Mom/Deena/Granny is HOME!!!

She's doing GREAT & happy to be home!

Shopping Day! - Monday, February 22

I just got back with Deena from her "field trip" to Albertsons, where she performed remarkably well for being 10 days removed from brain surgery!! As part of her recovering the "executive functioning" portion of that frontal lobe, she was given a recipe for fudge brownies (which she will go in the kitchen tomorrow and prepare). She had to go to the store and buy all the required ingredients. I was a little concerned when I got here about 12:45 (to relieve Eric--in case I haven't mentioned it before, Eric and I are "tag-teaming" Deena--he comes in the morning and I in the afternoon and evening, or vice versa.) She did not have such a good night's sleep, so she was pretty tired and I worried about her going on this shopping venture. However, she did well--got to ride in the car--push the cart--the whole nine yards!

Her strength improves every day. Her movements are still slower and there is some imbalance along the way every now and then, but her functioning is definitely improving. I believe the plan is to still have her go home on Wednesday (YEAH!!) and continue with some out-patient therapy at a hospital nearer home.

I have tried to remember to pass on all of your thoughts and wishes and prayers for her, and she wants all of you to know how grateful she is for all of you.

Jaron

February 20 - Some Pictures

First Picture: David Wayne visiting my mother - David's had a terrible bout with cancer, yet he continues to smile, speak encouraging words to everyone, and handle his "situation" with grace and dignity.

Second Picture: Granny with Eric who along with my dad have been by my mom's side the whole time. They've been just awesome. Best caretakers money can't buy!

February 18, 2010 Update

I know I said yesterday was the last update, but we just had an evaluation with the team here, so I thought I would fill you in with that information. She is doing remarkably well, given the tremendous amount of swelling that had occurred prior to surgery, coupled with whatever the surgery produced. The upshot of the evaluation was that she will probably be here until next Wednesday, and then would be released to do out patient therapy from home.

Her movements have improved, her energy is coming back (although the therapy sessions pretty much exhaust her at this point), and her understanding improves each day. The pacing item seems to be the "executive functioning" element which I think I have described in earlier emails: inputting information, making a decision, initiating action to implement that decision, etc. It was that type of activity that was so difficult for her prior to the surgery--the swelling had significantly impacted that area apparently.

All in all, the team of therapists here were very impressed with her progress to this point, given the severity of her illness. We appreciate all the thoughts coming her way from all of you. I hope my next update will be--"She's Home"!!

Above is a picture of Granny in one of the hats her granddaughters picked out for her.

Jaron

“Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do.”

—Emmanuel Swedenborg
(1688-1772); philosopher, scientist, theologian

February 17, 2010

Eric had early morning duty today, and I drew the late shift, so this message is a little delayed. Given the fact that they have moved her into the Rehab section of Mayo, and everything seems to be going as smoothly as can be expected, this will probably be the last daily report for a while. Deena asked me to again tell you all thanx for your prayers, thoughts, best wishes and other good vibrations that have been sent her way in the last week. They have helped.

I think Deena was a little reticent about going into rehab, but she nows sees clearly that she needs the physical, occupational and speech therapy that they are providing her. She even admitted to me a few moments ago that she was pretty tired!! She has had over 3 hours of different therapies today, so I told her she deserved to be tired. She is in much better spirits today than yesterday. It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do for you!

I am assuming that they may keep her here at least a week, but that depends completely on her progress. If anything changes dramatically, I will let you know.

Thanx again for all your support through all of this!

Jaron

February 16, 2010

Deena had a little bit of a rough night last night--had a hard time falling asleep and then had elevated blood pressure during the night, so they had to give her medication for that. She is a little groggy this morning, but as I am typing this, she is sitting on the edge of the bed reading a magazine and perking up considerably.

It has been quite remarkable that she has had NO pain throughout all of this. None! They have given her no pain medication whatsoever. Even when they examine her incision or replace the covering, she doesn't feel one bit of discomfort. I think that fact alone has helped her to regain some of her mental faculties a little more quickly than we anticipated.

Today they will be moving her to an intense rehab wing here at Mayo where she will get at least 3 hours of therapy every day. We asked them how long she might be in there (given what, to us, appears to be some pretty dramatic improvement already). They gave an outside figure of 10 days, although they do a reevaluation every 2 or 3 days. Bottom line of all that is that if she continues to improve every day as she has in the last 5, I do not anticipate that she will be there for the 10 day period. She still gets checked on by the neurosurgeon and his assistants while there, and is completely monitored at all times as well. Of course, she wants to go home, but she did admit to wanting to tuck one of the nurses in her pocket and take her home with her!! I think the rehab effort will be comforting to her and to all of us.

Once she does get home, Darci, Shayna, Megan and Sami have already outfitted her with several hats, head scarves, housecoats and jammies!!

Once again, thanx to all of you for your prayers in Deena's behalf!

To confirm my earlier "perking up" assessment-she is currently getting a shower!! Even washing her 1/2 head of hair!!

Jaron

February 15, 2010

I arrived this morning about 6:30 and found her sitting on the edge of the bed reading a newspaper! Her physical strength is coming back remarkably for all the trauma she has been through. (For those of you who are a little squeamish, I will not include a photo of the incision, but it runs from ear to ear across the top of her head and currently has roughly 60 staples holding it back together!!) The Doctor just left and pronounced her doing very, very well, with the wound healing nicely and her demeanor, responsiveness, strength and appetite(!) representing a speedy recovery.

I think the current plan is to probably move her into the Mayo Rehab wing tomorrow. There she will receive at least 3 hours of intensive therapy (physical, functional, speech) every day. I am speculating that, given the progress of the last 5 days, she will not be long in that rehab facility. The purpose of that unit is to just make sure that she can function as safely and effectively as possible once she gets home.

All in all, her progress has been very satisfying. She is still swollen and discolored around her left eye and cheek, but that improves each day.

Once again, we are thankful for all your thoughts and prayers on her behalf!

Jaron

February 14, 2010

This is the Valentine's Day report on our Shermie. The Doctor just left and was encouraged by her progress. He examined the incision and said it looked great and told her she could wash her hair today. (Excitement reigned!! She is rather unhappy about having the front part of her hair shaved, but I pointed out--shaved head temporarily versus brain tumor??? no contest!)

She got out of bed several times yesterday, and her speech and processing abilities are improving each hour. Those efforts do take a lot out of her, however, so we continue to keep her on a limited visiting schedule.

They just brought her breakfast of scrambled eggs, muffin and some cereal and she attacked it mercilessly!! Another good sign. They are still talking of putting her into some intensive physical and speech therapy at a separate unit they have here at Mayo. They will evaluate her later today or tomorrow for that. I think that would be a good idea, so she can feel more confident about her abilities once she gets back home.

Once again--thanx for all your prayers and well wishes on her behalf!!

Jaron

February 13, 2010

All right, one and all, here is the Saturday morning update on Deena. The neurosurgeon just left after visiting with her, and is encouraged by her progress thus far. For the umpteenth time, however, he reiterated this is a process of MONTHS not days or weeks. The swelling caused by (probably) the rapid growth of the tumor was VERY significant in the left frontal lobe of her brain. This section of the brain controls speech (not only forming responses, but being able to process words that are spoken to her), memory (to a certain extent), what my good friend Dave Weight calls "executive functioning" (being able to recognize a task, initiate action to complete that task, and follow it through to completion).

The swelling was so extensive that the Doctor said if it had been in another part of the brain, it could have proven fatal. As it was, the location of the tumor was easily accessible to surgery and, as we speculated, it was benign and the entire tumor was removed.

Therapists got her up a couple of times yesterday and will do so again today. Given the extent of the damage from the swelling, she has difficulty processing the things that people ask her to do. They will say "OK, lets slide to the side of the bed". She will say OK, give that cute little Shermie smile, and then just lie there! On the whole, however, all her vital signs are good, she ate yesterday and will probably have more solid food today. Her thinking and responding process has improved today from yesterday--albeit in small increments, but those seem huge for those of us sitting here. Just after Dr. Lyons left about 10 minutes ago, I asked her if she knew who that was. After thinking for about 10 seconds, she said "That was Doctor Paxil" (a medication she was taking). But about 5 seconds later she said "No--that's not right. That was Doctor Lyons." Believe me, folks, that was SIGNIFICANT!

A minute ago, while I'm typing this, she heard the food cart stop outside her door. She said "Oh goodie"! I asked her what she meant. Again, the little Shermie grin and "food"! I told her she was well on her way to recovery!!

They may keep her here in their Rehabilitation unit for a little while after she is discharged from the neurosurgery section to try and help her recover some of the functions impacted by the swelling and surgery.

Anyway--she is now drinking some orange juice by herself (no help from me!), and waiting for the next delicacy--chicken noodle soup without the chicken and the noodles!!

I think it is still better for today if she doesn't have visitors other than family. You can email me or give me a call on my cell if you want any updates. All in all, for an 8:00 a.m. update, she has improved markedly from yesterday thanx to all of your prayers and well wishes. Thanx again to all of you!

Jaron

February 12, 2010

Things are pretty much the same today. All her signs are good and I visited with the Doctor about her inability to respond to questions. He said the left frontal lobe where the tumor and swelling was controls the speech function. It is just going to take "months" for that swelling to go down and for her to regain a lot of that function-both finding the right words to say, but processing words being said to her as well. Just keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Jaron

February 11, 2010

The neurosurgeon just spoke with me, Mike and Eric. The operation was successful, with no complications, and they hope she will be in her intermediate recovery room in about 2 hours. He said the tumor was not particularly "vascular" which means there was not much bleeding. He still reiterated that with the extensive swelling that had already occurred in her brain, that it was going to be probably 6 months before she would be back to normal. He did not feel that the extensive swelling would result in any permanent brain damage causing her recent symptoms to continue, so I'm hopeful on that front as well. He confirmed that it was a meningioma and they will biopsy it to make sure there are no irregularities.

All in all--we are very happy! I will keep you posted.

Jaron

February 8, 2010

Family & Friends:

Well the doctors have found a marble-to-golf-ball sized tumor on the meninges of my mom's head - it's called a Meningioma (more information than I can do justice to is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meningioma). While the tumor is actually not in or on the brain (but rather the meninges which is the membrane between the brain and skull), the swelling and pressure are causing some impacts on her brain and functionality. While it's obviously a scary and delicate situation, it's actually, as the Doctors have said, the "best possible bad news" that we could have received. It's benign and in a very operable spot, all of which are good things. My mom and dad were meeting w/ a Neurosurgeon at Mayo this afternoon to discuss treatment and arrange a time for removing.

I know that I've expressed heightened concern over the past several weeks and months, so we're hoping this will be a good step toward a fuller and healthy recovery for my mom. Thanks for all the concern and love for her over the many years...Mike