Dec 29 (Saturday) - A Pre-New Year's Update 1000pm

It's been a fairly long time since I last wrote an update, and since that time much has taken place and much has not.   There have been many trips to the Occupational Therapy (OT) teams, some at 40 below zero and through blowing snows.   Rich has been there at Jeannette's side every single day and night, working to get her well, to cook her food and to administer to her needs.    There have been some great times too; friends visiting for the holidays, a Christmas dinner and the ever present warmth of a blue flame oil fed fire.  

This healing thing has not been an easy journey, and Jeannette has had to struggle with being able to eat, to gain the strength and to add weight that she so desperately needs.    It seems  an odd cycle -- if you are weak and don't feel well, it's difficult to eat to make yourself feel better.   Rich has fancy recipe's for liquid shakes that are 800 calories a glass; but the goal of being able to drink them remain elusive.   With an upset stomach that has shrunk of lack of use, water is easier than Gatorade, and a small bite of food goes down much easier than a large helping.   The body of course requires a LOT of calories to heal, and more on top of that to get stronger and to gain weight.  

There have been struggles with the medicines too, trying to figure out what is REALLY needed and what is not, and what is important and what is not quite so important.    But there have been some big gains; the progress has been exciting with her legs and bionic knee, and in some ways Jeannette is moving better than ever.     But the therapy comes at a struggle, and there have been many difficult days too, a constant reminder perhaps that the prayers are still oh-so-important and the road ahead is neither straight nor short.    

I have written this update today because on this Saturday things came to a head; her blood test that was drawn yesterday came back with some serious issues, and to put it simply those all important "numbers" and "electrolytes" were not where they are supposed to be, and so it was a trip to Valley Hospital to sort it all out.   As soon as she arrived she was admitted into the ICU, and the professionals have taken over to do what the home remedies could not.    

Rich is still at the hospital, and they are working to balance her electrolytes as I am writing this, but the doctors seem to have it under control and with the IV's back in place those all important numbers should soon be returning to where they have to be.   But it is also very clear that she has lost a lot of weight since she left the hospital just after Thanksgiving, and she still seems unable to eat much of anything, and is a concern.   I think has the doctors are looking at her nutrition with the same focused attention as they have given her blood counts that went haywire.    So, clearly, there are things to be done in the coming days, and challenges ahead to be faced.    

But the good news is that she is in good hands and the doctors seem to have the big things under control once again.    While the news would be better if she was still home, gaining weight, and her blood work was staying balanced, as it stands tonight as we move through this setback of sorts, those goals are something for the future.  This entire journey since the accident has been a true roller coaster ride, of ups and downs and twists and turns that can never be predicted or planned for.   This too seems to be one of those little dips, and we can all hope that at a new year looms that things will soon be back on the steady recovery path.    - John