Everyday Robert does something new, says something different and shows us that he is progressing. Progression is a process that involves the use of your mind and your body. He is clearly demonstrating that he is thinking and that he is responding to his brains commands. He is showing his growth and that he will not stand for sitting in this situation too much longer. Of course he has his good days and bad but everybody does right? We, his family, keep praying and staying optimistic. We know that the power of prayer brings about miraculous results. And Robert is living proof.
So how much has he progressed in the last week?
2-24-09
Robert has outgrown his ICU team. They moved him today. He was moved from the ICU to another floor in the Neuroscience Center. This area is equipped and trained to deal with patients who have brain injuries. They were supposed to move him at 2 pm today but he didn’t get transported until 9pm that night. During his wait to be moved he drank some water. When the doctors saw that he wasn’t choking on the water they knew he could eat pureed food. He was then placed on a puree diet. He ate pudding, mashed potatoes, jello and he drank juice and water. He did good eating his food and even asked for more.
We requested that Robert be placed in his own room but our request was denied. The doctors stated single rooms are for patients with infections or patients who need to be isolated and Robert wasn’t one of those. However, Robert wanted his own room too and in the end he got it. He shouted and yelled and cursed at his pain and they moved him to a private room. Once there he settled down and let his pain meds kick in. He relaxed and slept through the night.
2-25-09
I came to see Robert for a brief moment today. He was looking so much better. Talking a little more and he began eating solid foods. He ate pasta, applesauce, and a vegetable medley of mushrooms, onions, squash and carrots. He also had chocolate pudding that he didn't really like. He loved his juice but not the tea. He was very alert and it seemed that eating well he had more energy and didn't do very much sleeping. He was having a time controlling his emotions but when you remind him that's not how he acts or that's not
what he says then he calmed down. He really did not like hearing memories too much especially if you got into detail. He was with you and you could tell he remembered but he was frustrated about not really knowing.
He has been having trouble with his short term memory but with constant reminders he does well. He has movement all over his body but refuses to move due to lack of movement while he was in ICU. He will begin his physical therapy everyday starting tomorrow at noon.
2-26-09
Robert got a work out today. He was moved again to a double occupancy unit because he was a little more stable. Actually, he is the most stable patient out of his team. Someone else was in worse condition than him and needed the single room more than Robert did. He had me cracking up laughing today. You can see and feel some of his personality come out. He has always been the comedian so he had us laughing and joking with him. He told us that he doesn’t really like the hospital food but he does like to eat fruit and drink his juice. We found out today that we can cook food for him and bring it to him. So, Robert is about to be spoiled even more than he already is.
Robert graduated today and can move to a rehab center. He has to first be evaluated before he can go to the rehab center. They want to check him out to make sure he doesn’t have any infections or anything that will cause him to be moved back to the hospital for treatment.
2-27-09
Robert’s blood cell counts are elevated so he will not be moving to rehab today. Maybe on Monday or Tuesday but they are going to keep monitoring his counts all weekend. Today they removed his stitches and he was not having a good evening. He was in pain and uncomfortable. He verbalized where he was feeling pain and what was bothering him.
Donna and I noticed that his head leans to one side and his neck was stiff. So we asked him if we could move him to a more comfortable location. It hurt him and he was screaming. But even though it hurt he wanted to move it. He was doing well and he asked for help. So we did a little moving with him and let him tell us when he wanted to stop.
He catches little attitudes when he doesn’t get what he wants or when he wants it. He gets attitudes when you ask him too many questions or when you are making too much noise or talking too much. He is easily irritable. He likes your presence but he doesn’t like a lot of noise. So, we let him rest and didn’t talk too much.
2-28-09
Today was the first day I did not see Robert. I had to go out of town but thought about him the whole trip. I kept in contact with him through my mother. He has a crook in his neck from lying on one side the entire time he has been hospitalized. He was moved again to a single room. The doctors say he fares well when he is isolated. He is still talking more, thinking more and demanding and asking more questions. He asks why he has to do something or why he can’t do something.
He told my mom that she needs to get a tattoo that said Struggle Together with his name on it. He is so alert and can tell who is speaking to him by the sound of their voices. He is still not focusing with his eyes but he opens and closes them on demand.
3-1-09
I am so glad that I was able to see my brother today. Apparently, there was a nurse who was assigned to Robert that sounded like me. She was moving him and he was in pain. He fussed me out and I wasn’t even there. So when I spoke to him this afternoon, he was real short with me and I didn’t know why. Now I know it was because of the nurse.
Today, he ate good home cooking. He had a rib, a piece baked chicken, rice and greens and cornbread. He said he loved his food. So once a week he is going to get home cooking. He is looking forward to his chocolate that will be coming soon.
He moved his left arm for me today and lifted it up. He was talking more and is more alert. He is on point with things. He knows what is going on and he is even trying to tame his mother when she becomes irate with his visitors. I saw him smiling his hardest today when he talked to his nephew on the phone. That made him feel so good. He is progressing so much and it makes me so proud.
The doctors are shocked at his recovery. They are shocked because he is recovering so well and so fast. They said he is a miracle. I know that my God is taking care of my brother. He is just beating all the odds as usual. He looks good and talks good and can tell you more. Only time will tell how well he is doing with his memory. But everyday he gets better. Everyday that he opens his eyes and speaks to me, speaks to his mom, speaks to his sister, speaks to his friends and family is a blessing. He is a miracle. His ICU doctor said, Robert is a miracle in room 18.
So how much has he progressed in the last week?
2-24-09
Robert has outgrown his ICU team. They moved him today. He was moved from the ICU to another floor in the Neuroscience Center. This area is equipped and trained to deal with patients who have brain injuries. They were supposed to move him at 2 pm today but he didn’t get transported until 9pm that night. During his wait to be moved he drank some water. When the doctors saw that he wasn’t choking on the water they knew he could eat pureed food. He was then placed on a puree diet. He ate pudding, mashed potatoes, jello and he drank juice and water. He did good eating his food and even asked for more.
We requested that Robert be placed in his own room but our request was denied. The doctors stated single rooms are for patients with infections or patients who need to be isolated and Robert wasn’t one of those. However, Robert wanted his own room too and in the end he got it. He shouted and yelled and cursed at his pain and they moved him to a private room. Once there he settled down and let his pain meds kick in. He relaxed and slept through the night.
2-25-09
I came to see Robert for a brief moment today. He was looking so much better. Talking a little more and he began eating solid foods. He ate pasta, applesauce, and a vegetable medley of mushrooms, onions, squash and carrots. He also had chocolate pudding that he didn't really like. He loved his juice but not the tea. He was very alert and it seemed that eating well he had more energy and didn't do very much sleeping. He was having a time controlling his emotions but when you remind him that's not how he acts or that's not
what he says then he calmed down. He really did not like hearing memories too much especially if you got into detail. He was with you and you could tell he remembered but he was frustrated about not really knowing.
He has been having trouble with his short term memory but with constant reminders he does well. He has movement all over his body but refuses to move due to lack of movement while he was in ICU. He will begin his physical therapy everyday starting tomorrow at noon.
2-26-09
Robert got a work out today. He was moved again to a double occupancy unit because he was a little more stable. Actually, he is the most stable patient out of his team. Someone else was in worse condition than him and needed the single room more than Robert did. He had me cracking up laughing today. You can see and feel some of his personality come out. He has always been the comedian so he had us laughing and joking with him. He told us that he doesn’t really like the hospital food but he does like to eat fruit and drink his juice. We found out today that we can cook food for him and bring it to him. So, Robert is about to be spoiled even more than he already is.
Robert graduated today and can move to a rehab center. He has to first be evaluated before he can go to the rehab center. They want to check him out to make sure he doesn’t have any infections or anything that will cause him to be moved back to the hospital for treatment.
2-27-09
Robert’s blood cell counts are elevated so he will not be moving to rehab today. Maybe on Monday or Tuesday but they are going to keep monitoring his counts all weekend. Today they removed his stitches and he was not having a good evening. He was in pain and uncomfortable. He verbalized where he was feeling pain and what was bothering him.
Donna and I noticed that his head leans to one side and his neck was stiff. So we asked him if we could move him to a more comfortable location. It hurt him and he was screaming. But even though it hurt he wanted to move it. He was doing well and he asked for help. So we did a little moving with him and let him tell us when he wanted to stop.
He catches little attitudes when he doesn’t get what he wants or when he wants it. He gets attitudes when you ask him too many questions or when you are making too much noise or talking too much. He is easily irritable. He likes your presence but he doesn’t like a lot of noise. So, we let him rest and didn’t talk too much.
2-28-09
Today was the first day I did not see Robert. I had to go out of town but thought about him the whole trip. I kept in contact with him through my mother. He has a crook in his neck from lying on one side the entire time he has been hospitalized. He was moved again to a single room. The doctors say he fares well when he is isolated. He is still talking more, thinking more and demanding and asking more questions. He asks why he has to do something or why he can’t do something.
He told my mom that she needs to get a tattoo that said Struggle Together with his name on it. He is so alert and can tell who is speaking to him by the sound of their voices. He is still not focusing with his eyes but he opens and closes them on demand.
3-1-09
I am so glad that I was able to see my brother today. Apparently, there was a nurse who was assigned to Robert that sounded like me. She was moving him and he was in pain. He fussed me out and I wasn’t even there. So when I spoke to him this afternoon, he was real short with me and I didn’t know why. Now I know it was because of the nurse.
Today, he ate good home cooking. He had a rib, a piece baked chicken, rice and greens and cornbread. He said he loved his food. So once a week he is going to get home cooking. He is looking forward to his chocolate that will be coming soon.
He moved his left arm for me today and lifted it up. He was talking more and is more alert. He is on point with things. He knows what is going on and he is even trying to tame his mother when she becomes irate with his visitors. I saw him smiling his hardest today when he talked to his nephew on the phone. That made him feel so good. He is progressing so much and it makes me so proud.
The doctors are shocked at his recovery. They are shocked because he is recovering so well and so fast. They said he is a miracle. I know that my God is taking care of my brother. He is just beating all the odds as usual. He looks good and talks good and can tell you more. Only time will tell how well he is doing with his memory. But everyday he gets better. Everyday that he opens his eyes and speaks to me, speaks to his mom, speaks to his sister, speaks to his friends and family is a blessing. He is a miracle. His ICU doctor said, Robert is a miracle in room 18.
Greetings,
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw robert, I asked God to reveal himself through this young man. God is faithful and he is doing that. Sis Evelyn said that robert is a miracle, when we look at the word miracle it says that a miracle/wonder is that by wich God authenticates those sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's.
I believe God is going to use Roberts life as a miracle to bring more people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. My prayer is that God will totally heal Robert and Robert life will be a Living testimony to God's healing Power and His love for his people..
Blessings
Pastor Carter