Mom has been moved!!!

Mom was moved Friday afternoon to Kindred Hospital located at corner of Robinson and 13th Street. Mom is in great spirits in her new surroundings. She has been surrounded by immediate family and we think she is ready for some visitors. Please if you plan on visiting mom keep it to a minimum. She still needs her rest and is also very anxious to see everyone. She is in room #203 with a roommate for now. She is on the waiting list for a single private room. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers.

A Great Day!!!

Mom is doing great. I just got back from the hospital and it is the best I have seen her yet. She sat up and talked the whole time I was there. She carried on all kinds of conversations with me. Asking me about everyone and how everyone else is doing. Yea, she is back to herself. Always thinking of everyone else. She is awesome. The doctors told us that all the tests that they have ran on mom this week came up negative for any kind of infections. That is great news. They will probably be moving her late tomorrow or first of next week to the acute care center that can focus on her rehab mentally and physically. Thank you so much for all the prayers and just know that they are working everyday.

Tuesday, Oct. 21

I didn't post yesterday however everything is good. There hasn't been a lot of change in the past 2 days. She is still in her regular room at ou medical center. They are going to run a few more tests to see why she had the infection. We will let everyone know about moving her to the next stop when we know. We are still asking for immediate family only for visitation. Thanks for all the prayers.

Restful Day

Mom had a restful day. It got better for her as the day went on. Her blood pressure is stable. She is not running fever anymore. They have done several tests on her to see why the infection, we should know the results tomorrow sometime. They will not be moving her to another location until they know why the infection occurred. Thanks for everyones prayers. Also, some more information on the account set up in mom's name. The information is SpiritBank - 3823 S. Boulevard, Edmond, OK 73013. The phone number of the bank is 513-7802 or they could send checks and desinate it for Jill Best Benefit account.

Rough afternoon

I went to see mom this morning with Hunter and it was great. She was so excited to see him. I even read her some of her get well cards and she was elated that everyone cared so much. It was great. Then, I talk to dad and her blood pressure got pretty high this afternoon so the doctors and nurses finally have that under control when we find out that mom has a fever. They are doing numerous tests to find out why the fever and have not heard anything yet. I will keep everyone updated as we know what is going on. Mom has slept most of the afternoon and is now sleeping peacefully.

Another surgery day!

Mom had a big day today. She had surgery on her left leg today. She had 2 stabilized bars on the outside of her left leg in the top and bottom of her leg and connected at the knee area. The doctor removed those stabilized bars and have her leg wrapped and a big brace on it. She will have to have complete knee replacement surgery down the road eventually. This was just a fix until that can happen. The doctors want to move her to a middle rehab unit where they specify in extended recovery on Monday sometime. They will focus on mom's recovery and help her in the way of mentally and physically. She is confused about where she is and wants to go home. All of you who know my mother know she is a fighter, please keep the prayers coming. Thanks for everything everyone has done. We have established an account at Spirit Bank in Edmond for mom's expenses if anyone wants to contribute. Please don't feel opligated but our family appreciates everything.

Resting.

Mom has been moved to a regular room. She is very tired and resting. Needs lots of rest right now. Please only immediate family for visits right now. I know mom will love to see everyone when she gets better. We will let everyone know when she is ready for visitors. She is doing better. Still has the feeding tube in for nutrition. She has been on a liquid diet. She ate some soup for me today. She is talking quite a bit now. Dr.'s said she really needs to eat and to get her strength back. Thanks again for all the prayers.

Surgery Day!!!

Mom had surgery this morning starting about 11:30 and lasted until 4:30. Everything went great. The doctor put a plate in her upper right arm (humerus). The plate will be permanent. She was already starting to heal in the other parts of her arm and the doctors said that everything was looking great. Mom was very tired from surgery and just starting to come to when I left this evening. This is the beginning of the recovery stages. Thanks for all the prayers so far. Keep them coming.

Start of a good week!!!

Mom was responding a lot better today. She made a little conversation with family visitors and even smiled and had a little laugh. She was pretty tired by the time I got there this evening but dad said she was her spry self earlier. The nurses got the pic line in her left arm going. Took out the port in her right shoulder area and the other port that had the infection is all cleared up. The doctors said mom is on the add-on schedule tomorrow. Please everyone pray for her to have surgery tomorrow.

A weekend of rest

Mom rested well this weekend. Julie and John were in town this weekend and mom really responded to them well too. She even smiled for Uncle John. They helped out a lot so we could have some family time with our own families, it was a nice break. I think I failed to mention but they took her off the oxygen on Friday and she is breathing all on her own. YEA!!! We are still waiting on her to have surgery on her right arm. That is the next step for recovery right now. We are waiting to find out when that will be. Waiting is so hard. Please continue to pray for our families and for mom's recovery. We will keep everyone posted. Thank you for all the comments, mom will love them.

A day of rest

Today mom rested most of the day, which is great. The doctors visited with dad this morning and said that the average icu patient gets 2 hours of sleep during a 24 hour period. So, we have decided for right now to limit the visitations to immediate family only so mom can get her rest. She did get her left wrist in a cast. And they will be moving the port on her right shoulder to a left iv in the arm, probably on Monday morning sometime. She is scheduled for surgery on Monday sometime, we aren't aware of what time yet, for her right arm. Please continue the prayers. Mom is such a strong being. Thank the Lord for everything he has already done and continues to do.

A long day of waiting

Hello to everyone. Mom was resting this morning a lot. She was scheduled for surgery this morning. She went into surgery after lunch and we received a call in the waiting area that they would not operate on her today. She has an infection on her left side where the port is and as a precautionary measure they don't want to operate yet. They will let us know sometime soon when she will be ready for surgery on her right arm. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Another good day

Mom had another good day. She had a scan on her legs to check for blood clots and the scan came back good, no clots. We talked to the orthopedic doctors and they are not going to cast her left arm but just leave it in the wrap it is in right know. It can heal on its own. They are still scheduled for surgery on Friday for her right arm. She did eat some today. She had ensure, a liquid drink full of vitamins. When I arrived tonight, Andy was feeding her soup and I gave her a V-8 drink. She is talking some and saying get me out of here. She is doing great. Please continue to pray for her patience through the healing process. Thanks again for everyone.

Tuesday, Oct. 7

Mom is awake and now talking somewhat. Her favorite word is "yep". She had a throat exam and found out that she can eat real food again. She ate pudding and ice chips today but will have real food tomorrow. Dad and I picked out some good stuff for her. She is overwhelmed with everything that is going on and would love to go home. We all told her that she is where she needs to be, the dr.'s and nurses know what is best right now. She is still scheduled for her surgery on her right arm for Friday, not sure what time yet. Thank you to everyone for all your prayers. Keep them coming and please ask for mom to have patience right now and keep peace while the healing process continues. Thanks again for everything everyone is doing. Our families appreciate it more than you know.

Praise the Lord!!! She is awake!!!

Dad arrived and found out that mom was a lot more responsive throughout the night. She started bringing her arm toward face. Slept on and off most of morning.

2pm--She is awake!!!!! Yes, mom is back awake. She is shaking her head back and forth and understands what you say to her. Very responsive to everyone. Still doing chest treatments every 4 hours.

4:45pm--I arrived and they were removing her ventilation tube from her mouth. She was so relieved to have that out of her mouth. She wants to talk but was told at least an hour before she could try. Dr.'s and nurses told her to try to cough the mucus in her lungs up and we could suction it out of her mouth. Told us that she will be hoarse for awhile. Also, informed us that she will having surgery on Friday for her right humerous. Not sure what time yet. Will be trying to post all updating information as we receieve it.

Also, I can't thankyou enough for everything everyone has done so far for mom and my family. The prayers are working and please keep them coming. I know that this road is going to be a long one but we have a great support system to help us on the road to recovery. Today has been an awesome day. Mom is back!!!

Sunday, Oct. 5th

Dad arrived and found out that she had peaceful night again. Mom seems to be more alert today and is starting to make eye contact which is good. We found out they will be doing surgery first part of this next week but not on schedule for tomorrow, Monday. They did tell us that they were going to cast left humerus but won't need surgery on it. Find out more information on everything for the plan of action for the week tomorrow.

One week!!!

When dad arrived found out that she had a peaceful night. She still had a slight fever. Day of rest pretty much for now. The dr.'s decreased her pain medication again to have her respond better. Started vest treatment every 4 hours instead of every 2 hours. Still opening eyes but not very responsive yet.

Friday, Oct. 3rd

Dad arrived and no surgery today either. Dr came and visited with dad and I and told us a little about mom's condition. She does have a moderate brain injury that has blood on both her right and left side of her brain. She doesn't need surgery on her brain because it is not clots that can be removed. Dr.'s have been decreasing pain medication to see how extensive brain injury is and to wait for a response from mom. They explained the injury in her brain like a bruise that can heal on it's own and only time will tell how it will affect everything. The dr.'s want mom to respond to them by moving eyebrows, giving thumbs up, shaking head yes/no, etc, .... Not doing anything like that yet. She is waking up when they do the vest treatment and looking at us. They did increase the treatment to every 2 hours now for 20 min. at a time. She is still opening eyes but not moving them to follow us.

Day 6!!

Dad arrived to hospital at 5:30 and was told that mom would be having surgery on her right humerus bone(arm). Also, found out that she does have pneumonia and has been given a antibiotic for it. Didn't have much of a fever anymore. Got the results of cat scan of pelvis and everything looks great from surgery. NO ribs broken from chest x-ray. Did not have surgery on humerus bone today. She got bumped because a lot of trauma patients came into emergency room today.

5th day--Wednesday

Arrived and found out that she started running fever. Blood pressure was a little high also. Gave her medication for both. Mom did open eyes and look at us. Not really responding very much at all. Have her on the lowest setting on her ventilation tube. She is doing all the breathing on her own just adding that little extra push at end of each breath. Ran a fever most of day, and just rested and slept most of the day.

Day 4-Tuesday!!

Dad and I went and slept at home and arrived a little after 8am. We spoke with nurse and they had decided to take her off sedation medication and just have her on pain meds. They attached the vest around her chest area to which the respiratory therapist comes in every 4 hours and attaches it to a machine that shakes mom's lungs up for 15 min. They don't want her to get pneumonia in her lungs. They remained to leave the pain medication the same strength to where she won't feel any pain at all. Neuro dr's said they wouldn't do any more cat scans until necessary because no clotting in her brain.

3rd day!!

Today, when dad, Andy, and I arrived they were taking mom back for surgery at 8am. She will be having surgery on her pelvis, bladder, and left wrist. She completely broke her pelvis into 2 pieces and they have put a plate on the front and screws in the back of her pelvis. Her pelvis is fixed. There was a small hole in her bladder that they sewed up and it is fixed. Also, her left wrist is broken and they put pins in that they will have to go in and remove in 4 to 6 weeks. Surgery went good and didn't come out until 2:15pm. Moved her back into ICU and rested.

The Journey continues - Day 2

On Sunday morning several gathered once again at the hospital. David and Angie spent Saturday night and were able to sit in Jill's ICU room if they didn't sleep. Friends and family continued to be supportive and the doctors decided to wake Jill up for a few minutes. David, Angie and Andy were in the room with her when they woke her up. She opened her eyes and they felt they got some response. Meals were furnished by wonderful coworkers both at noon and at night. As we waited in the surgery waiting, we counted the blessings so far. First of all the ligaments in Jill's left leg were completely torn, however her main artery in her left leg was not severed. The doctor on call on Saturday for orthopedics was the head of Orthopedic surgery at University Hospital. We had the best! It didn't appear that Jill had brain damage which was an absolute miracle and we decided we needed to concentrate on the positive as we came to the end of day 2. Jill was doing well enough by Sunday night that David and Angie decided to go home to sleep. We had made it through Day 2 of the journey and were continuing to praise the Lord for his goodness.

How It All Began

On Saturday morning, September 27 Jill decided to take her usual walk to Curves to do her workout. She had figured out that if she walked a half mile to Curves, worked out and then walked a half mile home that she was getting much more exercise. At about 8:30 a.m. she started to cross a street in Edmond and was just a few steps from reaching the other side when she was tragically hit by a car. This blog is for the purpose of sharing the journey that her family, friends and multitude of loved ones have been on with her now for a week and will continue to travel.

After Jill was was struck by the car, an eye witness immediately stopped and rushed to her and immediately started praying over her. Two more people came, both from the medical profession and also stayed with Jill until the ambulance could arrive.

Because Jill was going to workout, she didn't have any identification with her except her Curves ID. The manager of Curves, however heard there had been an accident and knew that some of her members walked to workout. She got in her car immediately and went to the scene of the accident but by that time the ambulance was already headed toward University Hospital, where an excellent trauma emergency room awaited their arrival. The police talked to the manager of Curves and showed her the ID which she took and was able to scan and identify to whom it belonged - our loved one - Jill. She provided the police with contact information and through a series of events, her husband was contacted and headed immediately to the hospital.

As family, friends and loved ones gathered at the hospital, prayer started to be lifted to The Father on Jill's behalf. The wait was difficult, but the chaplain was faithful in updating the family and soon they were told that she was breathing on her own, but needed to go to surgery immediately to remove the spleen and try to do some temporary repair to her now very broken body. The wait began and cell phones were in constant use updating other friends, family members and co-workers.

After about one hour in surgery the first doctor came out and reported that her spleen had been successfully removed and the other doctor was going to work on the rest of her injuries. He reported that she was doing fine. After about four more hours of waiting the news came that she was out of surgery and that her vital signs were improving. By this time the news of her accident had spread and many friends and family members started arriving at the hospital. Many were praising the Lord for bringing Jill this far on what would be known as Day 1 of the journey.