The Pokeberry Quilt

The Pokeberry Quilt

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Jim

Jim was in another automobile accident on June 25, he had left the doctor's office in Livingston, I was with him at the visit, and he was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I went back to work and he was going home after buying cat food. He feel asleep at the wheel just outside of Livingston, rolling the new to us SUV and being partially ejected out the window. We heard at the clinic there was a serious car accident and in my heart, I knew it was Jim, drove to the site and there he was being loaded into the ambulance after the jaws of life were able to remove him. Many hours in the ER and he was flown by air ambulance to Billings, about 3 hours away while I went home to gather my things and tell his family, it was about midnight. I left the next morning not knowing what to expect when I arrived at the intensive care unit, he was alive, but with a collapsed lung, now with a chest tube, 4 broken ribs, a vertebrae in his neck fractured, collar bone broke and the scapula broke, all on the right side, he could barely breath and of course they knew nothing about his stiff person syndrome, funny, in my mind I knew they wouldn't and had thought to grab that material. I became the nurse from hell, after watching him struggle all day, and was adamant they put him back on his meds that keep him from becoming so rigid so he could breath, they gave him some, the doctor and I decided to make him a DNR and Jim agreed, saying our goodbyes and I left only after they made me and went to a hotel across the street. The next morning, I was there and saw some slight progress in his breathing as he became less rigid and they inserted a pain catheter into his lung so he could breath with the broken ribs. It made such a difference. We spent the next week at the hospital, after meeting his neurologist at her office on the holiday so she could fill his pump and look him over, she is an angel, I took him home on the 4th of July with him on oxygen and everything splinted. I took a month off from work as he slowly healed. The neck brace is off his neck and his neck fracture is stable, he is still on oxygen, and he is dealing with loads of depression, his doctor and I had his driver's license revoked. I went back to work at the end of July and of course it is a constant worry that he gets himself around okay while I'm at work and so there is little time for blogging, stitching and such when I get home. We take a day at a time, some are really, really bad and then we wait for the good days to follow.

Thank you to those who contacted me personally.

12 comments:

  1. Oh Nancy, how awful. My prayers are with the both of you.

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  2. Nancy ~ I just knew something was wrong and that's why I sent you a card. Thanks for letting your internet friends know about Jim. Thoughts and prayers are with you both. So happy you are able to go back to work for your mental health.

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  3. Nancy - thank you for letting us know. You and Jim are in our thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Linda B.

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  4. I am so sorry, Nancy. I am praying for healing both body and soul for Jim, and for strength and peace for you.

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  5. I am so sorry to hear this. thank God he is alive. I have a friend with sleep apnea who used to fall asleep at the wheel. It is so scary. i will be praying for you and Jim.

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  6. Nancy - Our prayers are with you. You're a strong woman---Always knew, but now-- I'm confident...You're never given more than you can handle and there's definitely a plan out there for you...Take care...

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  7. Nancy, bless ya'lls hearts... well I am at a loss for words, you guys are so tough is all I can think of to say...I hope your DH recovers fully back to where he was before this accident. sending healing thoughts for you both from Texas.

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  8. If it were possible to send hugs through the internet I would...you both have been through such an ordeal and I hope the coming days, weeks and months, bring you healing both physically and mentally.

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  9. Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.
    Jeanne

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  10. Nancy,

    I have never written you, but wanted you to know that there are folks (nurses too) that read your blog, enjoy your style of quilting and life and share in your daily care giving and loving of your Jim. I am saddened to hear of his recent accident. Gladdened to hear that you where such a fabulous patient advocate. Delighted that he is home again. Share in your concerns while you are at work. Best wishes and thoughts.

    darlynn

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  11. I'm so sorry to hear this. I don't know what to say except that I'll be praying for you both.

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  12. Oh Nancy, I just read your post and my thoughts are with you and jim. This must be so hard for him. I hope he will recover soon Nancy!

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