8/17 Marissa Updates

9:00 PM- Just left her just now.  As she woke up and we were able to ask her enough questions to determine her throat is really hurting her, and so are her lips.  That's from the ventilator tube down her throat.  So we got her nurse, who just gave her a big shot of morphine.  But in typical Marissa feisty fashion she was very upset she could not talk.  We explained to her why that was the case.  And when I explained to her I had to leave for the night because visiting hours were over, she shook her head no and gave me an angry look.  So I think it's fair to say despite how many tubes and drugs, and etc. she's on her personality is very much still there.  Made me smile as I walked out.  I'll speak to you all tomorrow with updates as I get them.  Take care.  --Matthew

8:30 PM- She remains relatively the same during nighttime visiting hours.  The only thing I forgot to mention earlier is in addition to the IV nutrition they are giving her, the doctor also added another nutritional supplement.  That's being given to her directly down the nose tube to her stomach.  They are giving her a very small amount of "food" to see how she tolerates it.  If it goes well her nurse said they will increase the amount.  They're giving it to her from 6AM-6PM.  The doctor says that's the case because most people do not eat at night.  Again, thank you to all of you sending messages and thoughts.  And a great big thank you to her steady stream of visitors through out the day.  She had a ton of you, and I think that mental stimulation has exhausted her tonight.  She was still responding to us, opening her eyes when we call her name.  But she just seems plain tired.  Which, I think, is a good thing.  She seemed like she was sleeping peacefully, and not making that painful face when you can tell she's hurting.

4:30 PM- Great, great news folks this afternoon.  When I arrived at the hospital this afternoon, and entered Marissa's room I said, "hey I'm here," like I always do.  And she opened her eyes, and is responding to people talking to her.  All her friends are able to talk to her.  She was able to tell me she was hot.  So I got to see the neurological improvements It's lifted everyone's spirits tremendously.  She was, however, in a tremendous amount of pain.  She was able to tell her nurse that.  So about 4:00 he gave her a big old morphine shot, and she seems to be sleeping comfortably right now.

1:30 PM- What my mom and I are doing is taking different shifts if you will at the hospital based on visiting hours.  She takes the morning.  We share afternoons.  And I take evenings.  So here’s the information mom shared with me this morning, and we also just received a call from her surgeon, Dr. Murry, so I’ll combine all the information.

Good news folks, mom, Dr. Murry, and Marissa’s internist, (so if you’re counting that’s three sources,) say Marissa did respond to “open your eyes” and “squeeze my finger” commands.  In medical talk her neurology, or brain function, has improved.   Dr. Murry even said when he felt her stomach, and asked her to stick out her tongue if she didn’t like what he was doing, in typical Marissa fashion she did.  Earlier today she was also able to sort of nod her head when her internist asked her if she was in pain.  For that reason he put her on morphine to make her more comfortable.

Her lung x-rays also look better.  Doctors can now see more dark areas on them.  Remember, when she came out of surgery the lung x-rays appeared completely white. White means infection and/or fluid.  For the first couple recovery days we started seeing improvements in the form of dark areas replacing the white.  Then, yesterday, they again looked all white. So that’s good news, as well, here.  There are now dark areas again.

Mom says she appears to look a little better because her hand and feet swelling have gone down.  Her kidneys continue their strong recovery, and so does her blood sugar level.  Ever since they put her on a constant insulin drip her blood sugar has steadily decreased from her all time 366 high.      

While her internist reported her blood oxygen levels were not that good this morning, in the phone call we just received Dr. Murry says they’ve greatly improved.  Right now she’s only on 45% oxygen support, which is way down from the levels her team had to increase her to yesterday.  We’ll talk soon.

Comments

[Kasey]

Matthew- this is a great thing you are doing. I was so glad to see her today. She was responsive with completely over joyed me. I teared up because when I left I told her I loved her and she said I love you! What sweet words to hear. I sure hope that this is the LAST time she goes through this. I hope she has a quick recovery! I am so proud of her- she is staying strong!!!

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