Christmas Pictures

Just thought I would post a few pictures from Christmas so everyone could see how good Mom looks! Even though she remains in a lot of pain, she trucks right a long. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!! Enjoy the New Year!

Disheartening Setback

As Vicki has continued to progress in therapy her left hip has started giving her some trouble. That is the hip that was dislocated in the accident. The doctors told us from the beginning that she would eventually need a hip replacement, but she was too critical at the time to perform that type of surgery. We had hoped it may be a year or two down the road, but it looks like it will take place in the next couple of months. She visited her orthopedic surgeon last week and will be seeing him again next week. He's referring her to another specialist for the hip replacement and she is scheduled to see him the first week on January.

Her pain has gotten progressively worse over the past three weeks. Vicki is disheartened because she was progressing so much and now things have almost come to a screeching halt. The pain is so intense at times. We were almost ready to decrease her pain medication to an "as needed" basis - we would give it when she asked for it. Now we're having to give it to her around the clock again. Even though she's been in pain she has continued therapy on these cold snowy mornings and hasn't complained a bit when I go pick her up. However, this morning before she even got out of bed she said, "I don't think I can do it today." Vicki's not a complainer and has a pretty high pain tolerance. So she had to be in quite a bit of pain to not go to therapy.

It's hard on Aaron to see her take a few steps backwards. He knows how badly she wants to walk again and seeing her in pain breaks his heart.

We've been through worse...we'll get through this. I keep telling Vicki that this is just a small bump in the road - we can't let it get us down. She's come so far in 10+ months since the accident - we have to stay focused on the positive. Even though this is a disheartening setback we continue to count our blessings.

Love to all and Warm Holiday Wishes!

My...how time flies!

I can't believe it's been over a month! I'm not sure if we are still having many visits to this sight or not, but wanted to update the few who may still be checking.

I spent the day with Vicki today at her house. For the first time she cooked an entire meal for Aaron and Holly's family. She's still in her wheelchair and not steady enough on her feet to work around the stove and oven yet, but with assistance she's doing really good with everything else. Working in the kitchen is a big part of her therapy now. She can only stand for short periods of time before her legs become too weak, but she's giving it all the effort she can. Aaron came home from a long day at work and was greeted by his wife (and me and my 2yr. old son...HA!) and the aroma of cooked roast, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls filled the house. One more step towards getting Vicki back to the things she loved the most. Right now our goal is cooking once a week. Her short term memory is still an issue, but days like today will hopefully help to improve that. She did the meal plan and told me how to do everything as we cooked together.

We've decided to stay in Johnson City at Quillen Rehab. The therapists there are just outstanding and finding a facility that is comparable isn't easy to do. She still has therapy three times a week. She enjoys pool therapy the most!

She's continuing to work hard and prayers are still needed for her continued recovery. Thanks to everyone for everything. As this season of Thanksgiving draws near we are ever mindful of the love and support that has continually been shown to our family.

Love to all!
Becky

One step at a time...

Hello everyone! I thought you might like a little update about Vicki! :) She continues to make good progress with a walker. In therapy this week she walked 80 feet with the walker before having to rest. Then, she walked another 50 feet! Last week she was able to walk on a treadmill (with assistance) for 5 minutes while resting approximately every two minutes! She even did the leg press for the first time! She did two sets of 10 reps! We're so pleased with her steady progress. She continues to improve with her Occupational Therapy (working with her right hand and arm which was broken in the accident). Her right hand doesn't really limit her daily living activities anymore so they are thinking on possibly releasing her from that therapy in the near future. We'll still have to continue strength and flexibility exercises at home though. They have been so good to her at Quillen Rehab, but due to the logistics of moving her home (from Holly's house) in the not too distance future, we may be looking at moving her physical therapy to a rehab facility in Kingsport. We're still working out all those details though. Vicki is still uneasy with change so we're taking it slow.

Her short-term memory loss is still an issue. It's improving, but it's just going to take time. We laugh with her and cry with her. The important thing is that we're together! Please continue to pray for Vicki and her family. Your prayers are felt and appreciated.

Love to all!

Progress Continues

Hello to everyone! Just wanted to let you know that Vicki continues to progress. She's still working on her transfers (from wheelchair to couch, from bed to wheelchair, etc.). The results from her EMG showed minimal nerve function on the inside of the left leg - this is the leg that was most effected by the sciatic nerve damage - however, nerve function on the outside of the leg was at the level that the doctor felt it should be. Since nerve function effects muscle function her legs are still weak, but she continues to give her all in therapy and we can see small steps of improvement each week. Her short-term memory is still improving, but it is also something we have to help her work on each day. I would say that is probably her biggest hurdle. Until it improves she can't enjoy caring for her grandchildren the way she use to always do and she still can't be left alone. We'll do all we can to get her there! :)

Aaron has done so much work to the house for Vicki. He recently had a deck with a ramp added on to the front of the house. I visited with them last night and we sat out on the deck until it was dark! Vicki (and Aaron) will really enjoy that. Plus, it allows Vicki to roll herself in and out of the house as she pleases.

Vicki is handling things pretty good and is in good spirits most of the time. Every now and then she gets a little blue - as you can imagine. We continue to cheer her on and encourage her to do her best. She still has a ways to go, but has already come so far. We continue to be thankful to our Father in Heaven for allowing her to stay with us. We often talk to her about when the accident first happened and the outpouring of love and support that we felt from each of you. It brings a smile to her face and we recount the many visits, cards and acts of love from so many.

Love to all!
Becky

This isn't the greatest picture ever, but this is the newest addition to the Norris clan. It is Ben and Raven's little girl. Her name is Adrianna (not sure if I am spelling that correctly.) Mom is definitely enjoying being able to hold her grandbabies again.

As for everything else, well, we are about the same. Mom is finally getting stronger in her legs. She is able to do a lot of her transfers on her own (i.e from bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to couch, etc.) She can take a few baby steps with the walker if someone helps her move the walker. So that is definitely promising. We still go to therapy 3 times a week and that will continue for forever! hahaha just kidding Anyways, she has an EMG on Monday to determine how much the sciatic nerve has healed in her left leg, so we can't wait for the results of that. Once again, thanks for everything!

Keeping You Posted...

Hello all! Vicki continues to improve a little every day. She still isn't taking steps on her own, but is doing well in other areas. She has gotten most of the use of her right hand back (reminder - her right arm had a compound fracture and now has 2 plates and 12 screws - which will remain). It's that time of year...canning season...so she has been helping put up green beans. Vicki strings and breaks the beans and mom does the rest of the canning. They've also put up some corn. Vicki's job was removing the silks after the corn was shucked. Her grip is still weak and wrist flexibility isn't quite where we want it to be, but it's getting there. Luckily she's a "lefty"! :) She went to see her orthopedic surgeon a couple of weeks ago and she will be scheduled for surgery soon to remove two pins from her right ankle. Also, sometime in the next few weeks she will have an EMG (?) which is a test to see how much nerve function has been restored. He reminded her that it could take 12 to 18 months (from the accident) before we know how much healing (of the nerves) will actually take place.

Aaron continues to work on the house. Mom and I went to see it today and everything looks so good! Aaron has really worked hard and has probably pushed himself more than he should to try and get everything done. As you can imagine, he's so anxious to get Vicki back home.

Thank you so much for your continued support, love, and prayers. We make sure Vicki knows of every new post from each of you. Please continue to pray for her recovery. We are so thankful for each of you.

Home Again!!

Here we are almost a month since our last update! Vicki was discharged from Quillen Rehab last week and returned to Holly's house. She continues out-patient rehab at Quillen three times a week. She loves her therapists there. They are so good! I think her favorite therapy is pool therapy. She can walk in the pool with no assistance and I think she really enjoys that. She has progressed so much, but still has a lot to accomplish. She is still wheelchair bound, but continues to build strength in her legs. It's hard to predict when she might be able to stand/walk with a walker...and then stand/walk on her own. It's taking longer than we thought it would, but we are seeing improvements every day. She does her best to keep her spirits high, but is looking forward to returning home and getting back to the life she left six months ago. Aaron is working on remodeling their bathroom so that it will be wheelchair accessible and is also working on a few other things around the house. I've been taking her to mom's house on the days she doesn't have therapy. She enjoys that so much! I think is has really helped her to be in familiar surroundings again. Vicki has always loved going to mom's and just visiting. She's also gotten back to her crocheting and has started working on a new afghan.

She had a doctors appointment today and her doctor stressed working on her memory. As with her other injuries, her short-term memory loss is improving but she still has a long way to go.

Sorry we are so late in updating everyone! We'll try to do better and we'll also get some more pics posted. Please continue to pray for Vicki and her family. We love you all so much!

Still working hard....

This is Mom working hard in UE group.
Just sitting outside taking a break.
Working hard on standing with her OT Brian.
Her PT Penny and tech Bev.
This is what she walks in.....the super duper wedgie machine!! hahaha Really it's called the ARJO.

Sorry for not updating sooner. Everything is just so hectic all the time it seems! Mom is doing really well in rehab. They have extended her time to July 9 to try to help her gain as much strength before returning home. Her spirits are much better and she is really enjoying her therapy. We have been blessed with wonderful therapists at Quillen. They really have given Mom excellent care. Our main obstacle at this point is her strength. Her legs still aren't strong enough to hold her up, but we are getting there. She stays up in a wheelchair all day and is able to do so much more than when we first started. And her mind has improved a lot. Her memory is doing so much better. We actually get to bring her home on pass this Friday for a few hours to see what barriers there might be for when she comes home. It will be great having her in a car for the first time in months! We are also going to take her by her house that she hasn't seen in 5 months!!! Anyways, we continue to be so grateful for everything and everyone that has blessed our lives these past few months. We know we wouldn't be where we are without everyone's care, concern, and prayers. There will never be a way for us to repay everyone, so THANK YOU!!!

Update

Mom continues to make progress. She was able to walk (heavily assisted in a harness) earlier this week. As you can see she loves having her grandkids around.

- LWN

Good day...

Today has been a good day for Mom so far. She continues to have several sessions of therapy a day, which is good for her. She actually sat up in her wheelchair or recliner for 6 hours straight today. That is really an accomplishment for her. Her emotions seemed to be in check today with only a little bit of crying this morning with Teri. Otherwise, she and I had a good time laughing and cutting up with one another. She gets tickled every time I lift her...she just can't believe I can do it I guess! :) Anyways, here are a few pictures of her in therapy today.

Emotionally Draining Day

Teri spent the night with Vicki last night and thankfully she slept peacefully. However, I'm not sure how much sleep Teri got! HA! It must not have been too bad because she's staying with her again tonight! :)

I was able to stay with Vicki today. She had about 6 therapy sessions back-to-back with one hour and a half break. She was up in the wheelchair longer than she is use to which was quite painful for her, but she managed to hang in there. Today's therapy was somewhat light due to completion of evaluations. I'm sure it will become more intense as the days go by.

Vicki was very emotional all day. She actually almost got sick this morning because she was so nervous. As I've said before, she's like a child in so many ways. She was nervous about the difficulty of therapy and the change in her environment and routine. She had become so use to things at Holly's that this was pretty difficult for her. I think she'll do better as she continues to get use to things, but in the meantime she's having a pretty rough time. Even though she cried a lot we managed to get in a few laughs as well. It's amazing how much my love for her has grown throughout this whole experience. I'm sure the rest of our family feels the same way. I have been so blessed to be with her almost every single day and see the progression she has made. It's truly been a humbling experience. I wish Vicki could realize how much she's come through...maybe one day she will. She still struggles with some short-term memory loss, but it has improved so much!

Aaron continues to work and comes to the hospital when he gets off. He was even able to attend a physical therapy session with her today. Please continue to pray for his strength as well as Vicki's.

Love to all!

We made it!!

Just wanted everyone to know that Mom made it to Quillen Rehab this morning. She has been very anxious today about everything, but she knows this is what she needs. They didnt really do much with her today other than different doctors and nurses coming in and evaluating her. Tomorrow will be when the intensity begins. Please just continue to pray for her comfort and strength. I miss her being at my house already!!!

We're On Our Way!!

After almost 4 long weeks of battling with insurance we are finally on our way!! Vicki will be entering Quillen Rehab tomorrow morning! She's been approved for 7-14 days and then we'll request 7-14 additional days. We're hoping to get at least a month there. Vicki is ready to see more results and improvement in her healing, but is still very uneasy about the move and how difficult therapy is going to be. We think she'll do great once she gets in there and gets use to the routine. Being at Holly's has been so good for Vicki, but she wants to get back home and get back to the life she once knew. It's hard to believe it's been over four months since the day of the accident...since she's known the comfort of her own home. This has been a very difficult journey for her. We'll get her home soon! Thanks to all who have prayed for her continued strength. Please continue to pray.

Love to all!

Vertical Lunch

We set mom up on the edge of the bed for lunch today.

Mom and Tori celebrating Cooper's first birthday!

Steady Progression

We are still ironing out some details with insurance in order for Vicki to start in-patient rehab at Quillen Rehab Hospital. It's taken a little longer than we had anticipated, but we're confident it will happen! In the meantime she continues to make steady progress with occupational, physical, and speech therapy twice a week. She was able to stand at the walker for almost five minutes today. It still requires three of us to help her stand, but she's giving it her all. She really needs consistent and intense therapy that she can only receive at the "in-patient" level.

Her memory has improved, but there are still certain times she struggles. Thanks to all those who have visited, brought meals and helped with child care. Your acts of kindness are so appreciated. Please continue praying for Vicki, Aaron and their family.

Love to all!

Entering Rehab Soon!

We would like to invite each of you to participate in a fast for Vicki this Sunday (tomorrow). We are fasting and praying for continued improvement of her short-term memory and overall well-being.

She continues to improve and we are so thankful. She still has good days and bad days with her memory, but her depression has improved. It seems her memory gets worse when there is a major change in her usual routine - such as doctors appointments. She had two appointments last week and all went well. Dr. Harris, her orthopedic surgeon, has okayed her to bear weight on both legs now! Dr. Wallace, her ear nose and throat doctor, says that the vocal cord that was paralyzed has now regained movement. There's still room to improve, but it appears to be doing better!

With the aid of Vicki's physical therapist, we were able to help her stand with a walker this week! It took three of us to help her and we had to hold her knees in a locked position so she could actually stand. We were so thrilled! The muscles in her legs are just so weak that there is no way she is going to be able to stand on her own until she enters an in-patient rehab facility. We have decided to place her at Quillen Rehab Hospital in Johnson City and that could be happening as soon as next week! She will probably be there at least a month and then will be able to return home, but will still require out-patient therapy.

Please continue to pray for her as she embarks on a very difficult time in her recovery. Rehab is going to be very painful for her, but we hope and pray she will find the will and determination to put forth all her effort. She's just been through so much. We have reassured her that we will be with her through every therapy session and that seems to have calmed her nervousness.

Thanks again to each of you for your support. We love you all!

Cooper and Mom
Granny Gladys, Dad, and Mom
Mom and Tori

This is Mom and her nephew Nic (Becky's son).

This is Mom hanging out in her wheelchair.

Blessings Each Day

Thanks to all for your continued prayers, especially regarding Vicki's memory. We've noticed improvements each day. Yesterday her memory and train of thought had improved greatly. Today she was able to recall who visited yesterday along with other various details about the day. We are so thankful for every improvement.

We got her in the wheelchair on Saturday and sat her at the computer. She looked at her blog spot and began reading everyone's comments - using the mouse on her own! :) She wasn't able to get through them all because she can't sit for long periods. She just has to condition her pelvis to handle the pressure and shifting of weight from a laying position to a sitting position. She enjoyed reading the comments and plans to read them all.

We're preparing for in-patient rehab in the near future. It will be a lot of hard work, but I think she's ready for it!

Love to all!

Long-awaited Update!

Vicki continues to improve a little each day. We've noticed that her vocal sounds have improved so much over the past few days. We've enjoyed hearing her voice again. Some days her memory is better than others, but we're still hoping it continues to steadily improve. She's struggled with depression lately, but her medication has been adjusted and we hope that will help. We know this is expected and actually tell her that sometimes she needs to have a good cry, but some days it's more than it should be. We still share a lot of laughter too.

We're looking forward to her appointment with Dr. Harris on the 29th. We'll know more about in-patient rehab at that time. It's become apparent through her physical therapy at home that we're not going to be able to build the strength in her legs enough for her to stand. She's going to require more intense and more frequent therapy and that's why we're looking forward to in-patient rehab.

We plan on getting her in the wheelchair tomorrow and taking her outside. We'll take some pictures and post them!

Love to all!

Continuing to Improve

Vicki continues to make small improvements which we are so thankful for. We are still quite concerned with her short-term and some long-term memory. Please continue to pray that all will be fine in time.

We got her in the wheelchair yesterday and strolled up and down the street. She also sat on the back deck and watched the kids swing and play in the backyard. They were so excited to see her outside and kept yelling, "Hey Granny!"

She is doing good with her physical, occupational and speech therapy. She really puts forth a lot of effort when her therapists work with her. Vicki has a strong spirit!

Thanks again for keeping her in your prayers. Love to all!

Great News!

The doctors visit was difficult for Vicki, but she was so happy when she got home (to Holly's). The cast on her right ankle was removed and she was okayed to begin working on bearing light weight on that leg. The four pins are still in place. Two will be removed in three months and the others will remain. The pins were removed from her arm and she now only has a brace on that can be removed from time to time.

She won't be able to enter a rehab facility until she can bear weight on at least one leg. We'll see how that goes when physical therapy comes next week.

We'll keep you posted! We're so thankful for every improvement. Please continue your prayers. We appreciate you so much!

Doctors Appointment

Vicki just left for a doctors appointment with Dr. Harris, her orthopedic surgeon. Hopefully the casts on her arm and ankle will be replaced with new casts that are less bulky and allow easier movement for her physical therapy. I could tell she was nervous when the ambulance came to pick her up. She's doesn't clearly understand what might take place at the doctor's office today even though we have assured her that everything will be okay.


We will keep you posted as to how things went! Love to all!

Another Good Day

Once again, sorry for taking so long to update everyone. Our daily schedule - some night schedules too - with Vicki are so absolutely packed that we are suprised at how quickly each day passes! We're just so thankful that we have each day with her. Yesterday (Friday) wasn't the best of days. She was very confused and slept a lot. She had a fairly good night, but was very depressed this morning and cried a lot. We are frequently reminding her of the accident and her injuries so that she'll have a better understanding of where she is and why she's there. As the day progressed she improved so much. We were able to use the "lift" and sit her in a wheel chair for a stroll outside. Lucas pushed her up and down the street in front of Holly's house. She really enjoyed the ride and the beautiful trees and flowers in bloom. She napped very little and visited family and friends most of the day. She was ver inquisitive and asked a lot of questions about her prognosis and what she should expect in the coming months.

She has an appointment with her orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Harris, next week regarding the cast on her ankle and arm. We hope they can come off soon. She still has an upcoming surgery date to remove some of the pins as well. Her therapists are all so wonderful and we are so thankful for each of them. Vicki does her best to put on her "game face" when we do her exercises with her. Sometimes we put on hip-hop music to pep up her spirits and encourage her to try harder. Despite the tragedy we've experienced and the emotional rollercoaster we're continuing to ride, we have shared cherished moments of sweet laughter with her.

Please continue to keep Vicki, Aaron, and our family in your prayers. We continue to progress along the road to recovery through our faith and the many prayers spoken on our behalf. We love you all!

Becky

Update

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on Mom. She's been doing really well. We had a really good Easter with lots of family around. She really enjoyed watching the kids through the window doing their Easter egg hunt. We continue to be very busy with all of her therapies, she just loves doing her physical therapy the best! haha

We are constantly amazed at how well she is doing. Sometimes she gets really frustrated but we keep reminding her of how far she has come. She doesn't even realize the progress she's made in the past 9 weeks. Well, it's bedtime so I just thought I would close the day by letting everyone know how she was doing. Again, as always, we appreciate everything and everyone.

Love,
Holly

A Good Day

I just wanted to apologize to everyone for not updating sooner.....as you can imagine things have been a little hectic. Mom is doing really well. She continues to improve everyday. The biggest thing today was getting her up to a wheelchair and taking her outside for the first time in 8 weeks!!! It wasn't easy, but it was definitely worth it. That is what the pictures are from. She said it felt really good. She wasn't able to tolerate it for very long, but I am sure that each time we are able to do it, she will tolerate it better.

We've had lots of things to keep us busy between home health, physical therapy, speech therapy. It seems like there is something going on constantly....not to mention grandkids running around everywhere! I think that is one of the things Mom has enjoyed the most. Her face just lights up when the kids come in or when she hears them playing throughout the house. She wants to be part of all the action.

As for her health, everything seems to be doing really well. All the nurses, etc. who have come in to see her are very surprised at how well she looks and is doing. Her memory is still not good, but getting a little better everyday. We still have a long journey ahead, but it will be worth every step. I really appreciate everyone still being so concerned about her and keeping her in your thoughts and prayers. It really means a lot. We love you!

Love,
Holly

She's Home!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Mom made it home safely today! Well, she made it to my house, which is just as good as home! :) We've been trying to get adjusted today and so has she. I'll try to update tomorrow after she's had time to settle in. We are just SO HAPPY that she has finally made it this far. Thank you to everyone!!!!

Love,
Holly

Birthday pictures

Here are a couple of pictures taken on Saturday at Mom's birthday party.

"Happy Birthday!"

Today was Mom's birthday. We had a little party for her in the hospital. She was quite surprised ( I think!). They have a little conference room that they let us use to set everything up in. It was the first time Mom had been out of her hospital room. All of the kids lined up to give her hugs and kisses. It was so good to celebrate with her.

I couldn't help but be reminded of how just a few short weeks ago we were all gathered together in an ICU waiting room, not sure of what Mom's outcome would be, and then here we were today, gathered together again to celebrate her life. It brought tears to my eyes to think of how far she has come and how much we have all been through. I know that our Heavenly Father has a greater plan for her than we could have ever imagined. And I know that she couldn't, nor could we have, made it this far without the prayers and support of all our friends and loved ones. We are forever greatful.

I can't think of another birthday that will be remembered or enjoyed more than this one. Love to all, Holly.

3/14/08

Well, we didn't get the best of news today. One of Mom's vocal cords is paralyzed and the other is very inflamed. It could've been caused by her being intubated or many other factors. She's just been through so much. An ear, nose, and throat doctor is going to evaluate her next week, so we will know more about it then. Hopefully it will be something that is only temporary, but if not, we feel it is a small price to pay for everything else she has gone through. Although, I know Dad really misses her sweet voice.

She is starting to have quite a bit more pain, mostly in her legs. Physical therapy has been working with her a lot and we make her do exercises also. I guess it just comes with the territory. We just try to help make her as comfortable as possible.

Tomorrow (3/15) is Mom's 50th birthday! I am sure she would just love me announcing that to everyone! But, it's a big deal so I felt everyone should know. So please send her birthday wishes! Thanks so much to everyone......we love you.

"I feel like a new woman!"

As many of you know from reading Grandmother's comment, Mom's trach was pulled yesterday. As she stated, it was very emotional. I told her I had been waiting seven weeks for her to say my name again! One of the first things she said was, "I feel like a new woman!" Followed by, "I have a voice now." It was very cute. Unfortunately her voice isn't what it should be. It is not reacting the way the doctors feel like it should, so tomorrow they are going to scope her to check her vocal cords to see if there has been any damage done with all the tubes and everything she has had. So, I guess we'll find out more tomorrow.

As for everything else, we told her she was losing all her close friends....her catheter, her IV, her feeding tube....it's all gone! She still has oxygen, but it won't be long and that will be gone too. It is just absolutely AMAZING to see the progress she is making. Everyday I can tell a difference.

Her memory continues to fail her at times, but that is also improving. She can remember a few things that happen throughout the day, but still has to be reminded of her injuries, etc. at times. She really is doing so well. We are hoping for a discharge date in the very near future, possibly next week! We all cannot wait to get her home and just enjoy not being in the hospital! I am so grateful for my Mom. As all of you know, she is a very special person. There aren't many people like her in this world. And I am thankful that she has touched so many people's lives. Just continue to be mindful of her as she endures this long journey to recovery. We will never be able to thank you all enough for everything.

With much gratitude,
Holly

Coming Home Soon...

Vicki has continued to progress and it is scheduled for the trach to be removed today! They are going to place a bandage over the incision in her neck and that will allow her to vocalize her words. They were going to do the "button" but decided to go ahead and remove everything! We can't wait to hear her voice! She continues to eat good and gain strength (in small amounts). If things continue to go well it looks like she'll be released from the hospital by the end of the week or the beginning of next week! Vicki's birthday is Saturday...what a wonderful birthday present that would be for her!

Our family continues to pull together and provide strength for one another as well as for Vicki. Things won't be "easy" once she gets home, but we'll do what it takes to help her progress. She isn't eligible for a rehab hospital until she can bare weight on her legs so that is still going to be several months. She'll also be going back in the hospital in the near future for another surgery to remove some pins from her arm and ankle.

We'll keep you posted! We are so thankful for each of you and continue to be humbled by your love and support!

Continuing to Progress

I was able to visit Vicki last night. I brought her some supper and she ate really good! Holly, Lucas and Aaron were there and Chelsea came later to spend the night with Vicki. We had such a good time laughing and talking. This is the first time Lucas has seen Vicki in 3 weeks! He was so surprised at the progress she has made. She is now on the trach collar 24 hours a day. That means she is breathing entirely on her own and no longer uses the ventilator. They are going to be inserting a "button" in her trach opening on Monday which is another weaning process. If she covers the button with her finger she will be able to vocalize her words to us. She sat up on the edge of the bed with her legs hanging over the bed for 20 minutes yesterday!! I think she was so happy to be able to sit in a different position! She still has a little trouble with short-term memory though. I hope that improves once she's out of the hospital. Speaking of leaving the hospital...we all feel sure that will be happening very soon! We'll keep you posted! It's been a long road and we're more than ready for the next steps!

Love to all!

"Good Morning Sunshine"

It was so funny.....this morning when I went in to see Mom she looked at me and said, "Good morning sunshine!" Randy and I got so tickled! It was really good to see her so animated. She went through the night without any nausea or vomiting and also had a really good day today. The GI doc did an EGD (where he looks in her stomach) to see if he could find any cause and everything turned out great. So, we're still not sure what was/is causing it, but she is doing good today.

She was on the trach collar for a full 24 hours so she is officially "weaned" from the ventilator. She still has oxygen via the trach but is breathing completely on her own now. If things go well, we are hoping to have the trach out soon.

As for her memory, it is still not very good. She doesn't remember many things at all short term. No one seems concerned, so we're just waiting until she gets home and hopefully that will get better. Well, that's all I can think of for now. Thanks for everything.

Love,
Holly

Continuing to Progress

Vicki struggled with nausea through the night, but did better as the day went on. She did well with her swallowing test and is now officially able to drink regular liquids through a straw. We are feeding her in small amounts (jell-o, etc.) in hopes she won't start vomiting again.

They were going to try to keep her on the trach collar for 24 hours today. I'm guessing she'll be successful with that since she has continued to improve each day. From my understanding, once she accomplishes 24 hours off of the ventilator she will still continue with another phase of the weaning process. They were also able to place a smaller trach attachment (don't know what it's called) in her throat to begin the healing process of the incision in her neck originally made for the trach.

She still has brief moments of confusion, but that continues to improve as well. Vicki has always had such a strong spirit. She's definately the toughest of all the siblings. As she pulls through this she will gain strength she never knew she had and she will continue to be an inspiration to us all.

At times, I'm sure all of us have asked "Why does all this have to happen?" I have found comfort in the following passage from our prophet and would like to share it with you.

"We learn as we bear our afflictions and live through our heartaches... From the bed of pain, from the pillow wet with tears, we are lifted heavenward by that divine assurance and precious promise: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Such comfort is priceless as we journey along the pathway of mortality, with its many forks and turnings. Rarely is the assurance communicated by a flashing sign or a loud voice. Rather, the language of the Spirit is gentle, quiet, uplifting to the heart, and soothing to the soul.”

"Peace in Our Savior" by President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign June 2005.

I continue to pray that we may all listen more intently for the uplifting whisperings of the Spirit throughout our lives, especially through our trials.

Love to all...

Nausea Continues

The kids, Nathan and I went to see Vicki last night for about 30 minutes. She was in good spirits, looked good and interacted with the children even though she seemed to be so tired. I asked her, "Are you having a good day?" She softly replied, "No." I said, "Well, you look like you're having a good day!" And she said, "I don't know, maybe I am." Then we just smiled at each other.

We thought she had gotten over the nausea, but it has returned. She started vomitting again last night. The Nurse Practitioner is going to evaluate the situation today. She's still on tube feedings and eating some by mouth. It's possible that the combination of feedings could have something to do with it, but we really don't know. It could be a number of things. They are going to test her swallowing today to see how well she can tollerate liquids through a straw. She continues to wear the trach collar and they are trying to increase the duration each day, but the vomitting may slow that down a bit. They don't want to put too much on her at once.

She's gaining a little strength. She's able to raise her right arm on her own about an inch or two. That is the arm that's in a cast so it's quite heavy for her to lift. She can now raise her left hand to her face on her own as well.

Holly sat with her today and reminded Vicki that her birthday was coming soon (Saturday, March 15th). She asked Vicki what she wanted for her birthday and she said, "I want to get out of here!" :)

Aaron has returned to work and is doing okay. Of course he would rather be with Vicki. He's meeting with a surgeon about his knee later this week.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We love you all!

Small Steps of Improvement

I spent the day with Vicki on Friday and enjoyed spending so much time with her. She is more aware and doesn't seem to be as confused as she has been. We still have to remind her from time to time about the wreck and her injuries because she always wants to get up out of bed. Who wouldn't after being in bed for more than a month! :) We're still battling things like some hives and itching related to alergic reactions (to what - we're not sure). Some of her incisions didn't heal properly and they are having to pack them so they can heal from the inside out. She still has a horrible yeast infection in her throat. So many little discomforts that make up one big discomfort! We hate it so badly for her, but we're trying not to let those little things dampen our spirits...or hers.

She sat in the cardiac chair for almost two hours while she was on her trach collar. She's up to about 10 hours a day on the trach collar. It enables her to breathe completely on her own. There is a small oxygen cap/cup placed over the trach so that her oxygen saturation stays where is should even if her breaths are shallow. It's like exercising her lungs and sometimes she feels like she's not getting enough air and we have to talk her through it and explain what she's doing and why it feels different/hard to breathe. The physical therapist also came in and worked with her briefly. Her exercises are so small compared to what you and I think of "exercise," but she is able to flex muscles on command for 10 reps. I joked with her and said, "Vicki - I can see our exercise days coming back!" She just rolled her eyes. She hadn't had any nausea or vomitting for about a day or so, so they approved for her to have a meal tray. When I opened it I thought, "They've brought the wrong food." She had a baked potato, chicken w/ gravy (finely chopped), green beans and a roll! Sure enough it was for her! The occupational therapist and speech therapist came in to work with her and she was able to eat most of the baked potato and a few bites of the roll. She tried everything though. The only thing she kept asking for that we couldn't give her was her Diet Pepsi!!! :( It's so hard to tell her no when she asks us for something! Her liquids are suppose to be nectar thick right now. They have a thickener for us to put in her drinks...she hates it! :) They said if she keeps doing good that we could get her a cheeseburger from McDonald's and feed it to her in small bites!!!! Vicki loves McDonald's!!

We're all still taking shifts at the hospital with her. As I said before, we don't want her to wake up and see that one of us are not by her side. I could tell on Friday that she's experiencing some depression. We just keep reminding her where she's been and how far she's come.

Aaron is hanging in here and continues to meet with the doctors about his knee. He will definitely be going back to work on Monday though. Thank you for continuing to pray for him and Vicki and their family.

We love you all so much!

The Kind of Family We Are

Holly said Vicki had a fairly restful night following some nausea earlier in the evening. Aaron said she was “bright-eyed” this morning. She has a beautiful view from her hospital room so I’m sure she’s enjoyed watching the snow today. Aaron was able to feed her some breakfast this morning. She doesn’t really eat very much, but every little bit helps her strengthen the muscles she needs to continue the weaning process off the vent. I haven’t seen her since last Thursday due to the sickness in my little family and I miss her so much! Hopefully I’ll be able to see her this weekend.

Our shifts at the hospital are going a little more smoothly. Sometimes there’s a bridge to gap, but it always seems to work out. Thanks to all those who have been concerned for our wellbeing through all this. The lives of each one of us in our family have changed to one degree or another since all this happened almost five weeks ago – changes that will continue to shape our lives forevermore. We are starting to better realize our limits, but are still willing to go the extra mile for Vicki. She would do it for us and...well…I guess that’s just the kind of family we are.

We truly appreciate the continued love and support from each of you. Please continue to share your thoughts and comments. Vicki’s heart will be overwhelmed when we can soon share with her and she can better comprehend what each of you has done for her and her family.

One more thing, Vicki remembered earlier this week when she was asked whose birthday was coming up...TODAY IS HOLLY'S BIRTHDAY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Love to all…

Good Morning

Good morning everyone. I just got home from spending the night with Mom and I am glad to say she had a pretty good night. There wasn't any vomiting, so that was good. She still has a pretty severe sore throat of which yeast is the cause of. They have put her on medication for that, so hopefully in a few days time that will feel better. Nothing else really major to report. I'll try to update tonight before I head back up there to let you know how her day goes. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. Hope everyone has a good day!

Not a good day...

Well, I spent the night with Mom last night and she didn't have a very good night. She continued with the vomiting and you could tell she just felt bad. The day today didn't prove to be much better. The nausea and vomiting persisted. They did an abdominal x-ray but it showed nothing. Everyone is kind of puzzled by it. She actually looked at the nurse today and told him she felt awful. I am presuming they will continue testing tomorrow if she doesn't get any better. I am on my way up there now so I will try to update first thing in the morning when I get home.

As for Dad, he found out he has a torn ACL and meniscus in his knee. He is to see the Ortho doctor sometime soon to find out what the plan of action will be. I guess he'll hobble along till then! :) Anyways, thanks again everything.

Love always,
Holly

Another day...

Hello all! Sorry for not updating as much as we should. As Becky mentioned previously, illness has struck some of our family, so we've been scrambling the past few days. Randy (Mom's brother) who normally stays with her at night has come down with the flu, as well as Becky. So please keep them in your thoughts and prayers also so they will have a speedy recovery! I am doing much better. Still sore but trucking right along. I wanted to personally thank everyone for all of their concern and prayers for me these past couple of weeks. Thank you!!!

As for Mom, she seems to be progressing a little more each day. They have been continuing to place her on Cpap ( a weaning step from the vent) a little longer each day, and she is tolerating it really well. She has started to take SMALL amounts of pureed foods and seems to be doing well with that also. She's had a little trouble with nausea and vomiting these past couple of days, but we're hoping it is nothing major. One big thing she started doing today is using the bedpan a little. It's funny how such simple things mean so much! Who would have ever guessed that using a bedpan would be great news!!! Other than that, we just hope for small steps of improvement everyday. We know that there will be bumps in the road, but as long as there are no major detours we will be O.K. Again we thank you all for everything you have done and continue to do. Please continue to post your comments as we ALL enjoy reading them.

With Much Love,
Holly

Continuing to Progress

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a few days - sickness has struck our family so I'm a little behind. Vicki continues to progress. They are doing swallowing exercises with her now and she is doing good with that. She is sitting up in a special chair several hours a day as well. We are still very pleased with her treatment at Specialty - they have been so good to her. I visited with her last night with Holly, Teri and Ann (our aunt). It's always so nice to see her smile and communicate with us. She's still confused alot of the time though due to a condition called "hospital psychosis." When she drifts off to sleep and awakens you can tell she is confused by the look on her face. Her injuries continue to heal also.

Please continue to pray for Vicki and her family. We will soon be printing the comments and from the blog and reading them to her so feel free to share words of encouragement.

Love to all...

Happy with the Move

The move took place and Vicki is now at Bristol Regional Medical Center at Select Specialty. She handled the move okay, but is very confused which was expected. Aaron and Holly are with her and say she has been awake most of the day. They were very impressed with her care team upon arrival. Respiratory therapy and physical therapists were there first thing this morning. They will be very agressive working to get Vicki off the vent over approximately a two week period. She's got a lot of hard work ahead of her, so please continue to pray for her.

Aaron should be returning to work next week so please pray that he will be comforted while he is away from his sweetheart. I know it's going to be hard on him.

Visitors are always welcome, but please keep in mind that Vicki's purpose at this hospital is to receive the therapy she needs in order to go home. They will be working with her a lot and she will be very tired. We could never thank everyone enough for all the support we have received during this time. We are completely overwhelmed.

We'll continue to keep you posted as things move along.

Getting Ready for A Move

I just got home from the hospital. Randy is staying with Vicki again tonight.

Holly is feeling better and was at the hospital the majority of the day. She keeps Vicki's nurses in line for sure!! She made sure they got Vicki in a chair today - she sat up for three hours! She also spoke with Vicki's nurse this morning in the presence of Vicki's doctor and made sure he wrote orders for everything she wanted done. :) They march to a different beat when Holly's on the floor. She sure does love her momma.

Aaron had a little bit of a rough day yesterday and today. His knee has been bothering him an awful lot so he went to the doctor this afternoon and had an ultrasound done to rule out a blood clot. No blood clot was detected so he'll be checking with his doctor tomorrow to see if he needs an MRI. He's okay, just in a lot of pain. I'm sure standing around on the hard floor at the hospital for so long every day hasn't helped much. We're taking care of him too! :)

Vicki was on a trach collar today for about 7 hours. She breaths on her own with this weaning exercise and it really tires her out. She will be moving to a specialty hospital locating at Bristol Regional Medical Center tomorrow morning (Wednesday). They specialize in vent/trach care. They'll probably push her a lot to get her weaned off the vent. We'll be so relieved to get her off of that and I'm sure she will be too. We're a little nervous about the move due to the confusion it will probably cause Vicki, but it's a move in the right direction and we're so thankful for that! Her temp has been down today as well. She's still quite disoriented and is always concerned about her baby.

I'll keep you posted on how the move goes tomorrow.

Missing her smile today...

Vicki's night was restful for the most part. The medication causes her to sweat a lot so I was wiping her face with a cold damp cloth most of the night. The family meeting with her physicians has been rescheduled for Wednesday due to scheduling conflicts with the physicians.

Her temperature continues to fluctuate and is around 101 this evening. She has been fairly sedated today due to a slight change with her pain medication this afternoon. We have missed seeing her smile today.

Spending the night with Vicki...

I'm on my way to spend the night with Vicki tonight and wanted to give everyone a quick update before heading to the hospital. Her temp has continued to fluctuate and they are looking for sources of infection. They changed her catheter yesterday and took out her central line today and replaced it with an iv. She's had some trouble with nausia today as well. They did a CT scan of her chest and abdoman and all looks good. There will be a family meeting tomorrow with her physicians to discuss her care plan over the next several weeks. We'll let you know how that goes.

As for visitors at the hospital - some people have come by and not seen any family in the waiting room and they don't know how to find us. There is a phone on the wall outside the ICU waiting room designated for ICU Stepdown. Just pick that phone up and it will ring the nurses station. They will let us know you are there and we'll come out. For those of you who continue to bring snacks to the hospital - we are so appreciative of your thoughtfulness. As for others who continue to help with child care, meals and loving support - thank you. Your prayers continue to sustain us.

All is going well...

I was with Vicki for several hours tonight. They have changed her pain medication and she doesn't seem to be as confused anymore. She still "sees things" from time to time and has never stopped thinking she has a baby in her room that needs to be taken care of. I'm sure this will continue to subside as her pain medicine decreases.

Her injuries are continuing to heal, but her fever continues to fluctuate. They did an ultrasound on her legs yesterday to make sure there were no blood clots -luckily there were none. Her time on c-pap continues to increase (as mentioned before, this is a weaning process from the vent).

Holly was feeling better and was able to come to the hospital tonight. She, Lucas and I bathed Vicki and washed her hair (not an easy task). She gets frightened when she's turned and thinks she can't breathe. We have to calm her down by reminding her to breathe slowly and deeply. As I did this for her, a sweet memory came to my mind of how she has been with me (and several of our other sisters) through the births of my children. She is the best labor coach ever!! She has such a loving way about her and I am so grateful to be able to care for her at this time.

Thank you for your comments. Aaron checks the blog each night before going to bed. Thank you again for your concern for Vicki and the many prayers that have been spoken on her behalf. We will forever be grateful.

Confused from Medication

There hasn't been any major developments with Vicki. I saw her last night for a couple of ours. It seems that the move from ICU to ICU-Stepdown has really confused her. She was quite aggitated through the day and last night. I know it's all the medication she's on as well. She keeps "seeing things" and seems very scared. It's just such a helpless feeling. You want to comfort her so badly, but there's not much we can do but hold her hand and reassure her that we're there with her. Her fever continues to hang around 102+ which probably lends to her confusion also.

I'll update again later today - especially if there is any change in her condition. Thank you so much for continuing to pray.

Vicki and Holly

Another draining day, but the Lord continues to carry us. We are so grateful.

Vicki is still runnng a fever (102) and is still being treated for a UTI and pneumonia. She continues to be weaned off of the vent and is tolerating c-pap well. She was moved to a chair for 3 hours today and did good. She seemed to be more confused and aggitated today though. :( On a good note - she was moved to Step-down ICU tonight.

Many have already heard about Holly so I will update you on her condition as well. She went to the ER last night with severe abdominal cramps. No cause was discovered so she was sent home with pain meds and saw her doctor this morning. She was diagnosed with a tubal pregnancy and underwent surger this afternoon. She is home resting this evening and will need to take it easy for the next several days. Like mother - like daughter...Holly is a fighter and will be back in the swing of things before we know it. That's exactly why we have to keep a close eye on her! She'll try to do more than she should...sooner than she should. I know she can't wait to be by her mother's side again.

Sweet Aaron was back and forth all day checking on Holly and Vicki. Every day he gives his all until he is absolutely exhausted. What a wonderful and loving man. Please continue to pray for his health and strength through this time. He appreciates everyone so much.

I haven't updated more today because I was with Holly at the hopsital all day. I will update more tomorrow. Thanks so much for your concern, support, and love. Please know that the strength from your prayers are felt.

The Day After Surgery

Randy was with Vicki through the night. I'll bet Vicki never knew her little brother loved her so much! :) She had a restful night.

I just spoke with Holly who is at the hospital right now along with Aaron. Vicki is sleeping a lot this morning. She is running a fever and has a urinary tract infection and pneumonia. Obviously these are expected conditions considering her injuries and the fact that she has been in a laying position for so long. Holly said that they are going to try to sit Vicki in a chair today and see how she handles that. She has been on c-pap (weaning stage from the vent) since 8:00 this morning and is continuing to do good with that. She is starting to develop a few pressure sores (bed sores) which is also expected, but still disheartening.

This has truly been a trial for our family, but we have continued to find hope and comfort in our Savior Jesus Christ. I have searched the teachings of our church leaders for comfort as well regarding trial and adversity. Following is a message from President James E. Faust from the February 2006 Ensign "Refined in Our Trials."

"The Divine Shepherd has a message of hope, strength, and deliverance for all. If there were no night, we would not appreciate the day, nor could we see the stars and the vastness of the heavens. We must partake of the bitter with the sweet. There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge, they purify, and thus they bless. When we pluck the roses, we find we often cannot avoid the thorns which spring from the same stem.

Out of the refiner’s fire can come a glorious deliverance... A comfortable cloak of righteousness will be drawn around us to protect us and to keep us warm spiritually. Self-pity will vanish as our blessings are counted.

The blessings of eternity will surely come to those who endure..."

I pray that each of us will gain strength through enduring our trials with a humble and grateful heart...especially our sweet Vicki.

Successful Surgery

Vicki is out of surgery and back in her room in ICU. The surgery went great! Screws were placed in her right hip, screws were also placed in her right ankle and plates and screws were placed in her right arm. In 6 weeks they are planning on removing 2 screws from her ankle and 2 screws from her arm. Hopefully we'll be able to move her from the bed to a chair within a couple of days. This will be a "sliding transfer" she will be unable to bear any weight on her legs for at least three months. One day at a time...

We'll continue to keep you posted on her progress. Please continue to pray...it's obvious that our Father in Heaven has a special plan for Vicki and she has not yet completed it. We are so thankful to still have her with us. I know I say this every time, but we are so thankful for all of you and your support, prayers and love.

Surgery is taking place...

Vicki went to surgery at about 8:00 this morning. The surgery should be about 2 hours. I'll keep you posted.

Love to all!

Another Surgery Date

Vicki has been doing good. She is awake most of the time but mostly in a child-like state of mind due to the pain medication. She doesn't understand why she can't leave the hospital and go home. We laugh with her a lot though and enjoy communicating with her. They are continuing to wean her off of the vent. The longests she's been able to maintain is about 5 hours which is really good! As of last night, she is on the surgery schedule for tomorrow morning (Monday) to fix her right hip, right arm and possibly put pins in her right ankle. The doctors are keeping an eye on her temperature which seems to fluctuate. We are nervous about the surgery because of what happened last time, but we know it must take place. We continue to have faith that all will go well.

I will be going to the hospital later today. If I find out anything different I will update again before tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support. We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends.

"I want a hug!"

I went to see Vicki last night for about an hour and a half. She was so alert, yet a little confused. She seems to think she has a baby and is very concerned about it. She wants to know if we're taking care of it and if it's sleeping. She's taken care of children all of her life so I guess it's a natural thing for her to always be worried about one. :)

Lucas and Holly were with her when I got there and Randy (Vicki's brother) came shortly thereafter. When I entered the room she knew who I was. After visiting for a bit she looked at me and said, "Come here." I came close and she said, "I want a hug." I put my cheek to hers and she kissed my face. When I stood back up she said, "I want more." I said, "Do you want more to drink?" She said, "No, I want another hug." I could have hugged her all night!

I just spoke with Holly - she and Randy had the night-shift. Vicki had a good night, but only slept a few hours. Her labs continue to look good. They may perform surgery next week sometime to repair more of her injuries. We'll keep you posted on that. Aaron returned early this morning and remains by Vicki's side.

A Good Day

The picture posted by Holly was taken about 7 months ago - L to R is Mom, Seth, Vicki and Chelsea.

Today has been a good day for our sweet Vicki. Her tube feedings were started again. She received radiation treatment to the hip region where surgery was performed yesterday. This will keep the muscles from calcifying where the nerves in that area were cut. She is still confused from the medication, but is very aware at times. Aaron has been with her all day and has had several good laughs with her. Lucas turned on the TV in her room and let her watch "Deal or No Deal" - one of her favorite shows! Teri was able to get another pair of glasses for Vicki since her others were destroyed in the accident. I'm sure she enjoys seeing more clearly. Holly is with Vicki right now and I just spoke with her. She said Vicki is sitting up in bed and is very alert. She told Vicki I was on my way over to see her and Vicki said, "Come on!" She is still on the vent which keeps her from vocalizing her words, but we are becoming good lip-readers! :)

Aside from pain due to her injuries, I would say her biggest aggravation is that she wants a drink so badly. We are able to give her small sips of water on a sponge, but she always wants more. Lucas opened a soft drink in her room today and she said, "I heard that!"

I haven't seen Vicki all day and am on my way to the hospital right now. I can't wait! I will try to update earlier in the day tomorrow - I know each of you are anxious to hear of the progress she makes each day.

In the words of our beloved Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, who recently passed away, "It is imperative that you not neglect your families. Nothing you have is more precious...When all is said and done, it is this famly relationship which we will take with us into the life beyond."

Continue to count your blessings. We are continuing to count ours and you are among them.

An Emotionally Draining Day

I have heard from several of you who have been anxiously awaiting an update from Vicki's surgery. The happenings of the day have been very emotionally draining and I was purposely waiting until things stabilized before updating the blog.

The doctors were able to repair Vicki's left hip, but due to swelling during surgery (nothing unusual) they were not able to repair the right hip or right arm. They also discovered that her right ankle was fractured. After returning her to her room in ICU she took a turn for the worse - she went into cardiac arrest. The physicians and nurses responded quickly and appropriately to this crisis. Vicki is now stable (given the circumstances), but in very critical condition. Her visitors have been limited now to immediate family only. We continue to remain by her side constantly. We know that Vicki and the family have been blessed and strengthened by the many prayers that have been spoken on her behalf. Though this day has been more than difficult, we have felt the encircling love of our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Aaron is truly humbled by the outpooring of support, meals and love that has been provided by so many. We could never thank you enough for all you've done. Even though this day has been so very difficult, as I sit here by Vicki's bedside watching her rest, I am overwhelmed at the thought of the many blessings I have in my life (Vicki is certainly one of them). I encourage each of you to do the same - count your blessings and express gratitude to our Father in Heaven for all he has done.

Today is the Day!

I just received a call from Holly...they just took Vicki to surgery. I'll keep you posted throughout the day. As stated before, it will be a 6-10 hour surgery, so it will be a long day for Vick. Please continue to pray for her.

If anyone happens to come by the hospital - family will be in the Surgery Waiting Room on the first floor just outside the main elevators.

Steps of Improvement

Vicki continues to make small steps towards improvement each day. Last night they started weaning her off of the ventilator. She was able to handle it on her own for about an hour, but then needed to be put back on. They did the same thing this morning and she did good for about an hour that time as well. She seems to be more alert during the day. Each time she awakens she is confused about where she is and how she got there. She is very child-like (as Holly puts it). The medication is causing the confusion; however, we’ve been told that there should be no long-term affects regarding her memory. Her labs looked good as of this morning so we are continuing to pray that her surgery will take place tomorrow.

The family continues to gain strength from your prayers. There is still such a long road ahead – thank you so very much for your love and support.

Surgery Moved to Wednesday

Surgery has been moved to Wednesday (February 6th). Vicki's potassium is too high and her other labs aren't where they need to be for such a lengthy surgery (6-10 hours). We are a little disheartened because we were looking forward to getting past this hurdle, but we have full faith in the physicians and know they are doing what's best for Vicki. Please continue to pray for her.

Thanks to all those who are rearranging your schedules to help out the family on each scheduled surgery day. Your efforts don't go unnoticed and we are very appreciative.

Surgery tomorrow (2/4/08)

We are on for surgery tomorrow! As apprehensive as we all are about it, we know that it is the best thing for Mom. Once she gets it done, we know she can really start recovering. They are planning to put her on a special rotating bed post-op. The bed will rotate her from side to side, that way she won't have to be manually turned so much. We're hoping that will make a big difference.

As for her day today, everything seemed to go O.K. She did have one episode of vomiting, which was a little unexpected, but other than that nothing major. Temperature was 101.1, but the doctor didn't seem too concerned as far as proceeding with her surgery. Pain is still an issue, but they were able to up her dosage on her pain medication, so I think that is helping her. Everyone just have her in your thoughts tomorrow.

With much gratitude,
Holly

02/03/08

I just came from the hospital after spending some time with Mom. She was pretty well sedated still, so not much interaction. She spiked another temperature last night of 101.4. Obviously, that is not good and could possibly delay her surgery (again). I guess we'll find out when Dr. Harris comes in.

She continues to have trouble with pain. Every move she makes (or move we make for her) is excruciating. By the look on her face you can tell she can hardly stand it. That is why we are anxious for the surgery. But her nurse today said she would make sure it was kept under control.

Other than that, there isn't much to tell. Just waiting. Thanks again to everyone.....just keep praying.

With love....Holly

Restful Day

Vicki has had a fairly restful day today. Everything thus far remains stable enough for surgery on Monday. Family members are still by her side around the clock. Every time she opens her eyes we want her to see one of us there. We'll continue to keep you posted.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Successful Procedures

The chest tubes have been removed from her left side. A drain remains in her right side where the original chest tubes were, but the fluid is not coming from her lungs its coming from surrounding tissues. Hopefully they'll be able to remove the drain soon. They have also removed the oral gastric tube which romoved fluid/acids from her stomach. Now she has no tubes in her mouth! Yeah! She asked for water after removal of that tube and Aaron was able to give her a small sip from a sponge. They don't want her taking in a lot of fluids orally right now, but a sip from the sponge every now and then is okay.

Every small step is such a miracle. It's like watching your child take their first steps! We are so thankful!

Love to all!!

Meal Needs

Hello everyone! I am just giving meal updates for those who have been helping and those who who like the opportunity to help. Thanks to all of you who have been so willing to bring food in, I know it's been a comfort to the Norris' and extended family to not have to worry about where, what and when they are going to eat. We are holding off on meals for the weekend, but if you would like to bring in some bottled water or snacks, they will get eaten and would be very much appreciated.

We will be bringing in meals Monday and Tuesday to the hospital to cover for the surgery and depending on how stable Vicki is after that, we can assess the need from there. If you would like bring food on either of those two days, please comment or email me directly at melissa@toddandmelissa.net. Meals would need to be delivered between 5-6.

Also Holly will still be spending a lot of time at the hospital next week after the surgery so we would like to continue to feed her family until Vicki is more stable. Holly has become one of Vicki's nurses and really helps out through the nights. If you would like to feed Holly's family, please let me know or you can contact Jewell Boysworth. Meals would need to be delivered between 6-7, closer to 6:00 if possible.

Thank you!

Remains Stable

I went by the hospital this morning to see Vicki and get the night-shift report from family members who stayed by her side. She was responsive this morning - opening her eyes and acknowledging simple questions. She's still heavily medicated for comfort. Fortunately she had an uneventful night and remains stable. Her temperature has dropped some and they have scheduled to remove the chest tubes from her left side today. Her labs are stable considering her condition. If things continue on this course we feel sure she'll be ready for surgery on Monday.

Thanks to all those who have left comments. They are read by the family every day. We look forward to sharing them with Vicki soon. This tragic event has pulled our family so much closer as we continue to strengthen one another physically and emotionally as well as through prayer. We are also praying for the young man and young woman also involved in the accident. Just because they aren't in the hospital doesn't mean they aren't feeling heart-wrenching pain as well. We are mindful of them and keep them in our prayers.

Thanks again to all those who continue to provide support through meals, childcare, visits, cards, etc. We could never thank you enough. May the Lord continue to bless you through your compassionate service.

Rescheduled Surgery Date

Surgery is now scheduled for Monday, February 4th. Dr. Harris would like to allow time for Vicki's fever to go down and remove the chest tubes from her left side. Vicki has been awake several times today and smiled when Holly showed her pictures of her grandchildren and shared get well notes they had written. She always asks for Aaron and he is always right there. Teri (another sister of Vicki's) visited this morning and Vicki asked her, "Can we get out of here? I want to leave!" We had to chuckle a little at that. Vicki and Teri have always been "partners in crime." She is still heavily medicated due to her injuries, but when she communicates with us it brings us so much joy. We are always by her side - she has taken care of others all her life and now it is our turn to take care of her.

Thanks again for your love, prayers, and support!

1/30/08

I just wanted to let everyone know how Mom's day went today. As most of you know, she got her trach put in yesterday and everything went well. She has been pretty sedated since then. Hasn't responded much today, but not any worse so we're thankful for that. We are still waiting for surgery. She is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) but we're not sure if he will still do it or not. She is still running a fever and her chest tubes are still in, so we are thinking he'll postpone it until possibly Friday. Other than that there isn't much change.

I did want to thank everyone for all the prayers, food, support, and love that you all have shown our family during this time. I know it's going to be a long road, and I am thankful that we are surrounded by such loving people to help get us through it. THANK YOU!!!

Hopefully I'll get a chance to update everyone tomorrow. Until then.....

Heartfelt Thanks

For those who don't know me, I am Vicki's sister. I want to extend a very heartfelt thanks to Melissa Golden for setting this up so that we can communicate Vicki's status to friends and family in a more efficient manner.

Vicki is stable yet still critical. She does open her eyes several times a day and acknowledges yes or no questions. She is on a lot of pain medication and stays sedated most of the time. Sometimes when she awakens she is very uncomfortable and wants to sit up or move and we have to remind her of her injuries and why she can't move. She is still on the ventilator and a tracheotomy was performed today. Kidney function and lung infections due to the vent continue to be concerns.

On behalf of the family I would like to express our most sincere appreciation for the outpouring of love and support that has been shown during this very difficult time.

Surgery Date Changed

Today Vicki is doing well, she is becoming stable, trying to sit up and more responsive. Due to the fact that she is getting stronger and improving, Dr. Harris has postponed the surgery until Friday. The stronger she is hopefully, the less she will regress after the surgery. They are still concerned about the infection in her lungs and will be keeping a close eye on that as well. We are still bringing in food for the hospital, Stella's house and Holly's house. I still have open slots for Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the hospital (Friday being the most crucial). For Stella's house which includes Teri's family and Betsy's family: I have tomorrow and Saturday available. For Holly's house, Saturday is available and into next week (Holly's will be the only home receiving meals after this week). The dinner drop off time is between 6-7 and just a reminder to keep it to kid-friendly meals since both homes have several children. If you would like to help with the food, please call me, Melissa Golden (I am hesitant to put my number on the Internet but most of you have it or know someone that does). Or you can respond in the comments at the bottom of this posting which will automatically send me an email. In case you don't know who I am, I am a family friend from church and have been trying to help with all the communications for the Norris' and extended family. Thanks to all who have been called upon to help thus far, you have all been so great and I know the family really appreciates everything!

Saying Prayers for Vicki

Vicki was involved in a terrible head-on collision on January 22, 2008. She survived an aortic tear to her heart and had open heart surgery that night. She had other injuries as well such as broken limbs and a crushed hip. We all know and understand it's truly a miracle she is still with us and will be using this site to give the latest updates of her condition and surgery outcomes. Her next surgery is scheduled for Wednesday January 30th. Please pray for her as she has had complications with every procedure done thus far. Thank you!