Chad Kunis Update Page

Saturday, April 15, 2006

2006-04-15T06:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since the last update. Chad has been doing really well. He is very responsive when talked to. He really seems to enjoy his nice long showers. Weather permitting (which isn't often) he gets out in his wheelchair and enjoys the fresh air. Last Sunday, his feeding tube came out and had to be replaced. It was just replaced on 2/23, and is supposed to last for about 6 months! No plans for Easter, just hanging out with the family. Hope everyone has a great Easter and please stop by any time.

The Global Ischemia Foundation has a fundraiser scheduled on
April 18, 2006

Chevys Night

Chevy's in Westgate will offer during the evening to the Global Ischemia Foundation. Anyone bringing flyers to the event will help out the Foundation as Chevy's will donate 15% of the proceeds. Download a FLYER and come join us between 5:30 and 9pm at 1502 Saratoga Avenue San Jose, CA 95129.
Phone: (408) 871-9110

Monday 3/13/06

2006-03-13T06:45:00.001-08:00

Not much new with Chad. He has good days, and not so good days. He doesn't seem to laugh as much these days. Hopefully this is only temporary, because the smiles and laughter mean so much and helps me through! Sunday, the Global Ischemia Foundation, whose goal is aimed at finding a cure for people with brain injuries had a "massage-a thon" fundraiser event this past weekend. I indulged myself in a massage and it was heavenly! If you want to pamper yourself, check it out for yourself:
Therapeutic Art. Maryann generously donated all of her time and she is amazing! Chad would love and benefit from this too! I have to see if I can convince her to come to the house and work with Chad!!

Thursday 2/23/06

2006-02-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

During the night Chads feeding tube came partially out. I called after hours care immediately and was advised to call home health office when it opened in the morning at 8:30. It had always been my understanding the a GI tube needed to be reinserted fairly quickly or the opening could be compromised and may require a surgical procedure to replace. The advise nurse said that even if I were to take him to the ER in the middle of the night, they wouldn't have a surgeon until morning anyway! The morning required numerous phone calls to get anywhere. I was first given voice mail to leave a message. I contacted the nurse that used to be Chads home health nurse (until he was discharged from home health). She was on vacation but helped anyway. She called me back saying that Chad could not go to the Gastroenterology (GI) clinic because the insurance would not cover it. He went there last March for tube replacement! She made more calls and said that the head of the GI department said Chad had to go to ER because his tube was partially out! Ambulance transport was arranged. After being in the ER for awhile, the Dr. came in, looked at the tube, said he was going to call the GI clinic to see what they want him to do. AFter some time, a nurse came in and said that the GI clinic wanted Chad brought to the clinic!! After some discussion, a nurse endoscopist came to the ER from the clinic and replaced the tube. X-Ray's were taked to check placement. The nurse said that the stomach acid breaks down the balloon that holds the tube in place in 6 months to a year. I inquired about replacement prior to rupture as preventative, but he said that is not done and replace when tube is no longer viable. The tube is Chad's only means of hydration, feeding and medicating...his life line.

Chad did really well throughout the entire ordeal. He stayed relaxed, some smiles and a few laughs. As always, the paramedics from AMR were super. They always treat Chad with kindness and dignity.

January 16 through January 22, 2006

2006-01-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

January 16-22, 2006

Chad had a great week. He had his personal best this week, standing for 35 minutes in the standing frame. Tues he seemed to be coming down with a cold, but quickly recovered.

January 5 through January 15, 2006

2006-01-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

January 5-15, 2006

Chad continues to do well. His moods fluctuate from happy and vocal to tense and breathing hard. We all enjoy when he is responsive, laughing, smiling and voaclizing. When he becomes very tense and breathing hard, you feel so helpless. It seems to happen most often in the middle of the night. I don't know the cause and all I can do is try to stretch him, move him and talk to him to calm him down.

Wednesday 1/4/06

2006-01-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry there had not been any entries for awhile. I couldn't get past this one!

Today marks two years since that fateful morning when I received the phone call that would change our lives forever. The past two years have been one HUGE rollercoaster of emotions: devastation, fear, anxiety, sadness, lonliness, doubt, deceit..... The first 11 months were spent in various hospitals, almost losing Chad again on July 21, 2004 when he became septic and went into shock. He has been lovingly cared for at home since Dec 3, 2004 surronded by family and friends. Over the past year at home he has remained relatively healthy. Chad has times when his temperature fluxuates; or he becomes very tense, sweaty and breathing hard; or his head and eyes roll extreme left or right for a brief period. We have no idea what these mean and no guidance. Family and friends do their very best to maintain Chads health, body, range of motion until the day that embryonic stem cell treatment becomes a reality.

Monday 1/2/2006

2006-01-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

The second day of the New Year. This year has come in like a lion with heavy rain and wind. Chad had another quiet day, watching as the Christmas Decorations were taken down. I think we will leave the lights up in his room. It gives a little festive mood to the room. Thank you to Chads Friend Desiree for tracking down and returning Chads Christmas Ornaments. Every year I would get each of the kids a special ornament with the year and or their name. When Chad moved out, I gave him his ornaments. His roommates had packed up his belongings when he got sick and those were not included. One of the ornaments was from the Waterford Crystal factory from a trip to Ireland. Although we didn't recover all of them, I am very grateful to Desiree for what she was able to return.

Sunday 1/1/2006

2006-01-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Chad spent a quiet New Years Eve at home with mom watching the festivities on TV. He stayed up until midnight! Chad has been home a little over a year now and even though this past year went well, we are all hoping and praying that this year will be even better for Chad and our friends that are in a similar situation such as Katheeen Davey. We are all working towards that elusive goal of unleashing the healing powers of the brain. Mike Davey has founded the Global Ischemia Foundation to work on finding a cure for this type of devastating injury. Our hearts go out to Mike and Kathleen and there two adorable daughters.

Friday 12/30/05

2005-12-31T11:46:00.000-08:00

This week has been fairly routine. Chad and his family bid a fond fairwell to Eric, one of his therapists. Eric has been working with Michelle, the lead therapist for about 6 months, doing his internship. He passed his exams and is moving on. He will be greatly missed. He was awesome with Chad. He will be a fantastic therapist

Sunday 12/25/05

2005-12-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Chad had lots of visitors today, both family and friends. Some of the friends he hasn't seen in quite awhile and it's always nice when they stop by!

Saturday 12/24/05

2005-12-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

The last several days have been fairly routine. He still has his tense, sweaty times, but other than that, he has been doing well. Family on the paternal side has started arriving from out of town and have been dropping in to visit. Chad loves to have company, but he tends to get very quiet when there is too much going on all at once.

Chad gets a surprise visit from Santa! Chad was a bit sleepy!

Wednesday 12/21/05

2005-12-21T10:32:00.000-08:00

Chad started off the day with a shower, some stretching and then therapy. He set his new best record. He stood for 35 minutes, good head control, actively turning head and moving eyes back and forth (to quote his therapist!!) This was his best standing therapy to date!! His was in a great mood the remainder of the day.

Chad's maternal Grandparents have been on a cruise for the past two weeks and got back this morning. They came by for a visit in the evening and Chad gave Grandma a big smile. Brought tears to grandma's eyes. Grandma helps take loving care of Chad two afternons every week, so I'm glad she took some time to enjoy life.

Sunday 12/18/05

2005-12-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

Today was fairly routine. He slept in the morning and finally woke up early afternoon. There was a little break in the weather so he was able to get out back for a bit. He was in a great mood today.

Saturday 12/17/05

2005-12-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

Since the weather was so bad, Chad didn't get to go out back today. Instead we brought him out in the livingroom for awhile. He was treated to some neck adjustments today while sitting in the recliner.

Monday 12/16/05

2005-12-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

Chad had therapy today and stood for almost 25 minutes. He did very well until His B/P started to drop towards the end. The rest of his day was pretty routine

Friday 12/16/05

2005-12-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

Today was fairly routine. Chad had sweat alot during the night and was treated to a nice shower this morning. Since he was awake most of the night, he slept most of the day. He still has it backwards!!

Thursday 12/15/05

2005-12-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

Chad was pretty sleep most of the day. In the evening he was awake and in a good mood. He sat in the livingroom recliner for a couple hours in the evening. He would laugh occasionally when talked to. After he was back in bed, his tone increased and he was breathing hard and sweating.

Wednesday 12/14/05

2005-12-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

Chads day started with a nice shower. He had therapy in the afternoon where he stood for about 20 minutes. He slept most of the day again. No matter how much you try, when he gets into that deep sleep, you cannot wake him! His sister jumped on the bed with him and was pinching him, making fish lips with him, anything. All he did was turn his head away from her!

Tuesday 12/13/05

2005-12-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Chad finally seemed to get a bit more sleep last night. He had therapy today and stood for 20 minutes, b/p stable and fair head control. He sat in the living room in the evening with his family. He was awake but very quiet. No matter how hard we tried to make him laugh, he wouldn't. About the time we put him back to bed, he started laughing!

Monday 12/12/05

2005-12-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

Up again last night. Slept most of the day until around 4pm. He woke up in a good mood. He stayed awake and responsive to stimulation all evening.

Sunday 12/11/05

2005-12-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Chad was awake all night again. After his morning shower, he wanted to sleep. No matter how much we tried to wake him, he was out of it in a very deep sleep. In the evening we sat him in the living room recliner, where he fell back to sleep! He seems to have his days and nights turned around.

Saturday 12/10/05

2005-12-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Chad was up all night. This morning he was very vocal. He went out back in his wheelchair for a bit this afternoon. The neighbors are getting a new roof, so it was quite noisy, but he seemed to like the cool air. He was happy the rest of the day, smiling and laughing.

Friday 12/9/05

2005-12-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Chads day started off with a nice warm shower with help from his brother and sister...THANK YOU! Giving Chad a shower takes almost two hours from start to finish. We have been asking for a blood sugar test for Chad, but it has not been done. Chads Grandpa brought over his machine and tested Chad-his blood sugar level is 93 which I understand is excellent! The last blood draw that had been done showed Chad had elevated hemoglobin and my reading on that always came back to diabetes which concerned me greatly. Thanks Dad for doing the test that required one drop of blood!

Thursday 12/8/05

2005-12-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

Chad fianlly had a good night sleep last night. He was in a great mood all day, smiling and laughing and some good sneezes!! He was doing great up until 10pm, when his great mood turned to tense, sweaty and breathing hard. His temp quickly shot up to 102.3 and heart rate 105.

Wednesday 12/7/05

2005-12-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Chad was awake what seemed like all night, laughing at the littlest noise. He stood again today for 20 minutes. His therapist said he was alert and relaxed and held his head well. After some relaxation, he was in a good mood again and laughing. He is not happy when his arm casts are on!

Tuesday 12/6/05

2005-12-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Chad had therapy today and stood for 20 minutes, tolerating well. The last time he stood was 11/28 and he only made it 13 minutes. Small steps! Chad has been in a great mood this afternoon with lots of laughing. The slightest noise or stimulation set him off into boughts of laughter.

Monday 12/5/05

2005-12-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

Chad was very tense today, arms pulled in tight and heavy breathing. Even a nice hot shower didn't seem to relax him.

Sunday 12/4/05

2005-12-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

Chad came out front in his wheelchair to supervise his sister, brother and mother putting up the Christmas lights. It was a little chilly out, but he seemed to enjoy being out with us.

Saturday 12/3/05

2005-12-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

Today is the one year anniversary of Chad's homecoming. The year has flown by, filled with ups and downs, love and heartache, laughter and tears. Over all, Chad has done remarkably well this past year. We have been relatively successful in keeping his body healthy, despite lack of guidance or knowledge. We have muddled through to the best of our ability, but with no medical leadership, we can only do what we have learned on our own, through others in the same situation (thank you Mike and Kathleen) and by what our hearts tell us. It is always an emotional challenge. Somedays the rewards are plentiful....the days when he is feeling well, is responsive to stimulation and lots of smiles and laughter...keeps you going. The days when he is not feeling well, feverish, moaning, body wracked with muscle contractures, you feel so helpless and wonder if you are doing the right thing. We pray for a miracle, and hope that someday stem cells may hold the key to recovery for so many. Thank you to everyone who has followed Chads journey and for your thoughts and prayers!

11/29 through 12/2/05

2005-12-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Chad has been doing fairly well this week. Some days his tone is very high, which causes his temp to rise a bit and his mood to be very somber. He spoils us so much when he is responsive and smiling, so when he is tense, we all feel his pain.

On a much brighter note, Chads sister Ashley and the ladies of the West Valley Soccer team are off to Lassen County for the third and final round of the regional playoffs. The winner of this match will advance to the prestigious Final Four! Good luck tomorrow ladies!!!

Monday 11/28/05

2005-11-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

Brandon Preece stopped by before flying back home to Utah. He made Chad a shadow box with drum sticks and a personalized note! For those of you who don't know Chad, he is an awesome drummer! Thank you for such a nice gift.

Chad stood in the standing frame for the first time in awhile. He stood for about 13 minutes and did fairly well. In the evening he was in a really goofy mood. He was very responsive with smiles and laughter and a lot of fun. We all love it when he is in such good spirits!

Sunday 11/27/05

2005-11-27T20:47:00.000-08:00

An old friend of Chads from high school, Brandon Preece, came by for his first visit with Chad since becoming ill. Brandon moved to Utah and hadn't heard about Chad until this weekend.

Chad sat up in the living room most of the afternoon. His tone was fairly high, making it difficult to put splints on. Despite the tone, he was in a good mood all day. His Aunt Marilyn came for a visit and Chad put on his best smiles for her!

Sat 11/26/05

2005-11-26T20:36:00.000-08:00

Chad had a fairly quiet day, starting off with a shower and then some stretching. In the evening he sat in the recliner and watched as the Sharks lose another game, but it was an exciting game!

Fri 11/25/05

2005-11-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

Chad woke up at 3:30 am drenched in sweat and very tense. Tone was very high all day.

Thurs 11/24/05

2005-11-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Chad had a fairly quiet day joined by a few family members in the early evening for some Turkey...okay, so Chad didn't get to really have Turkey, but we tempted him with the delightful smells! He sat in the livingroom for several hours and seemed to be enjoying himself.

Wed 11/23/05

2005-11-23T20:20:00.000-08:00

Another good day for Chad with laughter and smiles. No therapy due to holiday schedule.

Tuesday 11/22/05

2005-11-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

Chad has been in a fantastic mood all day. Lots of smiles. Congratulations to Chad's sister Ashley and the ladies of the West Valley Soccer team. They beat Fresno today in the the second round of the playoffs. They have one more round to go before going to the state tournament. Go West Valley.

Monday 11/21/05

2005-11-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

Chad had a really rough night fraught with tenseness and heavy rapid breathing. He was profusely sweating. He got a nice shower in the morning, but would not relax. In the afternoon his left cast was removed. He has a significant rash on that arm. We don't think it is the cause of his discomfort, but as usual, we don't know. After removal, he slept the majority of the remainder of the day. Perhaps the cast was the cause!

Sunday 11/20/05

2005-11-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Chad's mom (me) went to the abilities expo today. The expo has all the latest in making life easier for the disabled person and/or caregivers. Ironically, while at the expo I get a call. Chads caregiver was transferring Chad to his wheelchair, Chad began posturing (legs went stiff, head went back and he was choking to the point of not breathing). The caregiver had Chad sitting on the edge of the bed when this happened and was in quite a dilema, nearly dropping Chad to the floor. Fortunately Ryan was home and Mathew yelled for Ryan. Between the two, disaster was barely averted. The two of them were able to lay him back, suction him, get his breathing under control (then their own!!). At the expo, the exhibit has an overhead tracking systems to easily transfer a person from bed to chair. Unfortunately, they are extremely expensive as is anything associated with the word medical! Having the lift, todays incident would not have happened.

Saturday 11/19/05

2005-11-19T07:42:00.000-08:00

Chads day started off with a nice warm shower. He is pretty relaxed today. In the evening he joined his family in the livingroom for the evening meal, Chads of the liquid variety! He was very alert and smiling. Congratulations again to Ashley(Chads' younger sister) and the ladies of the West Valley Soccer team. They won the 1st round of the NorCal playoffs. They are on to Fresno for the next round on Tuesday...GO WEST VALLEY!!

Friday 11/18/05

2005-11-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

Chad had a fairly quiet day, dozing off and on. His cast comes off on Monday. He has a pretty nasty rash on thie skin just above the top of the cast (near the elbow).

Thursday 11/17/05

2005-11-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

Chad was a little more tense/tight again today. It has been so wonderful the past few days when he has been relaxed and smiling. Two of his friends from high school, Blaine and Zach, came by in the evening for a visit. Blaine can always coax a smile from Chad and tonight was no exception!

Wednesday 11/16/05

2005-11-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

Chad had another great day! He woke up with a smile on his face and the rest of the day just got better. We are all so thrilled to see him feeling so much better. We can only hope it lasts. He had therapy in the afternoon and is much more relaxed than he has been in weeks. In the evening he sat in the livingroom recliner and was a captive audience watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He actually laughed at certain parts. I think it is the sounds that he responds to.

Tuesday 11/15/05

2005-11-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

Chad's brother Ryan gave Chad a great hair cut today! He looks so handsome (as always). Chad did great holding his head up while his brother trimmed. Chad has been laughing again today! His sister's soccer team had their final game today and won. They are the division champs!! Way to go Ashley and the ladies from West Valley Soccer!

Monday 11/14/05

2005-11-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

Chad is still doing really well and has been in a great mood. He got the second cast on his left wrist. This one will be saved and used as a splint. He was up in the recliner in the evening watching TV with his family....quality time!

Sunday 11/13/05

2005-11-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

Chad slept all day! He would complaing when we rotated him around and then go back to sleep. I guess he is making up for the days and nights he didn't sleep last week.

Saturday 11/12/05

2005-11-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

The day is early, but I wanted to post that Chad woke up in a great mood this morning and is vocal and smiling! I haven't seen this for awhile and am thrilled. He felt so good that later in the day he went out back and hung out with his brother and sister and the family dogs!

Friday 11/11/05

2005-11-11T10:17:00.000-08:00

Another sleepless night. Still no outward signs of what is bothering him other than he is very tense (arms pulled up and in) and moans. After morning shower he fell asleep and slept pretty much all day. He needs rest and hopefully this will help him feel better.

Thursday 11/10/05

2005-11-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

Chads tenseness continues. He hasn't slept much. The cause is unknown. He has been having difficulty with eating, so perhaps his stomach is bothering him, perhaps his tone is up...it is all a very frustrating guessing game.

Wednesday 11/9/05

2005-11-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Chad was extremely tense and moaning alot today. No fever. His therapists came today and stood him, but he didn't tolerate very well. After about 5 minutes he started sweating and looking pale and was lethargic for about 10 minutes after.

Tuesday 11/8/05

2005-11-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

Chad had a fairly good day, but for some reason is having a difficult time with feeding. Chad's brother and sister took great care of him in the evening so their mom could get a much needed break and had a wonderful time at the Paul McCartney concert! Thank you so much Ryan and Ashley!

Monday 11/7/05

2005-11-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

Chad had a really good night! Hopefully the worst is over. A cast was put on his left wrist today. His left was not nearly as bad as his right, so it will only take a series of 2 casts and the final one will be used as a splint. Overall he had a good day and was in a good mood.

Sunday 11/6/05

2005-11-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

Chad seems to be on the mend. His heart rate and temp were normal again today. He seems to be catching up on his lost sleep. In the evening he was awake and in a good mood. Chad's mom borrowed our neighbors little girl Trista (almost 2 years old) for the evening. Chad really responded to her laughter and playfulness. He would turn his head in her direction and often laughed too! She was a great diversion for all of us!

Saturday 11/5/05

2005-11-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Chad had another fairly good night, but still woke frequently with bouts of hysterical laughter which continued through the morning. He finally settled down around noon and dozed the remainder of the day. His temp and heart rate remain down which we are very greatful for.

Friday 11/4/05

2005-11-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

Chad had a great night! He slept all night. His temp is down as well as his heart rate!! He dozed off and on most of the day. He was in a terrific mood in the evening. His friend Desiree stopped by in the evening and he was all smiles and being really silly. Hopefully this is the end of the week long fevers and elevated heart rate. We sure hope so.

Thursday 11/3/05

2005-11-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

Last night was horrible! Chad moaned almost non-stop. This continued on and off throughout the day. His fever is still fairly high. The nurse called and said the Dr. she has been confering with said Chad may need to be brought to the E.R. tomorrow if he doesn't improve. In July Chad was taken to the ER because no nurse or Dr. would come see him at home. The experience was frustrating to say the least. They did the blood and urine draws and he had an elevated white blood cell count, suggesting infection. One of the hospital physicians that had seen Chad as an inpatient was contacted and he said "he gets central fevers, send him home" without even coming to see Chad. Chad has been cared for at home since Dec 3, 2004, and July 14, 2005 was the first time Chad ran a severe fever and the first time he went to the E.R. How the Dr. can make such a statement is beyond me. As a result, we don't want to take him to the E.R. unless they can site a specific treatment plan. He already had a blood draw and urine culture on Saturday, his lungs are clear so I don't really know why she (the Dr. who has met Chad once) would want him taken to the E.R.

Wednesday 11/2/05

2005-11-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

Chad had another difficult night with profuse sweating and shaking. He has no outward signs of a cold or infection and lab work is normal (according to Kaiser Dr.) His therapist opted not to stand him today to add any undue stress, but gave him a nice stretch and massage. We did bring him out to the living room recliner for awhile in the evening which he tolerated well.

Tuesday 11/1/05

2005-11-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

Chad seemed perfectly fine yesterday and had gotten over whatever had caused the fever, but in the very early hours this morning the fever, elevated heart rate and profuse sweating returned and continued throughout the day. The nurse that used to be his regular home health nurse came by. She said his lungs are perfectly clear. She didn't have the tools to check for ear infection. Antibiotics have been started.

2005-10-31T08:48:00.001-08:00

Monday 10/31/05

2005-10-31T08:48:00.000-08:00

Chad has rebounded remarkably well from whatever was causing his fever since Friday. He was in a really great mood, very responsive and laughing. The medication that was supposed to have been called in on Saturday when the home health nurse came didn't happen. They are calling it an URI, even though his lungs are perfectly clear and he has no cough. When I called today, they said Lab results are normal. I have requested a copy.

Friday 10/28/05

2005-10-31T08:28:00.000-08:00

This is the third day that he has not been happy. A lot of sweating during the night. This morning he is doing what the family refers to as hysterical laughing (but he is not happy...we just don't know what else to call it) and is shaking. His fever is elevated. Michelle came and removed his cast. He has a rash on his arm, but other than that, the wrist and fingers look great and are fairly straight. Chad's condition continued to deteriorate as the day progressed. His temp, B/P and Pulse were all very high. Chad's mom made several calls to Kaiser. As is typical, it took a long time to get confirmation that a nurse would come out tomorrow to draw blood and take a urine sample. When Home health called for our address, turns out we were not it their area, they were from Santa Clara. Someone would have to call back from Santa Teresa. Now it is after 5pm and it is a different Dr. that is now on call and she won't send a nurse and wants Chad brought to the hospital. The only way to transport is via ambulance. They are willing to spend the money for an ambulance, but not send a nurse! Chads mom opted to monitor him closely at home instead of a traumatic trip to the ER. There is always the 911 option if it becomes necessary.

Thursday 10/27/05

2005-10-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

Chad woke up in really bad mood, very unhappy and crying. He has a low grade temp. This all continued throughout the day.

Wednesday 10/26/05

2005-10-31T08:20:00.000-08:00

Chad's Aunt Kathy is back! She had knee surgery and has not been able to care for Chad for about a month..welcome back! Chad had a good day, cat napping off and on, some laughter for Aunt Kathy and some sneezing. In the early evening, he fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up a little later, he had jerky head and eye movements and was moaning. It lasted for almost half an hour.

Tuesday 10/25/05

2005-10-31T08:17:00.000-08:00

Chad had a nice quiet day today. He spent the day with his bother tending to his every whim! In the evening he sat in the livingroom watching TV with his family.

Sunday 10/30/05

2005-10-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

Despite having slept all day yesterday, he had a fairly good night. He was awake today, but not very happy. He ran low grade temp all day. No test results yet.

Saturday 10/29/05

2005-10-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Chad had a rough night with fevers and elevated pulse. He finally settled down to a good deep sleep around 4am. Around Noon a nurse from Home Health Kaiser called and said she was coming to see Chad. Last I was told, no nurse would be coming???!! She drew blood and took a urine sample. When she phoned the Dr. from the house, Dr. said she would phone in a prescription for antibiotics. Unfortunately, the nurse didn't find out where and family is wondering why since we don't know results of tests yet. Chad's fever is down and he has been sleeping pretty much all day. Family just keeps pushing the fluids and monitoring him. He seems much better than yesterday with his heart rate at a much lower level.

Monday 10/24/05

2005-10-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Monday 10/24/05

The day started with a nice warm shower. Early in the afternoon his second cast was removed and the third and final cast was set. This cast will be saved and used as a splint to maintain the wrist position. Chad has tolerated the casts surprisingly well. He joined his family in the livingroom for the evening meal around the TV!

Sunday 10/23/05

2005-10-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sun 10/23/05

Earlier in the day, Chad sat out back in his wheelchair enjoying the cool fall air. Later, he watched as his brother and sister decorated the front porch for Halloween! He had another surprise visitor today, Mike, who lives in San Diego. They have been friends since grade school. Unfortunately Chad slept through the entire visit!

Saturday 10/22/05

2005-10-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday 10/22/05

Chad enjoyed sitting out back for awhile this morning. Dr. Howe came by and stretched him out. Said Chads neck was way out of alignment. Suggested we rotate his bed occassionally. In the evening Chad sat in the living room with his Mom, giving him no choice but to watch Chicago with her! He was a great sport about it.

Friday 10/21/05

2005-10-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Friday 10/21/05

Chad had a quiet day, very non-responsive and distant. In the evening he had a surprise visit from his long time friend Blaine, who has been away serving our country in Iraq. When he came in and talked to Chad, Chad turned toward him and gave him a big smile!! This happened several times during Blaines visit. It was awesome to see how much he responded to Blaine!

Thursday 10/20/05

2005-10-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

Thursday 10/20/05

Chad slept most of the day. He was awake and sat up in the livingroom recliner in the evening. His mood improved and he laughed occasionally. He has also been sneezing a lot the last couple of days.

Wednesday 10/19/05

2005-10-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 10/19/05

Chad had a rough night, very tense, sweaty and rapid shallow breathing. His morning shower was difficult because of the tightness. He has a slight fever (100.8) and his pulse is very rapid (100). Despite this, he had a great therapy session, standing for 20 minutes and holding his head well. He was very somber in the evening. Not complaining, but non-responsive to stimulation.

Tuesday 10/18/05

2005-10-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 10/18/05

Chad was extremely sleepy today. He slept a good portion of the day. When he was awake, he was in a good mood. In the evening he was up in the recliner in the livingroom and had a sneezing attack. He is starting to sound a bit stuffed up. The dreaded flu season is upon us and for Chad to get sick, even a common cold could have very serious consequences, turning into pnemonia very easily. Everyone who comes in contact with Chad excercises precaution as best as possible with hand washing, etc.

Monday 10/17/05

2005-10-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Monday 10/17/05

Chad had his cast removed and replaced with a new one today. This is the second in a series of three to try to decrease the tone in his wrists and allow for greater extension. Amazingly, his therapists were able to get his wrist fairly straight. Chad is still very strong and if he doesn't want to straighten his arm/wrist, it is nearly impossible. Despite the cast, Chad was in a great mood, voacalizing a lot and some laughing.

Sunday 10/16/05

2005-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Sunday 10/16/05

Chad enjoyed going out in the backyard for a little sun this morning. Later in the afternoon, he was extremely tense and his heartrate was quite high. We suspect he may have been having abdominal discomfort, but it is all a guessing game. He seemed better in the evening and sat in the recliner in the livingroom for awhile. We hope he is not getting sick. With flu season upon us it is of great concern.

Saturday 10/15/05

2005-10-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday 10/15/05

Chad started the day with a nice warm shower which he tried desperately to sleep through! In the afternoon we put Chad in his wheelchair and took a walk over to a friends house who has therapy equipment set up and is very generous in sharing with us. We were able to weigh Chad (192lbs!!) and then stand him in the tilt table. He did very well, but his B/P would rise a bit. We we came back home, Chad stayed in his chair out back for awhile, then back to bed. Two hours later, he was back up in the livingroom recliner to watch a movie with his Mom, Brother and Brothers' girlfriend. He was in a good mood and stayed awake. Back to bed for some Sharks hockey..they won!!

Friday 10/14/05

2005-10-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

Friday 10/14/05

Chad had a routine day, napping a little more than usual. We have noted an added benefit to the cast. His entire arm is staying straighter than usual. Generally he tends to pull his arms in. When I mentioned this to his therapist, her reply was that the cast helps inhibit spasticity and often it carries over to other muscle groups.

Thursday 10/13/05

2005-10-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

Thursday 10/13/05

Chad was very tight this morning, making his morning shower a struggle. The therapist came by and stretched him out and checked on his casted wrist. All seems fine and the plan is to remove this cast on Tuesday and replace it with a new one, hopefully being able to get a little more extension in the wrist.

Wednesday 10/12/05

2005-10-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 10/12/05

Chad had a very routine day and is tolerating the cast amazing well. He was full of smiles and vocalizing. In the evening he watched the Sharks win in their home opener with his brother, sister and a friend. Mom actually had a night out and attended the home opener..Thank you Ryan and Ashley!

Tuesday 10/11/05

2005-10-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 10/11/05

Chad had his right wrist cast today. His wrist has become contracted and the purpose of the cast is to help prevent further spasticity and hopefully reduce the current amount. He will have a series of casts over the next week or two. He is tolerating it well so far.

Monday 10/10/05

2005-10-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

Monday 10/10/05

Chad got a good night last night, but the day started off a bit rough and went downhill from there. He was extremely tense which made showering quite a chore. He is still very strong and when he doesn't want you to lift his arm, it is almost impossible. Once back in bed, he was very unhappy. He makes a crying face and sound. Early in the afternoon he threw up which he rarely does. He seemed a bit better, but not much. This evening he was very quiet and unresponsive when spoken too. Usually he can be coaxed into a smile or a laugh, but not tonight. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

2005-10-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday 10/9/05

Chad was treated to a shave and hair wash out back this morning. After he and his Mom took a short walk out front and then Chad supervised as his Mom did some yard work out front. He got a little too much sun on his legs! His sister Ashley plays soccer for West Valley. They had a great game this afternoon and Ashley scored one of there three goals! Chad was pleased when Ashley relayed the events to him by responding with a smile! In the evening, Chad watched Desperate House Wives...since Mom and Ashley were watching it in his room, he didn't have mcuh of a choice. He stayed awake, so I guess he didn't mind!

2005-10-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday 10/8/05

Chads day began with a nice long shower and then up in his wheelchair outback for some sunshine. He watched as mom did yard work. The loud noise of the lawn mower causes Chad to laugh. The dogs lay at Chads feet as if protecting him. They get very excited when he comes out back. They are big dogs and don't come inside the house very often, so they love when Chad comes out. Chad was also treated to neck and arm massage by our friend Keith who is a chiropractor/alternative healer. Chad seems to enjoy these and is so relaxed after the Dr. has left he usually sleeps for a while.

2005-10-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

Friday 10/7/05

Chad had another great day with warm smiles for all! He was very responsive and alert. Its days like these that keep us going and moving forward.

2005-10-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

Thursday 10/6/05

Chad awoke with a smile on his face! His smile persisted thoughout the afternoon. His morning started with a nice long shower which he seemed to enjoy. He had a good therapy session in the afternoon, standing for almost 25 minutes, until his B/P began to rise. He was exhausted and took a nice long nap. His therapist is still very concerned about the tone in his wrists which may have to be casted.

2005-10-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 10/5/05

Chad was very vocal today starting at 4:00am! He was in a good mood, just very very vocal!! This continued on and off throughout the day. His arms have been more relaxed than usual, but his right wrist still has a lot of tone.

2005-10-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 10/4/05

Chad had a good day today. He stood for 25 minutes in the standing frame and did very well. He was exhausted after his workout and fell asleep. His right wrist has a lot of tone which is of concern.

2005-10-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

Monday 10/3/05

Chad had a really good night, the first in awhile. His arms were more relaxed than they have been in weeks. Again this morning his arms were pretty relaxed allowing for some good range of motion.

2005-10-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday 10/2/05

Chad started the day off with a nice shower and then out back for some morning sunshine. Early evening he was up in his wheelchair watching his mom, brother and sister attempt to make sushi for the first time. It was a festive atmosphere and Chad was right in the middle of it enjoying every minute.

2005-10-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Chad's New Blog Site

Saturday 10/1/05

Chad had a nice relaxing shower this morning following a difficult night where he was tight and restless. After the shower he relaxed and went to sleep for awhile. He woke up in a great mood and had a great rest of the day with smiles and some laughter.