Hi everyone!!  It's Cyndy tonight - with good news!!   I saw the neurosurgeon yesterday, and he said I was doing great.  He won't need to see me anymore.  Yeah!

Also saw Physical Therapist yesterday, and she feels I am making good progress.  Still some problems with my eyes making me a bit nauseated with lots of close up work.

Today, I saw the neuro-ophthalmologist, and he couldn't find anything physically wrong with my eyes, but said it can take a year (ugh) for everything that has gotten pulled, stretched, etc. inside the skull to heal.  He wants to see me in 4 months to see how I am doing.  They won't even check my prescription in my glasses yet - too soon.  He wants me to continue with the physical therapist, working on vestibular excercises (balance and sense of spatial orientation), which he says will help my eyes.

Lastly, today, I saw Dr. Dyck, the Head Trauma doc.  He is just wonderful!!!  He seems surprised every time I see him, that, having had the type of head trauma I had (always says "this wasn't just a concussion, you know - you had a skull fracture and a coup/contrecoup bleed in your brain!!) I am doing as well as I am.  For my age, as he always says, I have make remarkable progress in eight weeks!!  Has it really only been 8 weeks??  Seems like forever!!   He is fine with me trying to go back to work on a trial basis for a couple of weeks to see how I do.  He said start with maybe a half-day, and work up to a full day, as I see how I feel. 

His (and my) greatest concern is my eyes.  I have been practicing at home, and that has gone pretty well,   I still tire a little easily, but am sure that is mostly from lying around for 8 weeks!!  The last week, I have been doing some cooking and laundry, and that hasn't bothered me at all, so think I am ready to try going back to school.  I've really missed the kids!!!

Thanks to everyone for your love, prayers, and concern.  I will let you know how it goes next week!!

Much love,
Cyndy

February 14, 2013

Two doctor's appointments--what a great way to spend Valentine's Day. We started off at physical therapy. Cyndy continued working on balance. Heather, the therapist, believes she is making good progress. Following PT, she had an appointment with Dr. Dyke. He is the head trauma specialist.

Dr. Dyke did the standard follow my finger and looked in her eye with a fancy flashlight. He did notice she still has some "jerky" movement  in her right eye. He is referring her to an ophthalmologist for further investigation. Following the some testing for balance, I was moved to the waiting room and Cyndy was given some memory and mental  acuity tests. Dr. Dyke was pleased  with  how well she did with the testing. Cyndy said it gave her a headache.

She still experiences some headaches and nausea. The nausea seems to be triggered by riding in the car and "up close" work, such as reading. Dr. Dyke wants her to try to  spend some time at the piano. His instructions are that if  she experiences any symptoms while playing she is to stop. It is his judgement that "working"  through symptoms slows the  healing process.

We have  a appointment to  see Dr. Dyke in two weeks and will continue PT on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Heather and Ashley came over tonight and made us a great Valentine's Day dinner.  All things considered we had  a pretty good day.

Thanks for  your  continued prayers.

Sam and Cyndy.

P.S. Sorry for erratic spacing of this entry. My space bar puts in from 1 to 3 spaces each time I press it and I am too tired to go back a fix it.


 

Hello all,   It's Cyndy again, letting you all know that we saw the audiologist and the ENT doc today, and all is well in that department.  The only specialist left is ophthalmology, and we haven't made that appointment yet.

We had to wait a couple of hours in the ENT doc's office today, but he apologized profusely for that!  Really nice doctor, and seemed very knowledgeable.  He was much impressed that my PT lady had done that maneuver to help (really FIX) my dizziness.  He said few PT people know to do that or know how.  He even asked for her name and where we saw her!  He, too, said he knows it sounds quacky, but it works!   He said she stole his thunder, as that would probably have been exactly what he would have done for me if we had seen him first!  Funny!!

So, all that remains is to work strength and energy back up, see the ophthalmologist (feel like perhaps my right eye may not quite be tracking like it should), back to the sports medicine head trauma guy, an appointment with the neurologist who saw me in the hospital, and then back to my main doc who has the final say about when I can go back to work.  Complicated little schedule!!  I also have up to 8 weeks of PT available to me (from Workman's Comp) but my PT doesn't think I'll need all that.  Mostly working on balance and equilibrium now.

All for now - thanks for caring and checking in.  I do really feel like I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, now, for which I am extremely thankful.  It seems like it has been an eternity, while in fact, it's only been a month tomorrow.  The ENT doc said it could be 3 months before my brain is completely healed.  Wow. He seemed to think I was doing great.  That's really encouraging.

Again, thanks for all the concern, thoughts, cards, prayers, and love.  We feel so blessed to be where we are.  Can't help but think about how much worse it could have been.

 Love to all,   Cyndy

Cyndy's Journey - February 7, 2013

Hi, everyone!  It's Cyndy posting this evening.  Sam has a meeting this evening, and just learned of a death in our congregation, so he has a funeral on Saturday.  With Lent coming so quickly, he finds himself with a really full schedule of Lenten Bible Study, Confirmation classes, and we are beginning a Read-the Bible-in-a Year with a good group of folks, too.  Busy time - he has been at my side 24/7 since this wacky head cracking thing, and I sure don't know how I'd have managed without him!!

For today's news, I saw the Ot/Pt lady (Heather) today and she continues to be very helpful.  Think the maneuvers she did on my head last time and today again are definitely making headway against the dizziness. I am so thankful, as that is the worst of the problems.  We worked on some exercises for balance today, and she had me walking w/o the walker up and down the hall - fast, slow, normal pace, and she would call out "look up, look right, look down, look left" - think I managed fairly well with that.  She did a couple of other things that I didn't like much (would hold my head and have me focus someplace, and then shake my head back and forth hard -  UGH) but it seems she can tell from how long it takes me to recoup from those little fun episodes how I am progressing.

I am getting around the house fine w/o the walker, which is great, and am feeling more secure daily.  I need to focus on balance and lack of dizziness this week and then we'll move forward!  I will see Heather every Tuesday and Thursday for however long it takes her to turn me loose.  I see the audiologist and ENT tomorrow to make sure my ears and hearing haven't suffered.  I also need to see an Ophthalmologist to check my eyes out good, too.  My right eye seems like it might not be tracking quite right - bummer.

This has turned into a saga - thanks for reading and for caring!  We are so blessed to have such a loving,caring family and chosen family - it just means the world and all to us.  It has been an interesting journey for us through this head trauma thing - don't recommend it!    Love to all,   Cyndy

Cyndy's Journey - February 5, 2013

We just returned from the first physical therapy appointment. The young lady who took care of Cyndy was great. She listened, asked lots of  questions, and answered all the questions we asked. She was  able to tell a lot about what was going on with the dizziness by observing her eyes.

One of  the things she saw has to do with the ear canal. She explained a simple  head movement maneuver that is know to be extremely successful for this particular problem. Cyndy agreed to give a try. Heather, the therapist, said her eyes indicated some problem in the left ear canals, but likely a greater problem in the  right.

 

She performed the treatment for the left ear first. Cyndy experienced the  expected dizziness. She moved to the right side. The expected dizziness was extreme. She rested for a few minutes after which Heather asked if she  could  do the maneuver one more time. She promised it would not be as bad the second time. She was right. The dizziness was greatly diminished.

We have scheduled appointments for the next three weeks. The appointments will be on Tuesday and  Thursday afternoons. She also has an appointment this coming Thursday to begin working on balance issues. The ear canal thing she addressed today will be re-checked. Heather also told  us all the appointments  may not even be necessary.

She came home with a bad headache, but it is letting up. Thanks again for all of  the prayers and support coming out way.

Sam

P.S. By the time we left, I learned that Heather attends the United Methodist Church in Kearney.   

Cyndy's Journey - February 3, 2013

Super Bowl is underway, but you couldn't prove by Cyndy or me. We are just hanging out. The major noise producer is the hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of a clock. Our daughter Heather is visiting, but at the moment she is napping on the couch downstairs.

Cyndy's sister Sandra and her husband Jim stayed with her this morning will I "did church" in Concordia and Odessa. I am not yet comfortable leaving her by herself for long periods of  time.    

Cyndy's mobility and confidence moving around the house, still with the walker, is much improved. I may replace front two legs with the wheels, or maybe not.

Her appetite is also much better, although a  bland diet is still the main bill of fare. She is still sensitive to noise and any sudden or quick movement. We do have two appointments this week; and ENT doctor on Friday and Physical Therapy on Tuesday.

We continue to be well fed and encouraged by the notes and cards she continues to receive. The accident occurred four weeks ago this Wednesday. I hope that this  journey has, progressed to at least 1/2 way into the woods and that we are on the way out.

Thanks again for your continued love and prayers.

Sam and Cyndy

Cyndy's Journey - February 1, 2013

After the early morning tummy trouble, Cyndy had a reasonalby good day, but still has some headache and dizzy spells. She is still using her walker, but getting around much better. Carol and her brood came out last night with chicken noodle soup. Visits from grandchildren are the best medicine and the chicken soup wasn't bad either.

Sleep continues to be a problem. Symptoms like "restless leg syndrome" seem to begin at about 9:30 making sleep impossible. She went to bed, got up and finally feel asleep on the couch at about 2:00 am. We got up from the couch at about 4:00 and went to bed. She slept in this morning getting some much needed rest.

Thanks again for your prayers, love, and concern.

Sam and Cyndy