Amy is still in ICU from day 1. She suffered a stroke during surgery and then another 1 week later while trying to wean her from the BP medication. The BP is monitored by an arterial line. Too high can cause hemorrhage and too low can cause stroke. What she was gaining in her left side was now gone. She has left sided paralysis.
Her second surgery was 2 days ago. Amy did fine in the surgery but was not waking up well or moving limbs he way they wanted so they did a stat CT scan. The scan showed no bleeds. She just isnt waking very well but I think that since they arent giving her pain meds, all she wants to do is lay there quietly. They are holding the pain meds until she wakes up better. This jouney has been a roller coaster of emotions and strength. I certainly hope that Amy doesnt remember this. I know that I will never forget it. My son flew out to be with me and that has been a great help. Please pray for him also because his job isnt so understanding. and thank you for all your prayers for Amy!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Amys mom

Many prayers for your family..I'm so sorry Amy is having these complications.My daughter had similar complications.She was only five at the time.She had several strokes her most severe after ehr first surgery.She  was like an infant.The good news is she's had no strokes since ehr second surgery.She's also walking talking reading and writting.She's happy and very determined to do it all again.I pray that your daughters recovery can be complete and quick with no further complications.(((((HUGS)))) and many prayers.
Mary Grace

I am sorry Amy has complications. I wish her a speedy recovery. I will pray for you and your family, expessialy Amy.
Becky

Am so sorry to take so long with the next update. 3 days ago Amy came out of ICU still with her feeding tube, picc line, etc into a neuro close observation room where she is watched 24/7. Yesterday the feeding tube fell out and for the first time she passed her swallow study. Today she ate pureed foods. She walked down the hall. Her mind still isnt right and her left arm/hand is paralyzed but each day things look better. They are working on discharge to an inpt rehab hospital back in Mo. I am very pleased with the care she has gotten at Stanford. Everyone is caring and wonderful.
I was advised to contact the study in St Louis MO and i was told they didnt want Amy in thier study because she was fixed!!!!! WOW that just tells me that there are people out there that doesnt know there is a fix for thier disease. That makes me very sad. Wish we could educate the world. Thank you for all your prayers. I know God heard every one of them......Amys mom

Christy,

So glad to hear Amy is doing so much better, although she has a long road ahead of her.  I have been thinking about her so much lately and praying for her recovery.  I know you are a strong person and will be with her through it all.  that will be to her benifit.  Good luck on the road ahead.  My prayers will stay with you and with Amy.

Love,

Margaret

Christie,

That's such good news!  Baby steps each day are just fine in my book.  

I was able to escape the office yesterday for the first time in a week.  Ran up to peek in on Amy, but she was asleep.  Her nurse was with her, and said she was doing quite well.  I was so happy to hear a good report, but very sorry to have missed you.  

Anyway, we'll probably be up here at some point over the weekend, so will keep in touch with you guys.  Please give Amy a hug for me, and we'll talk soon!

Jill  

someone had asked Amys age. She is 34 years young!!!!!!

Christie,

Thank you for taking time to keep us updated on Amy's progress. You all have been on my mind and in my thoughts and prayers.

I have faith Amy will do well back home in rehab along with all the continued love and support from her family. Small steps, big strides.      

Enjoy your Thanksgiving together with Amy.

Stay strong and keep the faith and please keep us posted on Amy's progress.

God Bless you all.

Hugs,

Lore

Hi Christie,

I'm glad to hear Amy has made progress and is walking and talking. Amy has been through a lot and it will take time and Amy will require rehab.

I'm reliving my brother's speech and mind issues he experienced after his hemorrhage and trying to determine if his issues are similar to Amy's.

When my brother had his hemorrhage, he could not speak and had no abstract thinking ability. When a person doesn't have abstract thinking ability, nothing makes sense to them. They can't read a book, watch TV or understand a conversation because nothing makes sense. With therapy and time, my brother regained his abstract thinking ability. I don't know if Amy is experieincing the same thing as my brother, meaning no abstract thinking ability, but if she is, it will get better with therapy.

If Amy's mind is affected by a stroke, it depends on the area of the brain that is affected and to what degree. Regardless, therapy will help Amy improve.

Even after my brother could speak, he still didn't know what was going on. He spent several months, several times a week, with a stroke and speech pathologist who got him on track to make sense of words and then simple sentences and I helped him with homework in the evenings to reinforce what he had learned in therapy that day.

Also, I had my brother watch TV shows like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and Who Wants to be a Millionaire.  These shows required him to concentrate and learn spelling, and connections to things he could recall or had knowledge of prior to his hemorrhage. It really helped with getting him to understand and put the pieces together. He has regained his abstract thinking ability.

I do know that everyone is different and no two people, even having a stroke or hemorrhage, will necessarily experience the exact same issues or outcome because it depends on a number of different factors such as the part of the brain that is affected and to what degree.

I have to believe that therapy will help Amy. Therapy is the repetition of words and sentences and responses  and actions over and over again. It is relearning and it becomes hibitual over time. Also, most stroke victims do improve over time. Therapy requires patience and work but in my brother's case, it certainly paid off in the end.

At one point, my brother not only didn't know who I was, he didn't know his lifelong friend. I had to jog is mind by  telling him how he knew me and his friend. I showed him a lot of pictures and explained who the people where and where we were when the picture was taken. Plus, I would say our names over and over and finally, out of the blue, he said my name and his lifeling friends name. That was the beginning of continual improvement.

If I asked him to give me something such as his wallet, he had no idea what I was asking him for. I showed him his wallet and spoke the word and did the same thing over and over again until he finally got it. I also showed him what was in his wallet. I then took him to the store and had him buy food and purchase it because he didn't know what money was or how it worked. It took time and patience but only about 3 months of constant teaching, showing and doing. I saw a great improvement in that time and by six months, he was doing very well. Today, one would be hard pressed to know he had ever had such issues.

I hope this helps to ease your mind to some degree. I believe once Amy gets into a therapy program, she will improve.

I too was sad when I saw my brother for the first time after he hemorrhaged. It was devastating and I thought he would never speak again or ever know me again. At the time, it was hard for me to even imagine therapy would help my brother but in retrospect, it was everything to my brother improving.

Christie, I know how hard this is for you and your family but I also know you are all very loving and supportive.  All that love and support, along with therapy, will help Amy improve.

You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Stay strong and keep the faith and know we are here for you all.

Hugs,

Lore  

Thank you all for your support. Amy mentation is about age 2 right now. I am very. Concerned about that