Day 7 – ICU
Hi everyone,
As usual we will start with the non-medical highlights because they are much more fun to talk about!
Today was Homecoming for Avon Grove High School. The senior shirt is a TyDy cobalt blue. Corey’s girlfriends went shopping for new scarves on Friday to add to her collection. Among several they found a cobalt blue zebra stripe. When we came in this morning, the nurses knowing the above, had her senior shirt and new scarf on so she could be apart of the day. What they didn’t know was the senior float was Toy Story 3 theme and Corey was supposed to be Barbie. We even found a Barbie handbag at Costco that she was going to wear with her costume.
Chris Matsanka (Corey’s VP) arrived in the afternoon to tell her about the day.
Chris was holding Corey’s hand as he explained the events of the day and that the Senior Float won 1st place, Corey squeezed his hand and a couple of tears appeared. Our conversation continued and we were talking about the senior sayings that were painted in the senior hallway (Corey had two sayings she entered and won) and she squeezed his hand a second time!
We can tell when Corey’s awake because her heart rate increases. Yesterday we mentioned her opening her left eye. Today she opened it a bit more than peaking, about ½ way. We also noticed today that she appears to be “tracking” us. Her eye is following the voice on either side of her! Her right eye is now trying to open also.
She had blood drawn tonight and really didn’t like that! It was difficult to find her vein. Her arms and hands are still a little swollen. Her heart rate soared and bells/whistles were going off…she was not happy! I went to her head and as I kissed her I hummed a lullaby we used when we would rock her as a baby. She settled down and maintained her heart rate as the tech got her sample.
These have been wonderful signs that she is responding to us!
Clinically, her fever was back up tonight 103. The bacteria results came back from her lungs and it was identified as the flu which would explain the fever over the last few days.
She is cleared for surgery to repair her femur early next week but we don’t have a date yet.
The Doctors tell us that Corey’s responses over the next 4 weeks will dictate the path of her recovery. We’re not supposed to get overly excited about these responses but everyone is saying these are very good signs. Corey has her permit. We give her permission now to ignore the stop and detour signs…only thru traffic for her!
Day 6 – ICU
Corey had a really good day. First the non-medical highlights.
The hospital Chaplin meets with the Neuro ICU team every Thursday. They talk about the families and the patients. Corey is the youngest patient on this wing at the moment. The nurses shared the picture collage that Corey’s girlfriends made and pointed out that her friends also brought a Sleeping Beauty Barbie (Corey’s favorite Disney Princess)
One of the team commented “that’s appropriate, she’s OUR Sleeping Beauty and we are waiting for her to wake up”
Now for Sleeping Beauty’s medical update
Corey’s facial swelling has diminished tremendously. She looks beautiful. Back to looking like “our” Corey. She had a low grade fever all day 100.4 and her lungs sound clear. She has a urinary trac infection and has maintained a 6T for reflexive responses all day.
Ready for the “Really Good” News?
JohnPaul came to visit this afternoon and was talking to her and holding her hand.
Corey squeezed his hand, lifted her arm and pulled his hand across her chest! She wanted to hand wrestle and totally won that round!
In addition, she has been fluttering her eyes, begun eye rolling (like REM sleep) and tonight was trying to open her left eye!
We know you share this feeling of excitement with us; quite frankly, we couldn’t wait to write this and share our good day with you!
PS – she’s been wearing her Phillies shirt all day to get ready for the game tonight. Wait until she hears about the “come from behind” win from her team. Hmmm, maybe she was their inspiration?
Day 5 – ICU
Hi guys,
We’re so glad we did this because reading all your posts is incredibly comforting and inspiring! It gives us strength knowing you all are out there helping us help corey!
Today was a good day. Before I begin with the medical update, you all need to know what we saw this morning. Normally we can get into see Corey by 7:30-8:00 am. Today, her day nurse, Kim, asked us to wait until 9am. When we got into see her, corey had her scarf rewrapped and styled, her legs shaved, and her toes painted to match what Kerri painted on her nails. Kim thought it only appropriate that Corey had a complete spa experience!
Corey had another CAT Scan and the Neurology team believes that her swelling has peaked. She is less swollen today than yesterday. Now we wait because the less swollen she gets, the sooner she will begin to expand on her neuro responses.
Her fever was up/down all day but nothing alarming. This is normal for pneumonia and is being treated aggressively.
Her Neuro response score was 4T this morning and 6T tonight so she’s holdin’ steady with that.
All in all, it was a good day. Thanks so much for all your notes, we love reading them!
Welcome to Corey’s Page
Thank you to everyone for all your calls, text messages and visits. Your love and support strengthens us to continue to help her.
Corey’s car accident was severe. She has many orthopedic injuries but no internal injuries. Our biggest concern is the Brain Trauma but we are very optimistic. Corey is young, strong and healthy. The team of Doctors and Nurses at Christiana are amazing. They are hopeful that Corey will have a good recovery.
With this type of injury, it is very difficult to predict the speed or outcome. Anyone that knows Corey knows she’s always up for a good fight!
Future posts will include the good days and bad days. Her strength, personality, stubbornness, and determination will be the main driver for her healing progress.
So, where are we today…
The nurses check her neurological responses several times a day. This is her response to commands and pain stimulus. At the moment, Corey is not responding to any commands but she is responding to the pain stimuli by squeezing her hands and moving her toes. For each response she gets a point. The points range from 3T to 15T. Corey was a 5T today and her Eyes were reacting to the light test.
She had a bath and the bandages were removed from Sunday nights Craniotomy. The area looks good. Corey’s cousins Tommy and Libby were visiting and ran to the mall to choose some very fashionable scarves to help protect the area with STYLE! Of course they have to be pink! To complete her spa experience, her cousin Kerri gave her a manicure and she is sporting a lovely shade of bright pink nail polish to compliment her ensemble.
She has some congestion in her chest which we expected and is being treated. This caused a fever which is also being treated.
All in all, it was an okay day. She is much better today than she was Saturday! She’s fighting and making a little bit of progress everyday and we are so blessed that all your prayers are giving her the strength to begin her healing.
Love Marie, John, JohnPaul and Caitlin (Roxie and Amelia, too)