I got into the book both of us started crying. It seemed that the author had been inspired to write it for us. I would like to share the seven keys because I think you will see their relevance. 1- The buck stops here. I am responsible for my past and my future. (We acknowledged that Will was not responsible for his stroke, but he does have the power to control the future. The past does not need to exert undo influence over the present or the future.) 2- I will seek wisdom. I will be a servant to others. (Who seeks wisdom more keenly or desires more earnestly to serve others than a physician?) 3- I am a person of action. I seize the moment. I choose now. (Anyone who was in the singles ward while Will was Elder’s Quorum President knows how hard he worked to meet the needs of the quorum and ward members.) 4- I have a decided heart. My destiny is assured. ( Now that he has had the PFO closure, his heart is decidedly less apt to interfere with the unfolding of his destiny.) 5- Today I will choose to be happy. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit. ( Everyone who has seen Will since his stroke knows how cheerfully he has faced this trial. His smile and sense of humor have lifted all of us.) 6- I will greet the day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive myself. (This was the key offered by Abraham Lincoln who asked that the nation go forward after the Civil War "having malice toward none and charity for all." Will has felt the power of forgiveness in his own life, and is moving forward in that same charitable and forgiving spirit.) 7- I will persist without exception. I am a person of great faith. (Will is eager to go forward, resume his residency and reclaim all that was lost. His faith in the blessings that have been given him, that he will suffer no permanent losses and that his recovery will not plateau, is unwavering. That seed of faith, planted in his heart, has been nurtured by hope, and bolstered by his steadfast faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.) In the book, the key of faith was given by the Angel Gabriel.
Will and I started out reading the book together, but ended up reading it separately, neither of us being able to put it down until the last page had been turned. We recommend it highly to anyone wanting a positive affirmation of the power of the human spirit to rise above adversity.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Family Time
Will's four siblings who live in Provo came home for the weekend. We all spent a relaxing Sunday. Will held his own at Rummikub and went for an evening walk around the neighborhood with his sisters.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Boys' Night Out
The Saturday evening of General Conference weekend is when the Priesthood session of conference is held. The lay men of the Church who hold a priesthood office are invited. Will is an elder. The Blackhursts started a tradition 18 years ago, when Will attended his first Priesthood session, of going somewhere for a treat afterwards. Eighteen years ago, it was a dish of ice cream at Snelgroves on South Temple Street. Over the years the treat has been elaborated upon until now it is dinner at a restaurant. Tonight, dinner was at Marie Callenders. Will had the Saturday special, slow-roasted pot roast.
Solemn Assembly
The Blackhursts were fortunate to obtain 3 tickets to the Saturday morning session of the General Conference of the LDS Church in Salt Lake City. During that session a new president of the Church was sustained by the membership in what Church members call a "solemn assembly." Will had to get up pretty early compared to what he's been used to recently, but the service held his attention anyway. As soon as we got home though, he crashed and slept through lunch and much of the afternoon.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
25 mm Cribrifom Occluder
Will's appointment for his PFO closure was at 1:00 pm.
11:15 am Drs. Michaels and Gupta come to report that the device has been correctly positioned and there were no complications.
7:55 am Cath Lab calls. Dr. Michaels has returned early from his conference. Could we come to the hospital as soon as possible?
9:20 am Check-in at surgical admitting.
9:30 am Arrive at Cath Lab.
9:45 am Will enters holding area, changes into hospital gown. Vital signs are taken and pre-procedure electrocardiogram (ECG) is done. Dr. Gupta explains risks of procedure and Will signs paper acknowledging explanation.
10:15 am Will is wheeled into room where procedure will be done.
11:00 am Sara, Cath Lab RN, reports that the Cribiform Occluder has been placed in Will's heart. The doctors are now closing up. Will received a sedative but was awake throughout.
11:15 am Drs. Michaels and Gupta come to report that the device has been correctly positioned and there were no complications.11:25 am Dr. Efstratiadis comes to say Will has been returned to the holding area and we can now go back to him.
11:35 am Post-procedure ECG.
11:55 am Trans-thoracic echocardiogram (TTE) of the heart (through the chest wall) and a bubble study. This is an ultrasound of the heart. We get to watch the monitor. When the technician has a good picture with all four chambers of the heart, the nurse injects air into the blood stream. We watch the air bubbles travel through the heart. There is a blizzard of bubbles on the right side, but none that my untrained eye can see on the left. The doctors expect that there will still be bubbles immediately after the device is inserted. They will compare the recording of this TTE with the recording that was made during a trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) in Columbus immediately after Will's stroke.
2:30 pm It's three hours after the procedure. Will gets up and walks a short distance. Then the nurse checks for bleeding at the incision. After that he goes downstairs in a wheelchair for a chest X-ray.
3:05 pm Will gets dressed and waits for the evaluation of the TTE and the X-ray.
4:10 pm Everything is fine. We leave the hospital. Follow up appointment is May 6.
Procedure team:
Andrew D. Michaels, attending physician
Saurabh Gupta, interventional cardiologistStilianos Efstratiadis, cardiology fellow
Nurses:
Nurses:
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