Journal entry by Bridgette Trimble —
Hello hello!!!! I've been terrible at updating, like I said I was going to.
However, progress, not perfection, right!!!
So Wednesday I get a call from Keziah, crying, all upset, stating that she thinks dad is having a stroke. She stated he is trying to talk but only bits and pieces of sounds were coming out. Not even while words. I said, ok, just keep calm and I am in my way. Not knowing what I was going to walk into, and if we needed immediate medical intervention, I called 911 on the way.
Vivian and I arrived in just minutes, for I may have drove a little irratic, safely.
We walked into the house, and Jim was just walking around the house. I greeted him, he smiled and tried to talk. It was pure jibberish. I did a quick assessment, and he had a nice simetrical smile, and weakness in arms or legs, so I was pretty sure I was okay to just take him. I said to him, that we were going to go for a little car ride. (To Rochester ED)
I wasn't even going to waste our time in Austin ED, for I knew he would be transferred to Rochester.
So thanks to my mother, she came to Jim's to be with Keziah and Vivian.
Jim and I headed to Roch. He was still unable to make out any sentence, but I could understand a couple words here and there. I asked him if he could understand what was being said to him, and shook his head yes. I knew he knew something was wrong, because at home he would start crying and point to his head.
This whole time all I can keep thinking is that another tumor has grown and is pushing on the communication part of the brain. I'm thinking surgery, and the whole thing starting all over again.
We get to the ED at St. Mary's and in a few short minutes they took him to have a CT scan. Results right away were good. No bleeding and no signs of stroke. Yay!!! But, then what was it?
As the evening went on his speech became clearer and was able to understand what he was trying to say. Not good yet, but better.
They admitted him to the hospital to do an EEG and a MRI the next day.
We got settled in our room and they began attaching the hundred leads to his brain and heart for the prolonged EEG. They finally completed setting it up at midnight. They graciously brought me in a cot, that I was able to catch a few zzz's on myself. We both slept well!!!!!
Bright and early the resident came in and chatted and said they feel he was having a seizure. (same symptoms as 17 months ago, when he was diagnosed) He also stated there hasn't been any further seizure activity showing up on EEG, but they were going to keep it on the the rest of his time there.
Escort soon came a took him to have his MRI. A couple hours later the Neuro team all came in with good news and bad news.
The good news is, no stroke, no bleeding in the brain and no stroke. The bad news is there is a new small tumor growing in the same place as the old one. BUT, since it is still very small, they have time to get a good plan in place on how to remove it. They do not believe this new tumor had anything to do with his seizure.
They are blaming the seizure on him not always remembering to take his seizure medication, Kepra. So, we have a new plan in place to make sure he NEVER MISSES ABOTHER DOSE!!!!!
So as of now I would say that he is about back to 98% back to "his" normal. (post diagnosis 17 months ago)
They are also starting him on an anti depressant. He can really the chain of events on when that seizure started. He stated he was working in his office for several hours and started to feel weird, right around 2pm. When Keziah came in his office he tried to tell her, but couldn't get any words out. That's when she called me.
So for now he is just going to relax and take it easy for the next couple of days to let his brain recover from all this. He's in good spirits, has an appetite and is glad to be home.
We give God all the praise. Remember when he was first diagnosed, they gave him approximately 15 months to live. Well by the grace of God, he hit 17 monthson the 14th!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!
Jim is such a fighter. He's not ready to leave this earth because of our 14 year old daughter. He says she is the reason he keeps fighting!!!!! We are all so grateful for Jim. He is about 150 lbs and is getting weaker as the months go by. He stated to us yesterday, that he's probably about done "doing" "fixing" things around the ranch. Cars, mowers, side by sides, etc. He just can't think straight to process everything.
Okay, enough for now. Thank you, thank you, thank you for ALL the prayers and thoughts. They do not go unnoticed!!!! Like Jim and I always say, this isn't our permanent home!!!! Be happy. Jim wants everyone to just be happy!!!
Bye y'all, love you!!!!
Until next time!
Bridgette
However, progress, not perfection, right!!!
So Wednesday I get a call from Keziah, crying, all upset, stating that she thinks dad is having a stroke. She stated he is trying to talk but only bits and pieces of sounds were coming out. Not even while words. I said, ok, just keep calm and I am in my way. Not knowing what I was going to walk into, and if we needed immediate medical intervention, I called 911 on the way.
Vivian and I arrived in just minutes, for I may have drove a little irratic, safely.
We walked into the house, and Jim was just walking around the house. I greeted him, he smiled and tried to talk. It was pure jibberish. I did a quick assessment, and he had a nice simetrical smile, and weakness in arms or legs, so I was pretty sure I was okay to just take him. I said to him, that we were going to go for a little car ride. (To Rochester ED)
I wasn't even going to waste our time in Austin ED, for I knew he would be transferred to Rochester.
So thanks to my mother, she came to Jim's to be with Keziah and Vivian.
Jim and I headed to Roch. He was still unable to make out any sentence, but I could understand a couple words here and there. I asked him if he could understand what was being said to him, and shook his head yes. I knew he knew something was wrong, because at home he would start crying and point to his head.
This whole time all I can keep thinking is that another tumor has grown and is pushing on the communication part of the brain. I'm thinking surgery, and the whole thing starting all over again.
We get to the ED at St. Mary's and in a few short minutes they took him to have a CT scan. Results right away were good. No bleeding and no signs of stroke. Yay!!! But, then what was it?
As the evening went on his speech became clearer and was able to understand what he was trying to say. Not good yet, but better.
They admitted him to the hospital to do an EEG and a MRI the next day.
We got settled in our room and they began attaching the hundred leads to his brain and heart for the prolonged EEG. They finally completed setting it up at midnight. They graciously brought me in a cot, that I was able to catch a few zzz's on myself. We both slept well!!!!!
Bright and early the resident came in and chatted and said they feel he was having a seizure. (same symptoms as 17 months ago, when he was diagnosed) He also stated there hasn't been any further seizure activity showing up on EEG, but they were going to keep it on the the rest of his time there.
Escort soon came a took him to have his MRI. A couple hours later the Neuro team all came in with good news and bad news.
The good news is, no stroke, no bleeding in the brain and no stroke. The bad news is there is a new small tumor growing in the same place as the old one. BUT, since it is still very small, they have time to get a good plan in place on how to remove it. They do not believe this new tumor had anything to do with his seizure.
They are blaming the seizure on him not always remembering to take his seizure medication, Kepra. So, we have a new plan in place to make sure he NEVER MISSES ABOTHER DOSE!!!!!
So as of now I would say that he is about back to 98% back to "his" normal. (post diagnosis 17 months ago)
They are also starting him on an anti depressant. He can really the chain of events on when that seizure started. He stated he was working in his office for several hours and started to feel weird, right around 2pm. When Keziah came in his office he tried to tell her, but couldn't get any words out. That's when she called me.
So for now he is just going to relax and take it easy for the next couple of days to let his brain recover from all this. He's in good spirits, has an appetite and is glad to be home.
We give God all the praise. Remember when he was first diagnosed, they gave him approximately 15 months to live. Well by the grace of God, he hit 17 monthson the 14th!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!
Jim is such a fighter. He's not ready to leave this earth because of our 14 year old daughter. He says she is the reason he keeps fighting!!!!! We are all so grateful for Jim. He is about 150 lbs and is getting weaker as the months go by. He stated to us yesterday, that he's probably about done "doing" "fixing" things around the ranch. Cars, mowers, side by sides, etc. He just can't think straight to process everything.
Okay, enough for now. Thank you, thank you, thank you for ALL the prayers and thoughts. They do not go unnoticed!!!! Like Jim and I always say, this isn't our permanent home!!!! Be happy. Jim wants everyone to just be happy!!!
Bye y'all, love you!!!!
Until next time!
Bridgette
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