Nick's Brain Injury Complications

 

Sunday rolls around and its our week for church.  Nick, Jack and I go.  We stop at Del Taco on the way home and its a usual Sunday.  Then around 4:00 Jack tells me Nick is throwing up.  Oh, I go down and he is not feeling well. His head hurts on the same side as before.  

He takes some Tylenol and has an ice pack.  I consult Michelle and decided since I have reached my maximum out of pocket this year for my insurance I should take Nick in.  Nick was not having any of that.  Finally he said he would go.  Like I can't pick him up and make him go.  He grabbed a sweatshirt since the hospital is always cold.  Me too.

We arrive, get admitted and the Dr. says this is not unusual to have some headaches after a TBI but it would make sense to just give him a migraine cocktail in an IV or we could give him a CT scan and if it is clear, then give him the strong migraine meds.  It would be Super rare to have more bleeding.  We opted for a CT scan. She said it takes about an hour for the results.  So, about 40 minutes later, here she comes and says 'well, its super rare, but there is more bleeding in his brain'.  There is new blood.  I think there is a few millimeters.   She said he would be admitted to the PICU (that's Intensive care for peds).  Dang.  Not sure what the deal is.  He didn't get hit again or at least admit to it and the plan is exactly what it was before, to get another CT scan in the am and reasses from Neuro.  

I do think he is their biggest Pediatric Patient...

Nick stayed the night in the ICU and in the Morning the Neurosurgeon said we were headed to surgery.  Some reason he said since this is the second bleeding it is better to drain it this time.  So, Nick has a hole in his head behind his ear that they drained the blood.  He was in the OR for about an hour and a half.  

He was soo worried they would shave his hair.  Abi suggested some new hair cuts for him.  

Nick heading to the OR

We are working on our man spread...I mean it hasn't been working...

He did love the hospital gowns.  Now he knows why I like a good duster.  

That is the place for them.  He does have some purple on the left side because the surgeon said he accidentally marked the left and then realized it was the right side that needed drilling...

Here's what he was left with.  He can still keep is hair and cover the scar and the boor hole.  He has a hole in his head now, so does that mean he will leak blood and fluid ?  Can't wait to find out.

                                                     This is his Scar in his head from the surgery.

Here Nick is leaving the hospital.  He decided to take a wheel chair down to the entrance and just walk the little bit to the car.  Good thing he has his non skid socks from the hospital still on.

His post hospital dinner from Cafe Rio.  I had to go in and get it this time...since he was just out of the  hospital from brain surgery...

The best part of ICU is you have access to the snack room.  Lorna Doone are the best,

Curls

It was time for the hair dew.  It ended up curly this time.  I kindof like it, but I'm horrible at making my hair look good when its curly.  

AND so excited our yoga class started up again. I haven't been to yoga class since last February 28 when I had my foot surgery.  Brooke decided to take Yoga with me.  We didn't get the essential oils I'm sure because of covid so that was a bummer.  But glad to be back finally.  

Penguin Encounter

 

Brooke has been working at the Aquarium while some of the Zookeepers have been on Maternity leave.  She has been working with the Penguins and doing the Penguin Encounters.  It was our turn to Encounter the Penguins with Brooke.  We had one last day to do it and it was Sunday.  So we headed over to the aquarium for our own personal encounter.  

We arrived at the Aquarium early (of course) so we could walk around and check out all the exhibits.  Then we headed to the Penguins.  

Brooke first talked to us outside the enclosure about Penguins.  

We walked around the aquarium before the encounter...

This is the otter enclosure that Brooke fell into when she was feeding or cleaning them. Like fell IN the water...

She took us into the penguin feeding room.  We got to feed the penguins some fish.  

Here's Brooke in action getting the fish and penguins ready

This is Brooke in action in their enclosure.  She's getting a ball that shouldn't be there

We had such a great time at the Aquarium.  Thanks to Brooke for making it happen.  She did such a great job.