Monday, March 30, 2009
Home Again
Though somewhat weather delayed, Luke flew back to sunny San Diego Sunday afternoon while Mom and Dad were driving through blowing snow and then heavy rains on their way home to Meadville. A parting shot while saying goodbye in Rochester ...
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Homeward Bound
Luke was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon and he spent the rest of the day relaxing at the motel and doing some Wii bowling. We enjoyed a final dinner together at Outback. He still is very uncomfortable from all the healing incisions but is getting better each day. He has to leave his motion restricting sling on for three weeks and will do follow up visits with his elbow surgeon in San Diego. He will have a follow up visit back here at the Mayo Clinc in about a year.
His flight back to San Diego leaves at 9:00 Sunday morning and after taking him to the airport, Paula and I will begin our long drive home.
---Bill
His flight back to San Diego leaves at 9:00 Sunday morning and after taking him to the airport, Paula and I will begin our long drive home.
---Bill
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Slow Recovery
Luke's recovery slowed down a bit today as his heart rate was up and he wasn't as perky this morning as he was yesterday. They took a chest x-ray and his lungs showed a bit of cloudiness which could be anything from a touch of pneumonia to remnants of the hit his lungs took from the original trauma. As a precaution he is taking some antibiotics and he took a nebulizer treatment this evening.
He got in his chair at the nurse's request this afternoon and the longer he sat up the better he looked and acted. He ate all his dinner with no signs of nausea. He stayed in the chair for several hours before returning to bed.
This morning the doctors thought he may be able to leave the hospital tomorrow, but after today's tests he may stay another day. Time will tell.
---Bill
He got in his chair at the nurse's request this afternoon and the longer he sat up the better he looked and acted. He ate all his dinner with no signs of nausea. He stayed in the chair for several hours before returning to bed.
This morning the doctors thought he may be able to leave the hospital tomorrow, but after today's tests he may stay another day. Time will tell.
---Bill
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Recovery
Luke spent the day recovering from yesterday's extensive surgery. The first half of the day was in the ICU where he received two units of blood. That really perked him up. This afternoon he was transferred to a regular room. He is still feeling quite a bit of pain, especially on his chest where the splint that is immobilizing has left arm is resting on top of the incision where they transferred the intercostal nerve. Despite that, he was determined to get himself out of bed himself so the nurses could change his sheets. With Paula and I pretty much just keeping all the tubes from getting tangled, he got up and sat in a chair next to the bed. Besides the pain the only other problem he has had are a few bouts with nausea.
---Bill
---Bill
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Surgery!
Luke spent over 6 hours today under the skilled surgeons' knives (and microscopes!) and all in all they actually accomplished more than was in the original game plan. First of all when they opened up his shoulder and examined the brachial plexus they confirmed the findings of the myelogram in that all the roots to the spinal column were intact. However, the damage to the nerves that make up the brachial plexus began just outside the root and ran all the way across to the shoulder. He had broken his collar bone and probably had stretched his arm extensively in the collision.
The nerve damage posed a problem because of the limited amount of nerve tissue available with only having one leg to work with. They decided the best course was to use the nerve from vertebrae C6 to repair the nerve to his deltoids. They were able to successfully use the nerve from his leg and the sensory nerve from his arm to also do repairs to his biceps.
They opened up his chest to expose three ribs but could only use one intercostal nerve because of bone scar tissue that had formed from breaking ribs. The plan was to use that nerve to try to regain some sensory perception in his hand. However, when they opened his arm they found that place that they use to connect the nerve to, which in most people is just below the shoulder, is down by the elbow in Luke. The intercostal nerver would not reach down that far, so his 'special anatomy' prevented that connection. So instead they used that nerve to connect to his tricep muscles for more range of motion, which they hadn't originally planned on.
After spending two hours in recovery, it was to the ICU for Luke. He had a significant loss of blood from all the surgery and they had given him fluids. They want to keep an eye on him over night. That was where we were first able to see him again and despite the pain and discomfort he was feeling himself enough to be joking around with and harassing the nurses in his good natured way. They are amazed that he is in such good spirits and so polite after the extensive surgery he had and the pain he is in. The doctors told him yesterday that after the surgery he would feel like he got hit by a truck. His comment this evening ... "They weren't kidding!!"
We should be able to get an idea tomorrow how soon he will be able to travel back to San Diego and our return to Pennsylvania.
---Bill
The nerve damage posed a problem because of the limited amount of nerve tissue available with only having one leg to work with. They decided the best course was to use the nerve from vertebrae C6 to repair the nerve to his deltoids. They were able to successfully use the nerve from his leg and the sensory nerve from his arm to also do repairs to his biceps.
They opened up his chest to expose three ribs but could only use one intercostal nerve because of bone scar tissue that had formed from breaking ribs. The plan was to use that nerve to try to regain some sensory perception in his hand. However, when they opened his arm they found that place that they use to connect the nerve to, which in most people is just below the shoulder, is down by the elbow in Luke. The intercostal nerver would not reach down that far, so his 'special anatomy' prevented that connection. So instead they used that nerve to connect to his tricep muscles for more range of motion, which they hadn't originally planned on.
After spending two hours in recovery, it was to the ICU for Luke. He had a significant loss of blood from all the surgery and they had given him fluids. They want to keep an eye on him over night. That was where we were first able to see him again and despite the pain and discomfort he was feeling himself enough to be joking around with and harassing the nurses in his good natured way. They are amazed that he is in such good spirits and so polite after the extensive surgery he had and the pain he is in. The doctors told him yesterday that after the surgery he would feel like he got hit by a truck. His comment this evening ... "They weren't kidding!!"
We should be able to get an idea tomorrow how soon he will be able to travel back to San Diego and our return to Pennsylvania.
---Bill
Monday, March 23, 2009
Doctor Visit Before Surgery
We met with one of the surgeons today to go over the surgery that Luke will undergo tomorrow. The great news we got was that the myelogram that was done on Friday showed that none of the five roots of the brachial plexus were torn from the spinal column. Praise the Lord!
The goal for surgery is regain motor function in his shoulder and elbow. They will first open his shoulder and neck to examine the brachial plexus to determine the location and type of damage to the nerves. Once that determination is made they will use sensory nerves in his lower left arm and his right leg to repair the damaged nerves. Taking the nerve from the leg will create a numb area on the side of his foot but not affect balance or motor functions at all. The nerve in the arm is to an area already without feeling. If this part of the surgery is successful it will still be about a year and a half before the nerves regrow through the sheath and motor function comes back. We were told that there is a 70% chance of the nerves being repaired to actually take. We are praying for 100% of the nerves to take.
They also plan to take a nerve from the chest that runs between the ribs and reroute it up the side and down the arm to gain feeling in his hand to serve as a defense mechanism. Although any sensory stimulus to the hand will be felt in the chest, over time he will learn that the sensation is coming from the hand.
We need to report to the hospital at 5:45 a.m. and after all the preparatory work is done they expect to begin the surgery around 8:30. They expect the surgery will take around 8 hours to complete and then there will be clean up work and recovery after that. There will be a team of three specialist performing the surgery.
Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they further evaluate Luke's brachial plexus injury and do the surgery. Pray for Luke's recovery both now and over the next 18 months. Praise God for his hand of intervention and healing thus far.
---Bill
p.s. Thanks for the tip, Lisa (MNgirl)! We enjoyed a delicious steak dinner Saturday evening at the Timberlodge!
The goal for surgery is regain motor function in his shoulder and elbow. They will first open his shoulder and neck to examine the brachial plexus to determine the location and type of damage to the nerves. Once that determination is made they will use sensory nerves in his lower left arm and his right leg to repair the damaged nerves. Taking the nerve from the leg will create a numb area on the side of his foot but not affect balance or motor functions at all. The nerve in the arm is to an area already without feeling. If this part of the surgery is successful it will still be about a year and a half before the nerves regrow through the sheath and motor function comes back. We were told that there is a 70% chance of the nerves being repaired to actually take. We are praying for 100% of the nerves to take.
They also plan to take a nerve from the chest that runs between the ribs and reroute it up the side and down the arm to gain feeling in his hand to serve as a defense mechanism. Although any sensory stimulus to the hand will be felt in the chest, over time he will learn that the sensation is coming from the hand.
We need to report to the hospital at 5:45 a.m. and after all the preparatory work is done they expect to begin the surgery around 8:30. They expect the surgery will take around 8 hours to complete and then there will be clean up work and recovery after that. There will be a team of three specialist performing the surgery.
Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they further evaluate Luke's brachial plexus injury and do the surgery. Pray for Luke's recovery both now and over the next 18 months. Praise God for his hand of intervention and healing thus far.
---Bill
p.s. Thanks for the tip, Lisa (MNgirl)! We enjoyed a delicious steak dinner Saturday evening at the Timberlodge!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Meet The Doctors
This morning we met with the "Dream Team" of three top neuro surgeons of the Brachial Plexus Clinic, part of the Mayo Clinic. After reviewing all tests and pictures and examining Luke they believe that they can get some function back to Luke's left arm. There are three types of damage that can happen in the brachial plexus. There is avulsion, which is where the roots are detached from the spinal column, stretching and rupture. They still are not yet sure if any of the five roots are avulsed so Luke is scheduled for a myelogram at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow which will show any avulsions.
If the damage is the result of stretches or ruptures they will perform repair surgery next Tuesday. They are hoping to get function back to the shoulder and arm. The problem with attempting to regain function to the hand is that length of time for the nerves to regrow. After successful repair surgery the nerves will have to regrow to the end tissues at the rate of about an inch per month. That means approximately three years to reach the hand. Unfortunately, by that time, the muscles change to an irreversible state. The doctors feel attempting that would be futile.
Luke had a chest x-ray and one of his hand after meeting with the doctors. Then he had some blood drawn for type and cross match and his pre-operation interview.
---Bill
If the damage is the result of stretches or ruptures they will perform repair surgery next Tuesday. They are hoping to get function back to the shoulder and arm. The problem with attempting to regain function to the hand is that length of time for the nerves to regrow. After successful repair surgery the nerves will have to regrow to the end tissues at the rate of about an inch per month. That means approximately three years to reach the hand. Unfortunately, by that time, the muscles change to an irreversible state. The doctors feel attempting that would be futile.
Luke had a chest x-ray and one of his hand after meeting with the doctors. Then he had some blood drawn for type and cross match and his pre-operation interview.
---Bill
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Testing Day
Luke spent a good part of today Mayo Clinic hospital. He had two series of MRIs taken of his shoulder area and then after lunch had an EMG done on his left hand, arm and shoulder. We won't find out the test results or prognosis until we meet with the doctors tomorrow.
---Bill
---Bill
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Off to Mayo Clinic
Luke flew in to Rochester, Minnesota, on Monday evening. Paula and I were at the airport to greet him after making the 13 hour drive from Pennsylvania. This afternoon we paid our first visit to the Mayo Clinic. We met with the neurosurgeon. He examined Luke to get a general idea of his condition. We spent the rest of the day working from our laptops and then played some games.
Tomorrow will be a busy day with Luke scheduled for an EMG and two MRI tests. We will meet again with the doctors on Thursday to determine what can be done to help Luke regain the use of his left arm.
The weather has been very pleasant with sunshine and temperatures in the 50s, although there is still some snow around on the slopes facing north.
--- Bill
Tomorrow will be a busy day with Luke scheduled for an EMG and two MRI tests. We will meet again with the doctors on Thursday to determine what can be done to help Luke regain the use of his left arm.
The weather has been very pleasant with sunshine and temperatures in the 50s, although there is still some snow around on the slopes facing north.
--- Bill
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