Pray for Meredith

What struck me today in seeing Meredith since the first time since Thursday was how much more like herself she is looking.  Even some of her old grimaces she uses with me when she’s not happy with me are back, intentional or not I’m not sure.  Her eye contact is better — at time she’s really seems to be looking at people in the room. She is not happy at all with the NG tube and is trying to grab at it.  She also took her finger and scratched her nose and her eye.  Her two hands found each other and held onto each other a few times.  And when I was telling her sitter her amazing story of UK to Cinci, I snapped my fingers when describing how quickly Cinci diagnosed her.  She was watching me or my fingers and smiled and chuckled.

Tomorrow we start true rehab, and I can’t wait.  I am as excited as someone starting a new dream job.  I’ve heard they will push her but not beyond her limits and that pushing will work wonders to reconnect her mind and her body.  She has had a wonderful day with visitors including Josh’s mom and sister Jessica who is a music therapist and who played for her and let her strum the guitar.  She needs some good sleep tonight for our big day tomorrow.  Sleep well, my Mere.  It is so good to see you coming back.

Meredith had another good day from reports I’ve gotten from Josh, Cousin Pauline, Vicki White and Grace Doty.  She responded to her special visitors today, had her therapies, was put in her wheelchair again.  She seems to be responding more to commands with some nodding of the head and squeezing of the hands.  Vicki and Grace were encouraged by her progress since they last saw her one week ago in the ICU, on a ventilator, with only occasionally open eyes and no other movements.

Once today Josh, Pauline and the nurse were with her when she made a new sound that Josh described as, “AHYAYA.”  They were all stunned and stared at her.  She didn’t repeat it then, but what a pleasant surprise and the most she has said so far.

I will admit that as I am recovering some myself at home and spending good time with Laura Campbell, that fears start to creep back into my heart.  I am continually preaching to myself to be patient in the Lord and reminding myself of how far He has brought her — His faithfulness and mercies over and over.  Lord, I believe; Help Thou my unbelief.

I am excited about going back tomorrow.  About starting really rehab on Monday and seeing the pet therapy begin, too.  “Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth, shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!  Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been granted in what he ordaineth?”

They are moving Meredith right now to the rehab floor (4A) so she will continue getting her therapies over the weekend, and even more intense than what we’ve done so far from what I’ve heard.  The neurologists seemed to be pleased with her progress enough to recommend the transfer and the rehab docs also came and saw her and agreed.  The phenobarb taper is still in the early stages and her bp is still a tad high but we should see improvement with that once she’s weaned off the decadron steriod.

An amazing part of today’s move is that a cousin of ours who is working/studying in OT is currently stationed on the very floor where Meredith will be.   A verse sent from my dear friend Ruth: “But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.  He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” Job 5:8-9

Josh told me last night Meredith was very active and seemed to be responding to him in her own way.  She stayed up late last night and was very sleepy this morning through speech therapy and OT.  But speech says they can hear more of a voice in her than previously and OT held her upright in bed for a few minutes.  Physical therapy worked with her again and put her back in the wheelchair where she is napping again. 

We now have a night time sitter who stays in her room when we aren’t there and keeps good tabs on her.  And Neurology says that if the phenobarb taber goes smoothely she might be ready to move to the rehab floor on Wednesday. 

“Thank you” cannot begin to describe my gratitude to everyone at TCPC, TCA, our family and friends and friends of friends who are constantly praying for Meredith.  May God bless each of you for your intercession, your encouraging comments, your generosity, meals, love and compassion.

Meredith had another session of speech therapy today which I missed but am told went well — she’s making a little AHH sound in the back of her throat which is a first step in learning to talk again.   Occupational came by and message therapy too, but she was asleep and missed her massage.

Though it took two people to put her in it and arrange enough pillows around her so she was stable, to see her upright in a wheelchair was so hopeful.  I love seeing what these therapies are doing and can do!

Her daily movements are not very controlled at this point, but she is moving a little more each day under her own power.  And I can tell she is attempting to follow commands even when they are delayed or she gets the signals mixed up. 

I am broken at times and hopeful at others.  I know this trial is nothing to be compared to Christ’s suffering on the cross, and whatever we are called to endure, our only wholeness and only hope must come from Christ, our Redeemer, our Defender, our Rock.

After a good PT session in which Meredith did well working on moving her feet, she is now napping in a reclining wheelchair! We can put her in it for about an hour at a time twice a day.
The weaning of the phenobarbitol will be a very gradual process, and hopefully as it leaves her system God will keep her from seizures and awaken her more to be able to follow commands. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Ps 27:14

Meredith is moving her feet today which is a first.  PT is here now working with her and has a wheelchair for her that they are going to put her in.  Her tummy is still adjusting to a new formula — at least we pray that is the issue and that she gets some relief soon. 

We still have visits from OT and speech therapy sometime today.  I am headed home soon for a much needed rest, hard as it is to leave.  I am weary of being patient but know that is our ultimate quest as we watch small steps and hope for more.

From Michael/Glenda: Carrie says the stress and fatigue have hit her. She sounds drained. Thankfully Josh is with Meredith and Carrie – Josh brings a lot of strength. Meredith’s status: Meredith’s movements are head, shoulders, arms and not on request but you can tell she is trying to respond to a request. She is still sedated by the pheno and is being gradually weaned from it. Pheno has a long half-life so it will be several days before it no longer masks.
Meredith’s neuro status. Speech therapy and physical therapy are attending her which is terrific.
Carrie will go to Lexington today. Cousin Pauline, a delightful and encouraging character, will come to Cincinnati for a couple of days after enjoying time with little sister, Laura.
Josh’s sister, Jessica, is driving in from Annapolis for a visit and will take Laura to Annapolis for a few days.
We are amazed at the overwhelming support from family and friends to provide support in Cincinnati and at home for Laura.
We cannot fully describe how abundantly God’s love through you faithful people has graced Josh, Carrie, Laura and Meredith’s lives.

From: Michael/Glenda – Meredith was moved after lunch from icu to the nuerological floor which is in a different building. Carrie says Meredith now has an upset stomach and Carrie is being more involved in some of the hands-on care. Carrie requests prayer for Meredith and herself to adjust to this new situation. Two weeks in the icu at CCH gets one in a pattern – the pattern is new. Carrie has not updated us on any medicine adjustments or Meredith’s state of alertness.
We usually talk to Carrie late in the evening after she returns to McD House. We hope we can talk with her tonight. Josh has joined Carrie.
Sometimes a giant step throws one off balance. We celebrate this huge new step. Glenda and/or I cannot wait to return to Cincinnati.
‘To God Be the Glory’ – this has been sung to Meredith countless times.

3 posts in one day must be good.  Meredith had been moving her shoulders today and she finally managed to turn her head from one side to facing center late today (just shortly after I started playing the Beatles for her).   Her breathing sounded much better today and she maintained her O2 saturations all day.  And her blood pressure improved today with the new medication.

Tonight’s dose of phenobarb will be the first slightly lower one.  They will watch her and every 2 days lower it a bit more provided she remains seizure-free.   I humbly rejoice in His mercies and boldly continue to ask for more.