My commuting partner got taken out.

[Aint Doody]

I just feel compelled to say something, but all I can think of is "I'm so, so, so sorry." But I'm glad to hear of the improvements. Good wishes coming your way........

[Tuckervill]

Yeah, so how's he doing now? Hope he's better!

Karen

[7rider]

Unfortunately, not so good. Evidently, he had a rough weekend, and it was pretty much all about his lungs.
His wife seems to put on a brave front when I talk to her...barely.
She said taking him off the ventilator was "too much, too soon." He wasn't expanding his lungs fully, the upper right lobe by the rib and collarbone breaks collapsed and he's developed a bit of pneumonia. The "gunk" in his lungs is a gram negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus. That worries me. A lot. His wife feels they are treating it appropriately. So, he's back on the ventilator. She said she got to "speak" to him for about 8 minutes on Saturday. But "speaking" when you're on a ventilator is pretty one-sided and ultimately he was uncomfortable enough that they knocked him out again.
But saturday was the last CAT scan they felt they "had" to do and the brain injury appears to be on the mend.
Thanks for the continued good wishes. I really hope we all see a light at the end of this tunnel really soon.

[Tuckervill]

I hope they beat the pneumonia quick. My father-in-law went in for a procedure, but ended up with 6 weeks in the ICU because of his lungs and pneumonia like that. Wouldn't have had it if he hadn't been in the hospital!

Continuing hope for a speedy recovery!
Karen

[wackyjacky1]

My prayers and best wishes for a full recovery go out to your friend.

My dad contracted pneumonia while in the hospital a couple of years ago. It was really bad, but they gave him massive doses of several kinds of antibiotics and that did the trick. He got over the worst part of it in about a week.

[imdeanna]

7Rider...

Have they been able to find out if he was struck by a car? or if it was some sort of medical issue that caused this??



My thoughts are still going out to him and his family!

[7rider]

Have they been able to find out if he was struck by a car? or if it was some sort of medical issue that caused this??

My thoughts are still going out to him and his family!

Thanks, imdeanna.

They ruled out a stroke. Actually, we have no idea if he got hit by (or hit) a car or if something else happened. He could have hit a rock, a squirrel, a deer, had a rear tire blowout. Anything. I tend to favor the car-theory for several reasons (no road rash, and he may be slow, but Terry's an excellent bike handler and I can't imagine him being taken out by an errant rock in the road or even a blowout - especially with such dire consequences.) Terry hasn't been able to talk. Most of the discussions with him (that I know of) have been of the "Are you in pain?" "How badly do you hurt?" sort of things.

[mimitabby]

I guess in his case, the fact that he's still alive is good news at this point. My husband is a great and strong rider, but when he hit a rock at 20mph, there was nothing he could do; in fact, he didn't know anything was wrong until he collided with the jersey barrier and broke 3 ribs.
Even great riders make mistakes. Thanks for the periodic updates, we're all routing for him!

[7rider]

Yeah, Mimi. I know you're right, of course.
I keep coming back to the "But where is his road rash?"
And kicking myself for not being there with him...but that's a different story.

[mimitabby]

Raleighdon didn't get any road rash. he actually flew through the air ! (we still have the rock) he was lucky, he was riding with other people....
but your guy sure could have been hit by a car too.

[imdeanna]

Yeah, Mimi. I know you're right, of course.
I keep coming back to the "But where is his road rash?"
And kicking myself for not being there with him...but that's a different story.

Don't beat yourself up.....maybe you weren't with him that day for a reason....ya know??

What if that 'unknown' something would have happened to you too? Maybe you wouldn't have made it ..... Maybe you were meant to be with him NOW...vs then...


I'm sorry you feel guilt....I can't imagine how I would feel if I were in your shoes....(I'm sure the same way).... and if I did....what you would say to me.... ??

[Geonz]

And... could have had road rash with a car strike, too. But still, I would think there would be ways to make a reasonably assertion. r?

[7rider]

Today is 2 weeks since the accident. Terry is still in ICU. His wife is starting to talk about long-term rehabilitation, comparing time frames with hemorrhagic stroke rehab (i.e., we're talking up to a year or more here). She's really stressing....misses his husband tremendously. The head injury is so much more than just ringing your bell good. She's trying to see progress where she can...and her daughters are helpful for that, I think. But it is so slow.
Crap, crap, crap. I feel worse today than I did earlier this week.

[OakLeaf]

((((((((7rider, Terry & family))))))))

prayers continue.

[Tuckervill]

It may be too soon for this, but I've been hearing about a book called "My Stroke of Insight". I was impressed hearing this woman on the radio, that one shouldn't give up hope altogether on stroke and brain-injured victims.

I'm sending vibes for your friend and his wife. The grief she must have!

Here's the description from Amazon.com

A brain scientist's journey from a debilitating stroke to full recovery becomes an inspiring exploration of human consciousness and its possibilities

On the morning of December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke when a blood vessel exploded in the left side of her brain. A neuroanatomist by profession, she observed her own mind completely deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life, all within the space of four brief hours. As the damaged left side of her brain--the rational, grounded, detail- and time-oriented side--swung in and out of function, Taylor alternated between two distinct and opposite realties: the euphoric nirvana of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace; and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized Jill was having a stroke, and enabled her to seek help before she was lost completely.

In My Stroke of Insight, Taylor shares her unique perspective on the brain and its capacity for recovery, and the sense of omniscient understanding she gained from this unusual and inspiring voyage out of the abyss of a wounded brain. It would take eight years for Taylor to heal completely. Because of her knowledge of how the brain works, her respect for the cells composing her human form, and most of all an amazing mother, Taylor completely repaired her mind and recalibrated her understanding of the world according to the insights gained from her right brain that morning of December 10th.

Today Taylor is convinced that the stroke was the best thing that could have happened to her. It has taught her that the feeling of nirvana is never more than a mere thought away. By stepping to the right of our left brains, we can all uncover the feelings of well-being and peace that are so often sidelined by our own brain chatter. A fascinating journey into the mechanics of the human mind, My Stroke of Insight is both a valuable recovery guide for anyone touched by a brain injury, and an emotionally stirring testimony that deep internal peace truly is accessible to anyone, at any time.