Day 6: Communicating

This morning Mike said, “She just finished PT, and got an A++++++++++, etc! Long way to go, but I’m still counting all the small victories.”

She had her arterial line removed and she’s just being monitored with a blood pressure cuff. Her pressures have stabilized today without an IV drip so that is really good news. She is a little more swollen today, her left eye is swollen shut again but she still seems to be a little more alert every day.

She had a CT angiogram today to try to look for a cause of the stroke and the doctors were not able to visualize any cause, so we still don’t know why she had a stroke. She has some swelling in her throat and her respiratory numbers weren’t quite ideal yet so her team has decided to try 48 hours of steroids before reconsidering taking her off the ventilator.

Ronda keeps improving with her communication. She started trying to write on a whiteboard, but the only letter that was clear was H. We deciphered that she was hungry, and also that her head hurts a little bit. She also said she was thirsty and wanted to get up. The more alert she becomes the more aware she is that she is uncomfortable. So we’re really looking forward to getting her off the ventilator as soon as it’s safe to.

Keep the prayers coming! We are having a fast on Sunday, October 9, with her ward and family. Please join us if you would like to.