Thursday, June 30, 2011

Thursday June 29

Dad has been moved to St. Mary's Hospital.
According to his new doctors, he will be undergoing intense therapy twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.
We are not allowed to be there during these periods because the doctors do not want any distractions. This is great for mom because she'll be able to leave during these times for rest. St. Mary's is only 3 minutes from her house...soooo convenient!
They will be working him in all 3 therapy categories: speech, occupational, and physical. As for visitations, doctors want visitations to take place during the weekends only.  These are the days for rest. Dad will start seeing visitors on Saturday & Sunday July 10th & 11th. If you would like to visit dad, please email me to let me know when you might be coming in: davidv1@cox.net
The Valdez family would like to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tuesday June 28

Dad is still as sharp as a tack. He's starting to speak more and more each day. He's staying awake much longer during the day, starting to ask more questions and asking for food and drink. We'll find out today where they'll be sending him. They removed the trach button yesterday and early in the mornings, they stop the tube feedings so he doesn't feel full for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm going to sneak in some cold watermelon later today. It's just a matter of time before you'll all get to see and talk to him. Hang in there.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Monday June 27

I arrived to the hospital at 7:15 pm last night. It was my turn to spend the night. Dad was very much awake and alert. Since we were told he could eat anything soft, I made some lentil soup and sneaked it in to try. As expected, he loved it. The food here is so bland. I also brought him a small container of mango sorbet...yum. We read the paper together and I shared some photos I have on my computer of the events that have taken place since his accident and photos that some people have sent me. Some he recognized and others he did not.  I tried this memory technique last week without any real excitement or emotion from him. What a difference a week makes. This time he smiled, mouthed out names and for those he didn't recognize, I said their name and then he remembered. He had a great night sleeping!
They just finished his last chest x-ray. I suspect it will come out a-okay & negative. If correct, the button from his trach will come out this morning. He'll most likely get transferred to another rehab facility tomorrow. Things are really starting to look very good for JV. As soon as we transfer him to his new rehab facility we'll start scheduling times for visitors. He's really doing great!

Sunday June 26

Day off!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Saturday June 25

Short blog today.
He had some spinach, soft chicken, steamed apples and some nectar yesterday.
Lisa and I just came back from visiting 2 in-patient rehab facilities. I'll let you know which one his insurance approves and when he'll be moved.
A bit of dad's humor comes out: When dad was placed in a special chair which allowed him to stand upright, the physical therapist said, "I'm almost as tall as you". Dad responded out loud, "Almost".

Friday, June 24, 2011

Five Weeks Today

It was my turn to spend the night. He just keeps improving at a steady rate. The doctors gave him the swallow test this morning and he did pretty good. They're going to keep the button in another two days just in case. Because, he keeps a little bit of liquid in the back of his mouth which means he doesn't completely swallow. They want to make sure this residual doesn't seep into his lungs when not aware. He can now eat soft foods and drink small amounts of water. I'm going to have to sneak in some Menudo broth soon...just kidding!
The button from the trach will stay in another 2 days and I believe, they'll be moving him to an in-patient facility sometime Monday or Tuesday. Not sure yet which one. He's smiling, making faces, moving around in his bed a lot more. He's waking up! yeah!

For those that may want to attend a prayer mass for dad at the Cathedral, the following dates have been set aside:
Tuesday June 28th  7:00 am
Wednesday June 29th  7:00 am
Thursday June 30th  7:00 am
Sunday July 10th   10:00 am

Thank you Elva

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thursday June 23

Dad was so exhausted yesterday, we couldn't wake him up for his speech therapy session. They even had apple sauce ready for him. He had a great physical therapy workout and sat in his chair for an hour and a half. The doctors removed his trach and placed a button in it's place. This means there is not a tube going down his throat. This button will be in for the next couple of days as a precaution to see if he has any complications swallowing. While Lisa was there last night, they gave him some ice chips. She said he swallowed just fine. He even started snoring a little. This is a true sign he's returning back to his normal self. LOL! We got him a CD player/radio for Father's day and Uncle Lionel recorded some special music CDs. Most of the songs are from his era of growing up. He tapped his fingers to the beat of Los Panchos and listened happily with his eyes shut.
The staff is so amazed and impressed with the progress he's made thus far. Let's see how he does today during speech therapy. That's if he's able to stay awake. He's a fighter.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wed. June 22

I predict dad's trach will be removed by Friday. He's doing very well with eating and drinking I believe they'll do the swallow test today which will show excellent results and have it out by Friday. This is what we're praying for because once the trach is out, things for him really speed up. He'll most likely be moved to an in-patient therapy rehabilitation facility for 2 weeks. After the two weeks, then maybe he comes home. Although he's been cleared to stay that Kindred for 25 days, his progress may allow him to leave early. We shall wait and see.
He ate oatmeal and drank water yesterday without any problems. He began to move his right arm and the therapist felt his muscles in his right leg trying to move it. These are all good signs that he's processing correctly and progressing slowly. As we all know, his right side will need the most therapy.
We're still not quite ready for outside visitors. I seem to forget he's still trying to figure things out. We take for granted what the mind automatically does for us. He's still trying to figure out where the sounds are coming from, who's talking in the room and it may be a little too much for him to decipher what's what. I can tell when he get's frustrated because he'll give you the intense Valdez stare and the rolling of the eyes. He does this when we can't understand what he's trying to say or when the nurses come in and disturb his naps. He was extremely exhausted by the end of the day.
My uncle Lionel spent the night with him. Until he's able to push the nurse's call button on his own, will we leave him alone. He holds the control but doesn't quite know what it is yet. We also spend the night to make sure staff comes in every two hours to turn him from side to side. We've all heard horror stories about acute hospital facilities. We don't want dad to be another statistic. The staff have been extremely professional and wonderful at Kindred. We're very happy with the care he's receiving. Keep your fingers crossed that his trach get's removed soon. Once it's removed, they'll move him to an in-patient rehabilitation facility; hopefully St. Mary's.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tuesday June 21

Yesterday was another great day. I was present when the speech therapist was in. Dad was sitting in a chair next to his bed and he was eating pudding with vanilla wafers, chewing and swallowing. He also took a cup of water, brought it to his mouth and drank from it. Two more days of doing this and the doctor said, he'll remove the trach. He's scheduled for a barium swallow test sometime today. This will tell us if any liquids are sneaking through to his lungs or not. All indications thus far tell us that he's swallowing without any complications. I was able to snap a picture of him yesterday smiling to the camera. I'm trying to figure out a way to post it on the blog. We'll see how today's therapy goes.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Monday June 20

A new week begins. Just last week, he was still in ICU with is eyes shut, oxygen going into his trach, and his foley intact. Today his eyes are open, he's alert, his trach is capped, he's working with a speech therapist, working with a physical therapist and trying to figure out what's going on. We're all very happy with his progress. He'll probably be here for the next 20 days or so. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, we're hoping they remove his trach completely sometime this week. Our next goal is to see him drinking water and eating. Keep your prayers coming. They've been answered.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Sunday night

He has progressed so much this weekend. His trach has been capped for 48 hours which means, he's breathing room air, coughing and swallowing his secretions on his own. His oxygen levels are averaging 95% with a normal heart rate. These are great signs. They also removed his foley because he has a urinary tract infection. This made him less restless and agitated during the day and at night. It has to suck not being able to communicate what he's experiencing.  Lisa and mom really worked with his physical and speech therapy this weekend because there are no physical therapists nor speech therapist during the weekends. He was really pooped today because of the work they did. I'm not sure if any of you recall but my sister's first love was to get a degree in physical therapy. The only school that offers a degree is NAU. I really don't know why she didn't pursue her dream but I'm very, very happy she has the time to spend with him to put him through the exercise drills she's been instructed to perform on him. She' really great at this. She and Randy have been doing this ever since Kevin was born. Both of them are extremely special people. I also want to thank our cousins, Leo, Tina, Linda, Melissa for spending nights during the first ICU nights. Leo and Tina came in from Flagstaff and stayed 2 nights at the hospital while Katrina was graduating.  Linda and Melissa spent the first nights in ICU during this same time. We can't thank you enough. Our family is so loving and strong we're happy to be both Jacobs and Valdez.
Although dad may be out of the hemorrhage danger, he has so many months for rehabilitation recovery. He must learn how to talk. Although he may know the words to say, he has to learn how to get his mind to tell his diaphragm to push air to his vocal chords and out of his mouth for us to hear the word. Can you imagine how frustrating he's getting not being able to speak his mind? Lisa and I sit there trying to imagine what his genius mind is thinking. Believe me, I'm using every conceivable technique I can think of to communicate with him. We all must be patient.
He will get better with time. The trach will soon be out and he'll be eating and drinking soon. By the end of this week, we will allow more visitors to visit. Please continue your prayers and I'll let you know when you'll be able to visit with him.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Friday June 17th

4 weeks in the hospital.
I'm happy to report dad said his first recognizable words last night to me. It was faint but I could hear him. He said, "I want water". Although he still can not drink water yet, I let him suck on a disposable oral swab. I feel so bad because he was really trying to speak out but I couldn't make out anything he was mumbling. I sensed frustration on his part and told him not to worry. It's normal to the think the words yet not able to say them. I stuck to simple yes and no nods to communicate with him. This morning, we've been practicing to say "Hello" for when mom comes in.  He's able to say it pretty well. I told him he sounded like C3PO from star wars and he smiled. I really have to turn his sleep cycle around. He was wide awake last night from 10:15 until 1:00 am. He must stay awake during the day. I finally had to tell him that I needed to get some sleep. So I turned off the light and climbed into my most comfortable cot. My back is killing me. LOL! Lisa spent the night on Wed. She really didn't sleep at all because dad's left hand want to pull his foley and tubes out. This is also normal for patients waking up from being under for so long.
Well, we shall see what today brings. Thank you for your prayers and have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Thursday June 16th

It's 6:00 and I just got to the hospital. According to mom, he had another great day. They placed a talking ball in his trach but he hasn't said anything yet. He had another great day of bedside therapy. He's staying awake a lot more but still confused. We love the fact he's more alert and aware family is around. We moved him to Kindred Hospital where he'll stay until he's ready for an in-patient rehabilitation program.  As soon as he's a little more alert and able to speak, we will invite all of you to visit. If you're lucky enough, he might even raise his eyebrows, smile and/or even kiss your hand like he does for mom. I'm spending the night so tomorrow morning, I'll let you know how his night goes.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Wed. June 15th

The move was successful. He opened his eyes quite a bit yesterday. The best news is that we watched the news last night. I placed the speaker next to his ear and he saw and heard President Shelton trying on his new jacket and talking about his new position. Whether he understood what was happening or not, he did raise an eyebrow. He stayed awake with me through Dateline, a little of Jay Leno and then he started nodding off during The Deadliest Catch; 1 1/2 hours with his eyes wide open truly incredible! We have pictures of the family taped to the wall and during our TV time, I took each picture, one by one for him to hold up for viewing. I'm hoping he recognized all of us. LOL!
The nurses came in every 2 hours to suction and turn him.
The physical therapist came in at 7:30 this morning to begin his exercising. Dad moved only his left side on command and the therapist helped exercise his right, his weak side. He sat up on the side of the bed but was not able to balance himself. So after 20 minutes of therapy, dad is now back resting. They'll get him up again later this afternoon to do it all over again. He's slowly coming back around. "Valdez is Coming...Back"

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Tuesday June 14th

They will be moving dad today at 3:00 pm. Once he's situated and we've had the time to speak to his new doctors to determine what we can expect for him and from this new facility, I'll let you know tomorrow morning. In the mean time, he's doing great but still not quite awake. He woke up on his own yesterday around 6:00 pm and with my mom by his side, he was able to stay awake and alert for about a half hour. He held mom's hand and was looking all around trying to make sense of where he is and what's going on. He's becoming more and more alert and still following commands. He still has his trach and breathing on his own. They will not remove his trach until he's fully awake and can cough on command. We seem to think they will eventually place the talking ball in his trach before it's time to remove it. I can't tell you how well he looks. He really looks refreshed and well rested. Most, if not all of his swelling is gone from his hands, arms and chin. They removed the staples and stitches this morning from the pressure tube he had in his head. It's truly just a matter of time before he decides to wake up to stay awake. We have all of the time on earth for him to make this decision. We're just so happy he's still here with all of us. I'll keep you posted.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Monday June 13th

Today started off with a beautiful mass at the Cathedral. It was nice to see the love and support from those who attended and I know those who could not attend prayed along with us as well. Dad feels the power of prayer from our friends and family from all around the world. Thank you Ron!
As I write this blog, I sit next to my sister working on her sudoku puzzle. I'm not hooked YET! My mother is sitting in a reclined chair behind dad's bed with the television speaker/remote to her ear. She's of course watching, "Day's of Our Lives" and trying to keep from falling asleep. I'm sitting in a chair near the foot of dad's bed staring at him sleeping in a upright position. I can tell he's dreaming because his legs twitch ever so often. I hope he's dreaming of teeing off the number 10 tee at Randolph or walking to the student union for some lunch.
The nurses are preparing him for a move that will take place tomorrow for sure. I'm not certain where or when but it will happen. I will keep you posted with details mañana. May God Bless all of you.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sunday June 12th

I see great improvement with each day that goes by. He's becoming more alert with his surroundings. He opened his eyes this morning when I arrived and squeezed my hand. Although he did this for me, he didn't open his eyes for mom.
After he opened his eyes for me, he went right back to sleep. We're talking about 15 to 20 seconds at a time. I can tell when he falls back to sleep because his heart rate goes down to about 65 beats per minute and his respiratory falls below 20 breaths per minute. Before I leave the hospital, I go to whisper in his ear that I love him and kiss him on his forehead. I'm holding his hand while doing this and he squeezes my hand as though he understands me. At least I'm hoping he can hear me and is reacting to what I'm saying. The nurses this morning said they're going to try to sit him in a special chair. This will get him out of bed and into a position he hasn't felt in more than 3 weeks. The only problem is that they couldn't find the chair. I should have more news tomorrow on the missing chair and how well dad did sitting in it if they ever find it. He's still in ICU which is totally fine with us.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Mass for Joel

There will be a special mass for dad at 7:00 am on Monday June 13 at St. Augustine Cathedral. A very good friend of the family requested this mass and prayer service through the diocese. All are welcome to attend.

Saturday June 11

I haven't been to the hospital this morning but did speak to his nurse. Dad opened his eyes for my mom this morning when she arrived. It was probably her voice recognition that prompted him to do so. When his nurse tried to get him to open up his eyes, he didn't. However, dad did follow the nurse's commands by squeezing his hand and raising 1 and 2 fingers. He just didn't open his eyes when told to do so.  Yesterday, dad opened his eyes 5 times through out the day. He opens them up for about 1 minute then goes right back to sleep. This is huge progress for him. It's amazing to think his brain cells are rebuilding as he sleeps. God's creation is truly amazing when you stop to think about it.  They still have not moved him from ICU. As of now, we're not sure when this will take place. We're in no hurry to move him. He's getting the care and attention he needs.

Friday, June 10, 2011

3 weeks today

We can't believe it's 3 weeks today. Time has flown by. I must share some good news with all of you.  I called my mom at home last night and she was happy to tell me that the physical therapy team came in and sat him on the side of the bed. His eyes were open, he was alert, recognized mom and held her hand. He followed simple commands and even tried to mouth some words. Too weak to sit on his own but at least they were able to wake him up. Mom said she was excited and that it made her day.
I just spoke to his doctor. Today is the last day for his medications. They should be moving him out of ICU and into a private room next to the ICU wing. This is called the transition holding stage until we determine what type of facility he'll need to go to. The good news is that the real danger is over. Can things still happen? Sure they can, but as far as his stroke is concerned, all has healed according to his neurologist. We're still not at the point of having visitors only because he is still sleeping/resting and nurses don't want distractions. We're still not clear as to the amount of confusion he'll have once he does wake up. Time heals all wounds. We shall wait and see what today brings.  We thank you for all of your prayers and emails.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Thursday June 9th

I'm sorry I've been so late in getting the blog up these past 2 days. Dad's condition really hasn't changed for the better or worst from yesterday. The good news is that he's been off of the ventilator for 48 hours. He's totally breathing on his own with great intake and great blood gas readings. He's still sleeping quite a bit during the day and evening and responding to the doctors when they come in which usually takes place in the early mornings. He's still opening his eyes, lifting his arm to his face, showing two fingers and wiggling his toes when told to do so. I think he's catching up on all of the sleep he missed while being the city manager and senior vice president. We're not worry about this. Sleeping is good for him at this time. So tomorrow is another day and hopefully I'll have some better news to report. Until then, I hope you all have a great night and be sure to tell your loved ones that you love them very much!!!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Wed. June 8th

I'm sorry for getting this up late. Today is the first time I've been able to get to the office to get some work done.
The good news is that he's been totally off of the ventilator now for 8 hours. They placed what's called a trach mask/tent over his trach and is breathing on his own. Oxygen is released into what looks like a small acrylic mask that fits over his trach. His breaths per minute average around 18 to 22 and his heart beat and blood pressure is normal. If you were to see him, he looks just like he's sleeping at home; relaxed and comfortable. The hard thing for us is hearing the gurgling noises that come from the trach. Although we've been told this is normal, we want the nurse in there all the time to suction him. They guarantee he's alright and doing great.  The nurse said that they're even considering removing his trach sometime this week. This is what we want to hear.  They're also talking about moving him early next week to the less critical side of the wing. It won't be long before all of you will have the chance to see and talk to him soon.
We would like to thank all of you for your beautiful comments, prayers and love. Reading your comments out loud to Dad will truly be a joyful moment.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Tuesday's update

The CT scan came back with no set backs. As a matter of fact, the doctor said it showed great improvement.
He's seems to be very tired. We'll see what later today brings us.

Tuesday June 7th

I was hoping to see dad with his eyes open this morning when I arrived. I even brought a camera hoping to get a smile and a thumbs up. He's not as alert as yesterday. Of course when this happens, every thought enters our minds as to whether he's okay or is something we're not aware of happening to him. So as a precaution, they wheeled  down for a CT scan. We shall have his results shortly. I'll write back soon.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Monday June 6th

Much more alert this morning.  He's opening up his eyes more and keeping them open for about 5 minutes at a time. He made another attempt to kiss mom's hand and kissed Katrina's hand and puckered his lips for my aunt Stella. For a second there, I think I saw his eyebrows go up and down trying to suggest to her, "hey good looking".
They placed a trach mask on him for an hour to determine how well he does without the ventilation machine and to also see his blood gas levels. We'll get the results here shortly. He's been recovering slowly each day with dramatic positive changes. I can't wait to post a picture of him smiling with a thumbs up for all of you to see.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday June 5th

He had another great night. I came back to the hospital around midnight and he was wide awake. Lisa, his brother, Alex and I were by his side. He recognized all of us, squeezed our hands, gave us the thumbs up and was moving his lips as though he was trying to say something. Today, he's totally breathing on his own. So far, so good.  Should he continue to breath on his own they'll place an air mask over his trach and turn the machine off. We'll just have to wait and see what today brings us. Have a great Sunday and again, thank you for keeping hin your thoughts and prayers.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Saturday June 4th update

I just want to share a fairytale story to all of you. I just witnessed my dad open his eyes, squeeze my mom's hand and then he tried to lift her hand to his mouth for a kiss. If this in not great news, I don't know what is. He then fell back to sleep. Just this little effort made him tired. Tomorrow is a new day. Keep Joel in your prayers for they are being answered.

Saturday June 4th

Thank you for last night's prayers. Dad had his best night to date.  They stopped the propofol sedation at 6:30 am. He has opened his eyes and squeezed the tech's hand. The doctors want him as alert as we can make him. He looks very comfortable. I'll keep you posted.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Friday's follow up

It's 6:30 pm and both procedures are complete and successful. He's resting very comfortably.  It's truly nice to see him without any tubes or lines attached to his face or mouth.  Mom is breathing a sigh of relief.  He looks great and is on the slow road to recovery.  They'll begin weening him from his sedation meds tonight, keeping a close eye on his blood pressure.  We're praying he'll be more alert tomorrow morning with his eyes open and responding to commands.  He's yawning, swallowing, coughing, and breathing on his own.  I can't wait to update all of you tomorrow morning.  Please say a special prayer tonight.  We all want him to have a good night!

Friday June 3rd

It's been 2 weeks. He's still hanging in there.  They're going to place a trach and stomach feeding tube in at 12 noon today. I just viewed his chest x-rays and yesterday's CTA scan. His x-rays showed no fluid, no pneumonia. His CTA scan showed cleared ventricles except for a little blood in both lower ventricles.  Because of this and the fact his cranial pressure was capped and steady with single digits for the past 2 days, doctors removed the tube from his head this morning. This is a step in the right direction. But then again, we've been experiencing 1 step forward, 2 steps backwards so we're keeping our fingers crossed. I feel a whole lot better seeing his x-rays and his scans.
So to clarify what type of stroke dad had, he had what's called a Subarachnoid hemorrhage. In a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a blood vessel bursts near the surface of the brain and blood pours into the area around the outside of the brain. This bleeding may increase pressure in the brain, injuring brain cells. This type of stroke has many possible causes, but is usually the result of a burst aneurysm. If you want to read more about stokes, signs of a stroke and how to prevent them click the link and read:  http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=stroke
I'm sure dad wouldn't want any of you to be going through what he's experiencing.
I'll follow up with another post later today.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Thursday June 2nd

Just when we think things are getting better, something else happens. I received a phone call at 3:30 am this morning from his night nurse. She informed me that they had to re-intubate him. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Of course, we all want him to open his eyes and start talking to us. However, it's going to take longer than we all anticipated. While sitting next to him, I try figure out what's wrong with him. I don't know what his mind is able to process. They tell me that where the aneurysm happened not only controls his right side but also controls his speech and throat. So if he secretes, is the mind telling him to swallow and/or cough when he has to? This is an area not even the doctors know the answers. His throat may be too swollen to swallow. So instead of having him work any harder, they decided to re-intubate him. The good news is that he is resting more comfortably than yesterday, his vitals are excellent, his lungs are 100% clear and the pressure from his cranial tube has been capped off since yesterday which means they may remove this very soon.
It's extremely hard for us to see him this way and we pray that he just keeps fighting. We're also waiting for the results from this morning's CTA scan and praying there are no surprises.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

3:21 pm Wed. June1

So far, so good. He's still holding his own. They have him sitting up with just a small tube in his nose to collect the what he's not able to swallow. They just completed a chest x-ray that didn't show any significant changes so all we can say is please continue to pray for a speedy recovery. Everyday is a new day and his progress is showing remarkable improvement. It's sure nice to see him without the vent. We're still limiting visitors to only family. As soon as he's able to speak and is a little more alert will we be able to allow friends to see him.

Wed. June 1

They extubated dad this morning at 7:30. He's holding his own so far. We're trying to get him to cough so that he can get some of the stuff out of his chest. His vitals, heart rate, breathing is good.