Progress on the Rehabilitation Floor...

Denise has been on the rehabilitation floor at Broward Health North for the last week and half.  She endures at least 3 hours of rehabilitation a day including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.  

Doctors have identified that she suffered a large stroke that caused a large bleed in her brain.

She has common post stroke issues including extreme weakness of the left side. She has very slight wiggles of her left hand and can push with very little resistance with her left foot.  Doctors are still optimistic and remind us constantly that her left side will take quite some time. 

Mentally, she comprehends what happened and what her current disabilities are which frustrates her a lot.  She doesn't understand why this happened especially after being extremely active and eating ice cream only "once" a week. :)

She talks well and has a good range of motion on her right side. Therapy is teaching her to compensate for her left side by strengthening her right side more and more each day.  During therapy they stand her up (with major help) which allows her to feel gravity and helps her build trunk control.

Denise says this is the hardest thing she has ever had to do.  She has weak days where she feels it is impossible and others where she is encouraged by everyone's support.  

She is currently in room 414 at Broward Health North if anyone would like to visit. Denise smiles at EVERY message and marvels at the support from around the world. 

Our current prayer requests:
       1. We pray that God restores Denise's left side as soon as possible.
       2. We pray that God gives Denise a sense of peace and willpower to push through the difficult times.
       3. We pray that God allows her to stay on the rehabilitation floor as long as possible.  Insurance limits length of stay and we are praying that she can stay to their maximum limit.

I asked Mom what her favorite Bible verse was and she said "Lord Help Me!" and "Get Me Out of Here!"  She clearly still has a great sense of humor.

"...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." 
Isaiah 40:31

She got a HAIRCUT!!! Shortest it has been since 1981 when she went to college. 

Rehabilitation begins...

Denise has been off the vent for 2 days! Today was her first day sitting in a chair. Hallelujah!

She still has no movement on the left side but moves the right side pretty freely.

Yesterday, she was mouthing words and today she is somewhat grunting. The staff thinks she should start talking within the next few days!

She is going through intense occupational and physical therapy every day. Everything is extremely weak -- most importantly her neck. She needs to strengthen her neck muscles and hold it freely. The rest of her body will follow.

THE BEST NEWS OF THE DAY: She should be transferred to the neurological step down unit at Broward Health North (BHN) in the next few days!!!! Which indicates she is stable enough to leave the ICU and once she is transferred everyone can start visiting!  {I will let everyone know when that time comes for open visitation :)}

Denise will most likely be in the neurological step down unit for a week or two and then go to the inpatient rehabilitation unit at BHN. 

Once she can walk we will take her down to the University of Miami to see their hematologists to balance the blood clots and bleeding issue. This will be an outpatient experience - she will not be admitted.

She still has clots in both arms but the swelling has significantly reduced! She is on a half dose of lovenox (blood thinner) right now that is acting as more of a blood clot preventer than actual thinner with the dose being so small.  They are gradually increasing the blood thinner while closely monitoring the brain bleed with CT Scans to make sure it does not start bleeding again.

Prayer requests: 
1. that Denise does not produce additional blood clots and that her current clots do not move
2. that she would remain patient and not too frustrated during this rebuilding, recovering and rehabbing phase
3. that Denise's left side would start to respond and move just as freely as the right
4. that the doctors at UM will have a solution to her bleeding/blockage/protein S deficiency issue

"From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is Higher than I." Psalm 61:2

Denise sitting with Caroline (daughter).

Denise is off the ventilator!

Written by Kurt Dickie (Denise's Brother):

Hallelujah!!! Denise is successfully off the ventilator! God is surely good! When I arrived at her bedside this morning Denise was wide awake... looking and responding the best since being admitted. A new Respiratory Therapy nurse seemed to have the same determination to extubate her as I'm sure Denise has. The weaning began and she blew away all the perameters and criteria for extubation. At 10am this morning the tube was removed. 

Occupational Therapy arrived 30 minutes later and soon after Denise was sitting (with considerable assistance) on the side of the bed. She was able to raise and lower her right leg as well as manipulate her right arm much more than previously displayed. She worked on holding her head up and turning her neck... huge at this point. PT guy said it is remarkable and very unexpected.... I responded, "well of course, it's Denise!" 

The critical 2 hrs post extubation has now come and gone and she is currently resting with awesome vital signs. I told her not to worry about talking just yet and to speak when she is ready... she is rather non verbal at this point.

Everyone is very encouraged with her leap of progress... no doubt as a result of the intense prayer, support and encouragement from everyone that knows her and even from folks that don't know her. The glory goes to God... through Him anything is possible! Please keep the prayers coming... together we can see her through this. God Bless you all.

Kurt (brother) and Ron (dad) visiting today after her ventilator was removed.