This is a long, but encouraging report on Dick. Others remain a bit
more pessimistic. Only time will tell. Larry Dent
Return-Path: <l.duffield@comcast.net>
Delivered-To: lwdent@localnet.com
Received: (qmail 7605 invoked from network); 5 Mar 2004 15:23:41 -0000
Received: from sccrmhc11.comcast.net ([204.127.202.55]) (envelope-sender
<l.duffield@comcast.net>) by mail4.localnet.com (qmail-ldap-1.03) with
SMTP for <lwdent@localnet.com>; 5 Mar 2004 15:23:41 -0000
Received: from sccrmhc11.comcast.net (localhost[127.0.0.1]) by
comcast.net (sccrmhc11) with ESMTP id <2004030515233401100io18te>;
Fri, 5 Mar 2004 15:23:34 +0000
Received: from larry (c-24-16-50-13.client.comcast.net[24.16.50.13]) by
comcast.net (sccrmhc11) with SMTP id <2004030515092101100jqesbe>; Fri,
5 Mar 2004 15:09:27 +0000
X-Comment: AT&T Maillennium special handling code - c
Message-ID: <009401c402c3$833c6c70$0d321018@larry>
From: "larry duffield" <l.duffield@comcast.net>
To: "Elna & Larry Duffield" <l.duffield@comcast.net>
Subject: Dick Buckingham Update - 3/05
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 07:06:55 -0800
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165
X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: from multipart/alternative by demime 0.99d.1
X-Converted-To-Plain-Text: Alternative section used was text/plain
Good Morning Everyone
I wanted to give you the latest news regarding Dick and Judy Buckingham.
Yesterday, Judy met with the attending Neurologist and medical personnel that
are caring for Dick. They have been very encouraged by some of the responses
Dick is now making.
When Judy first spoke with the Doctors in New Zealand, they had given her a
very dim prognosis...later, as they saw some improvement they were a little
more positive but felt that there was a possibility he would remain in more or
less a vegetative state.
However, at yesterday's meeting, the staff was feeling quite a bit more
positive about Dick's eventual recovery. It is always difficult to tell how
the brain will respond to such trauma and it will be a long and slow road
toward recovery. They said that the part of his brain that was most severely
injured was the portion that is in control of motor skills. Judy was also
told that there is a good possibility that Dick will regain much of the use of
his body...this is a different opinion than they had when he was first
admitted to U of W. He will have some problems on the left side and in
particular his left arm and hand. His right side is starting to respond to
therapy. They felt that his reasoning and communication skills will probably
come back (However, it is still too early to predict to what degree.) and that
his high intelligence was a very positive addition to the recovery prognosis.
they felt that Dick has a chance to regain enough physical skills that he will
be able to care for himself at home and communicate.
Having gone there expecting that the news would be more grim, this really
brightened my day.However, the incident that made us all "light up" happened
after talking with Judy.
Judy, I and her friend, Suzanne went into the room to see Dick. I had been at
Children's Hospital right before coming over to see Dick and had purchased a
soft, stuffed kitten (As many of you know, Dick and Judy had two cats that
they absolutely loved.) that I laid on Dick's lap. First, Dick made a
movement with his right hand that indicated he wanted to touch the cat. So,
we took off the mitt that covers that hand (They do that for protection so he
won't accidentally pull out the trach tube.) and he slowly wrapped his hand
around the kitten. Just after doing that, Suzanne said, "What can we name the
cat that would be significant to Dick?". I replied, "Well, we could name it
Elna". At that moment, Dick's face broke into a HUGE smile and I think, if he
hadn't had the tracheotomy, he would have laughed out loud. The smile
remained for quite awhile as we chatted on about the kitten's name (By the
way, I think it will be called Ginny...short for Ginetta.). In the last
email, I told you that he focused on me but showed no response to actually
knowing who I was...but now, I know for certain that Dick knows people and
that he is working to be able to respond to them. It's going to take time and
lots of work but the Dick we all know is in that body and getting ready to
emerge.
It appears that Dick will stay in University Hospital for a short while longer
but within the week will be transferred to a long-term care facility. Judy
was told that Dick has not recovered enough to go into the hospital re-hab
program and that there is little else the doctors can do for him medically.
The stay in the long-term care facility will give his body the opportunity for
additional recovery and for continued physical therapy. Once he has improved
to the point where occupational therapy can start, he will be moved back to
the hospital. Judy is working with the hospital staff now to find a place for
him.
It appears that your prayers and positive thoughts are being acted on and Judy
is very thankful for all the support you have shown. Her email is now up and
working so you can send her personal messages. Her email is:
rebjrmd@ix.netcom.com
Obviously, Judy is doing much better with the news she received yesterday. It
is still a difficult process to have to make all the decisions that are needed
for Dick's continued care. Her sister will be flying into Seattle next week
and helping her chose the best facility for Dick.
Dick can have visitors but the visits need to be kept fairly short...he still
needs lots of rest. I think that once he is in the nursing facility, visiting
will be more encouraged. I'll let you know once we hear where he will be
going.
Elna
|