Cornell's Mountain

Thank you!  Cornell had visitors while I went to Pocatello to get things ready for his to return home on Wednesday. I was so grateful for the help at home too, thank you! Even though Cornell sleeps during the visits, I suspect he's glad you came. I am so grateful. It's hard taking off to the north knowing he's still there lying in that hospital bed. I wonder how long his days will be? So, adding beautiful variety to his day with a visit has been wonderful. Cornell seems to be in a holding pattern. Since being back from Idaho I've observed that he is sleeping quite a bit still. He didn't eat much dinner. He is still on oxygen.  He will have two and 1/2 more days of therapy. Then the doctors will release him to go home. The following day he will have a MRI in Pocatello on his abdomen with follow up either at Portneuf or Huntsman. Which hospital treats him with immunotherapy depends on if Cornell can tolerate the 5 hour drive (round trip) to go to Huntsman. I have disc...

Just incase you think Cornell and I have been spending our days at the amusement park, I should clarify. No Lagoon trips for us, just a bit of a roller coaster. The last three days Cornell's appitite has diminished. He will eat a few bites of each item on his plate, if I assist him. He will eat nothing if it's up to him to do it himself. His frustration surpasses his appitite. It's called ataxia. What I'm hearing here at the rehab hospital is that with Cornell's world spinning combined with double vision, it's contributing to his stomach pain and nausia. Think of riding on the Tilt-a-Whirl. Cornell's world spins until his brain relearns to communicate with his muscles. Throw in having a damaged opticle nerve causing double vision, and it's really hard to tell which way is up. So, today Cornell is eating better . . . so far. He often doesn't eat any dinner. Last night he was put on oxygen and is being watch for that. He is supposed to do lung exersize...

The last few days Cornell has tried to do all he can in therapy. It really wipes him out for the rest of the day. It's hard to tell if he's going forward some days, but when I compare to his 1st day of therapy to today, he has definitely made gains. His first day, he could only stand for a few seconds, with a lot of help. Today he walked about 6 yards with a walker and two people to support him. Dizziness and stomach pain continue to interfere with progress. But there is hope that it could still get better with time. The therapists are starting to train me so that I will be able to assist him transferring from bed to a wheelchair and back again. At the hospital it is required that they have 2 medical staff there every time he transfered.  We made a poster for the wall in the hospital room, and have been writing on it, ways we have been blessed. All of you, and your prayers are how we have been blessed. Thank you. We feel it.

I went home to Pocatello to help Shayla and Colton (daughter and son-in-law). They were packing to go to Omaha Nebraska for PA school. When I returned to the hospital, Cornell was at lunch and he had eaten most of his food. He was sitting up and more talkative than before I left. Lunch was followed by physical therapy. Cornell worked. It gave me hope. The therapist was encouraged. He's been awake more today. I think the adjustments in his medicine has helped. He received more fluids too, but I can't help but wonder if someone out there is praying. Many have said that they have been praying. Cheris told me that our little Suzy has been praying that Grandpa will behave. So, thank you!! Prayers have power and are always answered. You have to be watching to see the answers. Here is a link to a song that had an impact on Cornell back when the first Melanoma was being treated.  Even If - Mercy Me

Because Cornell is still dizzy and often nauseated, he is being given new medication. He is also doing some new therapy for his right eye. If he can strengthen his eye muscles it could alleviate the double vision and some of the dizziness. He is off the steroid for his brain swelling. That will help regulate his blood sugar and hopefully soon he can stop receiving insulin. The stitches from brain surgery will be taken out today or tomorrow. He worked pretty hard at therapy today. But he still needs to build up to working for 3 hours a day. He's up to 2-2½ a day. 3 hours are required for insurance to agree to pay for a patient to stay in the rehab hospital. Otherwise you are sent home to work on rehab in what ever way you can work out. Cornell sleeps much of the rest of the day. And currently still needs support to sit up. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Yesterday Cornell worked the hardest I've seen him since, entering rehab. He had two PT/OT sessions, each about an hour long. He tried everything they wanted him to do. It must have really tired him out. Today he has not been able to give that same effort.  Today I was told that one of Cornell's optical nerves is damaged. I don't know if the tumor or the surgery did the damage and what can be done. I was aware that Cornell was having double vision after surgery and his eyes were not always working together. He has continued to have dizziness with a bit of nausea, especially when he sits up. He doesn't have much of an appetite. He had a follow-up CT scan today and one of the neurologists came by to examine Cornell.  So, the struggle continues. 

It's been 9 days since surgery and 4 days in the rehab hospital. I think that the duration and difficulty of recovery has come as a surprise. I suspect that is normal too, unless you have experienced it, up close. Cornell has been included in the "Breakfast and Lunch Club". He will get out of his room, be wheeled to the 4th floor and eat at a table, with others.  Therapy was hard today.

The rehab is proving to be the biggest mountain yet. Cornell gets tired quickly, which you would expect after brain surgery. Today he was able to do his afternoon physical therapy session, which is progress. He appears to be weaker on his right side. He is sleeping often during the day. The medical team will work on having be awake more. He is still having double vision which makes movie watching or reading less fun, if not a downright struggle. The target date for Cornell to leave here and head home is August 3. The goal of the therapy team is that he will be stable in a wheelchair by then. Cornell has a new phone (his work phone has been turned off because he is on a medical leave) Here is the number. . . (208)530-5720.

We have a schedule. Cornell will be in therapy for 3 hours a day. That will be broken up into half hour segments throughout the day. He has a break on Sunday. He put in a good effort yesterday, his first day. It was an abrupt change to go from not being able to get out of bed, to getting up multiple times and trying to take steps. He was too worn out to do his last physical therapy session of the day, but he will hopefully work up to the full schedule. It is estimated that he will be in rehab for about 3 weeks. The goals is for him to be safe to go home. He will have to retrain his brain to regain balance and depth perception. It's hard and frustrating work, especially since he could do everything a few months ago.  For those wanting to know how to contact Cornell, he has a phone next to his bed. He has made enough improvement that he is up to talking. He can (most likely) answer the phone, but will have a more difficult time dialing out without help. Visiting hours are from 5:00 a...

Dr. Menacho (the surgeon who removed Cornell's tumor) stopped in to check on Cornell. She said, he was doing well. He isn't hooked up to anything but an oxygen monitor clipped to his finger.  The doctor wanted him to go to rehab yesterday, but we are waiting on approval from insurance. So once we get the word, Cornell will be moved to another wing of the hospital and beginning working toward regaining his balance, gross and fine motor skills. He is in a good place mentally to put forth a serious effort toward recovery.  Once he is safe enough to be home, we can start working on the next best thing. 2:30 pm. Cornell got the okay from insurance and will be moved to the rehab this afternoon. U of U Health Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital Here is the location of the rehab hospital. https://maps.app.goo.gl/6mTm9Tkq3eHf9gB18. (801) 587-3422 4:00 There are a series of sky walks that connect the hospitals, so they just wheel the patient, bed and all, to where ever they need to...

Cornell is doing pretty well today. He sat up and stood up with help. Even with a head ache, he was willing to make an effort. That is progress.  Yesterday he was moved from the Neuro ICU to the Neuro Acute Care into room 3114. This is the third room he's been assigned in the Acute Care unit, since he's been at the U of U Hospital.  He seems less disoriented. It has to help that he is getting better sleep in the acute unit.  If all goes as planned Cornell will begin rehab tomorrow, but I haven't been able to confirm that yet.

Cornell is handling pain really well. He's only taking Tylenol - as needed. He hasn't had any since 6:00 am. He is hoping to get the feeding tube taken out soon. He is not swallowing smoothly yet. But as soon as the tube is gone, he can move out of ICU and into acute care.  The doctor has ordered in hospital rehab. So he will be here for awhile longer.  Cornell seems a little disoriented at times. He wants to change his career and is planning to go home tomorrow morning at 8:00. He wants to go home to see his family. There nurses say that comfusion can happen with a long hospital stay especially since day and night are hard to tell apart.

He made it. Cornell is still heavily sedated. He's being closely watched, monitored for mental and physical functions. He wasn't swallowing so he'll be on a feeding tube for a time. But I have high hopes that he'll start making progress as he heals. The surgeon was very positive, hopeful and pretty confident that they got all of the tumor. He'll probably be at the hospital for a while. He did ask the nurse to contact me to find out where his phone was. That's a good sign. I have it and will take it to him. But I suspect he'll have a hard time talking for a day or two. As soon as he is, I will spread the word. He can have visitors. He's in room 3307 icu @ U of U hospital. No visitors between 7-8 am & pm. 2 at a time. No one under 6. (years old that is, not feet)

  Thank you for your prayers! Cornell's platelets are in good shape. Surgery is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. It's estimated to take 4 hours. We're just waiting for the team to take Cornell to surgery. I don't know of any way forward except to go through it. This tumor is the biggest obstacle in Cornell's path currently. It's causing the symptoms that have diminished his ability to function. We'll hang on to hope and see you on the other side. Cornell was just taken into surgery at 8:45, earlier than expected. 12:14 message from the operating room: Surgery is progressing, the patient is doing well. 4:15 The nurse in the operating room just called to say that things are going well. Cornell's vital signs are still good. But it's taking longer than expected because of the tumor's location. 5:00 I just got word that they are closing. 7:00 Cornell has been moved to the ICU. He will be there for a day or so - being closely watched. Then back to acute care. ...

Cornell was moved to a new room. His previous room was covid compliant and needed for another patient. He is in room 3136 now. So far the surgery is still on for in the morning. They will know after the 3:00 am blood draw.

Cornell's platelet function (P2Y12) value was 151 this morning when blood work was done. Because of bleeding risk, the doctors want it no lower than 194 for surgery. It probably means that the blood thinner he was taking after he had the stint placed, (after his heart attack last fall), has not cleared his system yet. He was taken off of it once he arrive at the U of U hospital a week ago. His numbers have gone from 9 to 151, so it's going in the right direction but not in time for surgery today. Cornell is quite discouraged. It feels like the tumor is growing fast enough that each day matters. His surgery will be rescheduled for tomorrow. I'm praying that the blood thinner will clear his body and that Cornell can keep hanging on to hope.  “Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power?”  Mormon 5:23

Following the radiation last Friday, Cornell had a splitting headache. It seems to me like the treatment could considered a kind of brain trauma. But his headache seemed to let up the next day. Today he's been sleeping a lot.  He will be going for surgery a little before 8 am. tomorrow.

We were told that Cornell's 2:00 p.m. appointment today, will be the actual radiation treatment. He is very happy that something is finally moving forward. He also has an appointment for Tuesday. If his blood platelets are good, that's when the main brain tumor will be surgically removed. He is not being sent home, but will be watched in the hospital. 3:30 pm the treatment is done. Cornell is resting. It took less than an hour. There aren't supposed to be many side effects, maybe a little swelling and fatigue. This is what the mask looks like. He wore it facedown with a back piece that attached, keeping his head still.