Caringbridge – August 19, 2021

YES!!  He got approved for Acute Therapy by his insurance… WOO HOO!!!!   

(BeeTeeDubs: The Angiogram showed him to have a PERFECT HEART  – was there any doubt? – no tears, no blockages, perfect flow… beautiful.  And NOT the cause of the stroke).  So YAY… but… well damb… what was it then???

Now begins the clock on about 10 – 14 days of inpatient hardcore rehab to get Earl back to his best.   

But wait a minute… ONE MORE TEST!

Remember that failed spinal tap from the ER at Brooklyn Hospital?  The one that failed because the hospital was ill-equipped when it came to the varied needle sizes needed to … you know… accommodate people of all sizes?  Yeah – Mt. Sinai wanted to try that one again but this time had all the needle sizes!!!  So around 11:00a today they extracted some fluid from his spinal column to test it for any infections or immunodeficiency red flags.   It was successful and quick and they promised it wouldn’t hold up his transfer down to Rehab.  But … it kinda did.   They kept him one last night in Neurology because a spinal tap, while routine, isn’t anything to shake a stick at.  So they just want to observe him for one more night.  I know it’s just because Earl is their favorite patient and they don’t want to let go of him just yet :). No results on it yet, but hope to hear from the doctors sometime tomorrow on it AFTER he’s down in Rehab. 

So… about Visitation – 
Here’s the COVID-19 policy for Mount Sinai – a patient can have 2 visitors a day. Full Stop. Periodt.  Not “at – a – time”. At all. Guaranteed I’m there every day. So that’s one. And most days, my Mother In Love comes with me so we can tag team on helping him eat, bathe, change his bed linens and get live updates from doctors.   And that’s two.  If you visited before us… we might not get to him.  If you came to visit after us, they won’t let you up.   

For right now, we’d really like that touchstone of seeing him every day and it helps him to have family near.  He’s doing better with his phone conversations but please remember to be patient with him.  He doesn’t sound like he used to just yet but the mind in there is JUST as sharp.  As for texts – they are INCREDIBLY hard for him to respond to.  The dexterity is just not there yet.  Really wanna see him immediately and hate my answer just now?  Google Hangouts.  Google Duo.  Facebook Video Messenger. Set up a Zoom.  He’ll be in there for 2 more weeks and then back home where the visitation gates will fly open and you can see him whenever you’d like to in person :).  I pray that clears up any confusion on that front.  But always feel free to reach out to me personally if you need to see him.

As always and again – THANK YOU village for your immense response of generosity, prayer, positivity, advice, advocacy, and LOVE.  It has been the battery in our family’s back since this all started and is a cornerstone to why Earl’s progress is so profound already.  

THANK YOU.   More to come…