Thank you Andrea, very much.

Thank you Andi for you postings.
Will keep Terri you and your family in our prayers.
Jillieann

Terri is out of ICU but after suffering a second bleed in the brain is not speaking at this time.  Your cards are used to encourage her and are so needed.  Please continue to support her in your prayers.

Thanks,

Andrea

Thanks Andrea, I continue to rattle Heaven's gates on Terri's behalf....

XO,
Valerie

Thank you Andrea,

               so very much for keeping us informed about Terri-gene. She will continue to be in my prayers.



beth

Thank you for the update Andrea. Moving out of ICU is certainly a positive step. Lets hope she stayd out this time. We remain prayerful. This may bring a smile to her face if she remembers it. Tell her Cassie asks, What happens when a packet hits a pocket on a socket? It's part of a humor piece I posted awhile back.

Cassie

I went to Terri and Andrea's Apartment today.

Andrea needed several hugs - this has been very trying on her.  She supports her spouse...

We went to the Hospital - Andrea, their granddaughter, and me.

Terry is still there, she had a surprised look in her eyes, seeing me standing there, but she's unable to talk.  She had a feeding tube inserted, and would from time to time fade out during our visit.

There's a lot of damage -- she tried to speak several times, but no words came out.

Andrea did most of the talking, rubbing Terri's arms and legs and saying 'I love you', 'You have to fight this' and such, over and over.  Terri responded to this.

Andrea delivered cards from PeggyAnn, Kelly, Kimberly and Valerie.  They're sitting on the whiteboard in Terri's private roon right now.  I gave Terri a stuffed animal -- a bulldog I bought at Toys'r'us -- a reference to something she mentioned in a PM to me.  She kept squeezing it during our visit.

Terri looked out the window several times during our visit -- I got the feeling she wanted to escape her current condition, and that she was very depressed because of her condition and what it meant to her transitioning.

Before I left her room, I told her it sucks to not be able to communicate.  She locked eyes with me, and was grinning (as much as she could.) 

I'm convinced Terri is there.  She's trapped by her stroke.  She's depressed because of what her stroke means to her transition.

I don't know how much she can understand.  But the fact that she kept looking at the bulldog stuffed animal I gave her and the fact that from time to time she had a spark in her eyes gave me an idea.  I talked it over with Andrea.

Can you construct a collage for Terri?  Fill it with images that somehow convey the feelings you want to communicate to Terri.  Images of healing, of recovery, of prayer and thoughts directed at Terri encouraging her overcoming this ordeal?  Andrea also told me Terri likes imagery of dragons and other things from Dungeons & Dragons. Design it to fit 8 x10 paper and send it both to Andrea and to me at
friend@wjsavage.com
One way or another, we'll get them printed out and delivered to Terri.

And what about other stuffed animals such as unicorns and mermaids -- animals symbolic of crossing gender boundaries?  Can you send Andrea a stuffed animal that conveys your wishes for Terri's recovery?

I'm just trying to find a way to communicate with Terri that we want her to LIVE - a way of communicating that sidesteps the areas in her mind where the circuit-breakers are tripped or, worse, the circuitry may be burned out.  Terri's recovery will likely be slow.  But we need to give her the impetus -- the reason -- to fight and recover.

Haz

(EDIT: fix a couple of typos...)

Thank you Hazumu for your compassion and going to visit Terri and Andrea. You did what many of us would like to do if we could. When you went you represented us. I hope your presents helped Terri and Andrea to know that we are with them and I'm sure Andrea really needed the hugs.
You may need to make a few collages for Terri. I will check my collection of images and send them. How about it girls and guys this is a very easy way to say your care for and support Terri Gene.
Thanks again Hazumu.
Jllieann



Posted at: February 05, 2006, 02:00:30 AM

---

Let me know if you don't get the pictures.
Jillieann

Thanks for the update, Hazumu. Dang international mail. I guess my card hasn't got there yet. The stuffed animal is a great idea.

Dennis

Thank you Hazumu,

I'm glad to hear you were able to go with Andrea to the hospital I had recieved and emai saying she wasn't able to go that day because of looking after her grandaughter. I'm glad you are close enough there to be supportive. The phone calls we share are not the same as being able to give her the hugs she needs at this point.

Thank you so much for the update on Terri-Gene as well. I to am convinced she is in there and I know she can understand most of what is said to her from what you relate and what Andrea shares with me. That is why it's important to give her communication from us all and help ignite her burning desire to communicate. Your collage is a good Idea as are the stuffed anilmals.

I remember one patient I worked with in the early stages after a stroke that had received a "Mister Giggles". He took to this for some unknown reason and showed it to everyone and worked hard at pressing the button to make this new found friend giggle off and on all day. It was just a week or so later the patient started doing more to communicate. The road was then underway and he made leaps and bounds of improvement. He now has returned to his normal life and family that loves him. he has no remaining handycaps from this ordeal and looks at each new day as a gift. His recovery and retraining time took 6 almost 7 months. He shares with everyone how he was in there and could understand and how hard it was not to convey his messages. How he loved getting the cards and letters because they would push him to try to communicate. He said the written word from others was strong in pushing him to want to reply.

So there is much we can do in this area for Terri-Gene and Andrea.

Smiles,
Peggiann

This may sound geeky, but I would like to offer a suggestion as to how Terri can communicate with the world.

Morse Code.

She can tap it into someone's hand or arm.

It gives her a practice using her body (fingers).

It exercises her brain twice.  Once for answering questions.  Once for translating her throughts into dits and dahs.

If Terri is ex-military, she may already know Morse. 

Terri hears everyone around her.  She has GOT to be going loco with the inability to communicate back.  This could offer her some immediate hope of rejoining the world instead of being trapped inside her body.

Just a thought...

Chaunte

Thanx Haz for the update! I'll go work on sth to mail to Andrea!

Chaunte, thats creative thinking. Guess it depends on where Terri's speech problem is located whether morse code would work to communicate. The physical exercise and stimulation would be great.

to Terri and Andrea!

Alex

Thanks Hazumu,

If you get the chance Andrea for me and tell Terri we're thinking of her down under. My cards are on the way.

Shelley

There is a light!! -  Terri has been much more alert the past 2 days and is responding with understanding.  Keep up the prayers and good thoughts.  She is responding to the cards and colleges I have brought to her today and yesterday with a special half smile.  She was attempting to try and speak though not clear it is such an improvement and has provided me with a much needed upllift of spirit.  My sincere thanks to all of you for your kind words of encouragement.  I can not express what a special place each one of you has in my heart.

Take care more to follow soon.

Andrea

Oh Yea! Andrea, This is wonderful news. I'm so happy to hear it.

I'll be in touch later this evening as shared in emails earlier.

Have a Great day!

Smiles,
Peggiann

That is wonderful news Andrea!  As we all know here, Terri is just not a quitter.  I don't think that word is in her vocabulary.  We all know you have a lot on your plate right now, and I think I speak for everyone when I say, you truly are a special person for taking the time to keep us posted.  Terri is very lucky to have you by her side.  You and Terri are in our thoughts and prayers.

Love

Lisabeth

This is absolutely wonderful news. Thank you so much Andrea for keeping us posted. We look forward to further progress reports.

Cassie

Andrea,

THis is fantastic news!  Thank you for sharing it!

Terri, you keep fighting, girl!

Chaunte

Thank you, Andrea, so very much for the update. I am thrilled to hear of Terri's progress, and I can tell your burden is considerably lighter as a result of this, too.  Hang in there, the both of you !! 

XO,
Valerie

Thanks again for updating, Andrea. I'm so glad it's good news

Dennis