UPDATE ON Al Rabbit Miller, posted by his wife today: Sunday, January 19, 2014 Well, here I am and I do not want to do this update. Here goes...Al was taken to the VA hospital, not back to Kindercare. It turns out that Kindercare is for rehab and therapies. They do not do IV’s - actually it is called a pic. So, off to the VA. He is in a room by himself and very tired when I visited. The new brace is great. It turns out the surgeon actually took my advice. It reminds me of a heating pad wrapped around his leg with Velcro. There is one about eight inches on his thigh and one about four inches on his calf. There is metal in both to keep the bone in place and metal in-between that will allow him to bend his leg. I visited him Saturday, as I was told by previous nurses that he does not like to be moved to someplace new and I should allow him time to get adjusted. First, visiting someone at the VA on the weekend is not something to take lightly. The only entrance is the emergency room and then you navigate from there. Not fun. He did not say anything during my visit. I collared a nurse and she said he had been responding the day before. By that she meant he would answer a direct question; like do you hurt and he would say or nod yes or no. He will be there for two to three weeks receiving antibiotics. He also has MERSA in his nose. The nurse said it is not unusual when a person is in a hospital for an extended time. I know that is a crock of bull and replied that if the proper precautions are taken and especially the room thoroughly cleaned he would not have MERSA. She blinked a few times and did not pursue the subject. Smart nurse. He did not know me. But, after awhile he let me hold his hand. I always let him know that I love him and name several people who feel the same. I tell him of all the email’s and prayers for him. I keep hoping that a name or names will spark recognition. Here is the part I do not want to tell about. I spoke with his psychiatrist - the one he has been seeing for the past several years at the VA. He took some cognitive tests before this accident and these tests were positive for some brain damage from his accident in 2011. (Like I hadn’t already figured that out.) Actually, Dr. K. is a very neat doctor and I have always liked him. Continuing to see a shrink was a huge step for Al/Rabbitt. Dr. K. informed me that he had also gone over the records and tests from UMC. There is substantial damage in the frontal lobe, which is right under the forehead. That is where memories, personality, why and how to behave and react in an environment, and judgments made about our daily life, all reside. The doctor said it may be as long as a year before a final prognosis is made. Any way you look at it, the love of my life has a very long and hard road to go. I wish I could do it for him. I have been asked about visitation. If you are prepared to see a different person, a thinner person, and also a no-denture-in-place person - then please go. No one can know what might trigger a memory. He is in 2-South, Room 2219 - I think that is the right room number - I know how to get there, anyway. The object is to not give him all the answers - he needs to make his brain work and find some of the answers. Please continue with the prayers, candles, and good thoughts... Pat
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 04:31:51 +0000
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