Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Summer @ The Lake
The lake is always fun, but then add cousins...and it's super fun! We had a great night with the three "big" kids and all four parents at the lake one night last July.
Wade was pretty proud of this moment. Although this may serve as proof for why Shannon & Brad will never put their children in our care again.
Show off.
Tate's favorite move.
Monday, May 04, 2015
Oregon - Part 2
Thankfully this part of the story has a good ending. In fact, it's an incredible ending. But it takes awhile and some pretty scary moments to get there. I've always used this blog as my scrapbook and/or journal and to share with family and friends all of the things going on in my life. The good and the bad. There are some parts of this story that aren't for the world wide web, but this was definitely an experience that none of us will forget. And going back to copy/paste Facebook posts sure helps remember the timeline of everything that happened. Documenting it will serve as a way to remember and an opportunity to be grateful.
When we all said goodnight to my Mom on Monday night, January 19, it could have easily been our last words to her. Thankfully a miracle happened that changed that.
Everyone was tired from skiing that day. Mom made us all dinner at the house. Will had a tantrum at the dinner table and threw food at Mimi. :) We gave the kids bath, put them to bed, and the rest of us watched The Apprentice for awhile. As the adults slowly started saying goodnight and going to bed, I remember a funny conversation between me, my mom, and my sister about Shannon not knowing any current events. :) A pretty normal evening. Mom was the last one to go to bed.
The next thing I remember is waking up to my Dad running into the front room to frantically wake me & Shannon up. Something was wrong. I thought it was the middle of the night but it was probably around 6:15 a.m. Shannon & I rushed back to my parent's bedroom to find my mom in their bed unresponsive. Shannon previously worked as an ER nurse, so she quickly checked and found no pulse. This was cardiac arrest. Her heart had stopped.
My Dad found his cell phone and called 911. Shannon & I pulled her body onto the floor to get her ready for CPR. The 911 operator talked my Dad thru exactly how to do the CPR chest compressions. I ran outside in the freezing cold to wave down the ambulance and paramedics.
Every part of the Chain Of Survival worked. The response team arrived pretty quick. It was actually a policeman who was the first one there and took over CPR. Within minutes there were two police cars, an ambulance, and a firetruck outside of the house. The next part felt like it took forever, but probably was 20 minutes or so. This part was even more difficult to watch and the bedroom was full of people, so we moved out into the living room to let the medical team take over.
In the meantime I went to Wade and told him to go upstairs and keep the kids up there so they didn't see any of this. He got them occupied on electronics. They could hear the commotion and knew something was going on, but they never saw anything or at the time understood the severity of what was happening. As hard as it was to see as an adult, I'm so thankful the kids don't have these images in their heads.
What happened in that room the next 15-20 minutes determined so much. We heard them put the defibrillator on my mom two different times. Both with no success of heart rhythm. All I remember about these moments was pacing. I hadn't even really started crying yet. Just pacing, praying, and looking at my dad and sister in complete disbelief that this was happening. And modern technology...I messaged our small group at our church back home and asked for urgent prayers that my mom's life would be spared.
The bedroom was quiet for the most part as most of the medical team in there were on standby waiting for her heart to get a rhythm. They continued chest compressions and then they tried for the third time. The defibrillator gave the all clear and administered another shock. All of a sudden that room of eight people went into fast action. They got a rhythm.
I don't know the exact sequence of everything they did but at some point they intubated her as well. Her heart rhythm continued, so they got her loaded onto a stretcher to take her to the hospital. Seeing your mom wheeled out of her own home on a ventilator is a sight I will never forget. We knew she wasn't out of the woods by any means, and we all wondered if we would ever have our mom back.
My Dad rode with the ambulance to the hospital. Shannon & I got everyone at the house situated and changed clothes. I quickly realized I had no idea where to go. Didn't even know how many hospitals were in Bend. A very kind policewoman was waiting for us outside and escorted us there.
Throughout this entire ordeal, there are several moments that stick out more than others. One of them was waiting in the ER with my Dad and sister having absolutely no idea what the team of doctors coming up to us was about to say. After they were able to get her sedated and stable, they took her to the cath lab to find out what was going on with her heart. After a very long hour wait, we sat down with the cardiologist on call.
After much discussion about mom's family history and current health, he said she had for sure suffered sudden cardiac arrest. This was not a heart attack. And from the look of the tests and scans, he said he thought it was a stress-induced cardiomyopathy. I am no medical expert and don't totally understand everything that happened. But here's my very basic laymen explanation...
When you combine other risk factors on top of a high level of emotional stress and low electrolytes, it was the perfect storm to cause her heart to go into a bad rhythm. This caused the sudden cardiac arrest. As every single doctor would say over and over, she was alive at that moment because of the immediate CPR she received, followed by the fast response from paramedics and the defibrillation her heart received.
At that point on Tuesday morning, the dr said her heart needed to recover from all it had been through. The process could take a couple days, but typically if the patient survived the cardiac arrest and didn't have any other issues, the heart could repair itself with the right care. We would have to wait and see. The other concern at that point was not knowing how long her heart had stopped and she was without oxygen, which would determine if there was any significant brain damage. We had no idea.
Facebook post:
1/20 (around 11:00am) - This is Stephanie's daughter, Kelly Enright Strzinek, posting with some news. Mom went into cardiac arrest early this morning. She was able to be stabilized. The doctors have ruled out a heart attack and stroke. She is in ICU, on a ventilator, and is being sedated for the next 24-36 hours. We don't know anything else at this time. We are hoping and praying with all our hearts that when they bring her out of the sedation her body will start doing all its supposed to do. Asking for all of your prayers. So thankful that Shannon Enright Bankhead & I were already here in Oregon to be with Dad.
At this point we started making phone calls to let people know what was going on. And really we just sat in the ICU Waiting Room and waited. Throughout it all, we interacted with so many incredible medical professionals. And one of the most impressive of them all was the hospital chaplain, Bill. From practically the first five minutes we arrived at the hospital, he was by our side. And not in a pushy way. Just checking in on us periodically. And he always knew the latest update that was going on. Not sure I've ever spent that much time with a hospital chaplain so I don't know what to expect, but this guy was truly working in his gifting. He exuded peace during a very scary time.
That afternoon we left the hospital for a quick break. We felt somewhat optimistic even though there wasn't a lot of information. It was truly just a waiting game. But when we came back, we had yet another scare. The crash cart was by her bed along with a room full of nurses and doctors. She had coded again and had to be shocked. The shock stabilized her heart and got it in normal rhythm once again. I think that is when the severity of the situation really hit home.
By this point, my grandmother, aunts, and uncles were up at the hospital with us as well. And if you know any of the Higlins, then you know there were both a lot of tears and a lot of laughter in that room. Yes even in the scariest moments we found a way for some inappropriate laughter. One second I was laughing, one second I was sobbing. It was quite a site to see I'm sure.
Later that afternoon, the cardiologist came in and talked with the whole family. He said she continued to be stable. Critical, but stable. He told us that he hoped to see improvement over the next 12-18 hours. If not, then Plans B & C would be to put in a baloon pump and/or to transport her to Portland. Both of those were worst case scenarios. Until then, we wait.
Unfortunately the next few hours after that did not go well. The dr decided that we had to go to Plan B and put in the balloon pump. He wanted to avoid that if possible as it had a lot of risk with it. But her heart needed help recovering. Her ejection fraction was at only 10% (60%-70% is normal). And then within a few hours after that, he came in and said that her lactate levels were going in the wrong direction. This was a bad sign that showed her organs were starting to fail. That is when he decided she needed to be transported to a higher level of care at a hospital in Portland. I will never forget when the dr looked at my Dad and said very solemnly, "These are heroic, life-saving measures we are taking." This was not the news we wanted to hear.
1/20 (around midnight) - This is Stephanie's daughter Kelly Enright Strzinek again. Mom has not been progressing like the drs had hoped. She was put on a balloon pump to help her heart function, but the stats are not going in the right direction. The cardiology & ICU teams in Bend (who have been absolutely wonderful!) have recommended that she be transported to Portland to OHSU Hospital, which will provide a higher level of cardiac care. A transport team will fly her probably around 3:00 a.m. (Oregon time), and the flight itself is about 90 minutes. Right now our prayers are pleas for her to be able to handle the transport and for the doctors there to provide as best as care as they possibly can. Me, Shannon Enright Bankhead, and Dad will drive to Portland as soon as we know she is on her way there. We will update when we have some kind of news. Thank you for all of the comments, well wishes, and prayers. They mean more than you can imagine. Even my non-Facebook Dad is thankful for this avenue of support. smile emoticon
smile emotico
I'm not sure if there's any way to rank the level of being scared. But these hours were definitely some of the scariest and most emotional. Because she had a balloon pump, there was a specialized transfer team that would have to care for her during the flight to Portland. They had to track down a team (from Idaho) and get them to Bend. That would take several hours, so the dr suggested we go home and try to get some sleep before we made the middle-of-the-night drive to Portland.
We knew the flight transfer in itself was a huge risk. There was a high possibility she would not survive the flight. So before we left the hospital, we had to say goodbye to her while knowing it could be the last time we see her alive. It was by far one of the saddest, most surreal moments I've ever had. I remember the ICU nurses in her room watching us with genuine empathy. I can't imagine watching that kind of sadness as a normal part of your job.
The three of us went back to the house to pack our things and try to get some sleep. My aunt Terri & Patty were so sweet to stay at the hospital with Mom until they had her in the ambulance. It was very strange not knowing what we were really packing for. It is a three+ hour drive to Portland, and it's across Mt. Hood. So there's no easy back & forth. Amazingly, my Dad was able to get some sleep. Shannon & I spent a little time with Brad & Wade. We all four sat in the living room and prayed with everything in us that my Mom would survive this. Then Shannon & I laid on the couch trying to sleep and waited for the call from the transport team. Later we would all agree that that evening was pretty hard. Time to wait and time for your mind to go to some hard places.
We got the call a little after 4:00 a.m. that the transport team had arrived and was getting her ready. So we got in the car and started the drive to Portland. My Dad did the first part of the drive over the mountain pass, thankfully, as there was some snow and fog. Plus it was 4:00 a.m. I did the last half of the drive. Glad we got there when we did because we were all so exhausted, and I'm not sure if we could've driven much more.
1/21 (7:00am) - This is Kelly. Mom made it to Portland "relatively well" per the transport team. We got here and just met with the Cardiac ICU drs. They are still assessing her. Right now is pretty critical as to what they will do for her. We hope to have more information in a few more hours.
We arrived at OHSU and were pretty overwhelmed by the enormity of that place. Biggest hospital I've ever been inside. We had no idea where to go, but finally found the Cardiac ICU (one of three different ICUs in the hospital). We were immediately impressed with the medical staff there. The lead Heart Failure Cardiologist met with us and provided helpful information about what their plan would be. She continued the tone that things were very critical.
So again we waited. Mom was still completely sedated, so we would check on her periodically but there was not much we could do. During our time there, we were pretty amazed and thankful for the incredible view from the Cardiac ICU Waiting Room.
1/21 (2:00 p.m.) - Our first dose of good news!!!! Drs are reducing sedation, and mom has opened her eyes and responded appropriately squeezing hands & moving feet. Still in and out and still not out of the woods at all. But we are SOOOO thankful for this!
This news came as quite a surprise to us. A wonderful surprise. Before that we still did not know if there would be brain damage. This moment of seeing her responses was a HUGE encouragement. They pretty quickly increased her sedation again as she was still on the ventilator and her body still had a lot going on, and she wasn't quite ready. But just the fact that she could open her eyes and squeeze a hand absolutely thrilled us! And this little bit of good news helped us determine what the guys and kids should do. We still had our original return flight to Texas scheduled for Thursday. We knew Shannon & I would stay, but we weren't sure what everyone else should do. The scary thing that no one wanted to say out loud was the question if we would have to plan a funeral. This news gave us some cautious optimism for Wade, Brad, and the kids to go ahead and get on the flight back home.
1/22 (11:00 a.m.) - We just sat in the morning rounds with mom's team of doctors. Not sure how to communicate how blown away we are at the progress she has made. The cardiologist said "this is the best 24 hours she could've had." We are beside ourselves thankful, grateful, overcome, and every other word I can think of!!! Today they will begin removing the balloon pump and breathing tube. We are continuing to pray that goes well, and her heart continues to cooperate and improve. Thank you again for all of the prayers & support!!!!
One of the most impressive things of being at that hospital was standing in the dr rounds each morning. It is a teaching hospital, so the circle of 10-15 people could be anyone from the head of ICU to a first-year med student. Pretty cool to see how they work together and so helpful for us to hear about her care directly from the team. There were many tears shed on multiple occasions with these doctors. And then at the end of the night, this happened...
Oh my goodness that night was incredible. We still were preparing ourselves not knowing what to expect. Again our family deals with things in weird ways, and we laugh a lot. So after the initial tears and hugs seeing her awake, we also had a lot of laughter. Because of the breathing tube, her voice was barely a whisper so it made for some funny "conversations" as she tried to figure out what in the world was going on. She definitely had short-term memory issues over the next several days. And we tried to really pace what information we were throwing out as to not overwhelm her. But overall, it just felt like a HUGE weight was lifted. She still had a long road ahead, but seeing life in her again was incredible.
1/23 (10:00 p.m.) - This whole thing is still so surreal, and I'm not sure I've even processed it all. But each day I continue to thank the Lord that somehow her life was spared. Mom had a great day. Her central line was taken out. She was able to get out of bed some, and she ate a little food. She is still in the ICU as they hope to resolve some pulmonary concerns. And she's having some short term memory issues, but the drs tell us that is pretty normal after cardiac arrest. But overall, she is a different woman compared to yesterday. We continue to be thankful!!!
This is when it started to feel like a roller coaster. Never anything near as critical as the first few days, but this is when the setbacks would come and go. We had hoped she would be out of the ICU quickly, but several different issues continued to come up making it hard for her to stabilize.
1/24 (4:00 p.m.) - We're on Day 5 of this whirlwind roller coaster with a long road still ahead. Mom's heart seems to be stabilized, which is the most important thing. But now we're seeing all of the other effects of the trauma she survived...short-term memory loss, anxiousness, blood pressure, pulmonary challenges, etc. So the rest of us are getting a plan in place to help her, but also get some breaks ourselves in the mix. Thankfully a view like this helps to clear the mind and calm the heart. So thankful for all of the prayers, thoughts, and well wishes. They mean so much.
1/24 (11:00 p.m.) - For some comic relief...that moment you're a Texan driving a borrowed car in Oregon and think you somehow have four flat tires but realize you're just driving a car with studded snow tires. Yeah that is a sigh of relief. And that moment the cashier asks how your weekend is going and you well up with tears and overexplain how your mom is in the ICU. Yeah that is nice and awkward.
Honestly the entire time this had been going on, I really wouldn't let myself look online. When the drs were already telling us the severity of what was going on, I just wasn't sure my heart could take reading the details. But I remember this day in particular. I was in the hospital cafeteria by myself as we were all tag-teaming. I had worked for the American Heart Association for years, so I knew a lot of this already. But seeing these numbers was truly shocking and sobering.
1/25 (3:00 p.m.) - I finally started Googling. Having worked for the AHA for almost six years, I had enough knowledge to know I didn't want to know these stats at first. But I finally looked. Mom's cardiac arrest fits in the bottom category. These numbers are nothing but sobering. I have always believed that God is a Sovereign God. But knowing others who have not survived something like this, I don't pretend to think I can fully understand how God's sovereignty plays out. For now, I continue to be amazed and grateful for the gifts in this ordeal...Dad was right by her, EMS was fast and incredible, the drs in Bend knew to transport her to Portland, and it all happened while Shannon & I were already in Oregon. So many mercies. So incredibly grateful. Asking for continued prayers as she is still struggling with pain, labored breathing, eating/drinking, and anxiety from it all.
The progression that happened on Tuesday afternoon and evening went fast, and it became obvious that there was vocal cord damage. This was really hard to watch. Everything about it looked difficult to see someone having such a hard time breathing. We were really thankful to already be in the ICU, though, as they were right on top of it.
1/26 (7:00 p.m.) - Well today has felt like a setback in several areas. Mom is having respiratory challenges. Drs said they think it is pulmonary edema, but are also concerned because her breathing is much more labored with wheezing and her voice is losing strength. She is also having trouble with swallowing. The drs were worried she would aspirate into her lungs, so they had to put in a feeding tube. Combine all that with being totally exhausted from not sleeping much, and she's just having a pretty hard time. Still in the ICU for now. One good thing from the day is that she was able to walk down the hall (with some help) a little. That's the success of the day! She is having a CT scan of the neck & chest to hopefully figure out what is causing the wheezing & voice reduction. We know there would be some ups and downs recovering from something so serious. We are hopeful and praying that she can get some sleep, gain some strength, and that her breathing issues will improve. Thank you for the continued thoughts & prayers!
After the drs got her breathing stabilized, she needed to rest. We went to what ended up being our favorite little cafe discovery (not sure if we ate there three or four different times?). We were practically the only ones in there as it was late. A Billy Joel song came on, and I started bawling. Like can't stop bawling. And laughing. Wow I bet that was funny to watch. My Mom loves Billy Joel, and it was that super sappy, sweet "Lullaby" song. That dinner involved some pretty funny moments of all the emotions of everything that had gone on coming out in weird ways. Later that night she was definitely improving as the new medications they gave her helped the swelling in vocal cords to go down.
1/27 (2:00 p.m.) - A much better day today. A long walk down the ICU hall (with no oxygen...yay!) to the Viewing Gallery overlooking foggy Portland. Mom is already making suggestions for the hospital and grocery lists for when she gets home. We are all hopeful and ready for more progress.
Once the breathing was stabilized again, things started feeling much less stressful and scary. In fact, things got pretty funny. Again Higlins can make anything funny. But some medications in the hospital help make it even funnier. Oh the stories we could tell here but won't. :) But it is fun to remind Mom of them now. And tell her how thankful she should be that we didn't video any of it. What love! :)
Over the next two days, Mom was transferred out of ICU into to a regular room. She continued to do everything she could to talk any dr, nurse, patient, or cleaning staff to issue an order for the feeding tube to be taken out. :) Finally the threat of aspiration was lowered, so they gave her the ok for "real" food. It was hilarious when VOILA her first meal of pureed french toast was revealed.
We all got a laugh out of it, and she was happy to take a bite of something. There were still more test and discussions with the drs about moving forward. Then she had the procedure to put in the internal defibrillator, which would shock her heart into correct rhythm should this happen again. All was going well, so it was finally time for DISCHARGE. Twelve days from when it all began.
1/31 (1:30 p.m.) - Trying to control the tears today. We are OVERJOYED and THANKFUL that we are leaving this hospital WITH our mom alive and smiling. The difference in our thoughts and feelings from when we arrived here 12 days ago compared to how we feel leaving today is really beyond my comprehension. The care and expertise at this hospital have been more than we could ask for. Thanking God that she has been given this second chance at LIFE!
*She approved me posting this picture. She had still not had a shower or a real hair washing in 12 days, but for surviving cardiac arrest, I think she looks pretty great! :)
So at this point, we said goodbyes to Shannon and Aunt Terri (more on that later). I stayed with Mom & Dad for the drive back to Bend. I'm sure it was completely surreal for Mom coming back to the house. As all of the drs said it is completely normal, but she lost about a week's worth of memory from before the cardiac arrest happened. So she didn't remember moving into her house! She remembered the house, but not actually moving in. So it was fun showing her around her new house. :)
And then unfortunately the transition back home didn't go perfectly smooth. The very first night home, we were back at the ER because the labored breathing began again. Thankfully another dose of the steroids did the trick to get her vocal cord swelling reduced again. After that is when she truly started showing consistent improvement each day. I was thankful to get to be there to help for a few days and spend that time with my parents. And then a pretty incredible moment to be a part of was going with her to her follow-up appointment with the original cardiologist who oversaw her care in Bend. It was a sweet moment.
2/3 - Two weeks ago to the day, I met this cardiologist for the first time after my mom suffered cardiac arrest. The mood was serious, somber, and scary. This morning mom had her follow-up appointment, and it seemed almost a different doctor walking in. He was all smiles and genuinely thrilled to see her. He said that when she first arrived, he would've guessed a less than 25% chance she would be able to walk in his office and able to communicate so well today. Thankful the difficult decisions he made two weeks ago helped her beat those odds. And I'm just reminded how grateful to be for smart, talented people who work crazy hours and follow their passion to help save lives. Every. Single. Day. Thank you to all you smart doctors out there!
And before I knew it. I was getting on a plane to go home. I'm realizing that all of this deserves a Part 3 that I'm working on next. There's much more to process and share about all of the people behind the scenes who loved, prayed for, and supported our family.
But as far as her health goes, she is a walking miracle. The dr told us the likelihood of her surviving the flight to Portland was 30% or less. I look at the statistics for those surviving cardiac arrest, and see that statistically the odds were not in her favor. It's humbling and awe-inspiring to know that for some reason, somehow her life was spared.
There will still be challenges to overcome and things to do to help the health of her heart. But if you had told me that on January 21, I never ever could've guessed this to be true.
As it says in Psalm 105, we "remember the wonders and miracles that He has done." I'm forever changed and forever thankful to witness this miracle and thankful for the gift of having my Mom still here.
When we all said goodnight to my Mom on Monday night, January 19, it could have easily been our last words to her. Thankfully a miracle happened that changed that.
Everyone was tired from skiing that day. Mom made us all dinner at the house. Will had a tantrum at the dinner table and threw food at Mimi. :) We gave the kids bath, put them to bed, and the rest of us watched The Apprentice for awhile. As the adults slowly started saying goodnight and going to bed, I remember a funny conversation between me, my mom, and my sister about Shannon not knowing any current events. :) A pretty normal evening. Mom was the last one to go to bed.
The next thing I remember is waking up to my Dad running into the front room to frantically wake me & Shannon up. Something was wrong. I thought it was the middle of the night but it was probably around 6:15 a.m. Shannon & I rushed back to my parent's bedroom to find my mom in their bed unresponsive. Shannon previously worked as an ER nurse, so she quickly checked and found no pulse. This was cardiac arrest. Her heart had stopped.
My Dad found his cell phone and called 911. Shannon & I pulled her body onto the floor to get her ready for CPR. The 911 operator talked my Dad thru exactly how to do the CPR chest compressions. I ran outside in the freezing cold to wave down the ambulance and paramedics.
Every part of the Chain Of Survival worked. The response team arrived pretty quick. It was actually a policeman who was the first one there and took over CPR. Within minutes there were two police cars, an ambulance, and a firetruck outside of the house. The next part felt like it took forever, but probably was 20 minutes or so. This part was even more difficult to watch and the bedroom was full of people, so we moved out into the living room to let the medical team take over.
In the meantime I went to Wade and told him to go upstairs and keep the kids up there so they didn't see any of this. He got them occupied on electronics. They could hear the commotion and knew something was going on, but they never saw anything or at the time understood the severity of what was happening. As hard as it was to see as an adult, I'm so thankful the kids don't have these images in their heads.
What happened in that room the next 15-20 minutes determined so much. We heard them put the defibrillator on my mom two different times. Both with no success of heart rhythm. All I remember about these moments was pacing. I hadn't even really started crying yet. Just pacing, praying, and looking at my dad and sister in complete disbelief that this was happening. And modern technology...I messaged our small group at our church back home and asked for urgent prayers that my mom's life would be spared.
The bedroom was quiet for the most part as most of the medical team in there were on standby waiting for her heart to get a rhythm. They continued chest compressions and then they tried for the third time. The defibrillator gave the all clear and administered another shock. All of a sudden that room of eight people went into fast action. They got a rhythm.
I don't know the exact sequence of everything they did but at some point they intubated her as well. Her heart rhythm continued, so they got her loaded onto a stretcher to take her to the hospital. Seeing your mom wheeled out of her own home on a ventilator is a sight I will never forget. We knew she wasn't out of the woods by any means, and we all wondered if we would ever have our mom back.
My Dad rode with the ambulance to the hospital. Shannon & I got everyone at the house situated and changed clothes. I quickly realized I had no idea where to go. Didn't even know how many hospitals were in Bend. A very kind policewoman was waiting for us outside and escorted us there.
Throughout this entire ordeal, there are several moments that stick out more than others. One of them was waiting in the ER with my Dad and sister having absolutely no idea what the team of doctors coming up to us was about to say. After they were able to get her sedated and stable, they took her to the cath lab to find out what was going on with her heart. After a very long hour wait, we sat down with the cardiologist on call.
After much discussion about mom's family history and current health, he said she had for sure suffered sudden cardiac arrest. This was not a heart attack. And from the look of the tests and scans, he said he thought it was a stress-induced cardiomyopathy. I am no medical expert and don't totally understand everything that happened. But here's my very basic laymen explanation...
When you combine other risk factors on top of a high level of emotional stress and low electrolytes, it was the perfect storm to cause her heart to go into a bad rhythm. This caused the sudden cardiac arrest. As every single doctor would say over and over, she was alive at that moment because of the immediate CPR she received, followed by the fast response from paramedics and the defibrillation her heart received.
At that point on Tuesday morning, the dr said her heart needed to recover from all it had been through. The process could take a couple days, but typically if the patient survived the cardiac arrest and didn't have any other issues, the heart could repair itself with the right care. We would have to wait and see. The other concern at that point was not knowing how long her heart had stopped and she was without oxygen, which would determine if there was any significant brain damage. We had no idea.
Facebook post:
1/20 (around 11:00am) - This is Stephanie's daughter, Kelly Enright Strzinek, posting with some news. Mom went into cardiac arrest early this morning. She was able to be stabilized. The doctors have ruled out a heart attack and stroke. She is in ICU, on a ventilator, and is being sedated for the next 24-36 hours. We don't know anything else at this time. We are hoping and praying with all our hearts that when they bring her out of the sedation her body will start doing all its supposed to do. Asking for all of your prayers. So thankful that Shannon Enright Bankhead & I were already here in Oregon to be with Dad.
At this point we started making phone calls to let people know what was going on. And really we just sat in the ICU Waiting Room and waited. Throughout it all, we interacted with so many incredible medical professionals. And one of the most impressive of them all was the hospital chaplain, Bill. From practically the first five minutes we arrived at the hospital, he was by our side. And not in a pushy way. Just checking in on us periodically. And he always knew the latest update that was going on. Not sure I've ever spent that much time with a hospital chaplain so I don't know what to expect, but this guy was truly working in his gifting. He exuded peace during a very scary time.
That afternoon we left the hospital for a quick break. We felt somewhat optimistic even though there wasn't a lot of information. It was truly just a waiting game. But when we came back, we had yet another scare. The crash cart was by her bed along with a room full of nurses and doctors. She had coded again and had to be shocked. The shock stabilized her heart and got it in normal rhythm once again. I think that is when the severity of the situation really hit home.
By this point, my grandmother, aunts, and uncles were up at the hospital with us as well. And if you know any of the Higlins, then you know there were both a lot of tears and a lot of laughter in that room. Yes even in the scariest moments we found a way for some inappropriate laughter. One second I was laughing, one second I was sobbing. It was quite a site to see I'm sure.
Later that afternoon, the cardiologist came in and talked with the whole family. He said she continued to be stable. Critical, but stable. He told us that he hoped to see improvement over the next 12-18 hours. If not, then Plans B & C would be to put in a baloon pump and/or to transport her to Portland. Both of those were worst case scenarios. Until then, we wait.
Unfortunately the next few hours after that did not go well. The dr decided that we had to go to Plan B and put in the balloon pump. He wanted to avoid that if possible as it had a lot of risk with it. But her heart needed help recovering. Her ejection fraction was at only 10% (60%-70% is normal). And then within a few hours after that, he came in and said that her lactate levels were going in the wrong direction. This was a bad sign that showed her organs were starting to fail. That is when he decided she needed to be transported to a higher level of care at a hospital in Portland. I will never forget when the dr looked at my Dad and said very solemnly, "These are heroic, life-saving measures we are taking." This was not the news we wanted to hear.
1/20 (around midnight) - This is Stephanie's daughter Kelly Enright Strzinek again. Mom has not been progressing like the drs had hoped. She was put on a balloon pump to help her heart function, but the stats are not going in the right direction. The cardiology & ICU teams in Bend (who have been absolutely wonderful!) have recommended that she be transported to Portland to OHSU Hospital, which will provide a higher level of cardiac care. A transport team will fly her probably around 3:00 a.m. (Oregon time), and the flight itself is about 90 minutes. Right now our prayers are pleas for her to be able to handle the transport and for the doctors there to provide as best as care as they possibly can. Me, Shannon Enright Bankhead, and Dad will drive to Portland as soon as we know she is on her way there. We will update when we have some kind of news. Thank you for all of the comments, well wishes, and prayers. They mean more than you can imagine. Even my non-Facebook Dad is thankful for this avenue of support. smile emoticon
smile emotico
I'm not sure if there's any way to rank the level of being scared. But these hours were definitely some of the scariest and most emotional. Because she had a balloon pump, there was a specialized transfer team that would have to care for her during the flight to Portland. They had to track down a team (from Idaho) and get them to Bend. That would take several hours, so the dr suggested we go home and try to get some sleep before we made the middle-of-the-night drive to Portland.
We knew the flight transfer in itself was a huge risk. There was a high possibility she would not survive the flight. So before we left the hospital, we had to say goodbye to her while knowing it could be the last time we see her alive. It was by far one of the saddest, most surreal moments I've ever had. I remember the ICU nurses in her room watching us with genuine empathy. I can't imagine watching that kind of sadness as a normal part of your job.
The three of us went back to the house to pack our things and try to get some sleep. My aunt Terri & Patty were so sweet to stay at the hospital with Mom until they had her in the ambulance. It was very strange not knowing what we were really packing for. It is a three+ hour drive to Portland, and it's across Mt. Hood. So there's no easy back & forth. Amazingly, my Dad was able to get some sleep. Shannon & I spent a little time with Brad & Wade. We all four sat in the living room and prayed with everything in us that my Mom would survive this. Then Shannon & I laid on the couch trying to sleep and waited for the call from the transport team. Later we would all agree that that evening was pretty hard. Time to wait and time for your mind to go to some hard places.
We got the call a little after 4:00 a.m. that the transport team had arrived and was getting her ready. So we got in the car and started the drive to Portland. My Dad did the first part of the drive over the mountain pass, thankfully, as there was some snow and fog. Plus it was 4:00 a.m. I did the last half of the drive. Glad we got there when we did because we were all so exhausted, and I'm not sure if we could've driven much more.
1/21 (7:00am) - This is Kelly. Mom made it to Portland "relatively well" per the transport team. We got here and just met with the Cardiac ICU drs. They are still assessing her. Right now is pretty critical as to what they will do for her. We hope to have more information in a few more hours.
We arrived at OHSU and were pretty overwhelmed by the enormity of that place. Biggest hospital I've ever been inside. We had no idea where to go, but finally found the Cardiac ICU (one of three different ICUs in the hospital). We were immediately impressed with the medical staff there. The lead Heart Failure Cardiologist met with us and provided helpful information about what their plan would be. She continued the tone that things were very critical.
So again we waited. Mom was still completely sedated, so we would check on her periodically but there was not much we could do. During our time there, we were pretty amazed and thankful for the incredible view from the Cardiac ICU Waiting Room.
1/21 (2:00 p.m.) - Our first dose of good news!!!! Drs are reducing sedation, and mom has opened her eyes and responded appropriately squeezing hands & moving feet. Still in and out and still not out of the woods at all. But we are SOOOO thankful for this!
This news came as quite a surprise to us. A wonderful surprise. Before that we still did not know if there would be brain damage. This moment of seeing her responses was a HUGE encouragement. They pretty quickly increased her sedation again as she was still on the ventilator and her body still had a lot going on, and she wasn't quite ready. But just the fact that she could open her eyes and squeeze a hand absolutely thrilled us! And this little bit of good news helped us determine what the guys and kids should do. We still had our original return flight to Texas scheduled for Thursday. We knew Shannon & I would stay, but we weren't sure what everyone else should do. The scary thing that no one wanted to say out loud was the question if we would have to plan a funeral. This news gave us some cautious optimism for Wade, Brad, and the kids to go ahead and get on the flight back home.
1/22 (11:00 a.m.) - We just sat in the morning rounds with mom's team of doctors. Not sure how to communicate how blown away we are at the progress she has made. The cardiologist said "this is the best 24 hours she could've had." We are beside ourselves thankful, grateful, overcome, and every other word I can think of!!! Today they will begin removing the balloon pump and breathing tube. We are continuing to pray that goes well, and her heart continues to cooperate and improve. Thank you again for all of the prayers & support!!!!
One of the most impressive things of being at that hospital was standing in the dr rounds each morning. It is a teaching hospital, so the circle of 10-15 people could be anyone from the head of ICU to a first-year med student. Pretty cool to see how they work together and so helpful for us to hear about her care directly from the team. There were many tears shed on multiple occasions with these doctors. And then at the end of the night, this happened...
1/22 (11:00 p.m.) - Mom is awake and talking!!! We are blown away yet again. All kinds of successes today...they removed the balloon pump, removed the breathing tube, she sipped some water, and she is communicating! She recognized who we were and knew our names at times. She had some mild confusion asking why she was there and what happened. But she also rolled her eyes and laughed at us making some jokes. Her best line of the night was, "I'm really glad I know what I'm talking about." Us too!
smile emoticon
We continue to be incredibly thankful knowing just how close we were to losing her. Crying tears of joy today was a much welcome relief from the tears over the last couple of days.
1/23 (10:00 p.m.) - This whole thing is still so surreal, and I'm not sure I've even processed it all. But each day I continue to thank the Lord that somehow her life was spared. Mom had a great day. Her central line was taken out. She was able to get out of bed some, and she ate a little food. She is still in the ICU as they hope to resolve some pulmonary concerns. And she's having some short term memory issues, but the drs tell us that is pretty normal after cardiac arrest. But overall, she is a different woman compared to yesterday. We continue to be thankful!!!
This is when it started to feel like a roller coaster. Never anything near as critical as the first few days, but this is when the setbacks would come and go. We had hoped she would be out of the ICU quickly, but several different issues continued to come up making it hard for her to stabilize.
1/24 (4:00 p.m.) - We're on Day 5 of this whirlwind roller coaster with a long road still ahead. Mom's heart seems to be stabilized, which is the most important thing. But now we're seeing all of the other effects of the trauma she survived...short-term memory loss, anxiousness, blood pressure, pulmonary challenges, etc. So the rest of us are getting a plan in place to help her, but also get some breaks ourselves in the mix. Thankfully a view like this helps to clear the mind and calm the heart. So thankful for all of the prayers, thoughts, and well wishes. They mean so much.
1/24 (11:00 p.m.) - For some comic relief...that moment you're a Texan driving a borrowed car in Oregon and think you somehow have four flat tires but realize you're just driving a car with studded snow tires. Yeah that is a sigh of relief. And that moment the cashier asks how your weekend is going and you well up with tears and overexplain how your mom is in the ICU. Yeah that is nice and awkward.
Honestly the entire time this had been going on, I really wouldn't let myself look online. When the drs were already telling us the severity of what was going on, I just wasn't sure my heart could take reading the details. But I remember this day in particular. I was in the hospital cafeteria by myself as we were all tag-teaming. I had worked for the American Heart Association for years, so I knew a lot of this already. But seeing these numbers was truly shocking and sobering.
1/25 (3:00 p.m.) - I finally started Googling. Having worked for the AHA for almost six years, I had enough knowledge to know I didn't want to know these stats at first. But I finally looked. Mom's cardiac arrest fits in the bottom category. These numbers are nothing but sobering. I have always believed that God is a Sovereign God. But knowing others who have not survived something like this, I don't pretend to think I can fully understand how God's sovereignty plays out. For now, I continue to be amazed and grateful for the gifts in this ordeal...Dad was right by her, EMS was fast and incredible, the drs in Bend knew to transport her to Portland, and it all happened while Shannon & I were already in Oregon. So many mercies. So incredibly grateful. Asking for continued prayers as she is still struggling with pain, labored breathing, eating/drinking, and anxiety from it all.
The progression that happened on Tuesday afternoon and evening went fast, and it became obvious that there was vocal cord damage. This was really hard to watch. Everything about it looked difficult to see someone having such a hard time breathing. We were really thankful to already be in the ICU, though, as they were right on top of it.
1/26 (7:00 p.m.) - Well today has felt like a setback in several areas. Mom is having respiratory challenges. Drs said they think it is pulmonary edema, but are also concerned because her breathing is much more labored with wheezing and her voice is losing strength. She is also having trouble with swallowing. The drs were worried she would aspirate into her lungs, so they had to put in a feeding tube. Combine all that with being totally exhausted from not sleeping much, and she's just having a pretty hard time. Still in the ICU for now. One good thing from the day is that she was able to walk down the hall (with some help) a little. That's the success of the day! She is having a CT scan of the neck & chest to hopefully figure out what is causing the wheezing & voice reduction. We know there would be some ups and downs recovering from something so serious. We are hopeful and praying that she can get some sleep, gain some strength, and that her breathing issues will improve. Thank you for the continued thoughts & prayers!
After the drs got her breathing stabilized, she needed to rest. We went to what ended up being our favorite little cafe discovery (not sure if we ate there three or four different times?). We were practically the only ones in there as it was late. A Billy Joel song came on, and I started bawling. Like can't stop bawling. And laughing. Wow I bet that was funny to watch. My Mom loves Billy Joel, and it was that super sappy, sweet "Lullaby" song. That dinner involved some pretty funny moments of all the emotions of everything that had gone on coming out in weird ways. Later that night she was definitely improving as the new medications they gave her helped the swelling in vocal cords to go down.
1/27 (2:00 p.m.) - A much better day today. A long walk down the ICU hall (with no oxygen...yay!) to the Viewing Gallery overlooking foggy Portland. Mom is already making suggestions for the hospital and grocery lists for when she gets home. We are all hopeful and ready for more progress.
Once the breathing was stabilized again, things started feeling much less stressful and scary. In fact, things got pretty funny. Again Higlins can make anything funny. But some medications in the hospital help make it even funnier. Oh the stories we could tell here but won't. :) But it is fun to remind Mom of them now. And tell her how thankful she should be that we didn't video any of it. What love! :)
1/28 (6:00 p.m.) - So a lot of news today...first thing is that Mom is getting out of ICU and into a room on the General Med floor. That is good news that her level of care isn't considered critical anymore. We're still waiting to find out when and which room that is.
Right now she still has a feeding tube (which she absolutely hates). She had to have this because of the scary issue with her vocal cord swelling (trauma from the breathing tube intubation). They did a swallow test this afternoon to determine if she's aspirating. Still haven't heard results yet. We're hoping for a good report, so she can have some real food soon.
The cardiologists also came by today to let her know that they do suggest she receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Looks like that will be put in on Friday. I think we all are a little relieved and glad as the ICD will be there for her heart if this should ever happen again in the future.
Mom is definitely seeming more and more herself today. And at the same time, the fatigue, stress, and emotion of it all are seeming to be hitting. We can't thank you enough for your continued prayers and well wishes!
Over the next two days, Mom was transferred out of ICU into to a regular room. She continued to do everything she could to talk any dr, nurse, patient, or cleaning staff to issue an order for the feeding tube to be taken out. :) Finally the threat of aspiration was lowered, so they gave her the ok for "real" food. It was hilarious when VOILA her first meal of pureed french toast was revealed.
We all got a laugh out of it, and she was happy to take a bite of something. There were still more test and discussions with the drs about moving forward. Then she had the procedure to put in the internal defibrillator, which would shock her heart into correct rhythm should this happen again. All was going well, so it was finally time for DISCHARGE. Twelve days from when it all began.
1/31 (1:30 p.m.) - Trying to control the tears today. We are OVERJOYED and THANKFUL that we are leaving this hospital WITH our mom alive and smiling. The difference in our thoughts and feelings from when we arrived here 12 days ago compared to how we feel leaving today is really beyond my comprehension. The care and expertise at this hospital have been more than we could ask for. Thanking God that she has been given this second chance at LIFE!
*She approved me posting this picture. She had still not had a shower or a real hair washing in 12 days, but for surviving cardiac arrest, I think she looks pretty great! :)
So at this point, we said goodbyes to Shannon and Aunt Terri (more on that later). I stayed with Mom & Dad for the drive back to Bend. I'm sure it was completely surreal for Mom coming back to the house. As all of the drs said it is completely normal, but she lost about a week's worth of memory from before the cardiac arrest happened. So she didn't remember moving into her house! She remembered the house, but not actually moving in. So it was fun showing her around her new house. :)
And then unfortunately the transition back home didn't go perfectly smooth. The very first night home, we were back at the ER because the labored breathing began again. Thankfully another dose of the steroids did the trick to get her vocal cord swelling reduced again. After that is when she truly started showing consistent improvement each day. I was thankful to get to be there to help for a few days and spend that time with my parents. And then a pretty incredible moment to be a part of was going with her to her follow-up appointment with the original cardiologist who oversaw her care in Bend. It was a sweet moment.
2/3 - Two weeks ago to the day, I met this cardiologist for the first time after my mom suffered cardiac arrest. The mood was serious, somber, and scary. This morning mom had her follow-up appointment, and it seemed almost a different doctor walking in. He was all smiles and genuinely thrilled to see her. He said that when she first arrived, he would've guessed a less than 25% chance she would be able to walk in his office and able to communicate so well today. Thankful the difficult decisions he made two weeks ago helped her beat those odds. And I'm just reminded how grateful to be for smart, talented people who work crazy hours and follow their passion to help save lives. Every. Single. Day. Thank you to all you smart doctors out there!
And before I knew it. I was getting on a plane to go home. I'm realizing that all of this deserves a Part 3 that I'm working on next. There's much more to process and share about all of the people behind the scenes who loved, prayed for, and supported our family.
But as far as her health goes, she is a walking miracle. The dr told us the likelihood of her surviving the flight to Portland was 30% or less. I look at the statistics for those surviving cardiac arrest, and see that statistically the odds were not in her favor. It's humbling and awe-inspiring to know that for some reason, somehow her life was spared.
There will still be challenges to overcome and things to do to help the health of her heart. But if you had told me that on January 21, I never ever could've guessed this to be true.
As it says in Psalm 105, we "remember the wonders and miracles that He has done." I'm forever changed and forever thankful to witness this miracle and thankful for the gift of having my Mom still here.
Saturday, May 02, 2015
Oregon ~ Part 1
It truly seems as though our trip to Oregon was two completely separate experiences, so I think I'll divide it into two separate posts. :)
A fun treat once we landed was getting to see some very sweet friends who had also recently moved from Keller to Oregon. Ryder was Will's "first real school friend," and it was so fun for them to have a little reunion. :) They let us invade their home, cooked a delicious lunch for us, and let all four boys destroy the playroom. Plus they introduced us to Salt and Straw ice cream...yum! We appreciate so much the Danes' friendship, the work they are doing in Oregon, and their generous hospitality!
Then we made the three-hour drive to Bend! It was fun getting to see the new house my parents built and had just moved into two days prior. Shannon & her family were a couple hours behind us, so before the night was over the house was full with all five grandkids...and loud! All 11 of us hadn't been together since the end of 2013.
Many months ago we decided to combine my mom's 6oth birthday party in January with a trip for all of us to go see Mimi & Grandpa's new house in Oregon and go skiing.
The boys were super excited. My parent's visit to see us last August was unexpectedly cut short, so they really hadn't spent much time with them since April. And they hadn't been to Oregon yet since my parents moved. Plus, snow and skiing were involved, so everyone was pretty excited.
A funny memory of the flight was figuring out who would sit where, since the seats were two and two together. Tate said, "Will & Daddy should sit by each other. I'll sit by Mommy, since she'll go to sleep and I can play with her phone." Well played, kid. :)
A funny memory of the flight was figuring out who would sit where, since the seats were two and two together. Tate said, "Will & Daddy should sit by each other. I'll sit by Mommy, since she'll go to sleep and I can play with her phone." Well played, kid. :)
This was Will's first real flight, and we had no idea how he would do. We are very thankful for our friend Hal's invitation to Delta Airline's Airline Readiness Program last year. That proved to be a huge help to give him a frame of reference for what we would be doing. He did great!
The most hilarious part of the the flight was Will sitting in between Wade & a man who slept practically the entire flight (I can relate!). Will periodically would get right up next to him to wake him up to excitedly remind him that "we're flying on an airplane!" :)
Sunday was filled with a trip to the park with Grandpa and Rocky and then a house full of my aunts, uncles, and cousins coming into town in time for the big football game that got the Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
And anytime a large number of Higlins are gathered together, this will definitely happen.
And then it was time for the real reason we all came into town...Mom's 60th birthday party! It was a fun night with all kinds of family together celebrating Mom, Aunt Steph, Mimi, Sis, etc.
We even had some entertainment with a "Top 60 Things We love about Mom." Thankful for all of the family who came to celebrate the woman we all love!
One of Will's favorite parts of the trip..."2 Wills!" :)
And then Monday it was time for some skiing! Well for most everyone. Me, mom, and the two little guys stayed back home while everyone else headed to Mt. Bachelor.
This was Tate's 3rd time to ski, and he LOVED it. He did great!
While they were skiing, I got to enjoy the greatness of an indoor tennis court. And Will & Max got to enjoy the greatness of a REAL dumptruck dumping REAL dirt for the new landscaping at their house. A win for all! :)
Because of everything that happened the next morning, the second day of skiing and our dogsledding adventure had to be cancelled. But super dads and uncles, Wade & Brad, took the kids up on the mountain for one more opportunity to play in the snow. :)
And Will was officially inducted into the LRC Club. He played along as Aunt Terri & Aunt Patty's sidekick. It was hilarious. He was all into it.
Silly faces!
While they were skiing, I got to enjoy the greatness of an indoor tennis court. And Will & Max got to enjoy the greatness of a REAL dumptruck dumping REAL dirt for the new landscaping at their house. A win for all! :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
