This blog is to document Neal Hutchison's recovery from Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Update: Day 52
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Update: Day 51
Monday, October 25, 2010
Feeling the love
And thank you to all of those who have emailed me their updates for Neal to read. I have passed them along to my mom & Neal as they've come in.
Also a big thank you for all the kudos on the blog. I'm so happy that it has helped everyone stay informed. My mom and I have joked about the "old days" of no internet, no blog, no email, no cell phones or texting. How in the world would everyone keep updated when someone was in the hospital? Good ol' fashioned snail mail! Yeah... you would have never received this many updates that's for sure! :) Good thing we live in this fabulous world of technology!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Update: Day 47
Belinda
Friday, October 22, 2010
Visitations
Thursday, October 21, 2010
My Update: Day 44
Neal
(You can all tell... he hasn't lost his bathroom humor! - Belinda)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Update: Day 42
Belinda
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Update: Day 39
I can't wait to have him home again!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Update: Day 37
Lee, Neal’s brother, just talked to Neal on the phone. Neal was sitting in the chair eating lunch and watching TV. Yesterday he stood up for 30 seconds using a walker and a little help. He's 100% unplugged from everything. The trach is totally out, and the opening in the skin is healing up. Tomorrow they will move him to the physical rehab unit. He's set an ambitious goal, to walk out of the rehab unit one month from tomorrow. He realizes this is ambitious, it may take a little longer, and he may need a walker when he leaves. But his firm goal is to take care of himself when he comes home.
We are working on setting up a schedule to visit Neal. Once we know what his physical rehab workout schedule will be, we will have something setup on the blog to sign up for visits for those who would like to visit.
Belinda
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Update: Day 35
Finally, the trach tube has been removed. I’m sure he is very happy to finally have that out of this throat.
Every day he seems to be regaining some strength back in his arms and hands. He is also starting to be able to move his legs. His doctor said he has never seen anyone recover this quickly from a case as severe as his.
He requested some candy… guess he is feeling better. : )
Belinda
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Update: Day 33
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Update: Day 30
I would like to thank the person who sent him his foam hand grenades from his desk at work. He had a huge smile on his face when he saw them. That's Neal!
They are most likely going to remove the trach tube tomorrow or Saturday. He still isn't ready for visitors, but is deeply moved by all the well wishes from everyone.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Update: Day 28
We spent the evening catching up during his dinner. It was WONDERFUL!!!
Belinda
Update: Day 27
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Update: Day 25
Neal has made astonishing progress since I saw him two weeks ago.
Today he is clearly able to mouth words with many fricatives. Today
he was on a four-hour ventilator test, off the ventilator. His
breathing off the ventilator today is better than fully assisted two
weeks ago. The respiration tech came by to monitor the test and
discussed the possibility of removing the ventilator next week and
installing a voice box. It depends on his strength at the end of
these tests. The efforts to remove him from the ventilator last week
were premature. Neal quoted Clint Eastwood: "A man's got to know his
limitations." There is a plan next week to create a direct line into
his stomach and remove the feeding tube. When that is done he'll be
able to drink things. The occupational therapist came and did
range-of-motion exercises and commented on the huge improvement since
the last evaluation. Neal asked for his foam hand grenade on his desk
to exercise with. The head nurse on the floor came by and discussed
near-term plans. When Neal is off the ventilator he's already been
approved to be moved to the occupational therapy ICU, one floor up
from his current room. He's real pleased with his own progress, and
the hospital's plans.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Update: Day 24
Second treatment of IVIG and we have finger movement! Though the treatment is not a silver bullet, it is a very positive move in the right direction. Not able to hold a pencil yet….but hopefully soon. It will make it so much easier for him to communicate.
Molly visited last night. She updated him on school and her after school activities. He’s always happy to hear how/what she has been doing.
Belinda