This email is from a friend of Lo's.
Good Sunday afternoon friends of Lo,
I just got back from a month (72 hours according to the clock) in St Louis. I have a whole new understanding for the roller coaster all the Detrichs have been riding. Trying to figure out how to summarize those 72 clock hours is not so easy but here goes...
After Terry's email last week, Lo's spirits picked up and she was back in the game! Much of Monday, and then Tuesday and Wednesday were great days!! Wednesday morning Chase's wife Heather flew in from Virginia Beach (with a special treat from Chase that I'll let Terry tell you about). Terry, Heather & Lo enjoyed each other's company and the change of pace. Heather stayed all night with Lo so Terry could get some much needed rest. The initial plan was for Heather to stay the night and then Thursday, Susie (Terry's sister) and I would hang out with Lo and let Terry get some errands resolved.
However, mid-Thursday morning, Lo asked her mom to come back. Her breathing was just so labored. For every breath out and every breath in, her entire body shook to make it happen. The doctors made the decision to move Lo from her "germ isolation area" on the 13th floor to the 8th floor ICU. They also said if Lo needed to be put on ventilation, then she would be 'sleeping' until after she got her new lungs and this would be our last opportunity to really have any mutual conversation. This meant Don, Jane and Todd (along with friends Chris & Bruce) caught the next flight to STL and arrived Thursday afternoon.
Honestly, the rest of Thursday is a blur to me. It was a series of mostly highs, "Lo is feeling much better and wants a perfect banana - bright yellow and no bruises - plus Fruit Loops or Cap't N Crunch and a Sprite, oh and don't forget some ice cold whole milk," with a few lows mixed in. Spent the evening with Todd & a few family members sharing pretzels & more Sprite. But by Friday morning, it was still a roller coaster but with mostly lows this time.
Doctors said she didn't have to have a ventilator (high), Lo said she wanted a ventilator (low). Lo was put on the ventilator (low) but was finally resting peacefully & comfortably (middle of the road high). Lo's right lung partially collapsed (low) and they had to put a chest tube in (low).
Jane stayed with Lo Friday night and by morning... Lo was awake! Remember... they said she'd be "sleeping" until she got her new lungs! But not our Lo! She was awake, even sitting up a few times, despite being connected to a whole mess of tubes! She had a great conversation (albeit somewhat one-sided) with Todd on the phone. Don walked in and she gave him a 'high five'! Between the words she mouthed, those she pointed to on paper and those she wrote... the message was clear... she's "in it to win it!!" Followed by an enthusiastic double thumbs up!
Of course the roller coaster continues, and the need for new lungs continues to grow more and more urgent. There will be more highs & lows in the days/weeks to come but sports fans, this race is still intense and our little competitor is solidly in the 91st mile of this marathon!!
As her cheering section, please continue to pray for those new lungs to come in ASAP and for her body to continue staying strong. Please also pray for Don, Terry, Jane & Todd... that they have all the strength & rest they need as they run along side!
************************************************************************************
Here's the quick email Terry was able to send out for everyone...
One sec to ck emails. Don't have addr book so just have to reply. LO IS HANGING IN THERE. WELL AWARE OF SITUATION AND PEACEFUL. SHE IS WRITING (CAN'T TALK): "DON'T QUIT!" WE LOVE YOU ALL! PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL. IF SHE WON'T QUIT, WE SURE CAN'T EITHER. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Good Sunday afternoon friends of Lo,
I just got back from a month (72 hours according to the clock) in St Louis. I have a whole new understanding for the roller coaster all the Detrichs have been riding. Trying to figure out how to summarize those 72 clock hours is not so easy but here goes...
After Terry's email last week, Lo's spirits picked up and she was back in the game! Much of Monday, and then Tuesday and Wednesday were great days!! Wednesday morning Chase's wife Heather flew in from Virginia Beach (with a special treat from Chase that I'll let Terry tell you about). Terry, Heather & Lo enjoyed each other's company and the change of pace. Heather stayed all night with Lo so Terry could get some much needed rest. The initial plan was for Heather to stay the night and then Thursday, Susie (Terry's sister) and I would hang out with Lo and let Terry get some errands resolved.
However, mid-Thursday morning, Lo asked her mom to come back. Her breathing was just so labored. For every breath out and every breath in, her entire body shook to make it happen. The doctors made the decision to move Lo from her "germ isolation area" on the 13th floor to the 8th floor ICU. They also said if Lo needed to be put on ventilation, then she would be 'sleeping' until after she got her new lungs and this would be our last opportunity to really have any mutual conversation. This meant Don, Jane and Todd (along with friends Chris & Bruce) caught the next flight to STL and arrived Thursday afternoon.
Honestly, the rest of Thursday is a blur to me. It was a series of mostly highs, "Lo is feeling much better and wants a perfect banana - bright yellow and no bruises - plus Fruit Loops or Cap't N Crunch and a Sprite, oh and don't forget some ice cold whole milk," with a few lows mixed in. Spent the evening with Todd & a few family members sharing pretzels & more Sprite. But by Friday morning, it was still a roller coaster but with mostly lows this time.
Doctors said she didn't have to have a ventilator (high), Lo said she wanted a ventilator (low). Lo was put on the ventilator (low) but was finally resting peacefully & comfortably (middle of the road high). Lo's right lung partially collapsed (low) and they had to put a chest tube in (low).
Jane stayed with Lo Friday night and by morning... Lo was awake! Remember... they said she'd be "sleeping" until she got her new lungs! But not our Lo! She was awake, even sitting up a few times, despite being connected to a whole mess of tubes! She had a great conversation (albeit somewhat one-sided) with Todd on the phone. Don walked in and she gave him a 'high five'! Between the words she mouthed, those she pointed to on paper and those she wrote... the message was clear... she's "in it to win it!!" Followed by an enthusiastic double thumbs up!
Of course the roller coaster continues, and the need for new lungs continues to grow more and more urgent. There will be more highs & lows in the days/weeks to come but sports fans, this race is still intense and our little competitor is solidly in the 91st mile of this marathon!!
As her cheering section, please continue to pray for those new lungs to come in ASAP and for her body to continue staying strong. Please also pray for Don, Terry, Jane & Todd... that they have all the strength & rest they need as they run along side!
************************************************************************************
Here's the quick email Terry was able to send out for everyone...
One sec to ck emails. Don't have addr book so just have to reply. LO IS HANGING IN THERE. WELL AWARE OF SITUATION AND PEACEFUL. SHE IS WRITING (CAN'T TALK): "DON'T QUIT!" WE LOVE YOU ALL! PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL. IF SHE WON'T QUIT, WE SURE CAN'T EITHER. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">