Making progress (Alli update for Fri & Sat)

This has been a long, but enjoyable two days. While I know people have very differing views of this weekend and what it's all about, none can doubt that it usually intels some great family time. Whether you do the fall festival or carnival thing, church supper, or trick or treating, almost everyone has great memories to share from this time of year. And after all, it's truly what you make of it, and how you build up one another and Christ through the fellowship of this fun time.
So now on to the question I've been getting lots of calls and emails about. How was Alli's appt? Well, there were some good things, and a few areas of concern. The first that will excite most, is that Alli doesn't have to wear her helmet. And man, I was all ready to dress her up as a football player last night! But alas, instead, she was a Clemson cheerleader (sorry, my girls were brain washed as early as my oldest daughter's beginning by their aunt T and uncle M, and they've loved it!)
She's to continue avoiding anything that would raise her blood pressure or heart rate because they feel there are still some issues that need to be pinpointed, and over activity could prolong her recovery, not knowing the extent of what may still have to be done in aiding her recovery. They discussed her skull fractures and separation being on the brink of worry/no worry. If she were a year older, they'd feel confident of it growing back together and healing over nicely. If she were a year younger, they'd be leaning more toward it growing apart instead of together. So over the next year, she'll be watched closely to monitor which direction it goes in. Next month we'll have another CT, not expecting healing yet, but just hoping to find it has not went the other direction.
Aside from the helmet, here's the run down. After going over all the quirks I've mentioned to you all here since the accident, and doing his evaluation, we together discovered some things and some testing that needs to follow.
The fever and hurting she was having? It wasn't a chest infection or ear infection. The bleeding that had occurred in her head during the accident had leaked into her spinal cord causing inflammation and pain. Our doctors here didn't have the benefit of that info because they had not received the hospital reports at that time, so they did the best they could, and still ultimately took the right course of action with antibiotics.
As far as the speech, walking, mood swings, and indecisiveness go, they're going to wait for the 6 week mark for "the dust to settle" and see how she's rebounding at that time. Some of this could be post concussive syndrome, and would start to show signs of panning itself out by that time.
But one thing of concern is that when you put all her symptoms together, it seems to point to injury further into the right ear being very near where the fractures occurred and separated. If so, this could explain many of her symptoms causing her pain, speech, walking, loss of appetite, nausea spells, and moodiness. Testing is in the works of being set up sometime between now and next month to check her hearing, fluid, and injury to that area internally. Depending on these findings, an MRI may be done, as well as a therapy evaluation.
The scary episode she had Monday alarmed the doctor, and if it happens again, wants an EEG ordered right away (I'm not sure what that is, but I'm sure one of our Dr. buddies will explain it soon. I do know that they would be looking for bleeding, swelling, and further injury to the brain). This isn't thought to be very likely at this point, only if that episode happens again.
Alli continues to have trouble resting at night, although her spirits during the day are improving. She went on her first small crowd outing today, going to the Fall Festival at my home church where most of my family still is. Small country church, but lots of love. We all enjoyed ourselves, and on the Rhino led hayride, I saw beaming from Alli that I haven't seen in almost a month. If I had been carrying my camera, I would have snapped a million pictures of that ride down the old dirt road. I promise you this though, it's image is preserved in my mind and in my heart. And Bless her, she fell asleep on the way home and is still in the bed. 8:30 my friends! Shall we all rise for the Hallelujah chorus?
We haven't been back to our church yet. It's on the large side, and quite honestly, I feared her catching something from the crowd of well wishers that will be around her. But we may try going tomorrow, just depending on how she's feeling. It's been a long weekend for her, so we'll have to play it by ear.
Our first week back at school went surprisingly well, although we could tell once back home, it had usually exhausted her. But being back into some type of normalcy was nice, and I was especially glad to be back with my sweet friends (also known as co-workers). That is one precious group of people.
Okay, that's about it for tonight. Remember to "Fall Back" your clocks tonight or you'll be chilly in the morning waiting for someone to open up the church doors! Also, please remember to vote Christ's morals on Tuesday. Ooh...I wonder if that was just a separation of church and state faux pas?
Love you guys! Keep praying!