Of brainwaves, pot pies, and FedEx boxes
November 16th, 2006 by Atomictumor
This morning, news with BJ looked a lot better.
The brainscan showed no seizure activity! She’s still not responsive, but todays nurse, Crystal, said that a tear came down her face when doing suction in her oxygen tube. Its tragically wonderful how the reactions to pain that she has show us that she’s in there. The blessing of this is that she won’t remember it. I will, but thats what alcohol is for.
Actually, I haven’t had much alcohol lately. My beer intake has been severely affected by this. Daco would be disappointed.
Anyway, things are looking up in the ol’ noggin today. The pain reaction was a good sign to Dr. M, who talked to me today.
I also learned that MRSA and a staff infection are very much alike, and, in fact, theres an MRSA whomping up in her throatal area. This is expected, and something I’ve been kinda waiting for. Another obstacle, its OK.
Her friends Lucky and Pam showed up, Lucky with a chicken pot pie for me and the boys, and some homeopathic remedies for the girl. She applied them, so we have big pharma working with Lucky. I can deal with that.
I picked up the paper to inform the schools that BJ is not completeing the semester. I reckon I’ll do that today.
When we got home, Mom and I, we found a FedEx box at the door. It contained a healing shawl made by Vickie (califdudes), and as I held it I understood the emotion that went into every stitch. Holding it, feeling it, I realized that this, along with the chicken pot pie, are one of 
the best kinds of gifts the world can give a person.
Thanks Vickie, Lucky. You ladies are great. Me and the boys (well, mostly me) will eat the chicken pot pie tonight, and we’ll huddle up and watch TV tonight in the shawl.
Mom and Dad have gone home, and the normal world has begun. I’m pulling my last comp day (hopefully) today, and tomorrow we’ll start our family again.
My BJ, little girl, we’re keeping your seat at the table warm. We love you so much.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
Oh man … that’s some serious lovin’ from heart and hands.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Great news!
November 16th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
That’s really amazong. I’m so glad that you have support from such wonderful, generous people. There’s something in you, AT, that people respond to and love. You’re an amazing person, and you and BJ are amazing together.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
You are quite welcome. It really is a small, small world and we all have to pull together in times of need. Its how our race will survive. Plus I just looooved that yarn. It was dam softee and purty on the eyes. I could not decide on a color (each have meanings), went looking for green, but found this. It has several of the colors I thought would help you and BJ:
RED – love, strength, warmth, energy, vigor, courage
PINK – compassion, sensitivity, warm-heartedness, nurturing
ORANGE – vitality, strength
GREEN – healing, hope, renewal, confidence, life
PURPLE – spirituality
There are many other colors with meaning, but I kinda felt like it was fate when I saw that color mix on the shelf.
Enjoy it.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
“kinda felt like it was fate”
Indeed.
Thanks very much.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
It really makes my day so much better to see things looking up.
November 16th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
Oh - BTW, MRSA is just a particular strain of Staph. Both are the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus - a bacteria that lives in the sinus passages of roughly 50% of the population all the time. It’s only when it gets where it is not supposed to be that it becomes a problem.
MRSA is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - which is a bit of a misnomer, because it is usually multiply-drug resistant. MRSA used to be an exclusively hospital-acquired problem, but it is in the community now. I have seen MRSA infections in shaving nicks on healthy teenage girls. It can still be treated - it’s just trickier.
Yeah, okay, the last thing you probably need is a lecture in infectious disease, but I am just one of those folks who deals with stress through research. It’s probably why I do what Ido for a living.
November 16th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
What Robbin said about MRSA. My son Ben has been trached for about seven years now. Every hospital visit he’s had (lost count a long time ago) shows a positive MRSA culture in his trachea. No big deal. It just requires the nurses and docs to take extra precautions in cleanliness while he’s in there.
November 16th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Yeah, makes sense. I understand it can be treated, as well, with one of those ‘V’ drugs, right?
November 16th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
What great news, and, what the rest of them said about MRSA.
November 16th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
AT,
Glad to hear that there was no seizure activity this morning. You all remain in my prayers. I was glad to catch up on all of the posts I missed while away. Good luck to you and the boys as you start trying to figure out new routines.
November 16th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
What an awesome blessing to have friends and suupport like that. And it is sounds like it has been a great day around there. Congratulations!
November 16th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
Vancomycin or Targocid. But hopefully it will not come to that. Vanc is not a pretty drug - but it is the last line of defense. Sometimes antiobiotic “cocktails” will work. Let the Docs worry about it. You have a lot of other things to focus on, and everything is looking so much better.
November 16th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
I came here from a link on another site and I’ve been reading all your posts, trying to send as many good thoughts and prayers as I can. We went through a similar situation this summer in my family and this is just bringing me right back there. I have a shawl like that, given to me when I went into rehab. It meant the world to me and two months later I was able to give it to my mom. The staff at the hospital kept it with her as often as they could, even in the ICU, and it was an amazing moment a few weeks ago when she told me that she felt like she could give it back to me. I’m praying for you and your family.
November 16th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Next time I head to Knoxville, I will stop in Oak Ridge and buy you and GAC as much beer as you want.
This, I promise.
November 16th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Beer is good, but can you also promise the liver I’d need?