No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on January 5, 2013

Peter Update:
Two steps forward and one step back. We had everything in place to move him to rehab however his white cell count was up and the hospital won’t release him unless they know why it is up.

Peter under went a battery of tests, which took a little long (OK a lot longer) because the computer system was down so most of the day was hurry up and wait.

Over all he was pretty out of it. He did his rehab and the other things that he needed to do but he dozed most of the day between people having to wake him up for the things he needed to do. He was much more alert at night and we watched some videos together.

Today we find out the results of that test and what is next. We are hoping to move him to the rehab on Monday since this gives the hospital two days to get him back to where he needs to be for rehab. Cross your fingers that his bed is still there then.

Now here is Caroline (with me typing) about what has happened

At first when I found out, I didn’t feel very well and I thought this was going to be the worst vacation ever since my Dad was in a hospital bed.

When I saw Dad in the hospital bed I was scared and upset. But Dad made me feel better. He hugged me and talked to me.

He told me that he was going to be going to a different hospital so he could start walking again. He was going to be all right but he may be gone for a month.

Later Mom and Ariel took me to Disney Hollywood Studios, I barely talked to anyone because I was worried about Dad. Ariel tried to hug and comfort me but I just pulled away.

Then we went on Star Tours. I was still really angry and worried about Dad. After the ride I felt much better. I could laugh again. But I realized I was having fun and Daddy wasn’t there. Mom told me that Dad was happy that I was having fun so we went on the ride again. After that in the gift shop I built a droid and Mom built Skippy the Jedi Droid for Dad and put a pirate hat on it for fun (Dad has to wear an eye patch).

On the 2nd Day we went to the hospital in the morning and I spent time with Daddy. I was helping him with his hand exercises. Later Mom took me to Animal Kingdom and we watched the Tigers who were very active. I felt safe with my Mom at Animal Kingdom. I felt a little better about all that had happened.

On the 3rd Day we stayed at the hospital all day and watched “Big Bang Theory” with Daddy. I felt really good that I was near Daddy all day and could see his life in a hospital. I was proud at how hard he was working to get better.

On the 4th Day I found out that he wasn’t going to rehab until Monday, which made me happy and sad. Happy because I got to see my Dad another couple of days but sad because I know he needs to go to rehab to get better and come home.

Overall I feel happy because I realized it wasn’t my fault that Daddy had a stroke but I also feel really sad because Dad had a stroke. I love him very much and I want him to be OK again. I am praying for my Daddy to be my Daddy again.

(Kath back here now. I will be reading her the comment that relate to her from this entry.)

I am grateful that Caroline can talk to us about what she is going through.

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Posted By Kathleen David on January 4, 2013

But first the daily Peter David Update: He was able with assistance to get up and sit in a chair where he spent most of the day. He worked with his various physical therapy and occupational therapy personnel on continuing to strengthen his arm and leg. The eye seems to be correcting itself a little but that’s going to be looked at in rehab as to what they can do besides a stylish eye-patch. He also revised an X-Factor script for his editor at Marvel, which I think made him feel good/more normal than he has been feeling.

Remember the waiting game? Well we MIGHT be moving him to his rehab facility but it is not a done deal because they don’t like some of the markers in various pieces of blood work. It may be an aberration and they are going to test him six ways from Sunday this morning to give us a go or no go on his going to rehab today. We have all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle in place except the Doctor’s OK to go.

Hard to believe that one week ago all this started.

Now HOW YOU CAN HELP

Even though we have health insurance we have co-pays and the like. And since this stroke fell at the end of the year, we have all the new co-pays to deal with (I can honestly see those of you who have had to deal with this nodding your heads). And there are things that the insurance company just won’t cover (more head nodding). So we are at the beginning of what is going to be a very expensive year even though we are only 4 days in.

The most direct way is to buy his books from Crazy 8 or from Amazon or Barnes and Nobel websites. These are books that he gets the money from directly and the most per book.
His currently Crazy 8 Books are

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Posted By Kathleen David on January 3, 2013

Since the initial crises has passed and we now have just about everyone in the know (It is interesting reading e-mails from people that Peter has a business relationship with and they don’t know what is going on), we are now in the what is next portion for this saga.

What is next is in patient rehabilitation. We are working on the where, how, and who and still awaiting the when. And they can’t give us an exact when because a number things have to be in place and Peter’s vitals have to be consistently at a certain level before they will even think of releasing him. Until that happens, we are in a holding pattern.

Where is going to be dependent on the Insurance company. (You honestly don’t know how many times I have thanked G-d that we have insurance although this is going to be expensive endeavor no matter what kind of insurance one has) The Insurance company is deciding what they are going to pay for. We have two possibilities that both take our insurance. I am waiting to hear what the decision was from that to figure out the next step.

So we are in the waiting game for now.

Peter is doing better every day. Yesterday he was able to lift up his right arm by himself and the fingers are coming back a little more every day. He can stand up but still can’t walk and the standing only lasts for so long. His face is even more normal than the day before. And he sat up in a chair for the first time since Saturday which he was very happy about and I was thrilled. The more he can get up, the sooner he gets out and onto the next step of the journey.

Keep those good thoughts coming. Peter says it is both gratifying and humbling about the number of people who are praying for them and keeping him in their thoughts and he appreciates and is thankful to each and every one of you.

Caroline has gone into stoic mode and is holding up rather well all things considered.

My sense of time is shot. I had to look at the computer to see what day it was. Time seems to have expanded and contracted all at the same time.

I am grateful for progress on so many fronts.

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Posted By Kathleen David on January 2, 2013

New Years Day was again one of both ups and downs. The downs really sucked as we learn about Peter’s health and what is in his future. Nothing life threating however there will be major changes in how Peter is going to have to live the rest of his life.

The ups may seem minor but it is pretty big in my book. When Peter was asked to stick out his tongue after the stroke, it pointed to the right rather significantly. Today it was almost back to the middle. Also the droop on the right side of his face is not as pronounced. And best of all, he could grip my fingers tight enough that I could lift his hand off the bed which is an improvement from yesterday. I’ll take my wins where I can get them these days.

The big change was bringing Caroline into the loop as to what happened to her father and what the future held. How do you tell a very empathic and sensitive 10 year old that the father that she left at the Magic Kingdom is not the same father she is returning to?

It wasn’t easy but I did. I explained about the stroke and what had happened and, between the cascading tears, let her ask me questions. It was a long ride to Jacksonville trying to figure out how to tell her what was going on and a long ride back as I was driving so I couldn’t hold my sobbing daughter. She came up with a crazy theory that it was her fault because she wanted to come down to Florida, which I quashed quickly. I pointed out that even if we had just gone home from Atlanta, this would have happened sooner or later. Eventually she cried herself to sleep as I tried not to have tears fill my eyes as well since I was driving.

We got to the Hospital and I took her up to her father’s room. She stood in the room looking at him a little stunned. Ariel was sitting next to him and asked if Caroline wanted to sit next to Daddy. She nodded and fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes. Peter explained to Caroline what had happened and what he could and couldn’t do. Ariel explained how to stimulate the right hand and help Daddy with his “kung-fu grip”. Caroline was trying not to cry but Peter asked if she wanted a hug she nodded yes and as Peter hugged her the flood gates opened. I couldn’t understand half of what she was saying but she was pouring out all her fears to him. Peter told her that he understood and he was scared too. There were more hugs and assurances given to her.

In the end she understood what had happened and what was going to happen next. She is not happy about it but understands that this is all to get her Daddy back to her so they can do things together like they always did.

Since the blackout dates are past except Magic Kingdom, I took the girls to Disney Hollywood studios (at Peter’s insistence that we get out of there for a bit) and we rode Star Tours a couple of time and then build their father a Skippy the Jedi Droid with a pirate hat (because to solve the double vision, Peter has to wear an eye patch).

I am grateful for every improvement that Peter has shown since the stroke.

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Posted By Kathleen David on January 1, 2013

Peter update (I figure I will be doing these once a day for a while):

One of the scary things about stroke is that things can get worse before they get better. There is the initial stroke and then what I would best describe as aftershocks as the brain works through the trauma it is experiencing. So there can be a bit of a downward before we begin any upward. And with any good luck we are past the bottom of this and working our way back up the hill.

Peter was much more alert when we arrived yesterday morning. His eyes looked better even though he still has the double vision in the right. He seemed much more himself. He was not tiring as easily during the morning.

During the day we got both some good news and some bad news. We had some movement forward and a little back but this is totally normal for someone who has suffered the brain injury that Peter has suffered.

However before midnight we got some great news or rather saw some great news. He was able to grasp and squeeze Ariel’s hand and my hand. This is great because 24 hours earlier he could do neither. He says the most frustration thing about all this is that he can feel the limbs and he knows they are there but he can’t get them to agree to move for him when HE wants them to. He isn’t in pain just extremely frustrated.

Shana, Gwen, and Ariel have been great through all this. Shana is taking care of Caroline which frees me up to take care of Peter. Gwen is helping with all kinds of things including some information gathering that we needed. Ariel is being a rock in front of her dad even though she is very scared inside. She has been very helpful.

We all agree that Caroline is going to have to be brought into the loop sooner rather than later. We are working out how that is going to happen. She is coming back to Orlando today and she will see her Daddy.

We are still in a hold on what is happening when next.

Again keep the good energy coming. He is coming back but it is going to be a long road ahead.

I am grateful that he started the New Year by being able to hold my hand.

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