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Captain’s Log: Here we go… Again.

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So up until Saturday morning things were über-hunky-dory… then we very suddenly got hit by a mega-oopsie-daisy…

About 24 hours ago — Saturday night, 9PM-ish — very suddenly, Mom’s headache came raging back, the drug-drunkness got a out-of-control, and it very suddenly felt like December 16th all over again.

There are a lot of similarities to beginning of each “event” in fact; just change the AMs to PMs and it’s crazy how identical things go:

There’s some noises and… a thud?

Bonnie and Heidi respond. (Again.)

9-1-1 is called. (Again.)

Ambulance to Mary Wash Fredericksburg. (Again.)

CT scan. Brain looks a wee hinky. (Again.)

Helicopter is called. (Again.)

Airlift to VCU/MCV Health in Richmond. (Again.)

(That’s how you spend 4-years of college tuition, room, and board in one night. Again.)

More CT. Brain is glowing. We spend 24 hours going “WTF-mates?” (Again.)

And now here I am. Trying to write you all a funny update.

(Again.)

(And you guys are all going, “WTF, Megan! you said she was fine!!” I KNOW! ARG! I KNOW! WTF!??! I’m totally with you guys…)

We really couldn’t tell what exactly was wrong until a couple of hours ago. On top of everything else, apparently the onyx glue is sort of luminescent and mucks up the CT scans. (She’s not only glued together now, apparently the girl glows in the dark. We’ll never lose her brain again.) The timing of Mom’s collapse was also somewhat suspect… she was using the loo, as it were… and the prunes weren’t helping as much as they should have been so there was some concern that… well forgive me, but we thought she might have actually s**t her brain apart.

I’m sorry. A little crude, I know… but I am desperately clinging to my smile as it’s MY glue.

But now we have a few CT scans to compare/contrast. There is some cerebral swelling around the repaired fistula and it is causing a very minor (but, of course, very serious and clearly problematic) blockage. Mom is back in the Neuro ICU at VCU, with all the lovely people who know her best and we’ve started a steroid program to dispel the swelling and get things on the road to healing.

The steroids should be completely sufficient to solve this. If not, a drain will have to be placed back in for a few days to relieve the pressure and give her brain more time to heal. The doctors are going to avoid this at all possible costs because it’s just so darn invasive. None of us have any desire to put more holes in her head.

Bonnie and Heidi are with Mom, and taking amazing care of her.

So. It looks like perhaps another week in the hospital (hopefully at MOST), and then we’ll try going home again.

Despite the suspect timing, we may never know what micro issue caused this speed bump, but that’s all this is for now. It’s very upsetting, of course, as we had hoped her recovery would be completely glitch-free; we were hoping for just an extra sleepy week, really… but this is just a speed bump. We’re all very positive about a quick recovery. Mom is responsive. She’s talking, she’s coherent, and best of all, she’s positive. She’s an absolute champ.

I will do my best to keep you all in the loop as I learn more, but no news is good news, as the ‘ol sayin’ goes. If there were a more major issue, it would be making fireworks on any one of the numerous monitors, tests, scans, or screens that have been employed to investigate the situation.

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Life's too short for decaf coffee or annoying emails.

What I can't promise is regular, weekly emails. What I can promise is sporadic, humorous updates with a serious amount of gorgeous glassy adventures inside. Occasionally, there might even be a chance to join me for a cup o' coffee. (The really caffeinated kind!)

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