They are hoping by tomorrow Charis could maybe dangle her feet over the sides of the bed.
Tomorrow they will go back in for wound surgery about 12:00 or 1 pm [prayer time ; )]. They will keep going in and cleaning it up in there, and watching it until the wound is ready to close. Then the plastic surgeon will graft skin to it.
Charis ate a little bit today! She had some strawberry instant breakfast. And peach mango ice cream. And green jello. It still makes her nauseated to eat. They won't take the feeding tube out until she can eat half of what comes on her meal trays.
She seems to be getting stronger--she helps the nurses turn herself a lot more. She can grab the trapeze bar or the side bars to help pull herself over.
They will have a lot of activities for her to do when she gets to the point. They have painting, coloring, activity books, and beads--Liza will bring some stuff. Charis loves to draw and color and do crafts. And paint by number--simple ones. She's not quite up to writing yet.
She has fungus in her hip bone. It's treatable. It may take a while to get rid of, but it's treatable. She hasn't run a fever for a few days. YEA!
Korbi snuck her new little puppy over in to see Charis. Charis got to love the pup for a couple of hours.
Slowly, but surely she's getting better. We'll see if the surgery and leg dangling can happen on the same day, because surgery seems to wipe her out for a while.
Cassie & Miss Robin made Charis a little valentines box, so everyone can send her valentines. She likes her little box. I bet she would like lights up in her room.
The last couple of days she's just been improving. The plastic surgeon says things are looking great.
"HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO EVERYBODY," Cass said. "Tell all your loved ones that you love them, because you never know..." [It makes me cry.] Cass says, "All of you, I love and appreciate all of you." [Now she's crying, too] "I'm so thankful for all your prayers. And Happy Valentines day! You can wear your pinks and reds and purples." Cass likes to buy holiday shirts for the next year on the day-after sales.
Cass again, "This experience teaches us all. All these things happen for a reason. We all grow spiritually, mentally, and physically from all these things. It's not the funnest thing to experience, but we become a better person because of it all." Now ain't that the truth!
Love,
Suz and Cassie
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011
Yesterday Charis had the right chest/lung tube taken out. There was one drain tube in the left side and it got taken out. She just has the left lung tube to go.
Today they took the wound vac back out and let the plastic surgeon come in to see what they could do with the wound. They did surgery this morning and it looked a lot better than they thought. They snipped off some dead skin. They took out more bone fragments from the hip area. They didn't know whether to close it today or not and decided not to close it and they put the wound vac back on. It's looking really good in there. The plastic surgeon will keep checking the wound and close it up with skin when it's ready.
Yesterday she developed a rash. They will do the process of elimination again. They think it is antibiotics or heat.
She's been running a fever. They gave her some Tylenol for it. The major things wrong with her don't have infection. She might be running a fever from the antibiotics. They're doing a tube down in to her left lung--it's hard to tell if there's fluid in the lung because it was so traumatized. With the tube they grab the mucousy stuff and bring it up. Out from the lung is coming clear fluid right now. The left lung was just really damaged and it will take a while to heal. They'll keep doing the tube to get the mucousy crap out.
Yesterday they put the feeding tube back in. They keep increasing the nutrition she's getting. The fluid makes her stomach just a little nauseated, but not as bad as food does.
She's been drinking Sprite today.
Cass started back to work today. Cathy (Chad's mom) came today, and Ben (her boyfriend) may come tomorrow.
If Charis keeps up the good work, maybe they can start to have her sit up in bed and dangle her feet off the bed. Maybe she can start drinking the power drinks again. Maybe she can do a little bit more moving.
They said she'll be in there at least probably a month more. It's been three weeks today.
"Charis has been doing good. She's got a good attitude. She's a strong girl, this one," Cass says. They keep calling her "The Miracle". The doctors have learned a lot from her. It's an amazing, unbelievable case, and she's doing so well. It's prayers and fasting, and that she's meant to be here and has a purpose on this earth.
Chad has a cold so he can't come to see her right now. He can come in a few days with a mask.
She's still in intermediate care, room 261.
That's it.
Love,
Suz
P.S. Please see if your mid-week mornings are clear to go in to sit with her. THANK YOU! (I sure wish I were closer!)
Today they took the wound vac back out and let the plastic surgeon come in to see what they could do with the wound. They did surgery this morning and it looked a lot better than they thought. They snipped off some dead skin. They took out more bone fragments from the hip area. They didn't know whether to close it today or not and decided not to close it and they put the wound vac back on. It's looking really good in there. The plastic surgeon will keep checking the wound and close it up with skin when it's ready.
Yesterday she developed a rash. They will do the process of elimination again. They think it is antibiotics or heat.
She's been running a fever. They gave her some Tylenol for it. The major things wrong with her don't have infection. She might be running a fever from the antibiotics. They're doing a tube down in to her left lung--it's hard to tell if there's fluid in the lung because it was so traumatized. With the tube they grab the mucousy stuff and bring it up. Out from the lung is coming clear fluid right now. The left lung was just really damaged and it will take a while to heal. They'll keep doing the tube to get the mucousy crap out.
Yesterday they put the feeding tube back in. They keep increasing the nutrition she's getting. The fluid makes her stomach just a little nauseated, but not as bad as food does.
She's been drinking Sprite today.
Cass started back to work today. Cathy (Chad's mom) came today, and Ben (her boyfriend) may come tomorrow.
If Charis keeps up the good work, maybe they can start to have her sit up in bed and dangle her feet off the bed. Maybe she can start drinking the power drinks again. Maybe she can do a little bit more moving.
They said she'll be in there at least probably a month more. It's been three weeks today.
"Charis has been doing good. She's got a good attitude. She's a strong girl, this one," Cass says. They keep calling her "The Miracle". The doctors have learned a lot from her. It's an amazing, unbelievable case, and she's doing so well. It's prayers and fasting, and that she's meant to be here and has a purpose on this earth.
Chad has a cold so he can't come to see her right now. He can come in a few days with a mask.
She's still in intermediate care, room 261.
That's it.
Love,
Suz
P.S. Please see if your mid-week mornings are clear to go in to sit with her. THANK YOU! (I sure wish I were closer!)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
SUNDAY, February 6, 2011
Chad came first thing this morning to be with Charis and Cass came in at 2:30 pm. Chad left at 4:30 pm. Chari is sleeping, and Cass is watching the Super Bowl by force (Chari didn’t want the channel changed.)
Charis is doing really good. But she’s still not eating very well. She says that nothing tastes good. It’s so different from regular Charis’ eating, to have her not eat because she loves to eat. [Like me] Her belly hurts because it’s just not used to food with nothing in it for a week. Lauralee’s stomach still hurts every time she eats 5+ years later. I REALLY hope they can figure out how to help stomachs get used to food again. So tomorrow they will have to put the feeding tube back in Chari. She needs protein to make her organs get better faster. It must be harder to eat than we think or she would do it. Lauralee knows.
At the first the doctors thought that one of her bladder tubes got stretched. They thought now that maybe one side was leaking, so they did a CT scan with dye in her to see where the dye went. YEA! They found that there’s no leaking!
“It’s a slow process here,” Cass says. Charis will need rehab and will need to be eating well before she gets out. Her side wound is still being vacuumed out. The broken vertebra is down by the bottom of her spine. Her right leg is getting stronger, with more range of motion. She likes to try to wiggle it a lot. They will teach Cass the physical therapy so Cass can do it more times a day than the therapists can do.
Charis still doesn’t talk a lot. She watches TV. Cass rubs her feet. Charis’ boyfriend still comes about every day.
Cass is thinking about going back to work on Tuesday. She should be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 am to 1 pm. Chad’s mom could come from 10 am--12:30 pm and Cass can show up at 1:30. Monetarily it’s not a huge thing for Cass to be out of work for three weeks, but she needs to start back now. I, Susie, appeal to everyone who is healthy and over 14 [déjà vu] to see if you could take a turn Tues, Wed, or Thurs 9 am – 1 pm those days to sit with Charis. It will bless your life. I know. You don’t have to talk or entertain her, just come to sit—to be an attending body. ; ) Call Cass at 801-318-4354. Cass’ church is Sundays 1-4. She doesn’t know if the hospital has church on Sundays. Primary Children’s Medical Center did.
Elli is taking driver’s ed right now and she gets to student drive for her first time tomorrow. She can get her license on April 5th. “She’ll be right ready to drive!” Cassie says. Charis doesn’t have her driver’s license yet. She either has walked, rode her bike or gotten rides with Chad or Cass, and paid them gas money.
Well, that’s it for the last 2 days.
Love,
Suz
PS There were some good Super Bowl ads, huh! I rated them this year. ; )
Charis is doing really good. But she’s still not eating very well. She says that nothing tastes good. It’s so different from regular Charis’ eating, to have her not eat because she loves to eat. [Like me] Her belly hurts because it’s just not used to food with nothing in it for a week. Lauralee’s stomach still hurts every time she eats 5+ years later. I REALLY hope they can figure out how to help stomachs get used to food again. So tomorrow they will have to put the feeding tube back in Chari. She needs protein to make her organs get better faster. It must be harder to eat than we think or she would do it. Lauralee knows.
At the first the doctors thought that one of her bladder tubes got stretched. They thought now that maybe one side was leaking, so they did a CT scan with dye in her to see where the dye went. YEA! They found that there’s no leaking!
“It’s a slow process here,” Cass says. Charis will need rehab and will need to be eating well before she gets out. Her side wound is still being vacuumed out. The broken vertebra is down by the bottom of her spine. Her right leg is getting stronger, with more range of motion. She likes to try to wiggle it a lot. They will teach Cass the physical therapy so Cass can do it more times a day than the therapists can do.
Charis still doesn’t talk a lot. She watches TV. Cass rubs her feet. Charis’ boyfriend still comes about every day.
Cass is thinking about going back to work on Tuesday. She should be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 am to 1 pm. Chad’s mom could come from 10 am--12:30 pm and Cass can show up at 1:30. Monetarily it’s not a huge thing for Cass to be out of work for three weeks, but she needs to start back now. I, Susie, appeal to everyone who is healthy and over 14 [déjà vu] to see if you could take a turn Tues, Wed, or Thurs 9 am – 1 pm those days to sit with Charis. It will bless your life. I know. You don’t have to talk or entertain her, just come to sit—to be an attending body. ; ) Call Cass at 801-318-4354. Cass’ church is Sundays 1-4. She doesn’t know if the hospital has church on Sundays. Primary Children’s Medical Center did.
Elli is taking driver’s ed right now and she gets to student drive for her first time tomorrow. She can get her license on April 5th. “She’ll be right ready to drive!” Cassie says. Charis doesn’t have her driver’s license yet. She either has walked, rode her bike or gotten rides with Chad or Cass, and paid them gas money.
Well, that’s it for the last 2 days.
Love,
Suz
PS There were some good Super Bowl ads, huh! I rated them this year. ; )
Thursday, February 3, 2011
THURSDAY, February 3, 2011
Charis has not been eating as much as they want her to eat. So they've been threatening her that she'll have to get enough calories or they will have to put the feeding tube back in. It hurts her stomach or makes her feel sicker, like she has an upset stomach so she doesn't want to eat. It takes her 20 minutes to get five bites down. She chews slowly, then takes a drink, and the food gets kind of cold. ; (
She had a visitor today, a big golden retriever, the therapy dog. Charis was so excited. He was a BIG dog. His name is Mouse. He came up to her and cheered her right up. The food situation is getting her a little down.
Charis ate pretty good on her breakfast, so Cassie got her Panda Express for lunch. Charis could only down one bite. So she needs to eat, because everything will heal faster. Without nutrients she won't heal as well.
Yesterday they took out a tube from her stomach. They also took out every other staple on her wound up her abdomen to her sternum. It's from the very first surgery where they rinsed everything out inside her and worked on her intestines. It's a cool "s" shape.
Charis has been doing her breathing exercises. She sucks air from a tube and tries to blow air in. It's really hard to do after lung problems (Lauralee didn't like to have to do it). Charis has been up to 500 on the tube. Today Cassie was helping her get it done and Charis got to 750 a few times! That's great.
She sits at an angle in bed for the vertebra to heal on its own. The docs will go from there, according to how it heals on its own.
Charis has feeling in her right leg now! They have her move her feet around, one at a time. Her right leg is a lot weaker but it's making progress.
Today Cass painted Charis' toes pink. Yesterday she got her fingernails painted. They've been washing her hair every day. Cassie does Charis' hair and washes her face a few times a day.
The visitors have slowed down some, but there's still a steady flow. Today about ten people came. One day there was about three. She likes to have people come. She's still not talking much, though. This experience has toned her down some.
It's okay with Charis to have her family go home at night. Cass comes at 9:30 am for the day and Chad comes after work. The siblings come when they can.
They have her drink Carnation Instant Breakfast. Three of those a day would give us enough nutrients to live on. She drinks them really slowly. Her food came at 7 pm and she almost has the drink done (it's 9 pm). It took her four hours to get half of one down today. She's still trying to finish some of one meal when the next one comes!
Cass says it would be nice to not want to eat (for us bigger types). But not if it hurts. Huh, Lauralee!
Love,
Suz Q
She had a visitor today, a big golden retriever, the therapy dog. Charis was so excited. He was a BIG dog. His name is Mouse. He came up to her and cheered her right up. The food situation is getting her a little down.
Charis ate pretty good on her breakfast, so Cassie got her Panda Express for lunch. Charis could only down one bite. So she needs to eat, because everything will heal faster. Without nutrients she won't heal as well.
Yesterday they took out a tube from her stomach. They also took out every other staple on her wound up her abdomen to her sternum. It's from the very first surgery where they rinsed everything out inside her and worked on her intestines. It's a cool "s" shape.
Charis has been doing her breathing exercises. She sucks air from a tube and tries to blow air in. It's really hard to do after lung problems (Lauralee didn't like to have to do it). Charis has been up to 500 on the tube. Today Cassie was helping her get it done and Charis got to 750 a few times! That's great.
She sits at an angle in bed for the vertebra to heal on its own. The docs will go from there, according to how it heals on its own.
Charis has feeling in her right leg now! They have her move her feet around, one at a time. Her right leg is a lot weaker but it's making progress.
Today Cass painted Charis' toes pink. Yesterday she got her fingernails painted. They've been washing her hair every day. Cassie does Charis' hair and washes her face a few times a day.
The visitors have slowed down some, but there's still a steady flow. Today about ten people came. One day there was about three. She likes to have people come. She's still not talking much, though. This experience has toned her down some.
It's okay with Charis to have her family go home at night. Cass comes at 9:30 am for the day and Chad comes after work. The siblings come when they can.
They have her drink Carnation Instant Breakfast. Three of those a day would give us enough nutrients to live on. She drinks them really slowly. Her food came at 7 pm and she almost has the drink done (it's 9 pm). It took her four hours to get half of one down today. She's still trying to finish some of one meal when the next one comes!
Cass says it would be nice to not want to eat (for us bigger types). But not if it hurts. Huh, Lauralee!
Love,
Suz Q
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
TUESDAY, February 1, 2011
Charis got moved at 3:45 pm to intermediate care--same floor, 6 stairs down--still ICU, with a nurse for 2 rooms.
She hasn't slept all day today!
She only gets a little pain medicine now in pill form.
She's just doing wonderfully. Cass painted her fingernails today.
She's eating little bits of solids now. It fits just fine in her shrunken stomach.
She now has a trapeze bar hanging above her bed so she can pull herself up sometimes and exercise her arms.
Everything's going really well.
Elli and Orry like to come over now, and Hayden comes every two or three days. Chad started back to work last Saturday.
Thanks again everyone.
Love,
Suz & Cassie
She hasn't slept all day today!
She only gets a little pain medicine now in pill form.
She's just doing wonderfully. Cass painted her fingernails today.
She's eating little bits of solids now. It fits just fine in her shrunken stomach.
She now has a trapeze bar hanging above her bed so she can pull herself up sometimes and exercise her arms.
Everything's going really well.
Elli and Orry like to come over now, and Hayden comes every two or three days. Chad started back to work last Saturday.
Thanks again everyone.
Love,
Suz & Cassie
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