MEDICAL UPDATE TUEDAY 9:45 AM
It is a brighter day. It's a Step back. but...
I say sometimes a step back is a step forward in the right direction.
Cody's fever peaked around midnight and continues this morning. He was moved way too soon as we kept saying. So the Dr's that were so confidently rude to me yesterday when I said "he should not be moved, he has a fever, are you sure this is a good idea? I can't imagine he can be moved this quickly," should be eating their crow sandwich about now and believe me you it's a big one. Bon Appetit!
He is now being moved back to the Hospital where he belongs as his fever is not going away. infectious disease is on his case to try and figure out where his infection is coming from. He is going back on another set of antibiotics but first He is going in for a lumbar tap (which is a spinal tap with a lesspainful name) to see if there is an infection in his spinal fluid.
He will then be moved back to his own room where there is no stimulation but what he can handle and we can control. This will take a few hours to orchestrate as it took a day for them to make this mess.
The proper Dr's are on top of this and following Cody very carefully, somehow he slipped through the cracks yesterday. I am here to catch the crumbs....Im kind of a bastard when it comes to crumb catching....People should really have a plate around me.
I believe things were not properly communicated to his original team and the other people were a little too anxious to get their hands on Cody because he is such an amazing guy. We do have a Dr. we trust and is truly amazing, hence the situation is being resolved. Thank you!
What is that saying....Sometimes it is not the mess that defines you, it is how you clean it up that counts..... so we shall see what U of U has got, I think they can pull through this quickly and efficiently, after all they are a state of the art hospital... they even have blankets that cause fevers...
I think rehab wants what is best for Cody but in their excitemment were blided by the facts. Not to mention the people I met last night had no idea that when I said " I don't care if you think I 'm a pain in the a**, I will push his bed out of here myself if I have too" now know I wasn't kidding.
Mrs B Yes! and Thank you !
For now..Until then...
Draven
I say sometimes a step back is a step forward in the right direction.
Cody's fever peaked around midnight and continues this morning. He was moved way too soon as we kept saying. So the Dr's that were so confidently rude to me yesterday when I said "he should not be moved, he has a fever, are you sure this is a good idea? I can't imagine he can be moved this quickly," should be eating their crow sandwich about now and believe me you it's a big one. Bon Appetit!
He is now being moved back to the Hospital where he belongs as his fever is not going away. infectious disease is on his case to try and figure out where his infection is coming from. He is going back on another set of antibiotics but first He is going in for a lumbar tap (which is a spinal tap with a lesspainful name) to see if there is an infection in his spinal fluid.
He will then be moved back to his own room where there is no stimulation but what he can handle and we can control. This will take a few hours to orchestrate as it took a day for them to make this mess.
The proper Dr's are on top of this and following Cody very carefully, somehow he slipped through the cracks yesterday. I am here to catch the crumbs....Im kind of a bastard when it comes to crumb catching....People should really have a plate around me.
I believe things were not properly communicated to his original team and the other people were a little too anxious to get their hands on Cody because he is such an amazing guy. We do have a Dr. we trust and is truly amazing, hence the situation is being resolved. Thank you!
What is that saying....Sometimes it is not the mess that defines you, it is how you clean it up that counts..... so we shall see what U of U has got, I think they can pull through this quickly and efficiently, after all they are a state of the art hospital... they even have blankets that cause fevers...
I think rehab wants what is best for Cody but in their excitemment were blided by the facts. Not to mention the people I met last night had no idea that when I said " I don't care if you think I 'm a pain in the a**, I will push his bed out of here myself if I have too" now know I wasn't kidding.
Mrs B Yes! and Thank you !
For now..Until then...
Draven
draven i am so glad that you are a pain in the arss. as i read your post this morning from last night the only thought i had was to get a email address for the hospital admin. and let the power of think cody go to work. i know that all you need to do is say the word and all of us who are following cody's case would have flooded the hospital with emails till our friend got rhe care he needed. so if you have anymore issues let us know and let the power of cody kick some arss
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Gee......It sounds like the last few days have been a nightmare. Love our health care system. I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis and learned a lot about how much health care sucks when I was really sick. I had to take the wrong medicine for 3 months before they would pay for me to have the right medicine that would help me get better. Meanwhile, I couldn't even brush my own hair. I can only offer sympathy. Time to re-focus and get Cody back on the right track. He needs you to look out for him because all they care about is the bottom line. They might not like it, but that is the only way to handle these people. Get in their face. I have my health insurance voice and attitude. I don't speak to anyone the way I speak to them. Draven, I don't know you, but it sounds like you have everything under control. I am sure Cody knows how lucky he is. I wouldn't want to cross you and hopefully they understand now that you are a force to be reckoned with. Anyway.....so glad to hear all of the glowing reports from the last few days. It sounds like you are doing amazing Cody. Keep it up. After a few steps back, it is time to take some giant leaps forward, just like skiing.
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Draven,
Glad to hear things are being straightened out. I'm so sorry you went through all that. It is insane that Cody was being moved out of the hospital setting with a 104 fever. I smell insurance company. . .??
I have been through this same thing (more than once, I'm sorry to say) and it is the hardest, most frustrating experience ever. I've been on both sides and I'm convinced it is often harder on the caregiver/advocates than on the one in the bed.
It sounds like you are doing everything right. If you have to escalate the situation then keep going higher in the chain of authority at the facility. When it really sucks is when this stuff happens after hours when you can't get hold of the people who can help right the ship.
In my experience that's when the shit usually hits the fan, too.
The bottom line is, it's wonderful if you can all be friends but that's not what you're there for. You are there to make sure Cody is being treated properly and if doing that makes some enemies, I say add 'em to the list. As I said the last time I was making enemies fighting the hospital/insurance company for the right treatment for a loved one, the list is long and distinguished!
Best,
Christine
P.S. Keep Cody's head away from any more blankets, okay?
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give em hell draven!!!! cody is so lucky to have you and everyone else there. Thank you again and again and again...
cody, time to show that nasty infection who's boss!!! come on cody, KIIILL IT!!!! as always, lots of love and positive vibes...kate
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Draven and Cody, I have said for a long time, it doesn't matter what medical facility your in or who your Doctors are, it takes a person like you Draven to be by the bed side of Cody to insure that what is going on is in the best interest of the patient. I have been so glad that you have had the expert care you have had and sorry for what happened yesterday. Cody is doing exactly what he needs to, fighting for his recovery and all of his family and friends are doing what they need too, fighting for Cody's recovery. It takes a village to make this happen, where the hell did I hear that?? Take care and I know things will be better when he is back in his own room. Go Cody!!! Your Friend Dave
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draven,
i don't know you but what i do know is you are one hell of a guy. Cody, keep on pluggin dude, you will get thru this as tough as i will be at times, you are young and strong and have the entire future to look forward to. John Dempsey and I were reminicing last night of old Cody/Marshall stories, has something to do with pubic hairs, we in Saratoga and all over the world are pulling for you, I'll see you on the Dipper @ cristmas, at least for a ccouple seconds.
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hey-- Kev it was an old story about Tucker (4 yrs.old) and Cody & (J,C&
I gave him a a box of Cereal--and after that he skied fast
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Draven! You are Brilliant! Thank you for being Cody's advocate. We all should be so lucky to have an advocate like you!
Cody ~ I have the same problem with filtering noise, light, people moving too quickly around me, etc. When I was in the hospital, my uncle brought me some "Noise Cancelling" earphones. You can get SONY (or the more expensive BOSE). They made ALL the difference in the world! The Sony's are cheaper and are at Target. Maybe someone close by can help you by picking up a pair. You will hear nothing or you can plug your ipod/iphone in and just listen to your music. Either way, the noise cancelling WORKS!
I agree with Ed Sanborn that if you need an e-mail writing campaign, then I believe you will get it here at THINK CODY! Just let us know when and if you need it and who to send our thoughts to.
I also know that there is a difference between assertive and agressive and the caregivers will step up their game as long as you keep being assertive!
Thank you, Draven, and GO CODY GO! Get that temp down and plug in to something that makes you calm!
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Great job Draven!!! I don't know any of you yet. But you all feel like friends now through Cody's blog.
My Dad (80 yrs. old with a lot of bad heart history) had a big heart attack last March and was in ICU at Fletcher Allen in Burlington VT for 2 weeks and then on to other units. With all of the grit and strength and determination he had , he survived. He is racing his sailboat on Lake Champlain this summer. That was his biggest goal to go after and most told him not to count on it. He's amazing!
There are so many ups and downs when you are the support team of a loved one. Having to trust Drs. and nurses is very difficult sometimes. Common sense seems to be missing fairly often within the hospital. There are some incredible Drs. and nurses. But communication within the system is scarey ridiculous quite often. Never give up asking questions and being persistent in getting the answers. Always question the answers.
I can't believe they sent Cody to another unit in terms of his condition with a fever of 103+, an unknown infection along with 2 blood clots, etc and then put him in with 2 other people.
I am so proud of all of you guys. Cody you have an incredible team carrying you through all of this. To all of you keep the faith among yourselves.
One of my favorite sayings is 'When there's a will, there's a way!'It is so true, you keep your focus and you will get there!
Draven, Jesse and Chelsea and Family, you're fantastic, stay strong. Take Care of yourselves too!
Great Job to all of you wonderful people out there on this blog!
Mary Ellen Ford, Tommy's Mom
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Draven,
We have never met,but you are my hero!!!!! I went to sleep last night sooooo worried about Cody. I'm happy he has you there. YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!!
Cody be strong. We all care so much about you!
Phoebe
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Way to go Draven! I knew it was only a matter of time before a slight bobble was made and you were there to pounce all over it. Cody is so lucky to have you there. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of dinner dates with Draven, suffice it to say that he always gets what he wants and what he feels is a level of expected quality. Not only this but he's able to balance obvious irritation with clear and cunning delivery to those he is lambasting. So much so that they actually end up thanking him in the end! It's unreal. So, way to go Draven
Codelicious. Stay positive. You'll fight off the fever no problem. We're all here with you in this fight, thinking about you all the time. I have at least two people a day ask me how you are from right here in Stowe. There's a wave of support - all for you! Lots of love.
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Draven,
The lack of communication like you describe between doctors/departments is super common even at the best facilities. It presents one of the major problems and dangers to the patient.
That's probably the most important function you have; to stay on top of all this so the left hand knows what the right hand is doing. Someone has to. Even with medication. I've caught mistakes about to happen because of miscommunication or lack thereof--take notes if you need to. (They love it when you do that; especially when your records turn out to be more accurate than theirs).
I often have thought that the hospital should have one person whose sole job is to oversee ALL aspects of the case.
I've been following Cody's progress since day 1--thank you so much for the updates. Cody and family and friends--keep fighting the good fight.
Christine
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I guess these last two days have been valley days...I agree with Ed and Kelly, if you need us; Vermont and the world will be in their in-box(and or switchboard if necessary)as soon as you give us the word...Draven I don't know you but you are an angel...to simply say 'thank~you' seems inadequate...but,Thank~you!
On Your Melancholy Day... What's the use of taking on so! Let me show you the back orchard...Just step here to the door:-See how the apple blossoms sprinkle the dusk, As stars sprinkle the night...Witness those pansies near the step...They look up when you look down. If you want to walk out, I'll show you, How good the bark feels on the pines...See the lilacs over there near the barn; I call them
Whitman's un-neglected flowers, You can smell'em from here. If you want to take a step to the brook, Live moss still embraces the stones...And every pebble at the bottom of the brook, Is as clean as the running water...There's nothing so encouraging as a new blade of grass, Or a fresh shoot of corn pushing out of the ground. I am an optimist And I'm glad to offer you nature's consolations, On your melancholy day...by Robert Frost...Go Cody Go!
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Good for you Draven! The only thing I regret from having to take care of my girlfriend when she was not able to communicate with the "professionals" was giving in to bad advice when I knew it was bad advice. we got lucky and everything worked out but the lesson I learned was not to back down when your instincts are telling you the path you are travelling down is the wrong one. Like you siad, sometimes a step back is a chance to regroup and begin taking steps forward on the right path. Give 'em Hell. Cody is lucky to have you.
-Dan-
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Although I've never met Cody or the family, this blog is an amazing insight to someone I've admired on the slopes.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but is it possible that the hospital transferred Cody to Rehab for insurance purposes? Most insurance companies limit the number of consecutive hospital days they will cover. But, if he's transferred to Rehab and returned to the hospital for medical reasons, then the number of hospital days covered is extended.
I could be wrong. But, I suspect the hospital could be "working" the insurance coverage to benefit Cody.
Hope his progress continues.
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Sometimes, as is encountered way to much in recovery, doctors have massive egos ...
Some even have god-like complexes that take someone, watching everything like a hawk - YOU - to keep everything in check.
KEEP watching and monitoring him as diligently as you are ... don't let anyone talk you out of that VERY imptnt role.
Cody you have a lifesaver of a family --- literally and figuratively.
Good job, all!
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cc from Tim T.
I'm hoping to pass some information on to you to forward to Cody Marshall and the folks that are caring for him.
Unfortunately, there are not any Lokomats in the Salt Lake City area. The
closest would be in Oklahoma City (University of Oklahoma) and a great TBI
facility in Tustin, CA http://www.highhopes.ws
I have attached a pdf case study, http://tinyurl.com/opfyyb
of the program at High Hopes; it would be great if you could pass this along to those involved in Cody's rehab.
Other Lokomat Programs:
Boston_Spaulding Rehab (close to Vermont) - has a great TBI program and in fact has been working with the Government - Veterans Administration to treat injured soldiers from Iraq & Afghanistan who have received TBI injuries.
It would be great if the U.S. Ski Team could help sponsor purchasing a
Lokomat in the Salt Lake City or Denver, CO area!
Please let me know if I can help in any other way.
All the best,
- Tim T
Tim Thompson
National Accounts Manager
Hocoma, Inc.
100 Reservoir Park Drive
Rockland, MA 02370
Mobile: 781.654.5001
tim.thompson@hocoma.com
www.hocoma.com
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Draven,
Keep up the good work! At this point, having an advocate is extremely important for Cody. The farther he gets from the intensive care unit, the more important it will be. Everyone has given good advice today and I will add just a bit more. It sounds as though the rehab facility in SLC might be a general rehab for all conditions needing rehabilitation. You and the family might want to start looking into in-pt TBI facilities such as Craig Hospital in Denver or Rancho Los Amigos in Calif. Make a list of the things you expect from the facility (such as a private room) and start your search.It is highly likely that Cody is not medically stable enough to move to one of these as yet, but it would be a good idea to start looking. In the meantime it is important to keep vigil especially when there are changes: such as a transfer (orders get confused)and on the night shift and on weekends (often more transient staff). This is not to say by any means that everyone is suspect, but there tends to be less continuity on those shifts.
I think you and everyone involved are doing a SPECTACULAR JOB! Cody is extremely forturnate to have such good friends and family. GO DRAVEN! GO JESSE! GO CHELSEA! and most of all GO CODY!!!
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Draven, I was a care taker for my husband who had Alz and the mantra I heard all the time was “If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of him”, and it is so true. Please take some time off to renew your mind and body because we all need you to keep going. We don’t know if you are a member of the family or a good friend, but you have been a major factor in Cody’s care, for sure. I’d also like to know who set up the web site and send him/her thanks for doing such a super job. I have shared it with 28 residents here who have computers. Please tell Cody that besides Grandma Marshall sending love and prayers, he has a host of other Grandmas here in Florida who are hanging on your every word. Margaret Parker
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Cody,
Keep on battling, you have an awesome support staff. Your family and friends have a tremendous amount of positive energy, and that it is a huge help in your journey to get better, and back on the snow.
I am verry sorry to here about your struggles with some of the care givers and doctors. Seems like they didn't want to listen to Draven. So I really hope that gets cleared up, and that you can focus on the recovery. Also good to see that the fever has gone down. Our sport of skiing is very small compared to other sports in the world, but we are a very close group of people and it is nice to have friends even though you have never met them. Keep working hard Cody, and "Never Give Up, Never Give In."
**Draven, Great job on the updates for Cody, keep up your strength for Cody, and I hope that yout current Doctors stay with ya, and be on the same page as you.
God Bless you and your family.
Coach "Woody" Brackney
Mt. Holly Snowsports School, Mi.
Fenton High School Ski Team
Thunderbolt Training Centers, USSA
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My opinion is that this post is really good indeed
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