Hello, friends and family. Things are going well from AMC, but once again our skeleton crew has been plagued with technical difficulties. It would be helpful for us if we were more technically savvy, but that's not the case. So we do what we can. Part of our technical problems were not even ours, but we spent a long time trying to figure things out only to find out the problem was actually the internal system here at AMC. At any rate, we tried really hard to get a blog on for October 25th, as it was our precious first born's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to SCOTT. We miss you and have cherished your trips, as we do for Todd, Dana, Stacy and Robb's. We have been so lucky and blessed to have our wonderful family be so dedicated to Joe's recovery, my sister included. We've had several family birthdays pass by as we have been here recovering and now that our first born son has just had his birthday (he is in Louisville at this time and headed to Las Vegas next week), it is time for our first born grandson, Turner Makana Sorge, to have his 6th birthday. That will be on Nov. 16. We are hoping to, possibly, at least be out of the hospital by then. But back to real time, belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO SCOTT !! Love from us here at Albany Med. And now, the medical journal. Surgery to release the ulnar nerves in both arms and the median release on the left went very well. It was the 13th surgery on the 9th week date from the accident and I think we might be done with surgery, at least for now. The plastic surgeons also took down and redressed all of the other wounds from the plastic surgery last week, so both lower legs and both thighs and both upper arms and elbows, as well as the left wrist and hand, are all heavily bandaged. He looks like what he is ... an accident victim!! However, the good news is that after all of the fol de rol and nonsense and foot dragging, the day after the surgery, he had already noticed some increase in the sensation in the hands and fingers. We are thrilled and relieved. He knows that it will continue to take a long time and lots of rehab to get strength and the use of the hands back, but he is very encouraged and very glad that we kept after the doctors to get something done. So far, the result has been well worth the effort. Out for now. More later. Most importantly, Joe came through the surgery just great and is now resting comfortably. Love, Cindi
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
DAY 62 - OCTOBER 23
Hi, everyone! It has been a long time since I have blogged, but I'm going to see if I can catch up. There seems to never be a dull moment here at Albany Med. I had planned to go back to last week, to the day of the unwiring, which was a great day, but things have been moving very fast in another direction, so I will try to catch up and go back for details at another time, if at all possible. It's hard to keep the brain cells working.
So, I'm going to skip right to the EMG that Joe had on Wednesday. Yes, very, very painful and miserable but Joe and I have been trying to convey to everyone who would listen, and some who wouldn't listen, that his last 2 1/2 to 3 fingers on both hands have been numb since the accident. It was the very first thing he began to complain about when he first became aware that he was alive and continued to tell every single team about it for about 7 - 8 weeks now. We have talked to the physical and occupational therapist about it and Hallelujah!!, finally someone began to pay attention and then everyone got in on the bandwagon. So, the results of the EMG showed that he had bilateral ulnar nerve damage, resulting in essentially carpal tunnel injury in both hands and median nerve damage on the left side. Everyone has been asking him how he thinks this might have happened. We cannot exactly figure out why we have to come up with a scenario for them - the man was run over and dragged by a tractor, for God's sake. Can't anyone figure out how these nerves might have been injured? Anyway, after the test, we were told we just had to wait for someone to read the results of the test and then they would come up with a plan - either surgery or occupational therapy or a combination of both. So, we waited and waited, and Joe vented to everyone wearing a white coat, or anyone even remotely looking like a medical person about getting the results and how long we had already waited for some kind of any answer and how his left arm and hand, in particular, just continued to get worse and weaker. This was getting to be the big concern, because now we are starting to think about serious physical therapy and Joe will need strength in his arms and hands to help negotiate the wheelchair until he is able to bear weight and start to learn to walk again. Well, he finally got to Dr. Shallett, a plastic surgery resident, whom we call Gentle Ben, because his name is Ben and he is gentle and sweet. Gentle Ben was in checking on the skin grafting that was just done and was horrified to hear PoPo's Tale of the Hands over the last 7 or 8 weeks and wanted to know who was following the case. Well, Joe said No One, scaring Ben even more, who then said that from now on, Plastics would be covering him and that by Monday, we would have an answer. Sure enough, Monday, late, Dr. Koumanis, the plastic surgeon who has done all of Joe's plastic surgery arrived, did an exam, asked some questions and explained to us, very simply, what has happened and why. After ruling out the other possibilities, he said that very often, when the body as had a severe trauma, it will swell excessively (which was certainly the case - when we first saw Joe, he was at least twice his size with the swelling - the kids said if they did not know it was their father, they would not have recognized him - even his face and head were twice their size), thereby entrapping some of the nerves that travel through tunnels, like the ulnar nerve travelling through the cubital tunnel, due to the swelling. He explained that if surgery was necessary, he would have 2 small incisions at the wrists, and an incision under the left elbow and the nerves would be freed up a bit and then hopefully some relief.. As it has turned out, it was decided that since the nerves were getting worse and not better, that surgery was indicated. Thus, tomorrow, Joe will head back for what we think is his 13th surgery to hopefully free up the nerves. We are thrilled to finally have some answers about this injury that has been plaguing him for 9 weeks. So, once again, please keep Joe in your prayers. We know that it will be a very long rehab, but we have high hopes. He feels very encouraged and I would have hounded everyone before I would have let him leave the hospital without getting an answer about the Hands!! It's been another Big Toe thing, which, by the way, is doing O.K. It is still sore, swollen and ugly - but it has not developed any infection. We are happy!!
Thank you again for all of your good wishes and prayers. Love, Cindi
So, I'm going to skip right to the EMG that Joe had on Wednesday. Yes, very, very painful and miserable but Joe and I have been trying to convey to everyone who would listen, and some who wouldn't listen, that his last 2 1/2 to 3 fingers on both hands have been numb since the accident. It was the very first thing he began to complain about when he first became aware that he was alive and continued to tell every single team about it for about 7 - 8 weeks now. We have talked to the physical and occupational therapist about it and Hallelujah!!, finally someone began to pay attention and then everyone got in on the bandwagon. So, the results of the EMG showed that he had bilateral ulnar nerve damage, resulting in essentially carpal tunnel injury in both hands and median nerve damage on the left side. Everyone has been asking him how he thinks this might have happened. We cannot exactly figure out why we have to come up with a scenario for them - the man was run over and dragged by a tractor, for God's sake. Can't anyone figure out how these nerves might have been injured? Anyway, after the test, we were told we just had to wait for someone to read the results of the test and then they would come up with a plan - either surgery or occupational therapy or a combination of both. So, we waited and waited, and Joe vented to everyone wearing a white coat, or anyone even remotely looking like a medical person about getting the results and how long we had already waited for some kind of any answer and how his left arm and hand, in particular, just continued to get worse and weaker. This was getting to be the big concern, because now we are starting to think about serious physical therapy and Joe will need strength in his arms and hands to help negotiate the wheelchair until he is able to bear weight and start to learn to walk again. Well, he finally got to Dr. Shallett, a plastic surgery resident, whom we call Gentle Ben, because his name is Ben and he is gentle and sweet. Gentle Ben was in checking on the skin grafting that was just done and was horrified to hear PoPo's Tale of the Hands over the last 7 or 8 weeks and wanted to know who was following the case. Well, Joe said No One, scaring Ben even more, who then said that from now on, Plastics would be covering him and that by Monday, we would have an answer. Sure enough, Monday, late, Dr. Koumanis, the plastic surgeon who has done all of Joe's plastic surgery arrived, did an exam, asked some questions and explained to us, very simply, what has happened and why. After ruling out the other possibilities, he said that very often, when the body as had a severe trauma, it will swell excessively (which was certainly the case - when we first saw Joe, he was at least twice his size with the swelling - the kids said if they did not know it was their father, they would not have recognized him - even his face and head were twice their size), thereby entrapping some of the nerves that travel through tunnels, like the ulnar nerve travelling through the cubital tunnel, due to the swelling. He explained that if surgery was necessary, he would have 2 small incisions at the wrists, and an incision under the left elbow and the nerves would be freed up a bit and then hopefully some relief.. As it has turned out, it was decided that since the nerves were getting worse and not better, that surgery was indicated. Thus, tomorrow, Joe will head back for what we think is his 13th surgery to hopefully free up the nerves. We are thrilled to finally have some answers about this injury that has been plaguing him for 9 weeks. So, once again, please keep Joe in your prayers. We know that it will be a very long rehab, but we have high hopes. He feels very encouraged and I would have hounded everyone before I would have let him leave the hospital without getting an answer about the Hands!! It's been another Big Toe thing, which, by the way, is doing O.K. It is still sore, swollen and ugly - but it has not developed any infection. We are happy!!
Thank you again for all of your good wishes and prayers. Love, Cindi
Monday, October 22, 2007
We are still here!
Hi All, sorry we have been out of touch. Did you all think that my dad got up and discharged himself from Albany Medical Center? Not yet, but he is getting a little squirmy at times. We have had computer troubles so bear with us.
My dad finally had his plastic surgery on friday. They took skin from his left thigh and used it on his right thigh and both lower legs. The plastic surgeons are engouraged about how things went. Everything will remain bandaged until wednesday when the doctors will uncover the wounds and see how things look. In the mean time my dad is taking a little vacation from all of his leg exercises (per the doctors orders) and letting the skin grafts heal. They did not have to do any muscle grafting on my dads legs. Everybody keep your fingers crossed that the skin grafts look good on wednesday.
The numbness in his fingers (that he has been feeling since almost right after his accident) is still present and getting worse. He is losing a lot of strength in his left hand and some in his right. We are finally getting some questions answered about that. My dad had a painful EMG which he compared to Bruce Willis getting electrical cables put on him and then having a wet sponge thrown at him. I think the man has been watching to many action movies. In all honesty it was a long and painful procedure that did involve eletrical currents. The doctors will decide on thursday or friday if they will need to do another surgery to correct the nerve damage or if they will try therapy first and maybe surgery in the future.
My dad is very, very happy to have all of the hardware out of his mouth. Dr. D. (the ENT surgeon) is pretty happy with the way my dad's jaw is looking considering how long he had to wait to try to fix it. His jaw is still sore but he is doing his exercises and can open it a little wider and it is getting easier to eat cheezits and lots of other foods. His feeding tube is out and he is now able to try to eat what he wants and is definately filling out a little more. He is really starting to look and act more like his old self.
He has about 6 more days left of the antibiotics he is taking to treat the staph infection.
My mom has a lot more detail on all of the above that she will blog when she can. The coming week will be busy and lots of doctors will be in so my mom (aka Dr. Ferraro) will probably be at the hospital and not on the computer.
However, we still need the strength and positive energy of everyone around us. So, please stay with us on this unbelievable journey. My dad is doing a remarkable job so far but we all know the road ahead is long and we have no doubt that my dad is going to forge ahead stronger than ever. All of your thoughts and wishes continue to carry us and my dad forward, so thank you all.
Dana
My dad finally had his plastic surgery on friday. They took skin from his left thigh and used it on his right thigh and both lower legs. The plastic surgeons are engouraged about how things went. Everything will remain bandaged until wednesday when the doctors will uncover the wounds and see how things look. In the mean time my dad is taking a little vacation from all of his leg exercises (per the doctors orders) and letting the skin grafts heal. They did not have to do any muscle grafting on my dads legs. Everybody keep your fingers crossed that the skin grafts look good on wednesday.
The numbness in his fingers (that he has been feeling since almost right after his accident) is still present and getting worse. He is losing a lot of strength in his left hand and some in his right. We are finally getting some questions answered about that. My dad had a painful EMG which he compared to Bruce Willis getting electrical cables put on him and then having a wet sponge thrown at him. I think the man has been watching to many action movies. In all honesty it was a long and painful procedure that did involve eletrical currents. The doctors will decide on thursday or friday if they will need to do another surgery to correct the nerve damage or if they will try therapy first and maybe surgery in the future.
My dad is very, very happy to have all of the hardware out of his mouth. Dr. D. (the ENT surgeon) is pretty happy with the way my dad's jaw is looking considering how long he had to wait to try to fix it. His jaw is still sore but he is doing his exercises and can open it a little wider and it is getting easier to eat cheezits and lots of other foods. His feeding tube is out and he is now able to try to eat what he wants and is definately filling out a little more. He is really starting to look and act more like his old self.
He has about 6 more days left of the antibiotics he is taking to treat the staph infection.
My mom has a lot more detail on all of the above that she will blog when she can. The coming week will be busy and lots of doctors will be in so my mom (aka Dr. Ferraro) will probably be at the hospital and not on the computer.
However, we still need the strength and positive energy of everyone around us. So, please stay with us on this unbelievable journey. My dad is doing a remarkable job so far but we all know the road ahead is long and we have no doubt that my dad is going to forge ahead stronger than ever. All of your thoughts and wishes continue to carry us and my dad forward, so thank you all.
Dana
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