MARCH
Mon.-
3/1
Kathleen will have her EEG today.
Unfortunately, Kaiser doctors will no be exploring the
causes of Kathleen’s cardiac arrest as of yet. One of Mike’s student’s father,
Dr. Coggins, may be exploring this issue.
Kathleen received Reiki, a form of Japanese healing, today
from Joan Langholff.
Kathleen is now
breathing on her own for 6 hours on and then an hour off.
Kathleen will be breathing on her own for a whole 24-hour
period.
The EEG that was done yesterday showed slower brain activity
but also no seizures. The initial concern came from movements on one of her
sides.
Wed.-
3/3
Kathleen breathed on her own for over 40 hours.
Although Kathleen’s breathing is getting stronger, there is
a possibility of her being moved to Kaiser facility in San Leandro due to
issues revolving around care for her tracheotomy.
Kathleen moved to Room 607 which is considered a step down
from the intensive care unit. Doctors consider
her stable from the neck down.
There were no complications with the move to the 6th
floor.
Kathleen impressed doctors on Thu. with her ability and
strength to cough and clear her air passage.
Kathleen received addition another session of Reiki from
Joan Langholff .
Today, Kathleen’s scheduled CT (this would determine the extent shrinkage or swelling
of the brain) was delayed until tomorrow.
A Blood Flow Specs Scan and an Evoke Potential Scan were
both denied. These were thought to possibly help determine brain recovery.
Sat.-Sun.
3/6-3/7
Kathleen had a CT scan and it showed that there was no
shrinking of the brain. The CT scans do not show brain activity or scarring
tissue so the extent of either was not determined.
The air conditioning unit was finally fixed. Kathleen did
not have air conditioning since she was moved and room temperature was getting
near 80 degrees especially with the warm weekend.
Kathleen was administered a mild sedative to help control her
shaking. The shaking has been attributed to a severe “crick” in her neck area.
Unfortunately, only certified masseuses are allowed to massage Kathleen.
Mon.-
3/8
Kathleen’s air conditioner broke and the room temperatures
are again hitting up to 80 degrees. Hopefully the hospital is faster in
repairing it than it was in turning it on.
Kathleen is running a temperature of between 99-100.4 degrees today.
Tue.-
3/9
Kathleen was running a temperature last night of 100.5 degrees
and doctors re-administered antibiotics.
Kathleen is still “shaking” at times on her left side. These
are not thought to be seizures.
Kathleen is moving her eyes a little bit but this movement
is not at the level of “tracking”- the next step of progress family hope she
reaches soon.
Wed.-
3/10
Not much change since yesterday except that Kathleen’s
temperature has come down.
Thu.-
3/11/04
Kathleen got her air bed back! This is good for her
respiration and prevention of bed sores. Immediately, Kathleen’s blood-oxygen
level went up and her heart rate went down.
Kathleen sat in a cardiac chair for the first time yesterday
for 2 ½ hours with eyes wide open.
Doctors said that Kathleen’s cerebellum may have not
suffered damage due to Kathleen’s eye movement when her head is moved. However,
at this point Kathleen is not tracking yet.
Doctors reiterated that there is virtually no chance of
regaining meaningful like quality. They called it “unfortunate.” Hopefully,
Kathleen will continue to prove the odds wrong.
Kathleen is scheduled for a heart MRI to try and determine
what happened.
Doctors gave Kathleen a breathing mask to see how she would
do breathing without the trach. The doctors plugged the trach hole and Kathleen
was able to breath for 3-4 minutes- shorter than what they had hoped for.
During this time, Kathleen had very active eye movement.
Last night, Kathleen received some wonderful massage and
physical therapy from a friend and Kathleen was very active.
Please Read: The Davey family would like to
know if anybody in the community has information about Neural Brain Stem Cell
Therapy and brain recovery research. At this point, apparently the research in these areas are very recent
(Feb. 2004?) and are all experimental right now. The Daveys are interested in
perhaps leaving this option (of considering Kathleen for experimental
procedure) open.
Fri.-
3/12
Kathleen’s bedsores have healed due to the airbed and her
quick healing abilities.
Mike talked with doctors today about the issue of
anti-inflammatory drugs possibly speeding brain recovery (Stanford
animal study).
Also, the topic of a median
neural stimulator was mentioned to doctors. They said that they would be
looking into it.
Deep brain stimulation was brought up by the Daveys a week
ago. It was believed by the doctors that they were only used in Japan and
France. However, the Daveys, while watching the Lifetime channel, came across a
“Residence” episode and observed the machines were being used in the U.S. on
Parkinson’s patients. Doctors today stated that they will be calling
universities.
An MRI on Kathleen’s heart, an Evoke Potential Scan, and a
Blood Spec Scan, have yet to be
performed. The family hopes that they will be administered soon.
Sun.-
3/14
Kathleen was moved to a new room, room 658, because of the
air-conditioning problems mentioned above
Doctors were asked to look at an ibuprofen article regarding
brain recovery. They considered it but won’t implement it because of possible
issues while Kathleen is on blood
thinners.
Right now there are 5 medical options in consideration that
family did research on.
Kathleen has not received an MRI yet- doctors say it will be
administered most likely early next week
Instructions for visitors are being put together for when they
visit. They will be posted in the room and can be found here.
The swelling in Kathleen’s hands has gone down.
Mon.-
3/15
#1 Joan returned to
do Reiki for several hours and brought a friend (Mary)
#2 Kathleen was
taken of the trach today and breathed through her nose for 3 hours today.
#3 Kathleen has been
moving the right side or her body more the past three days (often without
stimulus)
#4 Kathleen has
severely reduced the amount of clonus tremors the past week
#5 Kathleen has
begun as of late to snap her eyes to sounds and people who are creating
physical stimulation
#6 Kathleen's Kepra
(the final anti-convulsant/mild sedative she is on) will be gradually reduced
over the next few weeks
#7 Kathleen's
doctors said that UCSF, Stanford and UC Davis doctors rejected requests for
Deep Stimulation which has shown promise in Japan and France for patients in a
Vegatative State and recently for Parkinsons Disease in the USA
#8 Kathleen's
doctors initially agreed on a low dose of ibuprofin, but then decided the risks
of bleeding on the brain was too great (due to the blood thinners she is
already on)
#9 Kaiser doctors
again reiterated the poor prognosis and discounted #3-5
Please read this note
from Mike and the family
Tue.-
3/16 to Wed. 3/17
Kathleen's
status today appears about the same as it has been.
Work
is being done by us to try to get her to track objects with her eyes. She
appears to see things when they enter her field of view but cannot retain
focus.
Her
heart rate has been slightly elevated lately. This may be due to the
attempts being made to wean her off the trach tube. To do this, the
nurses plug the exterior trach tube hole. This forces Kathleen to breathe
through her nose and mouth. It is a struggle but she has been able to
maintain this for a couple of hours. Each day is new, however.
Muscle
stiffness looks like it may have subsided. Cousin Darsia has given
Kathleen a couple of massages that look to be helping.
The
family is continuing to ask the Medical Staff for an overall plan. The
family hopes to get one by next week. We'll see how it goes.
Looking
into Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment as potential re-hab tool.
Please
note:
If anybody has information regarding Stanford’s study on stem cell stroke and
stroke victims, please contact me as soon as possible.
Thu.-
3/18
Kathleen
was running a fever of 101.1.
Kathleen
was breathing for 20 minutes until doctors took her off. She was having a
little difficulty today in that area.
Kathleen
is scheduled to have an MRI today.
Fri.-3/19
Kathleen
received an MRI yesterday for her brain. Results were not told to the family
yet. The MRI for her heart was postponed because the hospital was running
behind.
Kathleen’s fever came down.
Antibiotics were administered to
Kathleen for an infection.
Doctors, analyzing the MRI results, reported that they
believe that Kathleen’s brain showed signs of atrophying. However, since they
have no base to compare it from, much right now is guessing.
The MRI of the heart was delayed.
Doctors again give Kathleen a 14% chance to get to a
minimum(ly) responsive state.
Kathleen is taking Tylenol to keep her temp down.
She is still on antibiotics.
Please Note: If anybody has any information or leads
on anoxic brain injury and recovery please let us know. Also, if anybody has information regarding exploratory stem cell
surgery please let us know. Here
are two articles regarding stem cell research
Article
I Article II
Sun.
3/21
Kathleen breathed (through her nose) with the trach plugged
for 4 ½ hours.
The “shaking” has subsided almost completely.
Mon.
3/22
Kathleen sat in the Cardiac Chair today and breathed 2 hours
on her own through her nose with the trach plugged.
Joan visited for over three hours performing Reiki.
Kathleen is showing facial expressions- anger, fear,
confusion and sadness (tears).
If anybody has information or knows anybody with information
regarding umbilical cord blood cell research (article
I article
II) please let us know. Thank you.
Tue.
3/23
Kathleen was in the Cardiac Chair for over 2 hours.
A family request for acupuncture from a renowned specialist,
Dr. Zhu, was denied. Apparently
acupuncture is considered experimental for anoxic brain injuries even though it
can do no harm.
The heart MRI has been rescheduled for Wed.
If anybody has information or knows anybody with information
regarding umbilical cord blood cell research (article
I article
II) please let us know. Thank you.
Wed.
3/24
Yesterday, Kathleen lifted her head off of the pillow
yesterday. The nursing staff was ecstatic
Kathleen had her MRI.
The Davey family filed an expedited grievance yesterday over
the approval of using acupuncture on Kathleen. Since it is considered
experimental by the hospital the expedited grievance was downgraded to a
“regular” appeal and thus the wait for a response may be up to 30 days. It’s noted that acupuncture works best when
it is administered earlier in an injury rather than later.
Thurs. 3/25
Kathleen had a rough day.
Going in the cardiac chair and her trach plugged for about an hour her
heart rate raced up to over 130.
Earlier her blood pressure (normally in the 90/60 range) reached over
155.
Kathleen enjoyed an aromatherapy appointment from her friend
Kathy Oliver, wife of a former worker colleague when she was a Human Resource
Manager at Onetta.
Mike called the IMR board to go over the hospital’s head to
try and allow Kathleen to get acupuncture.
Friday
3/26/04
Dr. Arthur Douville generously donated his time to meet with
the family and go over Kathleen’s MRI and likely prognosis. The MRI showed some damage in the white
matter of the brain which might be able to repair itself in the long term, but
almost certainly not enough for Kathleen to make a meaningful recovery given
current medical technology. Dr.
Douville also discussed options for care after Kathleen leaves Kaiser.
Kaiser has officially allowed acupuncture to proceed but
will not pay for it.
Kathleen has been breathing on her own for 2 ½ hours and is
still going
Dr. Zhu came tonight and Kathleen was very reactive.
Sat.-
3/27
Kathleen slept a lot today.
She breathed with
the trach plugged for 5 hours.
Kathleen received acupuncture from Dr. Zhu and was again reactive
to some of the procedures.
Sun.-
3/28
Kathleen stuggled a bit off of the trach breathing with
it plugged for a half an hour.
Dr. Zhu again administered acupuncture and Kathleen seems
reactive to the procedures.
Mon.
3/29-
Kathleen was in the Cardia Chair for 2 ½ hours and breathed
with the trach plugged for 6 hours.
Tue.
3/30
Kathleen sat in the Cardiac Chair for 5 hours today and
breathed for 2 hours with the trach plugged.
Her blood pressure was high (175/120) but that is usually the case when
she is placed in the cardiac chair which is exercise for Kathleen. It went back
down after she returned to her bed.
Kathleen is showing more signs of muscle tension (the
curling of her limbs and clenching of her hands). More physical therapy is
needed to address this issue.
Kathleen is now responding more often to significant
stimulation (combing of her hair, etc.) by movement especially by rolling her
head.
Wed.
3/31
Kathleen is continuing to receive acupuncture from Dr. Zhu
is reacting to the various procedures.
Kathleen is continuing to respond to physical stimulus by
turning her head.