Guys, this will be a quick diary and my apologies for not being able to put more effort into things, but I've had 5 hours of sleep in the last 36 and I am emotionally and physically drained. Also, gonna be about 5 min late to publication so bear with please. I'm also writing g this on my phone. Therefore, without further delay, here is the story as it currently stands. Details over active caterer...
My mom is a nurse. She's held many jobs but currently teaches and is no longer dealing with patients. Except one. He's a young man with a rare and serious generic disorder and she has been his caregiver of record for many years. Periodically she needs to do an assessment and this weekend was her time.
Not liking to travel alone and also liking my company she asked me to go to Houston with her. You don't have to kick me in the shins to motivate me to go for the weekend to Houston so I told the wife and kids goodbye and headed out for a free weekend of theater going, lunch with Chrislove, and cast party mayhem on Saturday night.
All went as planned up until we hit the 290/610 interchange near the Galleria. For those of you who know there can be some traffic in that area but we didn't expect it to be so bad. If I could embed I would. Suffice it to say it was all kinds of fucked up.
Anyway, Chris and I had a fab lunch while she did her work. We then checked I to a comfortable suite in the Marriott, took a nap and headed to see my old school theater peeps perform their hilarious summer show. Uproariously hilarious and great to see close old friends and colleagues. I did 17 shows with these guys but my mom hadn't seen them in 20 years. Such a great.
After the show I brought her back to the hotel and proceeded to the cast party. Now, cast parties with this crowd are a raucous affair with much drinking, some drugs, lots of "on" characters and general levity. It was a sweet event and around 2:30 as I was fading I. I'd farewell for the down pillows of Elite Marriott pleasure.
About 5 min from the hotel I get a call from mom. I don't feel good. I need to go to the er. Oh shit. That could only be one thing and I knew by her voice it was serious.
From here since I'm on my phone and pressed for time let me relay the story in a series of texts that explain the deal. Faster and easier than re-typing and frankly
Better coveys the emotion.
Hey there. Just leaving St. Luke's er. Mom had a minor brain bleed. Admitted to neuro ICU for close observation. Going back to hotel to get some sleep before I have to check out. Haven't been to hotel since checking in except to pick her up to go to hospital about 2:30. Needless to say, won't be seeing you at 10. I'll keep you posted. Will be here in town until it's resolved. Peace. Love to XXXX and the kids
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Jesus Christ. Please keep us posted. Let me know if we can do anything for you.
Will do. You probably heard me talk about it at some point in the last 20 years but she had a congenital malformation on the venous system in her cerebellum. It's low pressure but it's a crazy knot of tangled veins and it's a) close to brain stem and a very risky operation and b) we just learned if it continues to bleed can fill the cavity around there and make the brain "drop" on the brain stem which would be catastrophic.
So while right now it's bbery small her blood pressure which is typically normal or low is very high. They are managing it with meds but the neurologist was talking in a way that makes me think they will ultimately move toward a surgical solution which for her case would be a major open surgery where they open her up pretty fully.
She has had several episodes over the years and comparatively this one is extremely mild but she is also 20 and 30 years older and she never had a pressure issue associated with it before. She's lucid (but tired) and normal seeming but it's pretty serious.
I'm pretty calm in emergencies etc and don't panic or freak out. I'm fine but I recognize this could have some unexpected twists before we are done and I'm pretty fucking nervous.
So that was early Sunday morning. Here's what happened next, from my FB fee since so many know and love mom.
Friends. My mom was admitted to the neuro ICU late last night with a bleed from an atrial venous malformation in her left cerebellum. She is stable and in good spirits but her situation is potentially quite serious. She has had episodes before that left her with motor deficits that eventually resolves, three significant ones in the last 30'years
This one is a little different because she's older and because the nature of the location of the malformation, at her brain stem, precludes a lot of simple procedures to resolve the issue.
She's due for more imaging tomorrow morning but the reality is depending on what they find and hot it progresses we could be looking at a major open procedure It's serious. Not immediately life threatening but no minor deal.
We are optimistic as she has incredible care at st Luke's. But we are nervous and worried
About the outcome.
I'm not a religious person, though quite spiritual (I'm an animist) and neither is she. Regardless, thoughts prayers om's and any other positive vibes are more than welcome. It's a scary time and friends make it bearable. Thanks for listening and I'll update when we know more.
I'll be here in houston until it's resolved befell free to hit me up. She doesn't want me hanging in the rooms she's a nurses and practical about the value of bedside vigils. Anyone wants to meet for lunch pensioner in open over the next couple days at least.
Kiss your parents and tell them you love them. Life's is unpredictable and the less regrets we carry re our parents the richer our lives n
Love you mom you are everything to me and you're gonna be ok....
so after another day of worry and tests this is how it turns out:
Update on mom:
First, the outpouring of love and support from this community is incredible. Thanks to everyone. You can't know how much it means to me and my family.
MOM is OKAY!!!
After all of the confusion resulting from the vagaries and limitations of CT and MRI tech in isolating prior bleeds from current in these images (design peeps will get it's a contrast and levels issue complicated by X Y axis reconciliation) the chief if Neurology and the Chief of Radiology (who is also a neurosurgeon ) preformed a special arteriorgram made these findings:
1) No new bleed. The imaging from CT and MRI were ghosts. No new blood.
2) unlike many lucky people with this condition the vascularture DOES NOT bench to the arterial pathway deep into her brain, a recipe for drop dead stroke.
3) her prior bleeds were a result of her young age. Older=harder vessels. Her risk of another bleed is decreasing with age.
So, in the words of the doc "You have evolved to effective normal. The only thing to avoid is whiplash motions which can stroke you out. So, no trampolines or seven monkeys on the bed. No car accidents or gymnastics. No diving into the shallow end of the pool and not blackjacks to the base of your skull so pay your bookie on time."
Mom: " You mean I'm no longer exceptional? Gonna have to find some new excuses...lol
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and om's and love and peace and support. I love you guys. All of you thanks you.
As for me, I'm fucking fried. No sleep last night to speak of. Knee is killing me. Wheres my Starbucks.
Any specific q's go to PM. I'm out.
Love
This is late. Sorry for that. Phone dairying is for the birds ( and I don't mean greenbirds)
Love each other. See u in comments.
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