August 23, 2017 10:00 pm
Josh drove over the cliff 2 months ago today (June 23). It feels like it happened a lifetime ago.
The results of Josh's MRI this morning were as expected; Josh has hydrocephalus. That's good because Josh needs the pressure in the ventricles to push out the fluids that are in his frontal lobe. But the hydrocephalus causes behavioral changes. Josh sleeps a lot. He's "groggy" all the time, so he isn't as aware or as responsive. He doesn't talk much. He doesn't know what's going on around him. He frequently points at his lap belt for someone to open it. He's fidgety. He has the neuro shake that yesterday we were expressing gratitude was gone. These are all things that disappear when there is no hydrocephalus.
You're wondering, "So what's the plan?" That was our question too. The doctors have decided that the plan is to do nothing until Monday, at which time they will turn the shunt on again. (It's currently at 8, which is off. They will set it to 7. The higher the number, the less fluid is drained. It was on 5 before..
Mary was okay with the plan, but not okay waiting until Monday. But because she is tired of fighting the people who are supposed to know better, she gave in. But fortunately, Paul's co-worker (Deanna) came to visit and encouraged Mary to ask the doctors her questions. So Mary girded her loins and fresh courage took, and this afternoon she asked the questions she'd discussed with Deanna earlier. In the end, the doctors decided that it was in Josh's best interest to get an MRI on Friday before they leave for the weekend and to reassess the option of opening the drain then. It was a good plan - the one Mary wanted.
One doctor told us today that one of the problems they are having is that Josh doesn't have the typical reactions to serious conditions. For example, the results of the CT scan on Monday were "impressive." "It's not easy to impress Makley and Rubin, but that scan impressed them both." He told us that most patients would have been unresponsive if their cerebrospinal fluid was drained as much as Josh's was. But Josh was responsive. In fact, he tested better that day than he had any day previous. "We can't tell what's happening by looking at him. You are the only one who sees the signs," the doctor said.
Because of the Xanex Josh got for the MRI this morning and the hydrocephalus causing his brain to swell, Josh spent a great deal of his day asleep. He slept through his therapies, so there isn't much else to report.
Josh drove over the cliff 2 months ago today (June 23). It feels like it happened a lifetime ago.
The results of Josh's MRI this morning were as expected; Josh has hydrocephalus. That's good because Josh needs the pressure in the ventricles to push out the fluids that are in his frontal lobe. But the hydrocephalus causes behavioral changes. Josh sleeps a lot. He's "groggy" all the time, so he isn't as aware or as responsive. He doesn't talk much. He doesn't know what's going on around him. He frequently points at his lap belt for someone to open it. He's fidgety. He has the neuro shake that yesterday we were expressing gratitude was gone. These are all things that disappear when there is no hydrocephalus.
You're wondering, "So what's the plan?" That was our question too. The doctors have decided that the plan is to do nothing until Monday, at which time they will turn the shunt on again. (It's currently at 8, which is off. They will set it to 7. The higher the number, the less fluid is drained. It was on 5 before..
Mary was okay with the plan, but not okay waiting until Monday. But because she is tired of fighting the people who are supposed to know better, she gave in. But fortunately, Paul's co-worker (Deanna) came to visit and encouraged Mary to ask the doctors her questions. So Mary girded her loins and fresh courage took, and this afternoon she asked the questions she'd discussed with Deanna earlier. In the end, the doctors decided that it was in Josh's best interest to get an MRI on Friday before they leave for the weekend and to reassess the option of opening the drain then. It was a good plan - the one Mary wanted.
One doctor told us today that one of the problems they are having is that Josh doesn't have the typical reactions to serious conditions. For example, the results of the CT scan on Monday were "impressive." "It's not easy to impress Makley and Rubin, but that scan impressed them both." He told us that most patients would have been unresponsive if their cerebrospinal fluid was drained as much as Josh's was. But Josh was responsive. In fact, he tested better that day than he had any day previous. "We can't tell what's happening by looking at him. You are the only one who sees the signs," the doctor said.
Because of the Xanex Josh got for the MRI this morning and the hydrocephalus causing his brain to swell, Josh spent a great deal of his day asleep. He slept through his therapies, so there isn't much else to report.
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