Let's start by backing up about 6 weeks. I've been having some trouble and pain in my neck, and no I'm not using a cliche, I really had a pain in my neck. I had been doctoring it and going to the chiropractor, and actually last weekend I thought I was on the upswing. I spent Sunday May 31st with Cory, Taylor and Emily in South Dakota. It was a great day, I had very little pain, was actually able to stretch my neck out and enjoy myself. I'm going to rephrase and say It was a wonderful day!! We got home around 7:30 I think and we were trying to decide what to do about supper. Cory brushed the hair away from neck to give me a hug and all I remember is I let out a little squeak sort of and Cory saying "oh I'm sorry I know your neck is soar" and I just dropped. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel my arms, my legs, nothing. Cory laid me on the floor and I remember saying don't leave me. He kept telling me he wasn't, that he was holding my hand, but I couldn't feel it.
I can't imagine how scared he must have been at the time, because I know how scared I was, but he never left my side. The paramedics came and took me to the hospital. They did a CAT scan but found nothing, which had me even more scared. The next step was to send me to Mankato, because they had no neurosurgeon in Fairmont. Never has a word scared me so much, neurosurgeon. That ride to Mankato, in the back of an ambulance, was the longest ever. I was awake the entire time. I recognized every light, turn, curve, and landmark along the way. Slowly there was feeling coming back, primarily on my right side, but I was in no position to complain, feeling was feeling. I can't say I really had any control over my limbs, but I could make them move.
I finally got settled in a room. I don't remember much, just that I had a roommate, who I'm sure was cussing the fact that she was woken up after midnight, and got moved around to make room for me. Once I was settled and all the hustle and bustle calmed downed, I just laid there looking at the ceiling dozing off and on and wondering what in the hell happened. I was terrified and was thinking only the worst possible things. Cory attempted to sleep in a few chairs that were in the room, although I'm sure he got even less sleep than me.
In the morning they took me to do an MRI. At some point, I can't remember if it was before or after the MRI, Shelby came to the hospital. I just remember them both being in the room when I got back, and we waited. When there were finally some results to share Shelby was in the room with me and a surgeon came in. I remember the words spinal injury and I was lucky they were able to do survey within 24 hours of the injury. Shelby called Cory and within minutes he was there and between the two of them they got all the information down.
What had happened was I had a herniated disk that had ruptured and bruise and pinched the spinal cord, which caused the paralysis. The team of surgeons went in, removed the disc, which he said afterwards was extremely bad (really? no shit!) and replaced it with a cadaver bone, a metal plate and four screws. They took me to prep for surgery, and Cory came along and stayed with me until I had to go back, which was about 1:30 or 2:00. Surgery was to last about 2-3 hours, than to recovery. My friend Sara was texting Cory for updates. Sheds ask "is she out yet" and get a "no" response. This went on for quite awhile, far past the 2-3 hours they said it would take (and she can tell the story so much better than I can). Apparently it was after 7:00 before I was taken to recovery and after 9:00 before I got back to the room.
I have the best X-ray pictures of the plate in my neck, freaks me out a little bit. And as most hospital stays go, I was awoken every few hours to make sure I was still alive ( actually to make sure I wasn't getting too much rest and relaxation in this 4 star resort I was trapped in) and they got my lazy butt out of bed and walking the next day, with a walker of course, and this gorgeous pink plastic belt around me so some nurse could hoist me up if needed.
The surgical team had lots of big plans about my recovery, or better yet where I should go to recover, to which I produced tears and fears every time. My ultimate goal was just to get home. And to my relief by Wednesday night I was paroled!! I have home health care and PT and OT coming to my home. It's now Wednesday and I still don't have full feeling back in my hands, arms, feet and legs. My large muscles are working better and I have better control over them. Fine motor skills still need some work. But as I have been reminded many times, by many people, a bruise does not heal in a few days, it takes several weeks. And considering a week ago I couldn't feel anything, and that Saturday and Sunday night Cory and I walked to Dairy Freeze, I've come a long way baby.
I've got a road ahead of me, but I have good friends and people in my life to help me remember to be thankful for all I do have. I would not have made it this far without any of them. Thank you to Sara for taking care of things at home and work, getting a hold of Shelby, and being a rock for Cory. Thank you Shelby for dropping everything and being there for your mom, and to Chase for being there for you. Jayne, Kim, Michelle, Shari thank you for coming to visit at the hospital and Kim, Roxy, Niss and Kelli for coming to the house. Thank you Bonnie for coming to visit and bringing food and flowers, that was so sweet! Thanks to my PLC group, Segar and Johnson, Ellen and Bob and Kay for the flowers at the hospital, what nice surprises!! Thank you Jill for kicking my butt all the way from Colorado when I needed it, and to Sara for kicking it right here in person and for taking me to school when I probably should have just stayed home. Patti and Roxy, thanks for all the ribbing about my walker (am ecstatic to say I no longer need it) and laughing at the 16 Candles references (you and Sara can work on my special sweatshirt!) Thank you to all my friends, colleagues and students (and Brent & Jordan far from me) who called, texted and emailed well wishes. You have no idea the power of your good thoughts!
Most of all, thank you to Cory for being by my side, strong when I needed you to be, honest and caring, a shoulder to cry on, an arm to hold onto to, a hand to hold. You haven't let me fall, you've reminded me I can be strong when I have to be, independent when I need to be, and when I have wanted to feel sorry for myself, you've reminded me I have more to be thankful for than sorry for. Words cannot thank you enough.
While this is not how I envisioned my summer starting, it has realigned my goals. I will continue to blog so that (a) I can easily update the masses on the recovery road and (b) to work on my fine motor skills. Typing has always been an easy thing for me. I started this thing on Saturday. 5 days to finish, not too bad. Don't think I'll be doing any 97 wpm tests anytime soon.
I finally got settled in a room. I don't remember much, just that I had a roommate, who I'm sure was cussing the fact that she was woken up after midnight, and got moved around to make room for me. Once I was settled and all the hustle and bustle calmed downed, I just laid there looking at the ceiling dozing off and on and wondering what in the hell happened. I was terrified and was thinking only the worst possible things. Cory attempted to sleep in a few chairs that were in the room, although I'm sure he got even less sleep than me.
In the morning they took me to do an MRI. At some point, I can't remember if it was before or after the MRI, Shelby came to the hospital. I just remember them both being in the room when I got back, and we waited. When there were finally some results to share Shelby was in the room with me and a surgeon came in. I remember the words spinal injury and I was lucky they were able to do survey within 24 hours of the injury. Shelby called Cory and within minutes he was there and between the two of them they got all the information down.
What had happened was I had a herniated disk that had ruptured and bruise and pinched the spinal cord, which caused the paralysis. The team of surgeons went in, removed the disc, which he said afterwards was extremely bad (really? no shit!) and replaced it with a cadaver bone, a metal plate and four screws. They took me to prep for surgery, and Cory came along and stayed with me until I had to go back, which was about 1:30 or 2:00. Surgery was to last about 2-3 hours, than to recovery. My friend Sara was texting Cory for updates. Sheds ask "is she out yet" and get a "no" response. This went on for quite awhile, far past the 2-3 hours they said it would take (and she can tell the story so much better than I can). Apparently it was after 7:00 before I was taken to recovery and after 9:00 before I got back to the room.
I have the best X-ray pictures of the plate in my neck, freaks me out a little bit. And as most hospital stays go, I was awoken every few hours to make sure I was still alive ( actually to make sure I wasn't getting too much rest and relaxation in this 4 star resort I was trapped in) and they got my lazy butt out of bed and walking the next day, with a walker of course, and this gorgeous pink plastic belt around me so some nurse could hoist me up if needed.
The surgical team had lots of big plans about my recovery, or better yet where I should go to recover, to which I produced tears and fears every time. My ultimate goal was just to get home. And to my relief by Wednesday night I was paroled!! I have home health care and PT and OT coming to my home. It's now Wednesday and I still don't have full feeling back in my hands, arms, feet and legs. My large muscles are working better and I have better control over them. Fine motor skills still need some work. But as I have been reminded many times, by many people, a bruise does not heal in a few days, it takes several weeks. And considering a week ago I couldn't feel anything, and that Saturday and Sunday night Cory and I walked to Dairy Freeze, I've come a long way baby.
I've got a road ahead of me, but I have good friends and people in my life to help me remember to be thankful for all I do have. I would not have made it this far without any of them. Thank you to Sara for taking care of things at home and work, getting a hold of Shelby, and being a rock for Cory. Thank you Shelby for dropping everything and being there for your mom, and to Chase for being there for you. Jayne, Kim, Michelle, Shari thank you for coming to visit at the hospital and Kim, Roxy, Niss and Kelli for coming to the house. Thank you Bonnie for coming to visit and bringing food and flowers, that was so sweet! Thanks to my PLC group, Segar and Johnson, Ellen and Bob and Kay for the flowers at the hospital, what nice surprises!! Thank you Jill for kicking my butt all the way from Colorado when I needed it, and to Sara for kicking it right here in person and for taking me to school when I probably should have just stayed home. Patti and Roxy, thanks for all the ribbing about my walker (am ecstatic to say I no longer need it) and laughing at the 16 Candles references (you and Sara can work on my special sweatshirt!) Thank you to all my friends, colleagues and students (and Brent & Jordan far from me) who called, texted and emailed well wishes. You have no idea the power of your good thoughts!
Most of all, thank you to Cory for being by my side, strong when I needed you to be, honest and caring, a shoulder to cry on, an arm to hold onto to, a hand to hold. You haven't let me fall, you've reminded me I can be strong when I have to be, independent when I need to be, and when I have wanted to feel sorry for myself, you've reminded me I have more to be thankful for than sorry for. Words cannot thank you enough.
While this is not how I envisioned my summer starting, it has realigned my goals. I will continue to blog so that (a) I can easily update the masses on the recovery road and (b) to work on my fine motor skills. Typing has always been an easy thing for me. I started this thing on Saturday. 5 days to finish, not too bad. Don't think I'll be doing any 97 wpm tests anytime soon.
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