Photos!

Yesterday when I went to visit Craig, I was able to wheel him down to a garden area just outside of the cafeteria at the hospital, and we took these photos. I thought everyone might want to see just how good he is looking now. What a difference from a few weeks ago!

Doesn't he look great!?!


Here's one I took of both of us.

Enjoy!

-Tiffany

Lots of improvement

So back in NC and had a good day with Craig, he looks almost like his former self, I'll try to summarize his status as best I can:

Pros:

1. Can move around in a wheelchair and we went outside at the hospital for lunch. He is eating almost anything now and he needs fattening up like a Thanksgiving Turkey. 

2. Kidney function slowing improving, there is hope he may recover from that. Still going for dialysis three times per week.

3. Wound is healing well.

4.  Brain is back to normal and he is looking forward to going back to work, getting fitted for a prosthesis...etc. He can talk about his situation with "ease" and is actively involved in his treatment.

5. Discussing the next phase of treatment...rehab centre.

Cons

1. Phantom pain is frequent and hard

2. Leg and foot are very swollen but hopefully soon that will go away

3. Still looking at a very long time before a prothesis can even be considered as the wound has to be completely healed...months perhaps.

4. Craig gets agitated and angry at times but it doesn't last for long and he cracks a joke again. Of course that is to be expected as well.

That's all for now....talk to you soon!

Coming Back to NC

I know it's been a while since I last updated the blog...sorry for that but when I return to Canada, family and work commitments don't afford me much time. Further to that, Craig's recovery is moving forward but slow as anticipated, so things are not changing as quickly like before. I am looking so forward to seeing Craig and the next phase of his rehab will be finding a facility for him. Maybe I will get to help in that this week. My mother-in-law is returning with me again and I am very grateful for that as she is a huge support to both Craig and I.
Anyway, I hope to see some you this week and once again, thanks for checking in on Craig these past weeks I know how much he enjoys visitors! I'll be updating the blog again regularily while I'm in NC.
See you soon,
Barb

Craig's approximate schedule...

I am headed out of town for 1 1/2 weeks starting tomorrow. I thought that I'd post Craig's current schedule so that people know it and can visit him. Of course, this is subject to change any time the hospital decides. Right now Craig has physical therapy every morning (Monday-Friday) in his room. I'm not sure how long it is, but I don't think it's terribly long (I doubt more than 1 hr.). You will know he is doing physical therapy if the door is closed and you can hear them making noise inside. Then in the afternoons on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday he goes for dialysis. It is hard to know when they are going to take him because it seems kind of random, but they will probably take him sometime between 12pm-2pm. He is usually gone for around 4 hours, but this also varies. If you get there and his room is completely empty, you may be able to look at the book at the front of the hallway and see what time they took him off the floor. You can use that info to estimate when he will be back if you want to return later. On the weekends he doesn't have much at all, so this is a good time to pop in if you are in the area. Weekends are also great because a lot of his co-workers pop in before work, during lunch, or after work if he is there (which is wonderful, and I know he really enjoys it). The weekends tend to be slower for visitors as people aren't around campus. You can also call him and see if he is there and available before you come over. He has both his cell phone and the hospital line, and can usually answer them if the phone is near his bed, but give him plenty of time to get the phone picked up and answered. I hope this helps and I hope you enjoy your visits with Craig!

Tiffany

Staying Alive..Staying Alive..ah ah ah ah..Staying...Aliiiive

A bit of humor, courtesy of Craig! It's Saturday night and Carole and I are just finishing our "Spa" treatments for Dr. Bennett; facial, full body massage, Reiki healing...etc. He will certainly miss this pampering next week. We leave tomorrow at 6:00 am to go back to the "real" world of taking care of kids, work, cooking, laundry...and so on. He is doing better each day and we will certainly miss watching his progress. I will miss terribly. I haven't spent this much time with my brother in years. How sad it takes such an event to reconnect. For the next stage, the doc has told us that he will prescribe "live-in" rehab which is wonderful and will give Craig and us more time to plan his permanent future. Once again, for all those who have called, emailed, vmailed, visited and all of the above, thanks so much. It means EVERYTHING to us. If I could ask yet another favour, if you are able, while we are back in Canada, please pop in for a few minutes to chat with Craig once in a while. It will make our absence less difficult. He is a very busy boy, however, during the morning and all day if dialysis is scheduled so be patient if you miss him. Take care and I'll keep the blogs up-to-date as needed. Bye for now,

Barb

Ground Hog Day

Remember that movie? That is what I feel like these days. Hospital time is unlike "normal" time. There are no days/nights as one just flows into the other, repeating various events; dialysis, physio, meds, sleep...etc. I never know what day/time it is and waiting has become an art form. Aside from that, I'm sure more info about Craig is what you want to read, not my ramblings. Anyway, yesterday was a difficult stressful day as Craig had back-to-back dialysis and physio. That is not the best order in which to do those functions so today it was reversed, so we'll how that works. He was so uncomfortable because of the beds so Greg, his nurse, ordered a special bed, I guess you could call it the Lamborgini of beds, that provides an air cushion all over his body. It has already made him happier. Further to this we have started to regularly massage his body, to get his circulation going and this too has made him happier. When Craig is happier, he is engaged in conversation, asks questions, watches TV, smiles, laughs a little...etc. It is just wonderful. No news on his kidneys but they stopped the antibiotics so the infection is finally gone. He still can't eat anything yet and this is driving him nuts, so I hope that will change either today or tomorrow. Bye for now!

Barb

Cherry Popsicle

Today was a good day, we added some flavor into his sad feeding tube diet (throat still healing) and you guessed it...a cherry popsicle. We have to chop it up into little pieces, however, but he really enjoyed tasting again. He has had lots of visitors today so hopefully we have tired him out enough to sleep better tonight. He also has been doing physiotherapy everyday and needless to say that is both painful and tiring. Although it's hard to sit at a hospital all day, just ask Craig :-) it's joyous to see him smile, carry-on conversations and fist-bump his friends as they come to see him. Every day he overall is a little better than the last. Our next goal is to get him to be able to phone and email and hopefully by the weekend that may be a possibility. Unfortunately I'm frustrated that my two requests to meet with the Attending have failed and I'm still waiting again, so I don't know the prognosis of his kidney failure. He goes for dialysis three times per week currently. Obviously, this is our BIG concern right now. I guess I will go try again. I'll be in touch!

Barb

Sitting with my Brother

It's about 8:00 pm on Monday, July 6 and I am having a brief but wonderful chat with Craig. Carole is as well. As I told him, I am so very relieved and grateful to be able to have this chat. He is having much difficulty talking so I am doing the chatting and giving no pressure to respond! He is tired, of course, but he looks 1000 times better than when I left a week ago. Anyway, the healing process will be very long...so it's one day at at time. I had to laugh when I told him he looked so good, he responded..."It's better to look good than feel good" A famous "Craigism" 

Bye for now,

Barb

Back to Duke

This is a brief update to let everyone know I am returning to NC tomorrow (Monday) with Chris's Mom Carole. I will post more details tomorrow after seeing Craig. 

Barb

Out of MICU

Craig is out of MICU and even had physio therapy today. This is a far cry from a week ago! I am thrilled at his recent progress and hope things remain on the upswing. It is still hard for him to talk for even short periods of time so I can't get a feel for how he really is. I guess that will wait for this week when I go to see him. So life goes on and I'm feeling sad that I can't visit him and give him some support! I know his pals are there and I thank you all for you care and concern. See you all soon!

Barb

A Chat with Craig

Well after about two weeks, we had the relief and pleasure of talking with Craig. This was especially special for our parents, who hadn't talked with him since he was admitted well over two weeks ago. He can't talk for long as his throat is very sore from having the breathing tube removed. Tiffany had the "duty" of filling him in on the time line and I'm sure he is waiting for my account when I return on Monday. Tonight I am not going to itemize all the issues that still plague his recovery but the word "recovery" sounds so good and although the road ahead is so very long, let's enjoy this first victory! Now that Craig is back with us, Tiffany asked him his thoughts on visitors and he is very open to them for short period of times...so if you feel like visiting him go for it. FYI, you can't visit between 2:00 to 4:30 pm, 7:00 to 8:00 pm and before and after 9:00 am/pm in the MICU. Take care and we'll be in touch!

Barb

Nancy...I guess Craig decided to "stay on the bus" this time!!!!!! Hope Harry and Pooh are behaving themselves