Hello,
I was able to make a brief visit to Adam's room earlier today to bring him some treats & he was in GREAT spirits. It looked like he had just finished doing a word hunt puzzle before I got there. He was very talkative and upbeat this time. They were about to remove the catheter from his arm, but they were having trouble getting him to drink some thickened orange juice before doing so. At first he was arguing with one of the doctors and hollered at him something like: "Hey, I want you to meet Casper.. you just can't come in here with your orange juice without saying a word to my friend." That's the Adam I remember! He eventually cooperated and finished the orange juice. Then they started removing the bandages and needle as I was leaving.I noticed that there was a laptop set up for him but I'm not sure if he's using the internet. Sometime yesterday Brandon brought down something that Adam & I recorded together years ago called Lead Poisoning. Shortly after I arrived, he raised the cd up in the air with a giddy smile and asked, "Do you remember this?! Do YOU remember this?!" It was such a thrill to see him so lively and coherent!
Best news of all: He's doing well enough that they're going to let him go home on Friday!! Of course he has much more recovering to do and he'll be in his mother's care for a while, but that's such great news that I wanted to make sure everyone knows, especially if anyone's planning to make a visit this week...
Over and out,
Casper
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
April 6
Hey everyone,
Adam is doing awesome. until just yesterday he had no recollection of things that had happened over the past five years. Now his memory is coming back and he is talking more. When you come to visit, bring pictures! He loves pictuers and they help him remember.
He is locted in the head injury ward at santa clara valley medical, building Two Center. Park near emergency and ask anyone to point you in the direction of two center and you will find it.
Try to come in the evening, after 5pm. He is in therapy until then. Also, try to go in 2 or 3 people at a time, he can get overwhelmed.
Mike
Adam is doing awesome. until just yesterday he had no recollection of things that had happened over the past five years. Now his memory is coming back and he is talking more. When you come to visit, bring pictures! He loves pictuers and they help him remember.
He is locted in the head injury ward at santa clara valley medical, building Two Center. Park near emergency and ask anyone to point you in the direction of two center and you will find it.
Try to come in the evening, after 5pm. He is in therapy until then. Also, try to go in 2 or 3 people at a time, he can get overwhelmed.
Mike
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
March 28
I was in such a great mood yesterday after the update I got, as I'm sure you all were. I got another call from Adam's dad yesterday evening which turned that around on a dime. He was in tears and it was hard to understand why. He didn't say much. I could guess, but I waited until this morning and called adam's brother for the brass tax.
The family was on such an emotional high yesterday with adam's amazing physical progress and hearing him speak his name, the reality of the long road to recovery was temporarily forgotten. Shortly after I got the call yesterday it hit them square in the face. Adam seems to be himself sometimes, sometimes he is not. His physical health continues to improve. He is eating with a spoon now, sitting in a chair. The family played all of the messages for him, and he listens to the choice tracks we put on an ipod with head phones, but doesn't smile or say anything. John says he seems depressed and distant. I personally think they are expecting too much so soon, but I can't imagine how difficult it must be to see him come back to conciousness, only to be so distant and blank.
Now that he is physically stable (breathing and eating again) another whole challenge begins: dealing with his brain injuries and the potentially long (years) recovery not knowing exactly what condition he will be in at the end of that road.
The fact that his body has healed so fast gives me confidence and hope his head will follow suit.
The family still does not know how soon he will be ready to come home on a commercial flight. It does not seem long. John said maybe they will rent an RV next week or two and put adam where he loves to be, Back on the road!
The family was on such an emotional high yesterday with adam's amazing physical progress and hearing him speak his name, the reality of the long road to recovery was temporarily forgotten. Shortly after I got the call yesterday it hit them square in the face. Adam seems to be himself sometimes, sometimes he is not. His physical health continues to improve. He is eating with a spoon now, sitting in a chair. The family played all of the messages for him, and he listens to the choice tracks we put on an ipod with head phones, but doesn't smile or say anything. John says he seems depressed and distant. I personally think they are expecting too much so soon, but I can't imagine how difficult it must be to see him come back to conciousness, only to be so distant and blank.
Now that he is physically stable (breathing and eating again) another whole challenge begins: dealing with his brain injuries and the potentially long (years) recovery not knowing exactly what condition he will be in at the end of that road.
The fact that his body has healed so fast gives me confidence and hope his head will follow suit.
The family still does not know how soon he will be ready to come home on a commercial flight. It does not seem long. John said maybe they will rent an RV next week or two and put adam where he loves to be, Back on the road!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
March 27
I just got off the phone with Adam's dad. Miracles are happening in Brooklyn.
Adam is now out of bed and seated in a chair! They are talking about moving him out of the ICU in days! This is incredible. Over the last 48hours his progress has been fantastic. He is completely off the respirator and on just an oxygen mask. He is sleeping alot and drifts in and out of conciousness. Jeff says that there are moments of clarity and they are amazing. His eyes are still pretty glazed over, but he says things everyonce and awhile like "I'm alive."
The family now has to look at the next step, getting him out of king's county hospital. They feel like the hospital they are in was good for trauma and ICU, but do not want to be there any longer than they need to, or for any of the therapy/recovery. They have looked into flying him home, estimated cost $50,000. They are looking at moving him to another hospital in NYC until he is well enough to travel on a commercial flight (at this rate only a few weeks away!), the catch is they need one that accepts medi-cal (adam has no insurance).
They also asked me to do some research on brain therapy hospitals here in the bay area that accept medi-cal and have a good rating. If anyone works in the healthcare industry on this thread and can ask around that would be huge.
:-) !!!
Mike
Adam is now out of bed and seated in a chair! They are talking about moving him out of the ICU in days! This is incredible. Over the last 48hours his progress has been fantastic. He is completely off the respirator and on just an oxygen mask. He is sleeping alot and drifts in and out of conciousness. Jeff says that there are moments of clarity and they are amazing. His eyes are still pretty glazed over, but he says things everyonce and awhile like "I'm alive."
The family now has to look at the next step, getting him out of king's county hospital. They feel like the hospital they are in was good for trauma and ICU, but do not want to be there any longer than they need to, or for any of the therapy/recovery. They have looked into flying him home, estimated cost $50,000. They are looking at moving him to another hospital in NYC until he is well enough to travel on a commercial flight (at this rate only a few weeks away!), the catch is they need one that accepts medi-cal (adam has no insurance).
They also asked me to do some research on brain therapy hospitals here in the bay area that accept medi-cal and have a good rating. If anyone works in the healthcare industry on this thread and can ask around that would be huge.
:-) !!!
Mike
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