I am very sorry for not writing before, I had problems with my internet at home. We arrived home safely on the morning of the 26th December 2007. Everything was OK except for my wheel chair not coming from the Miami to Trinidad flight. I am very happy to be home with my family and friends. We are missing all our new friends and China.
I did not get a chance to post the Doctor’s evaluation on the stem cells for me. After they completed their procedure they said that feelings moved down a few cm from when I arrived and that the stem cells need 4 to 6 months before I could see major results, they stressed on the importance of me continuing with physio-therapy. As for the hip, the stitches would be removed next 2 weeks and the 2 metal screws can remain permanently. I have to do light therapy until the wound heals properly.
Well I promise to continue this BLOG with information and anytime I get improvements I will post it. Thank you all again for your support and love!
January 1st, 2008
For everyone wondering…we are in Chicago and made it safely from China. The very long flight was from Shanghai to Chicago came in 6pm last night. We overnight a few hours in a nearby hotel and was supposed to leave for Miami at 6.00am Chicago time but had alot of problems this moring with the airport we got no wheelchair assistance and missed the flight by a few minutes. We are now on standby for another flight to Miami. My friend Desiree and her family are coming for us in the airport and we’ll be staying with them until we board our final flight home to Trinidad on Christmas day at 6.50pm. Our expected arrival time home is 11.20pm on the 25th Decmber, 2007.
December 24th, 2007
Today was very long I slept late, the nurses came and washed my hair and the rest of the day was taking forever to end. Our friends visited us and the nurses said goodbye. There was however an incident that took place today. There is a wholesale market where people go to shop and bargain, mom went this morning with one of the nurses who really stayed with me on the 7th Floor and helped me after surgery. We wanted to get her a present and she was bargaining with a man for a purse and when she didn’t take it the man began beating the nurse and chasing after them. They eventually escaped and leaved the place but the nurse got some slaps and kicks and mom was so scared by the incident. We were later told that these incidents do occur at that place, it’s just that since being here we never saw any fights or heard of it.
I sat on the chair this afternoon for a while and really do hope tomorrow I will be able to sit and travel for all those long hours. We will be leaving Shenyang to Shanghai at 12.30pm; and leaving Shanghai at 6.45pm to Chicago arriving in Chicago 5.15pm all on the 23rd December 2007.
December 22nd, 2007
I am very sorry for not writing all week but I am trying so hard to recuperate so I would be able to go home in a few days. Well a lot happened during the week so I’ll write points:
Ø Tuesday was the last day I received IV’s so I have my hands free. They did more blood tests and my blood cells were finally ok.
Ø Wednesday they removed the stitches from the 1st surgery cut. I was also allowed to sit on the wheel chair. I felt dizzy and very uncomfortable but was determined to sit which I did for about 1 hour. Then when I returned to bed we realized the cut was bleeding a lot so they changed the bandage and I was to remain on the bed.
Ø Thursday started ok, the nurses changed my catheter and a few minutes after we realize the cut was bleeding so we called the nurses. This time the cut was re-opened and the Doctors came in and re-stitched it. These stitches would have to remain for 3 weeks and be removed home in Trinidad. My Doctor Dr. Wang said circulation and spasms caused
to the cut to reopen.
Ø Today we are all packed and Sunil is out shopping for gifts, mom is here with me and at 2pm the Stem cell Doctors would be doing a final evaluation on me.
I will write asap to keep everyone posted…
December 21st, 2007
I have been sleeping a lot over the past few days; I also started eating so, for those who know me- I am good once I eat. The IV’s have also been reduced to one hand 3 bags per day and the cough has also eased up with traditional Chinese medicine. As for mom and Sunil both of them got a fever with the cough and cold as well… I thinks it’s a virus on this ward everyone is sick.
The Doctor allowed me to raise the bed head a few inches, which felt great also I am allowed to turn on the side. The bed soars are getting better as well. So in 6 days I should be good to go… go home!! I dream of home everyday and just can’t wait to get a full night sleep in my bed, without disturbances.
December 17th, 2007
I am sorry I was unable to write before. I am going through so much sometimes I can’t do anything else but cry. On Thursday I was a little better the fever was finally breaking when the Doctor ordered some x-rays…in the afternoon about 1pm he came and told me he had some bad news and I needed to do another surgery within the hour. I had no time to really think about it; because it wasn’t planned I wasn’t given anesthesia meaning I was awake for this surgery. What happened is too much to write but in a nutshell the hip moved out of place and they wanted to place another metal pin to hold to hip bone in tact. This was supposed to be a half hour procedure which was a long 2 hour surgery with 6 Doctors. I will save you the details of the surgery but my temperature went back up after the surgery and I was on IV for the rest of the night.
Today was okay my temperature went down and the nurses came and wash my hair. As for the IV’s when they were sticking the needles for blood today they couldn’t get none and it was difficult so I got away for a while. I lost a lot of blood from yesterday’s surgery so it will take me some time to recuperate from this second surgery. The only thing keeping me going now is I have 9 more days here.
December 14th, 2007
It’s 12.49am Wednesday morning in China and I am up writing my blog. Today I woke up feeling very fine and the doctors and nurses visited me hoping I would be ok. Less than two hours later things were the opposite. My temperature went very high and everything started. IV’s in both arms, I got a really nasty cough and I was getting a pressure soar on my right leg due to the weight from the traction. The nurses stayed with me all day not leaving until about 10 minutes now. They checked my temperature every 10-30 minutes and my leg every two minutes. For the cough they suspected a lung infection so they did a chest x-ray and another Doctor came and examined me, then they put on to breathe on a respirator to check for mucus. That procedure was done twice and then the doctor ordered blood tests… they took blood twice very painful especially when my arms are weak with IV. Finally a liquid to drink was given; the cough has eased up a little.
Then the other Doctor came and checked the legs to make sure its healing well and changed the plaster. They placed a bag from the cut during surgery to drain the extra blood and clots and that bag was removed yesterday.
I had a lot of visitors today too the nurses from the 10th floor came and brought me a huge bouquet of flowers. My temperature was so high a couldn’t open my eyes nor talk to anyone.. I did sleep a bit.
I thank God again I was able to survive this day and pray things get better soon. I also want to thank everyone who has been leaving encouraging words and comments for me, it appreciated and everyone else out there reading this. Thank you J
December 12th, 2007
I don’t know what to begin with but I will start by thanking God for helping me through this surgery because it was not easy. The doctors who did this over a hundred times told us it was the most difficult surgery they did. It lasted from 8am to 2pm. The reason being the length of time the hips were damaged since the accident the bones moved up to my lower back thus the reason why my right leg was becoming shorter. I must say it’s very sad that no Doctors in Trinidad were able to see this problem because all it took was a simple x-ray.
As for me today Monday is the only evening I can use my hands, I had IV and both hands with medication, antibiotics and many other things I don’t know what they were; but was told it was good for me. I don’t think there is a vein left that wasn’t stick with needles and my hands are soar and swollen; there was even a time when they didn’t know where to stick again and wanted to use my legs but that couldn’t work. I had some problems after surgery but they say it’s normal, like high temperature, swollen stomach, bowel problems, irregular blood more white cells than red and other things. We barely got sleep any night because almost every half hour the nurses were changing IV, checking temperature or doing something. I must say they really are taking good care of me and doing an excellent job, the chief Doctor in Orthopedic speaks English and he explains everything in detail to me.
Well they placed a screw to hold my hip in place and I am confined to my bed for the next 2 weeks we are here… and another month when I return home. After they stitches are removed they might put me to sit on the chair for preparation too travel home…. There is so much to write but my fingers are very weak so I have to go now. Will write as soon as possible but I am better tonight.
December 11th, 2007
Day 28 – On the 7th Floor (Thursday 6th December 2007)
Today was a very long and hard day. I had the bone marrow done in our bedroom on the 10th Floor because they didn’t remove the traction device from my legs, they say it’s still very far from position and a few days can’t fix more than a year of damage. At about 10.30am they transferred me to the 7th Floor our new room for the next 17 days…yes that’s how long we’ll be here again. Today I really felt like I was in a hospital. All day they were preparing me for surgery tomorrow, so I had the full works done from taking blood, receiving IV, injections, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, urine, shaving my legs that was fun and even cutting my finger nails. Those are some of the things the nurses had me going with today.
This room is smaller and having 3 beds makes it cluster, no refrigerator, cupboards nor some of the other things we had upstairs, like water dispenser and DVD but we managed to beg for one. We can’t cook in this room. The only good thing is the bathroom I here is bigger but it’s not use to me because I am confined to a bed with no more hot showers.
Surgery: I left this for last. I have full faith in the Doctors and what they are doing… in no time they were able to tell me the problem with my legs was the hips and they were right. I can’t eat anything from after 8pm tonight. The nurses and Doctors would come at 7.30am to prepare me with anesthesia, receiving blood for surgery, and other surgical procedures. The surgery should last 2-3 hours and by 12 noon which is 12 midnight Thursday Trinidad time I should be out. I pray that Almighty Allah guide these Doctors during this surgery and makes it easy for them and protect me.
I am not sure how I will be after surgery so if I don’t write my blog tomorrow don’t worry I would be alive God willing and would write on Saturday…
December 6th, 2007
If have alot of things to write about that happened today so here goes:
- We got through with the problems we were having with the airlines and our return tickets, thanks to Jessica from American Airlines in Trinidad God bless her. We would be leaving God willing on the 23rd December for a long journey home.
- On the topic of moving, today is our last day on the 10th Floor. We would be officially discharged from the stem cell section in the morning after my bone marrow transplant is completed. I would be taken directly to the 7th Floor Orthopedics in the morning after my bone marrow. Mom and Sunil would be staying with me in that room. We are the first foreign patients to have another surgery besides stem cells while at this hospital. So we packed our stuff and organized for the re-location.
- The Orthopedics doctor is monitoring the traction on my legs and ordered blood tests, an x-ray and cardio-gram to be done today. They came in my room and did these tests from my bed so I didn’t have to move. After the x-ray we were told that the joint is still 3 inches away from position so they increased the weight on the traction and at 5.30pm it was increased again.
- I must say the nurses here even though they understand little English; they are so kind and well trained in doing their jobs. They come often and massage my back and check on me to make sure I am ok.
- Since I am leaving this Floor early in the morning, the plant and chain letter of encouragement I got from Brandon when I came, I passed it on to Chris, who is also paralyzed and they came in this week from Tennessee.
- Tim and Lisa left yesterday and tomorrow Drew, his mom and sister are leaving. So they all came by my room and visited me. A group of us that came in together was like a happy family we all got along very well and it’s sad that they are all leaving and we’ll be here…alone in the 7th Floor.
- Pray for me I hope the bone marrow goes well tomorrow and the traction because if not then I wouldn’t be able to have the surgery done on Friday. Tomorrow I will give more information on the surgery and the new ward.
December 5th, 2007
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