Enjoying Life Again

Tolan and Jodi beginning to really enjoy life again! Double click on the picture and see the enlarged version. This is the most natural smile Jodi has had since May 13, the day of the first surgery. If things keep going like this then tomorrow really ought to be the day!

Climbing Stairs & Eating Sitting Up

Jodi climbing steps for the first time in over a month...weak leg muscles, but no huge headache! This was a great accomplishment!

Jodi sitting on the couch to eat, instead of from her bed. This is also a first since coming to the hospital.

Fen (nurse from Taiwan) who has taken superb care of Jodi over the past several days.

Eric, the food man, he's constantly trying to find Jodi something she likes to eat. He's always pleasant with a big smile on his face.

Hospital Stay - Day 33 - Real Steps - Real Progress

Jodi had a good's night's rest. She's eaten quite a bit and continues to feel hungry between meals. She's taken a shower (sitting down), by herself, including washing her hair. Tolan dried and combed it.

With Tolan on one arm and me on the other, Jodi has made it around the big loop of nurses stations on the floor from NACU to IMCU and back two different times. She's also sat up on the couch for about 45 minutes.

Right now she is resting from all that exertion, but she has done very well. She's rating her headache at a '4' on a 10 point scale. Of course, that's with the aid of the Loritab, but that's always been the case.

All-in-all, she is doing very well. Could tomorrow be the day she is doing well enough to actually go home? If this progress continues it could very well be!

Hospital Stay - Day 32 - Hungry

Jodi's progress today has been a little slower than the last two days, but she has been up twice for short periods. She'll try to do more as the day progresses.

The best sign of continued recovery is that her appetite continues to improve. She woke up feeling hungry and so far today has had some Honey Nut Cheerios, Cream 'o Wheat, Salad (one that tasted like it came from the outside with olives, baby tomatos, shedded turkey, cucumbers, lettuce, and salad dressing), and some home-made bread with butter. All of it tasted good to her. That's meaningful, because one of the effects of all of this have been that her taste buds haven't really been working and things haven't really tasted very good in the past. She has been trying to eat just because she knows she needs to get her digestive system back up and functioning, but today the food has actually tasted pretty good.

We had a long talk with Dr. Sara Gardner (one of Dr. Couldwell's team) today and she indicated that Jodi can go home when she is healthy enough and strong enough to function to a certain degree on her own, including being able to get up and walk on her own. So far she's not there yet, but she'll just keep working at it until she is.

Jodi wants to thank a "far away" friend who came to visit and Grandma Brown for taking such good care of the kids. She also wants to wish Grandpa Brown a Happy Birthday. She hopes Tolan or someone will pass this along to him, since she's not sure he'll be checking the blog.

Finishing Up Day 31 - More Steps Forward

This afternoon and tonight Jodi has continued to do well. She's eaten more and kept it down. She's been up more and been able to stay on top of the head pain. She's spent more time feeling relatively good than in a long time.

She asked her Mom to treat her like she was at a salon (see picture below). She wanted to relax somewhere besides the bed ( see picture below). She appreciated the delivery of more flowers and gifts, including homemade bread. She enjoyed more visits from neighbors and calls from family and friends. She, as always, enjoyed the comments on the blog and so appreciates the continued prayers and fasting of so many, including the fasting by those for whom this is a new experience.

All-in-all, it has been the best day in quite awhile. Dr. Couldwell came by tonight and told Jodi that she could go home as soon as she felt good enough and strong enough to do so. He thinks the headache problem will correct itself as she is up and about more and more.

Just a moment ago Jodi said, "I'm hungry! What is there to eat!" Wow! Her appetite is coming back. That's a good sign too!

So, we'll see how tomorrow goes and take things from there.

Tolan said he had a great time at Lagoon today. The kids had a ball. Tolan got a little nauseated going with Trenden on all the rides...not an unusal price to pay for a wonderful day with your kids. Right now Jodi is talking to Casen about how much fun he had at the amusement park today.

It looks like it was a good day for the whole family. Hopefully, it won't be long before they're having great days together.

The University of Utah Hospital "Salon". Jodi having her eyebrows plucked. Ummm! I guess this helped her to feel better. She acted like it at least.

Jodi resting on the couch by the window. It's been a long time since she's done this. It felt great to just rest somewhere besides in her bed.

Hospital Stay - Day 31 - Baby Steps

After a good beginning yesterday and then a real tough day in the afternoon and early evening, followed by some progress right at the end of the day, Jodi had a pretty good night and has done quite well today.

She's had a few bites of scrambed eggs and some juice and Ensure for breakfast. She's been able to incline her bed to 30 degrees and handle it. She has been up and to the bathroom, with help, but she did it. She also went for a real walk, with help again, but it was important for her to do. I know you've heard this before and seen pictures before, but all of those were over a week ago and before this last surgery. She's had to start at the beginning and do it all over again. So today, thus far, is a day of noticable progress...maybe they are "baby steps", but they are real and are promising.

Now we are praying they continue without the pattern of the past and a drop back down later. We hope she just keeps climbing upward from here. Whatever it takes she will do...as much with your help, encouragement and support as with her own natural optimism and determination.

Oh, the doctors are still trying to determine why her headaches continue. They may do an MRI today to see if the area where she had her last lumbar drain is leaking under the skin. If so, they may do another "blood patch" to try and seal it. In the meantime, the plan is for her to keep stretching herself with enough activity to move forward without going too far, too fast, and creating a problem.

In any case, things right now are looking up.

Also, Tolan is at Lagoon (an amusement park) with the kids today. Since they missed out on their planned trip to Disneyland and Hawaii, he is treating them to some fun.

Jodi wants to thank everyone again for their prayers of support. She's been hearing from childhood friends and high school friends she hasn't talked to in years and that has really been a blessing to her.

Jodi taking the "baby steps" needed to get back to something closer to normal.

Jodi resting after those "baby steps" before she is wheeled back to her room.

Jodi appreciated a visit today from her Grandma and Grandpa Ketchum.

Prayers Needed & Prayers Answered

Right after I posted the last update Jodi took a dive with a spiraling headache and churning nausea. For hours she didn't move. She didn't talk. For part of that time she was in a medication induced sleep. When she was awake she was absolutely misable.

Finally, about two hours ago, she asked Tolan and me if she could have another blessing. In part, the blessing said that the Lord was hearing the prayers of the hundreds who were appealing to Heaven on her behalf. She really needed those prayers. The blessing also said that there were those who had been "assigned" to attend to her needs. It felt like those words referred to caring people on both sides of the veil.

Immediately following the blessing Jodi perked up. Two couples then appeared at the door to her room. They brought with them light and life, encouragement and hope, kindness and caring. The downward fall was reversed. The misery was curtailed. Prayers were answered. We then read all the latest comments on the blog. Oh, yes, those "assigned" on both sides of the veil had once more come with healing balm from on high.

And so the journey continues with steps upward, falls downward, and angel-assisted climbs upward again!

You are those angels! You are the answers to our prayers! May the God of Heaven bless you the way you have blessed Jodi and each of us!

Right now the nurse is taking out Jodi's old IV's and putting in new ones. Each is only good for about a week. They aren't actually being used anymore, but are there just in case. After this Jodi hopes to get some much needed rest.

Jodi wants to express her deep appreciation to Grandma Brown for taking care of the kids this week, which has allowed Tolan and Jodi's Mom to be with Jodi in the hospital.

Thanks, too, for those who have shared links to websites with inspiring stories, inspiring music, and needed advice.

Thanks again, to those who have never met Jodi, but who join with family and friends in providing encouragement and offering prayers. You, too, have been an inspiration to us.

Hospital Stay - Day 30 - More Small Steps

Jodi had a restful night's sleep and felt quite good this morning. While the headaches continue and she has to be careful not to try and do too much, she is trying to push the limits as best she can in hopes of accelerating her recovery. She has gotten up to go to the bathroom again. That's good.

She also took a bath for the first time in 30 days. Sherri had to help hold her head in the right place to keep the headache down, but Jodi loved being immersed in the warm water and really getting clean. The hardest part was actually the "ride" in a chair to and from the room where the bathtub was located. She was sitting up at an angle that spiked her headache, but as she layed back down it was tempered again. Of course, she is still on pain medication (Valium), but is taking it in pill form rather than through an IV. That's good too, because she'll need to be able to handle medications in a pill form when she returns home and it's important for her system to be able to handle it. Jodi has been off the IV completely since last night.

She's also testing the limits on what her stomach can handle without getting sick. She is still on the nausea medicine, but some things sit better on her stomach than other things. We've learned that Ensure works, as does Jamba Juice, grape juice and other juices. Solids are tougher for her to take. She's had small pieces of cheese, French bread, turkey, and mashed potatoes, but these can't be tolerated as well and so she'll take just a bite or two.

Oh, we forgot to tell you that she got her 2nd round of staples out yesterday afternoon. It only hurt when they took out the ones that had gone through her ear. Anyway, her double incision area is looking much better and isn't nearly as swollen as it once was. You can see a picture below.

Jodi enjoyed talking to her sister, Kristi, a few moments ago on the phone and wishing her a Happy Birthday. She's been enjoying the soft refrains of music in the background, complements of another angel who has reached out to her.

She's also looking forward to Tolan coming to the hospital. He had important meetings all day at O. C. Tanner and won't be able to be here until after 5:00 p.m. She's missed him. Everything is better when Tolan is here.

Right now she is resting...the jaunt to the bathroom and taking the bath tuckered her out. Maybe Tolan will be here when she awakens. That would be good too!

Jodi getting situated in a new kind of "wheel chair" that is actually one of the nurse's office chairs.

Wheeling into the bath/shower room...pretty fancy mode of transportation, don't you think?

The warm bath is awaiting, but it's quite the operation just to get there and back!

Jodi's newly washed hair and her double-cut, double-stapled incision...getting better!

Small Signs of Progress

When there are a long series of experiences that build hope and then squash it again and this happens over and over there is a tendency to look for small signs of progress, reasons to keep hoping, reasons to keep trying, reasons not to give in to discouragement or fear or pain or suffering. Today was such a day!

This afternoon and this evening there were some of those "small signs of progress." The first was when Tolan arrived from work. Jodi responded immediatley to his presence. See the picture below. Tolan is, as most of you know, a little bit crazy. He thought Jodi would be better off if he jumped onto the hospital bed to keep her company. He did! She said, "Wait! Wait! WAIT!!! You are on my IV's!" That got fixed and then she said, "Wait! Wait! WAIT!!! You are squishing me!" That got fixed then she said, "That's good!" That is when I snapped the picture.

The next was Jodi asking Tolan and me (her Dad) for another blessing. It was beautiful and encouraging. Tolan was the mouthpiece and spoke under inspiration.

The next was Jodi saying she was hungry...even though she wanted to be very cautious given all the nausea and vomiting of the past several days. She's now had two cans of Ensure, some fresh raspberries, some grape juice, some apple sauce, some water, and some Rachel's Exotic Cherry and Black Currant yogurt. Not a lot, but she's kept it all down. She has had enough to drink that they are going to take her off of the IV, because they think she is hydrating herself sufficiently.

The next was the willingness to try to go to the bathroom...that is to get up out of bed and walk (for the first time in a week). She did. It hurt her head and she was a little dizzy, but she did it and she was glad she did.

The next was when Jodi wanted me to read the comments that had been posted to the blog since yesterday. I read them all to her...dozens...trying as best I could to imagine the way the authors might have wanted to say the words themselves if they had been standing next to Jodi. She smiled. She laughed. She cried good tears. Then she said, "This is always the best part of my day...hearing the comments from the blog! I love these people, even the ones I don't know! It's all so amazing!"

The next was Jodi saying, "I think I need to rest. I need to sleep." That's what she has been doing for several hours now...peaceful sleep...not like the past several days where the expression on her face was one of pain...but rather a look of peaceful, quiet, comfortable sleep. We pray she enjoys that type of sleep through the night.

So yes, with the many ups and downs, we look for small signs of progress and they are there. We are grateful! We continue to be grateful that each of you have been, for so long, part of those signs of progress. You see, it is true. Hearing what you say is the favorite part of each day! Thank you again...from Jodi, from Tolan, from all of us!

Tolan keeping Jodi company and Jodi loving it!

Hospital Stay - Day 29 - Headaches, Nausea, Weakness

Right after I posted the update last night, Jodi had a vomiting spell. She lost everything that she had been able to eat and drink yesterday, which wasn't much in the first place. She has gone a week now with very little nourishment. She's basically surviving on the IV. She was in pretty rough shape late last night, so Sherri stayed with her all night. Right now, Sherri is asleep on the couch in Jodi's room.

Today, the headaches continue unabated. The nausea is also continuing. She is very weak and only moves when she has to go to the bathroom and then she's not going to the bathroom. She either uses a bed pan or a portable potty placed next to her bed. It's hard in either case, because the headaches are so strong, even though they aren't the spinal headaches, they are still punishing in their effect. She is still receiving valium for the headaches.

She is having spasms in her neck. We're alternating heat and ice in hopes of reducing those spasms.

They've taken her off of the three strong anti-biotics as of 8:00 a.m. this morning. The anti-biotics were contributing to the nausea. We're hopeful there will be a gradual improvement now in that arena. She continues to receive nausea medicine, but Jodi whispers that she is "gun shy" and hesitant to try much of anything, because she hasn't been able to keep anything down.

It seems that the cumulative effect of three surgeries in such a short time have taken their toll. The feeling currently is that these after-effects should begin to lessen today or tomorrow.

Jodi is very weak and literally only whispers when she speaks at all.

The "bouncing back" from all of this is a longer and more difficult process than we had anticipated or hoped. We're still expecting improvements today and tomorrow. We'll keep you posted.