In March 2007, Mike was in an accident that resulted in an above-the-knee amputation and degloving of his left leg. This blog was created to simplify keeping a large and distributed group of family and friends up to date, and while it still serves that purpose, it also now provides a record of all that has gone before.
- Please let us know you were here! Sign the guestbook, or leave a comment to an entry (look for the
). - Check out some pictures of Mike on his last blogged adventure: when he and Ruth hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2004 (as Oxymoron and Maine Dish, respectively).
04 April 2007: Just Too Darn Healthy
Well its official, Dad was moved from the Burn ICU to the 11th floor. The bad news is a) No more Gigi (Dad's favorite nurse) and b) a patient in very critical condition needed Dad's bed. The good news is that Dad is no longer the "oh, you're that guy" patient that he was down in Memphis. He is now in the patient tower and his new room number is 1142-B.
Ammendment from Erin: His mailing address remains unchanged.
Ammendment from Erin: His mailing address remains unchanged.
03 April 2007: Thanks To All
During my last visit with Mike (Friday) he asked me to draft a "Thank You" to all of you (family, friends and co-workers alike) that have been so expressive in your support.
Recap:
It has been a little over 3 weeks since his accident occured and much of that time has been spent in and out of sedation and between various surgical procedures. Much of the first week was spent in the transition from trauma to wound management. He only had one surgical produre to clean up the amputaion of his left leg, however he was put under several times over the next several days for the debridement. He was transfered to Metro in Cleveland, OH on Tues, 3/20. This week was spent primarily on wound management and monitoring the muscle tissue in preparation for the skin grafting procedure. The skin graft was done the following Wed, 3/28. So far the donor sites are still really sore, but the graft is taking very well (95% as of today, 4/3).
Message from Mike:
"I am sorry that I can not respond to everyone, but I do really appreciate all the cards, visitors and the support. It is all very helpful."
He mentioned at one point that he is essentially having a burial for his leg, so he is getting a chance to see who will come to his funeral and is both flattered and inspired. He thinks of those in Greneda often and hopes everyone, and most especially Benny, is doing well. [And we do too!!!]
Added Request:
In addition, Dad has recieved somewhere around 12 units of blood. For those who are able and willing to do so, Dad has asked that people donate blood in lieu of sending gifts (balloons, flowers, etc).
Recap:
It has been a little over 3 weeks since his accident occured and much of that time has been spent in and out of sedation and between various surgical procedures. Much of the first week was spent in the transition from trauma to wound management. He only had one surgical produre to clean up the amputaion of his left leg, however he was put under several times over the next several days for the debridement. He was transfered to Metro in Cleveland, OH on Tues, 3/20. This week was spent primarily on wound management and monitoring the muscle tissue in preparation for the skin grafting procedure. The skin graft was done the following Wed, 3/28. So far the donor sites are still really sore, but the graft is taking very well (95% as of today, 4/3).
Message from Mike:
"I am sorry that I can not respond to everyone, but I do really appreciate all the cards, visitors and the support. It is all very helpful."
He mentioned at one point that he is essentially having a burial for his leg, so he is getting a chance to see who will come to his funeral and is both flattered and inspired. He thinks of those in Greneda often and hopes everyone, and most especially Benny, is doing well. [And we do too!!!]
Added Request:
In addition, Dad has recieved somewhere around 12 units of blood. For those who are able and willing to do so, Dad has asked that people donate blood in lieu of sending gifts (balloons, flowers, etc).
03 April 2007: Do we look forward to "Itching"?
When Marsha and Mom visited today, we arrived right after Mike was medicated to be re-positioned. In about 30 minutes, we were back with him and he wasn't too foggy, so we were able to talk a little. We learned that the graft sites look great, but the take is at 95% with a chance that he may need some minor additional grafting at a later date. This Doctor appears to be quite a perfectionist and is looking for a great outcome. Other than the pain at the donor sites, Mike seems enthusiastic as he hears the staff rave about how well he's healing and what a great attitude he has. The next phase of healing will substitute the pain at the donor sites with itching (a sign of healing). This is where the Aloe Lotion and Benadryl will come to the rescue....we're getting up to speed on how to apply that lotion most effectively.
An OT (Nikki) came in today to have Mike demonstrate his arm and leg strength. His range of motion remains quite good. As impatient as Mike is, he fully understands that it takes time to successfully heal the grafts and he seems pretty willing to sacrifice his impatience for a successful graft. Nikki was able to convince him that the moment he is medically ready, OT will be right their to get started on a move toward independence.
Erin is scheduled to return to Cleveland on Thursday. She will be a welcome sight and she will begin assisting with any of the communication needed to get Mike enrolled in Metro's amputee rehab program (I hear it is second to none).
An OT (Nikki) came in today to have Mike demonstrate his arm and leg strength. His range of motion remains quite good. As impatient as Mike is, he fully understands that it takes time to successfully heal the grafts and he seems pretty willing to sacrifice his impatience for a successful graft. Nikki was able to convince him that the moment he is medically ready, OT will be right their to get started on a move toward independence.
Erin is scheduled to return to Cleveland on Thursday. She will be a welcome sight and she will begin assisting with any of the communication needed to get Mike enrolled in Metro's amputee rehab program (I hear it is second to none).
03 April 2007: Change of Plans
When Marsha and GiGi visited on Monday, the expectaton was that the dressing were going to be changed.....surprise..we wait one more day. so, the visit was great, Mike was comfortable as long as he was lying still. The vacuum dressing is an amazing piece of equipment and it seems to be keeping the graft drainage trickiling into a bottle rather than lying on the wound.
Mr. Diczikowski (sorry if I bombed on the spelling, Trish) popped in on Mike Monday evening and they had a trip down memory lane as Mr. D. shared his recollections of Mike's Dad....and noted the similarities.
One of the OT's stopped in to remind Mike the importance of keeping all of muscles and joints moving. AT this time, they are just briefing Mike on things to come when he is mediclly cleared to rehab "full speed ahead".
Mr. Diczikowski (sorry if I bombed on the spelling, Trish) popped in on Mike Monday evening and they had a trip down memory lane as Mr. D. shared his recollections of Mike's Dad....and noted the similarities.
One of the OT's stopped in to remind Mike the importance of keeping all of muscles and joints moving. AT this time, they are just briefing Mike on things to come when he is mediclly cleared to rehab "full speed ahead".
01 April 2007: A Pretty Good Day!
April 1, 2007 2:00pm***
Gi GI and I (Marsha) arrived at Metro around 2:00pm. Bonnie Griffith had left a little earlier after spending Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning at the hospital. Mike was remarkably awake and alert. He is comfortable as long as he is not actively moving. He asked for a tennis shoe since it appears rehab is starting and he will begin working on standing and using a walker. Mike is embracing the challenge and looking to cut as much time as possible off his rehab and ultimate goal of independent navigation.
Currently, he is considering entering Metro's in-patient rehab program for amputees. Starting this intense program now will mean overlapping rehab with the wound management and at this point the overlapping will move things along little quicker. The decision requires a commitment to the entire program.....that would mean recovery in the hospital rather than at home. The upside is that the wounds will continue to monitored very closely because a therapist will be evaluating progress with rehab and address any issues immediately as a member of Mike's care team. The down side is "cabin fever" because of the extended hospital stay.
Monday will bring another dressing change for the donor sites and reevaluation of the grafted areas. We're looking for good news here.
Gi GI and I (Marsha) arrived at Metro around 2:00pm. Bonnie Griffith had left a little earlier after spending Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning at the hospital. Mike was remarkably awake and alert. He is comfortable as long as he is not actively moving. He asked for a tennis shoe since it appears rehab is starting and he will begin working on standing and using a walker. Mike is embracing the challenge and looking to cut as much time as possible off his rehab and ultimate goal of independent navigation.
Currently, he is considering entering Metro's in-patient rehab program for amputees. Starting this intense program now will mean overlapping rehab with the wound management and at this point the overlapping will move things along little quicker. The decision requires a commitment to the entire program.....that would mean recovery in the hospital rather than at home. The upside is that the wounds will continue to monitored very closely because a therapist will be evaluating progress with rehab and address any issues immediately as a member of Mike's care team. The down side is "cabin fever" because of the extended hospital stay.
Monday will bring another dressing change for the donor sites and reevaluation of the grafted areas. We're looking for good news here.
31 March 2007: 96% covered..
I got a little update from Ruth this morning: they changed the bandages, and it looks like he has 96% coverage from the original graft. The bits that didn't take are kind of scattered - the nurse thought they might just heal over on their own. How great is that! Dad managed to roll himself over and everything, so it was just he and the nurse working together to get everything done. They'll change the bandages again on Monday, so we'll see what there is to be seen. Yahoo!
31 March 2007: Pat the stump!
A question we get frequently: Has Dad experienced phantom pain?
The answer is decidedly yes, though at least at the beginning it was more weirdness than pain. On one of our first visits, Rodney was standing near the end of the bed (as he usually did), and Dad said, "Rodney - do something about that foot, it ITCHES!" Poor Rodney, he didn't know what to do in response to that. None of us did, really. Nervous, helpless chuckles all around.
Over the next few days, Dad would randomly interject comments into conversations: "now it feels like it's in a ski boot", "it felt like it was swimming", "now it feels like it has a tennis shoe on", "I had goose bumps on my shin". When you combine these feelings with the morphine room, some of them got pretty detailed: "I had a hang nail on my pinky toe that kept snagging the sheet", or "my leg was hanging off the side of the bed, and I was swinging my foot--I could feel the air moving through all of the little hair follicles on my shin." Many in our family are permutative thinkers (at least I am), and it seemed to me that Dad's brain was trying to make sense of the nerve signals he was getting: is it this? no. is it that? no. what about this? no.
The answer is decidedly yes, though at least at the beginning it was more weirdness than pain. On one of our first visits, Rodney was standing near the end of the bed (as he usually did), and Dad said, "Rodney - do something about that foot, it ITCHES!" Poor Rodney, he didn't know what to do in response to that. None of us did, really. Nervous, helpless chuckles all around.
Over the next few days, Dad would randomly interject comments into conversations: "now it feels like it's in a ski boot", "it felt like it was swimming", "now it feels like it has a tennis shoe on", "I had goose bumps on my shin". When you combine these feelings with the morphine room, some of them got pretty detailed: "I had a hang nail on my pinky toe that kept snagging the sheet", or "my leg was hanging off the side of the bed, and I was swinging my foot--I could feel the air moving through all of the little hair follicles on my shin." Many in our family are permutative thinkers (at least I am), and it seemed to me that Dad's brain was trying to make sense of the nerve signals he was getting: is it this? no. is it that? no. what about this? no.
29 March 2007: A blog dedicated to Dad's recovery.
Yes. A blog. This is me (Erin), remember? I blog about everything (when I remember to write in it).
This blog will track Dad's recovery over the (past and) next few weeks. I've made some back-dated entries from my own journals and notes, so those of you that haven't received all of the emails you may have wanted can go back and look at his pretty amazing progress so far.
Also, you may want to check out some pictures of Dad on his last blogged adventure: when he and my Aunt Ruth hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2004.
This blog will track Dad's recovery over the (past and) next few weeks. I've made some back-dated entries from my own journals and notes, so those of you that haven't received all of the emails you may have wanted can go back and look at his pretty amazing progress so far.
Also, you may want to check out some pictures of Dad on his last blogged adventure: when he and my Aunt Ruth hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2004.
29 March 2007: I want to visit, now what.
29 March 2007: Mailing address
revised 05 November 2007
Dad is officially on his own again, out into the big wide world as the wonderful one-legged wonder we all know he is.
The cards, the phone calls, the emails.. as you can tell from reading this blog, they all meant so much to him. It really is hard to appreciate those kinds of things until you're at the receiving end of this kind of catastrophe.
Contact Dad using his email address or cell # (if you have those), otherwise, please leave a message in the guestbook!
Thanks.
Dad is officially on his own again, out into the big wide world as the wonderful one-legged wonder we all know he is.
The cards, the phone calls, the emails.. as you can tell from reading this blog, they all meant so much to him. It really is hard to appreciate those kinds of things until you're at the receiving end of this kind of catastrophe.
Contact Dad using his email address or cell # (if you have those), otherwise, please leave a message in the guestbook!
Thanks.
