Originally Posted by
Glenn
LOL This is Miriam. I am using Glenn's computer. I could post just about anything and he would get all the blame... My husband and I are having a good time in Huntsville visiting with Glenn and Pat.
However, it has been a rough few days. Ashleah had surgery for the blood clot on the brain/stroke last Thusday. She was in intensive care but before they would move her to move her to a room they did another scan. They did not like what they saw - another clot. They repeated the surgery. During the surgery we got a call from our son and the report was that she may not make it - the surgeon could not break up the clot this time. For 3 hours we didn't hear anything. I am not sure what happened but she had some kind of mirical and is doing a lot better. She will have a very long recovery time. She has a very good attitude and is fighting to get herself back. The ecards mean a lot. During all this when she was not able to do much her family saw all the ecards and it was really helpful to them. Then when she has had a chance to look she has been very touched by all the cards. She said it is like getting hugs. You do not need a room number you just need her name. Everybody in the whole hospital knows Ashleah. Words of encouragement/stories are very important still. She's out of intensive care and rehab has begun. Reality is going to be tough on these newly weds.
The latest up date. She is out of intensive care for now. She has a hole in her heart and some how clots got through. She will have some more tests and pictures tomorrow then they may do a 3rd surgery in a week. She LOVES LOVES LOVES all the e-cards. The hospital has never seen so many cards - they have no trouble finding her at all. The nurses didn't know they could get e-cards so this is causing an uproar!!! The family was very comforted by seeing all the e-cards on Friday when they thought they were losing her. She has a very long road to recovery ahead. Ashleah took a step today. She has been eating a little bit. We don't know about tomorrow. She has had some speech therapy but will need some more. My son bought a calendar and a bunch of stickers. He's putting a sticker on the calendar for every little improvement. She is hoping for lots of stickers every day. She thinks that is pretty cool. Ashleah and Caleb both say thank you everybody. (so do I)
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/...nital/pfo.aspx
It would do everyone good to learn the signs of a stroke. I hope this helps someone someday - well actually I hope nobody else ever has a stroke but just in case:
Signs and symptoms of a stroke may include:
Sudden weakness
Paralysis (an inability to move) or numbness of the face, arms, or legs, especially on one side of the body
Confusion
Trouble speaking or understanding speech
Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Problems breathing
Dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, and unexplained falls
Loss of consciousness
Sudden and severe headache