Time Marches On
Yesterday (Saturday) morning at 5:30, we got a call from the skilled care facility. Maw Maw had entered Cheyne-Stokes respiration and they felt we might want to come down and be with her. Dad and I rushed down to be with her, arriving shortly after 6:00. Fourteen hours, 4 "Goodbye's," 1 Bible reading, 6 songs, and 1 giving of last rites later, we left to go home for some sleep with her in the same condition as when we arrived.
Somehow we managed to make it home without falling asleep, but once home I was not awake for long. I'm not sure about Dad, but I collapsed in the bed and awoke 12 hours later. After a nice long shower and a good shave, I went by to pick up my uncle and took him to the facility. After quickly checking on Maw Maw, I left for church. I stuck around afterward only long enough to answer the very caring people who wanted to know how she was doing. On the way back, I stopped by Barnes & Noble to get a Venti Java Chip Frappaccino and a Berry Key Lime Cake (YUMMMM and SUGAR RUSH!!!!!!). We just left a little bit ago, with Maw Maw in pretty much the same condition, with the exception that the cycles are more extreme. Her apneaic periods are approximately 35-40 seconds in length, with her hypernea being up to a minute in length. When she's in the Cheyne-Stokes apneaic cycle, the only way to know that she's alive is to watch the vein in her neck, which gets weaker and weaker. When she's breathing normally, both eyes open fully and she'll lift her head or reach her arm out to get someone's hand.
What kills me is that the neurologist evaluated her CT scan and said she has no cognitive recognition of people or understanding of statement, and that any physical movement is involuntary. That partially ticked me off and partially made me laugh. Looking at the CT scans below (circles drawn by me, not the doctor), I can understand why he would expect her not to have hardly any brain function.. But watching her, there's no question that he only evaluated the films - not the patient. Her facial expressions show without any question that she knows who is in the room. Some of our comments have caused her to open her eyes wide and smile as much as she possibly can. Tell her you're going to take her vital signs and her left arm goes up in the air in anticipation of the blood pressure cuff. Wink at her and she winks back. No brain function my butt!
This shot shows the massive stroke that affected her right hemisphere
At this contrast level, the severity of the stroke is still obvious, and you can note the remnants of multiple TIA's (mini-strokes) in the left hemisphere.
With this contrast, you can see how the tremendous bleed (dark spot) on the right side has caused compression (as compared to the left)
Lastly, this contrast shows the area affected by the stroke on the right and the TIA's on the left.
Somehow we managed to make it home without falling asleep, but once home I was not awake for long. I'm not sure about Dad, but I collapsed in the bed and awoke 12 hours later. After a nice long shower and a good shave, I went by to pick up my uncle and took him to the facility. After quickly checking on Maw Maw, I left for church. I stuck around afterward only long enough to answer the very caring people who wanted to know how she was doing. On the way back, I stopped by Barnes & Noble to get a Venti Java Chip Frappaccino and a Berry Key Lime Cake (YUMMMM and SUGAR RUSH!!!!!!). We just left a little bit ago, with Maw Maw in pretty much the same condition, with the exception that the cycles are more extreme. Her apneaic periods are approximately 35-40 seconds in length, with her hypernea being up to a minute in length. When she's in the Cheyne-Stokes apneaic cycle, the only way to know that she's alive is to watch the vein in her neck, which gets weaker and weaker. When she's breathing normally, both eyes open fully and she'll lift her head or reach her arm out to get someone's hand.
What kills me is that the neurologist evaluated her CT scan and said she has no cognitive recognition of people or understanding of statement, and that any physical movement is involuntary. That partially ticked me off and partially made me laugh. Looking at the CT scans below (circles drawn by me, not the doctor), I can understand why he would expect her not to have hardly any brain function.. But watching her, there's no question that he only evaluated the films - not the patient. Her facial expressions show without any question that she knows who is in the room. Some of our comments have caused her to open her eyes wide and smile as much as she possibly can. Tell her you're going to take her vital signs and her left arm goes up in the air in anticipation of the blood pressure cuff. Wink at her and she winks back. No brain function my butt!
This shot shows the massive stroke that affected her right hemisphere
At this contrast level, the severity of the stroke is still obvious, and you can note the remnants of multiple TIA's (mini-strokes) in the left hemisphere.
With this contrast, you can see how the tremendous bleed (dark spot) on the right side has caused compression (as compared to the left)
Lastly, this contrast shows the area affected by the stroke on the right and the TIA's on the left.