Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

:)

That's all I have to say, really. :)

Marc is home!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

~Becky

It's D-Day!

Well, this is it. Today's the day. Marc is on his way home in just a few hours. Becky and I are scrambling around the house, trying to get everything just right for his arrival. Becky has made a list and checked it twice, although some things have been crossed off, it's still a mile long. We thought we had a few more days... Oh well, what gets done will be done and what doesn't get done... we'll hide : ) So, I guess I should probably get off this computer and get going on the list. So long for now.

~Love, Amanda

Mama, I'm comin' home...!

The verdict is in, and the specialists have agreed...Marc can come home on Thursday! So we have begun the final push to get his room ready, the house cleaned, the canned goods stored, and all of the displaced items boxed up to make ready for his homecoming. HOORAY!!!!!!!!!! So after Thursday we can all be reached at home! What a novel concept, right? We're looking forward to the change back to semi-normalcy.

Love to all!

~Becky :)

What a day for a daydream

What a day for that daydreaming boy......What a gorgeous fall day and the weekend was grand too. Marc and Frank are out jogging in the sunshine so I'm taking this opportunity to update everyone. We've received a date for discharge - Saturday Sept 27th - but the doctor is reviewing again with the therapists and we are shooting for a few days earlier if possible. Marc is READY to get out of here. He says if he can just get home to his mom's cooking and his dad's shop and sawmill and a comfortable bed, he'll get even better. Its always a good sign when someone is ready to escape and we have a great support system at home so we'll see......

All weekend plus Friday we watched many, many, many glorious hot rod's drive by. They had the hot rod festival this weekend at the Champlain Valley Expo Fairgrounds in Essex and we had the perfect room as well as front lawn to watch the cars go by. Every morning at 8:30 and night at 5pm the cars went up and down the road with a bunch also going through during the daytime and then at night they were in the shopping malls and restaurant parking lots so we could actually look at them and check them out - beautiful cars, nicely done inside and out, all models, years, different types of hot rods and also classic from all over the place. I think next year we are actually going to go to the show.

Sunday was a busy day. We celebrated Melinda's 27th birthday. All our family and my mom & dad came up, 12 of us in all and the nurses & therapists gave us the "life skills apartment" to use for the party. We wouldn't have all fit in Marc's room. Becky picked up pizza's and a Ben & Jerry's icecream cake (far surpassing the Carvel icecream cakes) - it was all good. After the party we all went outside and hungout in the sun. Friends Owen & Debbie Hamilton and Dietre, Maddie and Gabriel Feeney stopped by for a visit as well. Marc was some tired after that but it was a good tired, helps make the days go by faster.

Everyone is ready for us to be back home as are we. I've never been away from home for this long. We are starting our 3rd week up here in Colchester. We're lucky the weather has been SO BEAUTIFUL, we do get out to shop once in a while now and the food is all good, the bed is comfy at the home we are staying at BUT we miss home, our family, our cats, our friends even our gardening and lawnmowing, etc.

There are definately people we are going to miss from up here, one of the nurses Sandy, she's a ticket and we love her, Marc's night nurse Jonathan is great too and his parents actually live in S Pomfret - we just met him up here. Such a small world. We'll also miss Ellen, Chris & Bonnie from PT, we have a lot of fun with them though they are slave drivers, the cafeteria cook (he's a good cook) and Eva, she delivers Marc's meals on time every time and always with a smile. Nothing like good people to help you through tough times.

Well, Marc is back and now sleeping. He takes a nap after jogging. Its quite a workout for him but a good workout. Things are going great and ahead of schedule so that's what we like.

Thanks for everything. We love & miss you all. Love, Janice

The incredible journey to home

Things are going really great here. Marc is doing better each day and looking better too. He is now on the Hi Level TBI program which means he is now able to keep track of his own scheduling, get himself to his therapy appointments (they don't come get him), he is in charge of his own morning care routine and making his bed, showering, he can now walk around the unit on his own and we can now take him anywhere on the campus with him walking (we had to use the wheelchair before). He is so much stronger, he can walk fast and jog for a bit but still has trouble with running (his left leg is still a little weak for that) but he is getting great at balancing and stretching and problem solving, math, etc, and he made and cooked a pizza today in OT and he got to eat it for lunch. He doesn't remember anything about Hitchcock which they said he wouldn't but his memory is getting better each day. He played chess, cribbage and scrabble the last 3 days. Its all good but while we see lots of changes and things for the good he still has things he needs to work on.

Marc is doing physically good but he still has to get better at coordination and gain better balance. He is disoriented and confused when he wakes up sometimes (especially during the night) he gets dreams confused with reality and this is part of the brain injury but once we tell him its a dream he understands. He still gets weak and wobbly when he is tired and walking, etc so while he is doing really well he has a long way to go to be back to the old Marc and probably not back to work for at least 6 months. He isn't sleeping well at night, even with sleep meds but the nurses/doctors keep experimenting with what and when he takes it so we are hoping that will all change soon. He did have a better night last night, slept 5 hours rather than 1 or 2 hrs. Each day he makes progress so only time will tell. He will also have out patient rehab at least 2 -3 times a week. We will definitely be busy.

Gotta go, thanks all for everything. love, Janice

A nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat...

Since Mom and Dad have been staying with Marc and working on his therapy they haven't had the time to keep this updated, but no news is good news, right? The quick update is that Marc is doing great! He has been walking around on his own and is getting more independent. He wants to show the therapists that he is strong enough to go home. He has been having a lot of trouble sleeping and still gets disoriented when he wakes up, but that is to be expected with a brain injury. Hopefully once he gets home and into a familiar space that will resolve a bit.

Dad says he will be sure they blog later with more details, so I'm off to play outside with Eli!

~Becky

Its the start of another week

I can't believe that Marc has been here in re-hab for one full week already. Time is just flying (not that we aren't ready for all of us to get out of here) and Marc has made such amazing progress. He gets stronger every day, walking now completely by himself, still getting tired but able to go further distances and do so much more on his own. He is balancing himself really well today, he has to stand on a circular, puffy object and while balancing himself he has to throw, catch and bounce balls, he's also kicking a soccer ball back and forth with the therapists and us and he is walking up and down stairs. Last week he worked on adding, subtracting, multiplication and division and this week he's doing fractions. His boss Win also gave Marc some homework - Win drew a picture of a face frame for a cabinet and put in measurements and gave Marc the homework of figuring out how much materials he would need for the cabinet, plus additional things to work on. He also left a measuring tape and piece of wood to help figure out the measurements. Marc has already finished it so Win will have to come up with some more course Marc gets homework everyday from his speech language therapist.

We had a lot of visitors this weekend which really helps the time go by. Marc wants to thank his Grammie Stetson for her chocolate chip cookies, Becky for the banana bread and Aunt Lori Perron for the lasagna. They are all lots better tasting than the hospital food although the food here isn't as bad as some places.

Thanks again for everything. We'll write again soon. Love, Janice

Saturday Mornings Aren't For Cartoons Anymore!

So, we thought Marc was going to have an easy, relaxing weekend... Boy, were we wrong. Marc and I had a sleepover last night and our day started earlier than I would have chosen. Marc was awake at 7:30 this morning, so I got up too. I got him some new clothes from the drawer and he complete dressed himself, a marvelous feat! His breakfast came at 8:00, promptly followed by the OT lady at 8:06. I guess breakfast is a little slow on Saturdays. Marc finished his HUGE breakfast and we headed off to OT where he had to "plumb" some PVC pipes and then put some nuts on bolts. He was also given a menu from a diner and has to figure out some money questions. We returned to his room and decided to play a game. So we ventured down to the dining hall and picked out Yahtzee, not the easiest game, but good for Marc to practice his addition (a little OT session with me). After that we rested and watched Pleasantville until 10am when the speech/language lady came. There he worked on following written directions (needing VERY minimal assistance) and then listening comprehension. This proved to be a little more challenging but he found that with taking notes, he could answer her questions. We went straight to PT from there where Marc practiced some balancing on a squishy platform and catching a ball at the same time. He did well with this activity but it tired him out pretty quickly. Mom and Dad showed up at the very end of PT. We came back to Marc's room where he and mom played a card game, as dad read a magazine, and I blogged this little morning recap. Marc is pretty tired and has now laid down for a little rest before lunch comes and visitors start arriving.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading our "daily" blog. Keep checking back for updates from the fam!

Love, Amanda

beautiful Sunny day in Colchester

It's a gorgeous day out there today. We went outside for Physical Therapy to play a little kicking the soccer ball around and Marc did pretty good. His stability is getting better each day and he was also practicing his walking up and down hills. He got pretty tired after that workout plus he'd already had an hour of Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Therapy. He just finished lunch a bit ago and ate basically two meals. They've had to increase his meals to double the amount, the boy is eating like crazy to put the 15 pounds back on that he lost while at DHMC. He has OT and PT again at 1 and 2 pm respectively then he can rest from 3 pm to dinner at 5. (He and Frank are both napping at this moment)

I think we're going to go out and walk after dinner because it is so nice out there and Marc likes to be outside when he can.

The nurses and therapists are so nice here. Its not a bad place at all except we got so used to Dartmouth and the grand city that it is, everything at your disposal. Here the cafeteria doesn't open until 11 and hot food ends at 1:30 and the cafeteria closes at 4pm - so no breakfast and no dinner. Breakfast hasn't been too bad as this week Frank & I are in the Handy Suites in Essex Jct, nice place and so quiet. I love it - we have a kitchen/living room combination with large bathroom and bedroom so I can cook up breakfast or have a quick breakfast, either way - it has a microwave, dishwasher, fridge, stove & toaster plus the dishware and cookware - it's pretty cool and they gave us a week rate which was half of the normal but still pretty costly, ouch. So many people have been generous giving us gas cards and monies for meals. It has helped out so immensely you can't even imagine. We so appreciate all everyone has been doing for us and for Marc. This is where we need to be right now and so many people have made it possible for us to be here and Jackie or Frank have been staying at night with Marc as well. Marc likes to wake up and see a familiar face. He still has some confusion when he first wakes up so seeing a loved one sitting or lying next to him really helps. His confusion is getting less everyday.

I'd like to thank Becky for taking such wonderful care of our garden and for Amanda and everyone that has been helping her out with freezing and canning and also a special thank you for friends that helped the girls and Frank out with wood and cleaning the house, etc. It helps me to be able to focus on Marc and his recovery. You are all blessings in our lives and we love you all.

Thanks again for all your love and support and prayers.

Love, Janice

Marc has a goal...

He wants to come home. One day in and he is sick of it...but he is determined and he has a goal, to get better quick so he can go home. Today he had speech therapy and cognitive skills (problem solving), occupational therapy (daily routine skills), physical therapy (stairs and walking, strength exercises), and met with a psychologist. A long first day! His sessions went well, but he is still confused at times and asks why he has to be there, because he keeps forgetting. He is upset that he can't remember the accident, and that he might not ever remember it. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but is frustrating for him nonetheless.

Mom and Dad have found lodging - many thanks to Mary A. who contacted a former colleague of her and Dad who lives in Burlington. He and his wife have graciously invited my parents to stay in their home for as long as they need. Thanks Tom N.!

That's all for tonight...time to put the little guy to bed...and then me! :)

~Becky

All settled in...

Things are looking good - the doctors who evaluated Marc are pleased and amazed with his progress so far, and have predicted that he will only need to be there for a few weeks, barring any major setbacks. He is so strong and determined, it will not take him too long to get his day-to-day skills mastered again. Mom and Dad say the facility there is nice, and they like the doctors and therapists that he will be working with. He has his own room, and with nobody waking him up every two hours to do vitals and meds we're hoping he'll get a good night's sleep, finally! He'd better, because therapy starts at 8am sharp...

While Mom and Dad are up in Burlington, Amanda and I are doing our best to hold down the fort here. Lots of gardening is in our future...so if there are still hands available that either know how or want to learn how to freeze corn or can tomatoes or make homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch just let me know!

My Uncle Ron (Mom's brother) just arrived in town tonight for a week-long visit, and we are so happy to have him home! It was hard for him to be so far away (he lives in Scottsdale AZ) during this whole ordeal, so having him here is good for everyone!

If you are wondering what can be done to help out and are too far away or unable to lend a hand, there is another way that you can help. My parents are staying in Burlington for the duration of Marc's therapy, and it has been hard to find a place for them to rent or stay that is cost-effective, plus they have no kitchen for preparing meals so they will have to eat out for most every meal. If you are willing and able, any donations of gift cards for eateries or gas cards would be much appreciated to help offset the cost of their lodging and expenses. Every little bit helps. There are several chain restaurants in the area, including Chili's, Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, and Applebees, and Mobil/Exxon and Shell gas stations. If anyone would like to do something other than these just let me know. You can drop them off at our home (the Stetsons in Pomfret) or mail them to me at PO Box 275, North Pomfret VT 05053. Cards or letters for Marc can also be sent here.

We have been so blessed by all of your prayers and friendship over the past 3 weeks, and I can not express just how much it has meant to us to know that we are loved by so many. We are truly thankful for the kindness, service, and love that you have shown us. It means so much to know that you are all thinking of us and of Marc during these times. We are so lucky to have you in our lives, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done. :)

~Becky

Discharged!!! Let the work begin...

This morning Marc got his walking papers from DHMC, and we were out of there! We packed him in the car and sent him off with Mom and Dad to check in for his rehab program. No word yet on how he is settling in. The program is based at FAHC on the Fanny Allen campus in Colchester and is very intensive, with three therapy sessions a day - a combination of occupational, speech, and physical therapy. Not much free time during the day, but it is good because the rigorous program will be good for him. He is looking forward to it actually! The days are pretty busy but there are visiting hours in the evening from 4-8 each day, and I am sure that if anyone wants to visit him he would love to see you! Click here for a map and directions to the campus.

We can be directly involved in the therapy process, so Mom and Dad have decided that they will live up there for as long as Marc is in the rehab program, which could be as little as a few weeks or as much as 3-4 months. No telling until he has been evaluated by their team and actually starts his therapy. They have still not found a place to stay (furnished room in house or small apartment, month-to-month) so if anyone has any ideas of where to look we are open to suggestions!

~Becky

A busy weekend!

It has been a whirlwind the last few days, it is no wonder we haven't had the energy to blog! I'll try to do the quick version now, as it is too late for me to be awake...

Marc has been getting stronger each day. His voice is loud enough to understand, he is eating like a champ, and he can stand tall and hold himself up better each time he tries. He has been for several walks (still with someone for support, just in case) and rides around the hospital, and today he went outside for 20 minutes to enjoy the sunshine with us. Long story short, the doctors are amazed that he is doing so well, and he is set to be discharged to a rehab facility. He heads out to the Fletcher Allen Rehab Center in Colchester as early as tomorrow! It is still unknown how long he will have to stay there, but with his progress this week it seems it will be a lot less than the 90-180 days they had speculated just a few days ago. :)

While I'm on here I just wanted to thank everyone who showed up at our home on Saturday to help with wood, tidying up the house, and canning. Even with the constant rains from Hanna all afternoon you didn't slow down...amazing! We could not have gotten it all done without your tireless help. I will post the pictures just as soon as I get the chance.

Good night!

~Becky

Marc wants Mom's cooking

Marc had another great day today. We went for a walk this morning with Marc in his wheelchair. We actually had permission today to go outside, so outside we went. First floor, out the doors and we walked along the walking path. DHMC is really set up quite nicely for paths, picnics, a playground and flower gardens. Its very calm and peaceful. We were pushing along and Amanda showed up, taking her break (she works @ DHMC in Same Day Surgery as an LNA for those that don't know) - we walked for about 25 minutes then Marc got tired, we went back inside and I put him to bed and he fell right to sleep. He ate really well today but he's decided that hospital food isn't that great (except the burgers). He eats it because he's starved, has to put his weight back on, but he's starting to have food brought in. dickens!!

We found out today for certain that Marc will be transferred to Fletcher Allen inpatient rehabilitation center in Colchester, VT (Burlington) on Monday the 8th to start his re-hab. This is great news. He's ready to start and Frank & I will be there with him. We need to find a place to stay while up there and we can be involved with the physical and occupational therapy as well as other sessions of rehab. At this point we don't know how long it will be but once he has finished rehab he will come home and someone will have to be with him 24 hours a day for however long.

He's doing great though. He's talking on the phone, voice getting stronger every day, walking, sitting and getting up and eating is getting easier for him, though he still needs someone with he does these and he gets tired quickly. He remembers everyone!! but he does have short term memory loss and gets confused easily, especially after he wakes up from a nap. He tends to ask the same questions a few times but this is generally in his confusion time.

We are pleased with his progress but he still has a long way to go. Thank you EVERYONE for your thoughts, prayers, calls, visits, cards, hugs, help, everything. It has given us the strength we've needed during this trial. We love you all.

Love, Janice

The story thus far...

I have gotten several emails from people asking how the accident happened, what the injuries were, etc...so I figured I'd lay out the story for those who haven't heard it already.

Late Sunday night (Aug 17th) Marc and his friend Justin W. were headed back to Justin's house on Rt 12 in Hartland (Skunk Hollow Road) from Quechee. It was a foggy wet night and Justin was driving too fast and came around a corner just before the Auto Barn and found himself in the wrong lane, steered hard and overcorrected the car, and ended up in a 4-wheel skid across the road. They hit the bank and a tree facing the direction they had come from. A passing car called 911 and crews were on the scene a few minutes later. Marc had hit his head and was unconscious and Justin was drifting in and out. The ambulance crew called for the DHART helicopter, but they could not land because of the foggy conditions, so he was driven to DHMC in Lebanon NH. He had several broken ribs and a punctured lung, and he had hit his head so hard that there was bleeding in his right ventricle and his brain was swelling. He went into surgery to have a pressure monitor put into his skull and a tube put down his throat (so he could be put on a ventilator), and he was put into a medically induced coma to allow his body time to heal. He could not have any pain meds for his injuries because the doctors did not want to mask his brain function with painkillers. He was sent up to the ICU to have constant monitoring, and to begin the healing process.

(In case you were wondering, Justin had a concussion, broken arm, broken clavicle and some jaw injuries and was released from the hospital after 3 days.)

After about a week the bleeding finally subsided, and he began to be awakened for neuro exams early in the week so they could assess what his brain function was. He immediately began responding to Dad and Mom (not the doctors) by squeezing their hands, and in the few days that followed he started to try opening his eyes and wiggling his toes. That Thursday (28th) the doctors took out the breathing tube and by the next day Marc was trying to talk and was responding pretty well. Late that night they transferred him out of the ICU and into the NSCU, which is a less-intensive but still 24-hour care unit for neuro injuries. We started our blog a few days prior to that, so for the total picture read back a few posts, and we'll keep up the updates as things unfold...

~Becky

Silence is golden...and so is privacy!

Today was another good day! Marc was moved from his bed in the NSCU pod to a private room on the neuro floor. So he has his own room and can have more than two visitors at a time, and can turn off his lights to sleep. He is much more comfortable and has privacy so he is able to rest better than in the busy shared room.

Later in the evening Mom called from home to check on him, and he was actually able to talk on the phone and be heard and understood, which is huge. His voice is getting stronger and clearer each day, and he is gaining strength in his limbs so he can move around more easily now. Still really tired and easily exhausted, but that will go away with time and therapy.

For those of you who would like to visit, he is now in room 512 in 5 West at DHMC. Cards and such can be sent to us at home - email me if you would like the address!

~Becky

No more monkeys jumping on the bed...

I was able to spend more time at the hospital today than the last few days, thanks to Dad who had some "Grampa time" with Eli this morning while Mom and I headed out early. When I went in to see Marc all he wanted to know was "where is Eli" and "when is Eli coming?". It's ok, I know I'm second fiddle now. I told him Eli was on his way with Dad and that he should rest up. When Eli arrived I took him in and he did great! I should mention that Eli is really scared of the hospital - exam rooms, beds, the smells, people in white coats...he has had his fill of hospital time in his life thus far, and usually freaks out once you get him past the doors and into the units. But not today! He went right in, and was babbling and signing to Marc and smiling from ear to ear. He loves his Uncle Marc. :) We sang the song about the monkeys jumping on the bed, and Marc clapped along while Eli signed to the song (he has few words but knows several signs). Marc was pretty happy to see Eli, and it was SO nice to see him smiling!

~Becky

I think it's Wednesday!!

Today is a sleepy day for Marc. But, he has had two good meals today now that he can swallow better. I know he has already requested a chicken/broccoli braid from Melinda. In other good news today, Marc is progressing so well that he will be able to go to a rehabilitation center soon. We met with a representative from one of these centers today. She told us that Marc might have to stay anywhere from 90 to 180 days depending on how he does.

All for now, Frank

Hospitals are not for the sleepy...

With every day that passes Marc is getting stronger. His left side is much less weak than it was just yesterday, and he was able to go for not one, not two, but three walks today. All with nurses to support him, but a remarkable feat nonetheless. It is hard to believe that this time last week we were hoping and praying he could squeeze our hands or even open his eyes - it seems impossible that today he is smiling and walking and...

Eating! They finally gave him something to eat. He had to wait to pass a swallow test to be sure he would not aspirate food which could cause infection or worse. Once he started eating his color improved and he got more energetic. Of course. He hasn't had anything to eat in 2 weeks, the poor guy was starving!

The big problem now, other than Marc wanting to go home REALLY REALLY BADLY, is that he can't sleep. The unit he is in has several curtained beds in a "pod" where there is 1 nurse for every 2 patients, so there is a lot of activity, lots of people in and out all the time, and little to no privacy. And they won't turn off the lights, which is making him really antsy because he has no concept of time - it is always bright around him. We are looking forward to having him move out of the special care section and into a private room where he can get more restful sleep. If there is an open bed that may happen as soon as tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

~Becky

Marc loves everybody...

Monday- Labor Day-

Marc had a really good day today. He was asleep when Becky got to the hospital at about 9:30am and continued to sleep until noon. Grammie and Grandpa Stetson had come down as had Mom and myself. Jackie was also there. Finally, they got him up and took him to get a bath. We were finally able to start our visits by 1:30pm. His friends Justin Kennedy, Katrina, and Rachel had come so we let them go in to see him first. After their visits, Jackie went in. A little while later, we look out the waiting room window and there was Marc, sitting in a wheelchair, with a smile on his face and waving to everyone. It was nice to see him out of his room again. We brought him into the waiting room and talked to him for a little while. He was sitting up much better than he was yesterday. He was actually holding his head up and looking around very well.He is also talking a little better today, although, after talking a lot, his voice gets quieter and mumbly. He saw Jackie's sandwich on the table and asked if it was a sandwich. We told him yes and of course he wanted to eat it. It was so hard to say no to him with his little puppydog eyes. He is so hungry, as he has not been allowed to eat "real food" for 15 days. He wanted to write so we got him a pen and some paper. He proceeded to write, I love you sister (to me), I love you mom, I love you Mel (Melinda had shown up by then), I love you friends, and then I love you Matt Filiault (Matt wasn't there because he's feeling sick and we had told Marc that). He also wrote that he would like to eat some food. The hardest part of the whole visit was that he kept asking me if he could go home to Pomfret to get better. He probably asked me about five times. I kept having to tell him that we couldn't take him home yet. He started to get really tired and so I convinced him to go lay down in his bed so he would be strong when Dad got there. As soon as I got him back into bed he closed his eyes and was asleep. He slept for another 3 hours! It's so good that he is getting rest. So, for now, he continues to get better and better. When the nurses tell him he's not strong enough to do something, he proceeds to do it. I told the nurse he was stubborn and he repeated me. I told him he got that from his Aunt Ruthie and he said yeah. I just can't wait for the day we get to walk him out of the hospital and take him home!

Thank you everyone for all of your prayers and support. Our family is so grateful for everything that everyone has done for us and continues to do for us. Thank you all.

~Amanda~