Coping...

    I didn't write on Sunday because I was just so tired and emotionally that drained that I needed a day to just rest and relax with the people I care about the most.

      After having a very rough day on Saturday; Sunday was a much better day for Scilla emotionally. she was very cheerful and smiling; she laughed and joked with us which was a big change from Saturday. She did not have her drainage tube removed on Sunday because again she was putting out too much fluid.

    Now to today, Monday! Scilla called me early and said she hates these days that when she is sad or doesn't feel happy. She has been talking with various family members and  has realized that her accident has affected everyone in a major way, especially her husband and kids. Sometimes when life changing events happen, we have a tendency to internalize everything, but it is better to talk to someone or have some type of outlet to remove our stress and vent. As a family, we are beginning to look into our options as far as counseling for some members of our family. As African Americans many people in our community frown upon counseling; but it is not a bad thing. I think that more African Americans should take advantage of the health options available to us to help us live a more healthy and fulfilling life.

   Scilla did not get moved back to Roger C. Peace today because she is still draining too much and we are hoping that by Tuesday her drainage will be back under control and she can return to RCP. I was informed today that Her rehab doctor visited and said that she is now a 2-person case (she used another word, but she basically meant that she would need 2 care givers instead of one), but we don't understand why because nothing has changed or gotten worse since she has been back at Memorial.

   Scilla did have a small therapy session today. It is amazing what we take for granted when we are healthy and all is well. In her session today she worked on balancing, leaning on her arm/elbow for support and then pushing up using her arm/elbow. She also worked on sitting upright, as she tried to sit upright and stretch as in lifting her head and raising her shoulders, she commented on how good that felt and I could only imagine that it must have because of her surgery, she is often sitting with what looks like a curve in her spine. She also practiced lifting her arms and Mimi got to help today by standing in front of her aunt Scilla with her hands open as targets for Scilla to hit.

    I have been thinking a lot lately about how blessed so many of us are and how often we take for granted so many things that seem so minute to us. As I watched Scilla today and witnessed her fear of trying to sit in  an upright position as she tried to balance herself; I tried to encourage her, but I kept thinking that sitting up, balanced in an upright position, with the ability to support yourself is something we all take for granted; but when she is able to accomplish that; it will be a major milestone for her.

    We also learned some things for her therapist, Sue on today. Scilla told her about her legs feeling like they were hanging off the side of the bed and tingling. Sue said that is normal and could be one of two things:

1.  Phantom sensation, basically she hasn't had her injury long enough for her brain to know that her that part of her body doesn't work. So in her mind, she is still trying to move her legs, but can't. The therapists also said that it should not be possible for her to move her legs because from what they know; her injury was complete, meaning that her spinal cord was completely severed. Had Scilla's injury been incomplete, her chance's of walking would have been greater.
2. Maybe there is some regeneration going on in her spine or maybe there was just a small nerve or portion in her spine that remained connected during her injury and that could be the cause of what she is feeling; again this is very unlikely seeing as though doctors are sure that her spinal cord was completely severed.

   This has turned into a pretty long blog tonight, so I think I will end it here by saying thank you to everyone who continues to pray for our family because we all know that God has the final say in any situation.

"Walking in Faith..."         

2 surgeries today...

Today has been a very long day! As I wrote in yesterday's blog, Priscilla was scheduled to have a surgical procedure done at 8 a.m. this morning. So of course, I rushed out of bed and made it to the hospital shortly before 8. To my astonishment I beat my mom there; and to think I am not a morning person! Anyways back on topic, they did not take her down for the surgery until 10 a.m. and once in surgery I left to go home to get my baby, only to get a call from my mother and Scilla around noon; saying that they would need to perform a second surgery, most likely later on today.

    We were orignally told the second surgery would occur around 5 or 6 p.m. this evening, but it was moved up to 3:30 p.m. The Thoracentesis was unsuccessful due to the large size of the blood clot and fluid, which kept clogging the needle. So the same doctor who treated Scilla in the ER on the day of her accident came over to talk to us. And here is what she said :

• Scilla would be having a big surgery called Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). VATS is  performed using a small video camera that is introduced into the patient's chest via a scope. With the video camera, the surgeon is able to view the anatomy along with other surgical instruments that are introduced into the chest via small incisions or "ports".  The surgery should take no longer than 2 hours.
• Using VATS, they will drain the fluid from the fusion in the lung area using a suction and lightly scrape the lung.
• After doing the above they will be putting in a chest tube to keep draining any excess fluid. The chest tube will remain in for about 3 days or until the lung reinflates.
• While the tube is in, she will have a chest x-ray every morning to check the lung inflation progress.
• The blood clot itself will eventually reabsorb into the blood stream.
• With the VAT surgery, she will have a breathing tube during surgery and overnight. She will spend the night in ICU tonight, then she will be moved to a room at GHS on Thursday. The recovery period is 5 to 6 days, which means she will remain at GHS for this time period.
• Priscilla will return to Roger C. Peace sometime next week after her week of recovery at GHS.
  I think the time spent at GHS will add to the time in which she will have to spend at RCP, so the orignal 4 weeks before coming home has probably been pushed back, but we will know more about that when we get back to RCP and that is the least of our worries right now; we just want her to get better.

     The surgery went very well and they removed about a liter of fluid from her right lung area. They inserted the drain and she is resting in ICU in the heart instittute for the night. As stated above, she will be moved to a room tomorrow.  The doctor said she will be in a lot of pain and they are going to try to control it and hopefully once the drain comes out and the lung reinflates she will feel a whole lot better because she should no longer have problems with her breathing. I am so glad everything went well and I am hoping that from here on we make progress and no regressions because she is ready to leave the hospital. Please continue to keep Priscilla in your prayers.

"Walking in faith..."