I have a lot to write tonight. In many ways, a lot has happened and in other ways, nothing has happened. But let me first start out with those glimmers of hope that keep occurring and while there are still many tears being shed, some of these tears are for excitement and happiness as I hear about each update.
I finally got an update this morning at 9:45am PST when I reached my dad for the second time (I had tried earlier but he had not reached the hospital yet). Dad said they were more than certain Greg will have another surgery but when was still undetermined. The next surgery will be the exact same surgery he had in 2003 and this is a very long procedure. I remember the agony of waiting that one out but this time after yesterday's waiting, I will try to be more patient. This isn't a surgery that needs to happen right away so giving Greg some time to rest and swelling to go down seems like a good plan. His spine is stabilized and the vertebrae aren't moving. This surgery is really to ensure nothing can go wrong.
The other exciting news my dad shared (at least for me because I have been reading so much about the various rehabilitative centers around the US and other individuals experiences) is that Greg was making slow and subtle movements in his hands!!! I can not express the excitement and hope this gives me. My dad kept saying a word I couldn't make out (terrible cell reception) but it had to do with something they were doing to test movement in Greg's hands and Greg was doing it! (I later learned from my sister this was a grip similar to holding a motorcycle handlebar and revving the engine). They also were moving various toes and he knew exactly which toe they were moving... I am not sure what that means in the big picture of things but it is exciting nonetheless.
Clearly, this is small but we will take whatever we can get, and honestly, if Greg realizes he is doing this which I hope he does, than it will motivate him to do more. Anyone who knows him knows how strong and persistent he can be, and this is a really good thing. It is encouraging to hear when I am so far away.
My second, third and probably fourth updates really were an update that there was no update, which is apparently quite funny to my dad and sister, but not so funny to me. I mean, honestly, have them sit this far away waiting for any news. Of which, I told them if I don't hear anything it makes me anxious and I needed them to call regardless so I had a few phones calls this afternoon only to be told in a laughing matter (nice how my family manages to keep their humor during these situations) "just calling to update that there is no update". Good, and thank you!
Thirty minutes or so after my third or fourth update of no update, I got a lot of updates. I will try to keep it brief. Greg did fail the swallow test for food but he immediately asked to do it again. (can you see the persistence trait I referred to earlier?) The nurses told him no but said they would test him again tomorrow, but for tonight they were going to feed him through a tube in his nose. They wanted to get some real nourishment in him and it was temporary situation.
The bigger news is they had him sit up!!! Okay, let's be clear about this though, he did not sit up, they brought his bed to a sit up position, but still this HUGE!! When they did that two things happened, he had more sensation travel through his body but it also fatigued him and they had to put the breathing tube back in him to assist with breathing. This was only as a precautionary and temporary measure.
The other piece of good news that my dad included was that Greg is moving his left arm by himself!! He said that Greg's left side is stronger than the right side. All I know from my research is that the C4 or C5 play a vital role in the fine motor skills of his hands, however, I am not sure how this all comes together for the movement of his arm, other than that it widens that glimmer of hope. Any movement is welcomed at this point no matter how small or large.
As I finish writing this update at 8:00pm PST (I am not PST time, they are but it makes it simple), I got another update. Surgery is still not determined at this time but they are being told it might be Thursday or Friday. He also will start therapy within a week from this second surgery, and be expected to do 3 to 4 hours of therapy a day. The doctors also informed them that Greg would be at the hospital for about 2 months at this point. Cyndi didn't know what would happen after that but at least now, Jenna can start to figure out how to make some type of normal routine for the girls.
Which reminds me amongst all of this, Jessie (their youngest) had been scheduled to go back to Children's Hospital to be examined by her specialist doctors (she was born with a cleft palate, had surgery and later was informed that her palate had not fully healed and another surgery may be needed). This follow up visit was today with the specialists who examined her and declared that no additional surgery would be needed!! Dad said they couldn't find the hole that had caused earlier concern. I felt a huge sigh of relief for that because it was one less thing that Greg or Jenna needed at this time to deal with.
So yes, it's a long update and hopefully tomorrow I will be quicker to the blog so that it isn't this long. But all in all, this has been a beautiful day with pockets of glimmer opening up... it is and will be a long process for Greg and his family, but I am encouraged by all the leaps and bounds discovered in one day. Don't get me wrong though, I understand how long this is going to be. Cyndi made a great suggestion tonight and said I should start a blog specifically about Greg so they could post to it... wouldn't that be cool? I may be rerouting you soon to keep up with him, however, I may keep bits and pieces here too.
In the meantime, I will keep you posted even if it's an update with no update, because apparently I am quite good at scolding! or maybe talking? Hmmm... I am not sure if I should be offended yet.
