As of July 20, 1999 update

Well it has been a long month since the last update and in some areas a lot has happened.

First let me apologise for sending out the last message as a "CC" vice a "BCC", put that down to fatigue.

Second, I have discovered that OUTLOOK really hates being moved from computer to computer and it has trashed messages, my address book etc in the process. As a result I am not sure if I got the update mailing list correct or not. So if you want to continue to receive updates you will need to email me back and I will add you to the list otherwise this will be the last direct one you will receive.

Major things that have happened:

On the 4th of July woke up to find Suze with blood all over her stomach. Freaked me out pretty good. After calming down and determining that it wasn't life-threatening I got her cleaned up and started to figure out what the heck. She had a small wound right around the stomach tube (PEG)site. As I am evaluating it I notice that if you push in the area a small wire comes poking out. While I don't remember everything they taught me at paramedic school I do remember that we don't come with wire installed as a normal course. So bundle her up and it is off to Fort Eustis Army Hospital to the emergency room, which turns out not to an emergency room anymore but an acute care clinic. Finally get her seen and the ER doctor is stumped, doesn't have a clue what to do. I am pretty sure that it is left over from the first PEG tube. He calls in the surgeon on call and he recognises the problem and tells us to come in early on Tuesday (1st scheduled day of surgery) and he will take a look at it. They tell me to keep her quiet and watch and if it starts to bleed or look infected to bring her back. So of course I am on pins and needles until Tuesday. Tuesday rolls around and we get to the surgery clinic and the surgeon is able to remove it using just a local and some finesse. It is a 4 inch "T" fastener that was still in place. She had been complaining that it hurt when she did stomach exercises but we (the PT and I) had thought it was due to the scar tissue in the area being stretch. Well it turns out this 4 inch piece of wire was slowly gouging a hole in her so of course it hurt like hell. She is out of commission for the rest of the week for the most part but healed up pretty quickly. Since the surgery she has made more progress in the last couple of weeks than she made in the month previous.

The 7th of July we received notification that the NAVY and TRICARE had agreed to release the lien on Suze's money based on long-term prognosis and expected needs. That was a real relief.

Finally got her back on the 'net. Did have her using her old computer and she was slowly sorting through her email but wasn't up to replies. But after the person we had a problem with up in Richmond ICQ'ing her while she was at the computer she wouldn't go near it anymore. Of course this would be the night before she has to go into surgery so she didn't need anything additional like that. But last weekend I got the Ethernet strung in the house. Did it on Saturday, Don K. was going come over and help but the weather (100+) got the better of him. So I figured I would do some of the prep work and make things easier on Sunday. Before I know it the job is done, the worst part was figuring out half-way to the garage floor that the ladder wasn't as stable as I thought it was. Oh well nothing worse than a few bruises. So now that we had the connection she needed a computer. Her old one just wasn't powerful enough to run some of the software to help her communicate without bogging down. So we had a very nice lunch with Don K on Sunday, she really loves it when she has visitors or we go out with friends, her whole demeanour changes for the better, then went and got her a new desk. Finding one that you can slide a wheelchair under and where everything would be in reach was a bit of a pain but finally settled on a BUSH NETSURFER. Thing came in the heaviest box you can imagine. Weren't able to get her computer that day due to a screw up at CompUSA but they eventually made things good and on Friday we had her computer and desk up and together. Spent Friday sorting out the software, setting up the accessibility features and getting things ready.

Friday afternoon at OT they were manipulating her right arm and it went CRACK, scared the crap out of everyone. Turns out that some of the fibrous build up broke free but it was so painful that she spend Friday night, Saturday and part of Sunday on Darvocet to try to kill the pain and it still wasn't a pleasant experience. Sunday night she finally was up to setting down and working with the computer. Some of you may have received messages from her already, it takes her a very long time to make any reply since her ability to hit the right key still isn't up to par. She knows what she wants to say but her fine-motor control with the left hand just isn't there. It has really made a difference in her though, you can see her remembering things and she gets more excited.

Her relatives are visiting on the 6th of August for two weeks so she is looking forward to that. The judge set the sentencing for the drunk driver who hit us for the 12 of August. I have found out that if you can't be there but would like to send the Judge a letter with your thoughts you can send it to the following address:

The Honorable Christopher W. Hutton
Circuit Court 1
101 King's Way
Hampton, VA 23669

If you can find the time I would appreciate a letter just to let the Judge know how much of an impact the drunk had in this instance.

Well go to go, since I need to get Suze her lunch and get ready for work. Will try to write a bit more later.

lawrence