>From Mal's mother, posted here with approval by Mal (hi Mal!). I am not posting this on Facebook . just here. -- Em
Hi everyone, I know it's been awhile since an update. I hit the wall with fatigue last week. Any energy I had I used to be there for Mallory. Several people have asked where the updates were. It is not that I was snubbing all the wonderful family, coworkers, friends and everyone who have been so caring and wonderful and have helped pulled us through this ordeal. I just struggled through the days and collapsed when I got home. I think a lot of it was that now that the worst is over my body just revolted from the weeks of not enough sleep and the intense stress after sitting and just watching the monitors and waiting, not knowing how Mal would wake up. Yesterday, for the first time in over a week I felt more like a normal human being. The big news is that we are probably moving to the next step in rehab, to a post acute setting. This will give more hours and more intense rehab. Unfortunately, it will not be in Houston. Mallory's case manager at Tirr set us up with a place that isn't but a few miles from where we are and we could stay in Houston. They thought insurance would cover this rehab facility. However, after they did their evaluation, accepted Mal, I visited there, got the list of items she would need, toured it, took pictures so Mal wouldn't be so nervous about going to a new place, I got a call from the case manager as I was walking out the door. Insurance wouldn't cover the place. Mal would have had her own room there. It explained why I only saw about 8-10 patients there when they have a capacity for 24. They are not accepting most insurances and if they don't accept the insurance, you just can't afford these places. They have a big employee load. Supposedly, insurance will cover at this next place that is in Conroe, TX. It is 50 miles north of Houston. I will try to find a place there to stay. They will help with that. That is too much commuting back and forth. We are waiting on insurance approval. The place, called Touchstone has accepted her. You just can't be very medically impaired since they are not a hospital setting but a rehab place. I tried to see if they had a place in Baton Rouge since our family is there. No luck. This is very specialized rehab, only brain trauma and stroke victims. The only good thing is we will stay in the Texas system. Texas has a great rehab system. When insurance runs out and she is within 2-3 months of going back to work they have money to train her to go back to work. Getting a driver's license again is a big deal. Though they don't report brain trauma to the DMV, if you get in any wreck, it is automatically your fault no matter what happens because you are brain damaged, so you must retake your driving test again. They have simulators to practice on and the doctor OK's when you are OK to apply for a new license. But that won't happen at this place. Mal continues to improve. But now that she is awake and more aware and remembering more, she is on an emotional roller coaster ride. She is trying very hard to be grateful and feeling fortunate to be alive and improving. In some ways that is easy being here because there are so many people worst off than you, but there are times she just gets so tired of the situation, wants to be back at work, in her apartment, back to her own independent life. It is rough to have to be always supervised and restricted to where and with whom you can go even in the hospital. Then she feels bad for feeling upset. If she breaks down when she visits with you just validate that of course she has a right to get upset. If we get into this place she may have a roommate and that is getting old, Both roommates have been very nice and you root for each other as you improve, but just having a roommate restricts you life. Mal has found that most times, her little gym she started out her PT and OT in, is empty so she goes into there to talk and get some privacy. By now all the workers have figured it out and just come in there to check her vitals and give medicine, etc. I won't be doing a nightly update, but will surely inform you when we move. The major milestones have passed. The main focus is improving brain function and coping with issues. I cannot express to all of you how very important you have been to all of us as this how situation has evolved, particularly to me. The response to me as I have been thrown into a big city that intimidated me, terrified at what might have happened for the weeks Mal was out and even as she woke up. You have to just numb yourself to the possibilities because they are too horrible to think about. But all of you have been so awesome. I cannot imagine how I would have coped without your support. Our family has certainly learned a lot. We will definitely have to move this forward to others. I thank you so much for your caring, love and support. It has truly meant more than you will ever know. I am crying as I write this. I pray every time a Lifeflight helicopter comes in or when an ambulance comes in and I have such compassion for their families because their ordeal is beginning and they don't always have our outcome. I wish all of you a very blessed day. You deserve it. You have been so good to us and particularly me. I will be forever grateful. Love you all, Vickie --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
