Fran, September 16

I have missed a lot of days of blogging.  Fran's fall was a serious setback.  She spent a couple of days in the hospital and then was moved to the Rehabilitation Center as an inpatient.  It proved difficult to manage her pain, and she is still in constant pain.  In spite of the fractured pelvic bone, there are no restrictions on weight bearing.  Except for one, the pain. She can stand and move a couple of steps, but it is very difficult.

She was discharged from Rehab on Monday the 12th, and has been home all week.  She has lost a lot of independence, and her care is more challenging. She is improving gradually and the pain, though still severe, is considerably better.  Her courage and determination are still there and she will recover.

Our caregivers, Isela, Katerina, and Cindy have been wonderful, as has been the support of Fran's friends, especially Alice and Jerry Rost and Barbara and David Binns.  Marshall and Ana and Maliq and Rachel have been there for Fran as well.

I am pretty busy. I am doing an hour webinar on Tuesday, entitled Measuring Performance, Damned if You Do and Damned if You Don't, with a paid (not much) audience of about 75 around the world.  I am also taking a class in web design at Mira Costa College, and I am finding it to be a real challenge.

Onward,

Brooks

Fran, August 31

A bigger setback than we thought.  Daughter-in-law Rachel, an experienced nurse, noted that Fran had excessive pain in the left hip.  She suspected a hip fracture and we took Fran to the Scripps Encinitas emergency room again.  Rachel was correct.  Fran has hairline fractures of the pelvic bone.  This does not require surgery, but she cannot put weight on it until it is healed.  She is hospitalized there in room 271. We are really not capable of caring for her at home at this time. By the way, they also discovered hairline rib fractures, which were missed on Monday. Her spirits are good, expecially after she got enough medication to knock down the severe pain.

Brooks

Brooks

Fran, August 30

A temporary setback.  Fran fell yesterday, while getting up without calling for a spotter.  She hurt herself very badly, apparently landing on the buckle of her gate belt. Four and one half hours in the emergency room demonstrated no serious injury but she is in terrible pain and essentially can't move. Even breathing hurts. We expect rapid improvement, but at the present, she is very unhappy Of course, the quality that is driving her recovery, pushing the limits, sometimes puts her in jeopardy.

Brooks

Fran, August 22

Sorry for the inactivity.  Anita Arkin finally goaded me into action.

Fran continues to improve, amazing the therapists who dealt with her in the early days.  I see two significant developments in the past month:


1.  The hospital bed is gone from our house. Fran now sleeps with me in our bed. I cannot tell you how much better the room feels when it does not contain a hospital bed! Perhaps hospitals would be more pleasant if...

2. Fran can walk with no assistance.  We still require that she have a spotter, but the spotter has never had to act.  She does not need the cane or anything else.

In the next few weeks Fran will be caring for grandson Miles while Maliq and Rachel attend a wedding out of town.  Fran, and many of her friends, are delirious about the prospect.

Brooks

Fran, July 26

Yesterday, Fran reached a real milestone.  Karen Salant was visiting from Oregon.  They announced that they were going to lunch at the Del Mar Plaza, sans wheelchair.  Karen helped Fran into the car, put Fran's cane in the trunk, and they set out.  They returned about 2 hours later.  According to Karen, they parked in the garage.  Fran walked from the garage to the sidewalk, and then up the ramp to The Breeze, where they had a leisurely lunch with a nice glass of Chardonnay.  Then they returned to the car on the same path and drove home. Fran was a bit tired and took a nice nap, but was extremely pleased with her demonstration of independence.

Brooks

Fran, July 14

Sorry for the absence of posting.  Progress is very gradual and we are very busy.  My thanks to Anita who called and suggested (emphatically) that it was time.

The process is very positive.  Fran walked about 200 feet in one stretch today with her quad cane and another 50 feet with no cane.  She is even beginning to get some use from her left arm.  I estimate that she will be relatively independent within six months.  In the meantime, my deepest gratitude goes to her friends, particularly (but not only) Alice, Barbara, and Deborah, and her caregivers, Isela, Katerina, and Cindy. Their love and support has made this possible. And most of all, I am grateful to Fran, who will not quit and who absolutely will succeed.

Brooks

Fran, June 24

Fran began as an outpatient this week at Scripps Encinitas Rehab, where she had been an inpatient about a month ago. The staff members who had treated her as an inpatient were very impressed with her progress.  The goal of the current treatment is to make her independent, so she can get around the house without assistance. She is determined and I expect she will get there in the next couple of months.

Jerry and Alice turned me on to a wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight. It is the story of a relatively young (37) brain scientist, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, who had a severe left-brain stroke.  She recounts in great detail, her experience of the stroke and her process of recovery.  She achieved complete recovery over an 8 year period.

This book is a must read for anyone who is providing care or who has a close relationship with a stroke patient.  In an appendix she lists "the 40 things I needed the most," beginning with "I am not stupid, I am wounded.  Please respect me."

It is not only a must read, but also a good read.

Brooks

Fran Carder, June 16

This is getting like reporting the progress of the hour hand.  It is not exciting moment to moment. But the movement is there.  Fran can pretty much walk, using a quad cane.  Of course someone has to be there ready to support her, should she lose her balance. But this is a rather dramatic change from the time she started rehab. It looks like she will not even need a brace for her left leg.

She does have some pain in the left leg.  Apparently this is a common problem as the nerves "wake up." Dr. Kocharian is considering a botox injection, which is one way to treat this.

Next Tuesday Fran will have her first sessions as an outpatient at Scripps Encinitas Rehab.  I expect they will be shocked by her progress.  Trish, the physical therapist who brought Fran along while she was treated here in our home, is really good.  She combines professional competence with a personal manner that is powerfully motivating.  Trish is in her early 50's and motivates herself sufficiently to do triathelons. It was great to watch her with Fran.

Brooks

Fran Carder, June 10

Sorry about the lack of blogs, but news has been somewhat slow.  Slow but good.  The therapists who have been coming to the house agree that Fran should graduate to outpatient status and Dr. Kocharian has written an order to send her to Scripps Encinitas Rehab.  The therapists have also recommended a leg brace to assist Fran's walking, and Dr. Kocharian will arrange that as well.

On Monday of this week, Fran had a major outing.  We had an appointment with Dr. Savage at Scripps Encinitas.  Afterword we went to Target on Leucadia Blvd and Fran had a major shopping experience, buying sheets.

The upshot of the Dr. Savage appointment is that we no longer have to inject Lovenox.  Fran is now on coumadin, an oral medication. The one drawback is that she has to have blood drawn once a week to measure clotting time, to make sure she is in the right range. It appears that Fran will continue on this for a very long time.

Fran is exercising every day.  She is getting stronger and her balance is improving.  I think we can look forward to her being mobile within the next few months.

Brooks

Fran, June 5

The weekend has not been too eventful (so far). One measure of Fran's progress however, is that Cindy, our weekend caregiver, is able to transfer Fran with no help, except for Fran's help of course. This is a major development. It means that Fran will no longer need two caregivers at all times.

Simon and Gloria are coming for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow we have an appointment with the pulmonologist. If you recall from earlier blogs, they are in charge of thromboses (clots). We are hoping to end the need for the daily injections of Lovenox that we are now administering.

After the doc, Fran will get her first post-stroke shopping experience, if she is not too tired.

Brooks

Fran, June 3

This afternoon Fran received the quad cane we had ordered.  In spite of the fact that she was tired after a busy day, she insisted on trying it out.  With some help from Isela, she was able to navigate down the hall.  Not surprisingly, Fran is determined to achieve independence and is working very hard at it.

Brooks

Fran, June 2

The big news is that I got the pictures of Miles into the previous posts. Here they are again.

I made an eagle today on the par 5 18th at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course, sinking a smooth 7-iron from about 135 yards. That is a rare bird for me.

Fran is doing so well that the therapists want her to become an outpatient back at Scripps, Encinitas.  She does not have to be limited to visits in the home.

Brooks

Fran, June 1

Fran has had several chances now to visit with Grandson Miles.  Maliq and Rachel are bringing Miles here for dinner tonight and I am ordering in Chinese food.

Here is a picture of Fran's most recent visit with Miles. In case you do not know them, Son Maliq and his wife Rachel are there too.

Brooks

Fran, May 30

Fran walked three laps around the kitchen island today, and demonstrated clear extension control of her left leg at the knee.  Trish, the physical therapist, was very excited by the phenomenal progress Fran has made in the past few days.

PLUS, we have this photo of baby Miles. More in coming blogs.

Brooks

Fran, May 28

Developments now are gradual, so I am not posting as often.  Fran continues to develop her walking.  Yesterday one of the therapists suggested locations for some railings, which would enable Fran to get around the house.  The therapist also had me order a quad cane, so we are optimistic about walking soon. (The cane is for Fran, not me.)

Last night Jerry and Alice brought over another great Ina Garten meal, a fusili pasta with tomato, lemon and arugula. Plus Jerry brought his skill at Martini making. It was another lovely evening. Tonight we are reprising the burgers from the party on Wednesday, but with the pickles and cheese slices that were left out last time.  We also have the benefit of experience.

Isela and husband Brent dropped by with their two younger children Kyrie and DD.  The kids said they wanted to move in here, which Fran approved immediately.  They are impossibly cute.  Unfortunately, Isela and Brent insisted on keeping them.

Brooks

Fran, May 25

Yesterday we had our reunion with Dr. Kocharian.  She was great.  She wants Fran to progress faster.  Isela and Katerina are on the same page, and had Fran walking laps around the island in the kitchen this morning. Fran has an old knee brace, which enables her to bear weight on the left leg, so she can pretty much make it around unassisted.

Dr. Kocharian ordered a scan to make sure Fran had no bleeding in the stroke area.  We got the scan today and everything was fine.

Today, we hosted Deborah's birthday party, created by Gale, for about 10 people.  In addition to the cake we had grass-fed hamburgers from a recipe from Food and Wine. Fun party and good food.

Brooks

Fran, May 23

Today was a really big day.  We loaded into the car and drove to Scripps Encinitas. Grandma Fran met Grandbaby Miles and held him close.  Miles is in the neonatal ICU under observation because of a bug he acquired when Rachel was in labor for over 20 hours after her water broke.  Meanwhile, Miles is handsome and looks very healthy.  But he will have to stay in the unit for 7 days.

This afternoon Trish, the physical therapist, came and had Fran walking along the counter for a few steps.  Fran can swing her left leg forward, but it cannot yet bear her weight.  The progress is huge though, and we all cheered (all is me, Isela, Katerina, and I think Barbara was there too.)

Tmorrow we visit Dr. Kocharian, our wonderful neurologist.

Brooks

Fran, May 21

Franma is now really a Grandma.  Miles Warfield was delivered via C-section this afternoon, at about 9 3/4 pounds. Maliq is already thinking about the best way to assist Miles in getting to the NBA.  Congratulations Maliq and Rachel.  Rachel did most of the work of course, including over 24 hours of labor at the end.

Fran is proud and happy to be a grandma, and is continuing to improve. She did some "walking" yesterday with the physical therapist.  This consisted of moving along a counter, and represents an important step.

Jerry and Alice Rost brought us dinner last night, baby-back ribs.  Alice again did a great job.  They also made martinis, which was part of the reason I did not post last night.

Both Susan Taylor and Gloria Khoury sent me emails about an exciting new device, developed at MIT (by nerds, I expect, my kinfolk). It is called myomo (my own motion) that uses movement and biofeedback to help people learn to control paralyzed arms.  We will be discussing this with Dr. Kocharian when we see her on Tuesday.

Fran, May 19

Lots of visitors today and a good day for Fran.  She did well at standing and increased her left leg movement.  She even moved her left arm.  The physical therapist says they will attempt a step tomorrow.  I am not sure exactly what that means, but the therapist says it is a big deal.

Brooks

Fran, May 18

Fran had a big day.  We left the house to see Dr. Savage, a hematologist, at 10:30 this morning. We needed a decision on what to do with Fran's clotting. Dr. Savage ordered an ultrasound study.  Rather than come back, we decided to wait for the available appointment at 1:00 PM. We returned home just before 3:00, a very long outing for Fran.  She was great.  By the way, the study suggested no change in her condition, which I think is good.

We arrived home just in time for five visitors, which Fran enjoyed.  She has just gone to bed and I am sure she will sleep well.

Grandson Miles has not arrived yet.

Brooks