This, from Steve Rolfsrud:
Dear family and friends:
Here is what we know at 8 p.m. on Tuesday:
Briggs: More improvement. She has really made progress with the head injury recovery. Today, as part of her orientation test, she was asked to name the months of the year backwards and did so at least as fast as Nancy and the nurse!
She also has an improving ability to communicate her needs and issues to learn to take control of her recovery. She was encouraged to do some physical therapy, including sitting up in a chair for about fifteen minutes. She also--very slowly--was aided into a walker, although by the end it was quite a trial as she has six pelvic fractures with the accompanying ligament and muscle complications.
The good news about the pelvic fractures is that none look displaced and thus should not require surgery. We are still awaiting another set of MRI's for the cervical/skull fracture issue. We hope to have more definitive results. But the best part of her day was a visit from more friends when we saw real smiles!
Bill: Big day for Bill. He "graduated" from ICU to the Trauma Center. He briefly responded to several orientation cues that show promise, is completely breathing on his own, has only minor bleeding from the skull surgery, and is currently in a heavy sleep stage of recovery (which we hope means that he is storing up his energy for the next stage of his improvement). Bill's supportive family (parents, five siblings and significant others) have kept a careful eye on his progress, and we are also better able to monitor him now that he is only two doors away from Briggs. Briggs and Bill have not been able to greet each other yet, but hopefully that will be possible soon.
We are all very appreciative of all the support. We hope that you will continue to keep Briggs and Bill in your thoughts.
Dear family and friends:Here is what we know at 8 p.m. on Tuesday:
Briggs: More improvement. She has really made progress with the head injury recovery. Today, as part of her orientation test, she was asked to name the months of the year backwards and did so at least as fast as Nancy and the nurse!
She also has an improving ability to communicate her needs and issues to learn to take control of her recovery. She was encouraged to do some physical therapy, including sitting up in a chair for about fifteen minutes. She also--very slowly--was aided into a walker, although by the end it was quite a trial as she has six pelvic fractures with the accompanying ligament and muscle complications.
The good news about the pelvic fractures is that none look displaced and thus should not require surgery. We are still awaiting another set of MRI's for the cervical/skull fracture issue. We hope to have more definitive results. But the best part of her day was a visit from more friends when we saw real smiles!
Bill: Big day for Bill. He "graduated" from ICU to the Trauma Center. He briefly responded to several orientation cues that show promise, is completely breathing on his own, has only minor bleeding from the skull surgery, and is currently in a heavy sleep stage of recovery (which we hope means that he is storing up his energy for the next stage of his improvement). Bill's supportive family (parents, five siblings and significant others) have kept a careful eye on his progress, and we are also better able to monitor him now that he is only two doors away from Briggs. Briggs and Bill have not been able to greet each other yet, but hopefully that will be possible soon.We are all very appreciative of all the support. We hope that you will continue to keep Briggs and Bill in your thoughts.
Steve and Nancy,
Ford and Jenn,
and Bailey Breck
