Car Accident Victim

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  • Ann Baker Update - 1/27/2009

    Today Ann had a surgical procedure called a trachaeostomy, which opened a new airway channel by means of a small port in her windpipe. Ann still needs some assistance in breathing, but her ventilator is now connected through this channel rather than a tube down her throat. This will be much more comfortable for her as her level of consciousness rises. She also had has a feeding tube put in her abdomen which is directly connected to her stomach; this will help her receive nutrition more comfortably. Back in a regular bed with no tubes sticking down her throat, Ann is looking a lot more like herself.

    Over the night last night, Ann's temperature and white blood cell count went up, which means that Ann is fighting an infection of some sort. We will not know what the infection is until we get the results of the cultures that were taken, which will be tomorrow or the next day. Her fever has gone down over the course of the day, which is a positive sign.

    Please pray that Ann would be protected from dangerous infections, and that she would begin responding to commands. This would be a very significant and encouraging sign of her neurological function.
  • Continuing to think of Ann and her family.

    Thanks for the updates Anne.

  • That is good news Anne. Being comfortable will make a difference to her. Looking comfortable will make a difference to visitors. Do Ann's children get to see her?

    Having the skills & care of the doctors & nurses gives hope for fighting the infection. Tis good to hear the fever has gone down too.

    Be assured of prayers from North Derbyshire (& loadsa other places I'd guess).

  • Hi Noone jim.  At the moment it's very important that she be in a very low stimulation environment so she's allowed very few visitors indeed.  I don't actually know if the kids have seen her  yet.  (There are reasons for this other than the issue of tubes & fragility, & the scariness of intensive care.)   If not, it may be easier all round now she looks more like their mum, if you see what I mean. 
  • Hi Anne.

    A couple of days have gone by, so I'm looking to see what news.

  • Anne - only just seen this thread, but prayers from me too.  So glad to hear of the improvements over time and hope to hear some more positive news soon.
  • Hi Everyone
    The news will be coming more sporadically from hereon in, but I will keep posting it as things change.  The positives are that Ann's general medical condition is stablising & it looks likely that she will soon be tranferring out of the intensive care unit into a long term acute care facility. If present trends continue this will likely happen early next week.

    At present Ann is showing no signs of coming out of the coma on her own, even though she is now off of the drugs which medically kept her in it originally. 

    Dan (her husband) says: The obvious concern and prayers of so many people have been a means by which God has blessed us even under these very difficult circumstances. Ann's traumatic brain injury has placed our family on a harrowing journey, and we don't know what's around the next bend. But more than 600 of you have shown us that whatever is to come, we will not face it alone.

    Please continue to pray:
    - For peace, comfort, healing, and assurance for Ann
    - For guidance and wisdom for me as I make decisions in the short- and long term regarding Ann's medical care
    - For our children, Adam and Ingrid, as they continue to process changes past and more changes to come.
    - In thanksgiving for the love of Christ, reflected to us in so many ways in these past two weeks.
      (Dan's family is a churchgoing family with a strong faith.)

    So do please keep their family in your thoughts & prayers over the coming days.  As Dan says, they are on a journey, & who knows how long it will be before Ann wakes up.  For me, this is one of my most regular prayers, that she would wake up, and that she would recognise her family!  But perhaps it is good that she will never be aware of the time in the ICU, and perhaps it will be good for her body to do more of it's healing before she wakes up.  Who knows.  But keep on praying!  Thanks everyone.  And keep your notification switched on because I WILL update this thread as I get news.  image

  • A prayer , that Ann returns to her family .
  • SlugstaSlugsta ✭✭✭
    Thank you, again, for the update, Anne.
  • Anne,

    Thanks for the long post and the message from Dan.

    Although prayer is not something everyone relates to easily, I'm sure there are many people on the forums who will have Ann, Dan and Adam and Ingrid in their thoughts. Be assured many of us will continue to pray for improvements.

    'Long term acute' sounds like long term! That can be very draining for the emotions of all concerned.

    Thanks for letting us know of any news Anne.

  • Dear Ann,

    I have just seen this thread and wanted to add my very best wishes and lots of positive thoughts and hope for Anne and her family. I can't even begin to think how hard it must be for them and am glad that they have such a strong faith as consolation.

    With much love and thoughts.

  • Just popping in to say that Anne and her family continue to be in my prayers.
  • Thanks noone jim.  Ann has had further surgery to re-attach the section of skull removed to ease the pressure on her brain, & she has come through that.  She is still on the ventilator, & she has still not regained consciousness.  But she has made some more movement & has been started on physiotherapy.  She has not yet moved to the long term care centre, but should do so when the medics are sure she remains stable & shows no new medical issues following the latest surgery.

    So we continue to wait...

  • Thanks for the update. I've been thinking about Ann and her family today.
  • Thank you , A R , for news of Ann . Remembered in prayers .
  • Thank you, Anne.
  • Hi everyone.  Here is a slightly edited message from Dan with the latest update on Ann:

    After her 25-day stay in ICU, Ann today was deemed medically stable and transported by ambulance to a long term acute care facility which is in the town in which the she & Dan live. The move was uneventful. Ann will need to remain at this location for as long as she needs ventilator support; future moves will depend on the pace and progression of her recovery.

    We are thankful that Ann has progressed into a less critical stage of her care. Our hope and prayer is that Ann will be weaned off the ventilator and show more signs of recovery, including purposeful movements and responding to commands, soon.

    Some of you have asked how our children are doing, and I appreciate the concern. As many of you know, our son Adam (7) and daughter Ingrid (4), had both been previously diagnosed with autism, and are receiving special education services. Neither Adam nor Ingrid are currently of a developmental level in which we can sit down and have a rational discussion about what has happened. So we're learning as we go. I've tried to be observant and responsive to their cues and comments, and to state the situation in a straightforward and non-overwhelming manner. They've had their difficult moments, as we all have, but I can say that by the grace of God we are holding up OK more often than not. For those of you who are praying, your continued prayers for the kids as they grapple in their own ways with this situation, as well as for Ann's peace and healing, would be much appreciated.

    Once again, thanks to everyone who is showing care & concern via this forum thread.

    Anne.

  • Thanks Anne.  Will continue to remember the family (and friends) in prayer.
  • Anne,

    My Goodness! Dan has got a lot on his plate, hasn't he.

    I work in a FE college with some students who have autism. Although each person is an individual it is hard to contemplate how the children would understand what has happened to their mother & consider the future.

    It is good to know there is some degree of progress. I'm sure this is a long journey & will continue to make further demands but I pray that everyone involved will receive the strength and support they need.

    Thanks for posting, Anne.

  • Thanks for keeping everyone updated. There are a lot of people offering up prayers and willing improvements to Ann. I have asked friends to remember her in their prayers along with mine.

    We have a grandson with autism and I realise the difficulties Dan faces without any additional trauma in his life, poor man must be at his wit's end at times.

    I pray that God sends all his blessings to the family

    E.H.

  • Hi everyone.  Thanks for all your thoughts/prayers/concerns.  Today I've had the most encouraging news from Dan yet, & I reproduce his message in full below:

    There have been some very good developments since my last update. First, Ann has not needed to go back on ventilator support since her move to the new hospital. She was transferred today to a non-ventilator equipped room down the hall. Since her arrival she has been receiving more comprehensive therapy services (speech, occupational, and physical) and the neurosurgeon approved the lifting of bed rest orders which gives the therapists many more ways to help Ann in her recovery. Each day, slowly but surely, she is showing new areas of responsiveness to the neurological testing. And today, in the best Valentines’ Day gift I have ever received, she squeezed my hand several times.

    We have a few of areas of ongoing concern in addition to the overall issue of the neurological damage that Ann has sustained. Ann has once again come down with an infection, evidenced by some positive cultures, high white cell counts, and fevers. From the earliest days of her hospitalization Ann has also had diabetes insipidus, a common occurrence with this kind of injury, in which the body’s natural regulation of fluid and electrolyte levels is disrupted. For Ann this has resulted in abnormal amounts sodium in her blood, which can be harmful. This condition is being treated by medication and continues to be monitored carefully. I feel that Ann is being treated by an attentive and caring group of doctors, nurses, and therapists.

    It is far too early to know whether and to what extent we will able to declare victory from the standpoint of Ann's life and health. As Christians, however, we live in the assurance that, in sickness or in health, the victory that really matters has already been won.

    Thank you for your support and prayers.

    As always, please can I continue to ask for your ongoing thoughts & prayers for Ann, Dan, Adam & Ingrid in particular, but also their wider family & close friends too. 

    Many, many thanks.

    Anne

  • Anne Rogers wrote (see)

     And today, in the best Valentines’ Day gift I have ever received, she squeezed my hand several times.

    That's beautiful.

    Thinking if Ann and her family. xxxx

  • Really touching to read Dan's last update, Anne.  Really glad to see some glimmers of hope at such a difficult time.

    Positive vibes to Ann, Dan and their family.

    xxx

  • Anne. I've just read this and will pray for Ann and her family.

    God works in mysterious ways.

    Have you read Richard Hammond's auto/biography? There are a lot of lessons for the friends and relations in the book to help understand what's going on with head trauma. The best being that it's a good news story.

  • A wonderful thing to read , Anne . May her progress continue . Remembered in prayers .
  • hi Anne,

    just popping in here to say I'm thinking of Ann, & Dan too, plus Adam & Ingrid and praying for them.

    G'night to all.

  • Good stuff. I'm everso glad things are looking better. Still a long way to go though
  • Dear All

    I am very sorry to have to say that the decision has been made to turn off Ann's medical support.  Her condition is such that the doctors have all agreed that there is too much organ damage to recover and had reached the point of treating various symptoms to a level where even the maximum medication was unable to control them.  Ann is peaceful at the moment, and it is expected that she will slip away during the next few days.  Dan is sleeping at the hospital with her, and is also peaceful. 

    Please do keep them in your thoughts/prayers, both in the next few painful days, and for Dan & the family in the coming long period of grief & readjustment.

    Thanks.

    Anne

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