Saturday, May 5, 2007
Conscious
Chukka came round, at least briefly, and recognized Mum and Magda, which is good. They are glad that the family was there and will be there and emphasized very very much that the hospital needs to be the one to tell her about the amputation. That will not happen for a couple more days. I'm sure they have a professional counselor who has that job, and I'm sure they also wait until they feel she is medically strong enough, or consistently conscious enough, to handle it. I got a message from Magda while I was in the shower, she and Mum were having dinner somewhere.
Mum and Magda are there
I have not talked to them. Chukka is still asleep, I guess because she is still on the ventilator, but is slowly starting to wake up. I think that's best really, then they can see her and get over their shock a little before she is awake.
There are no cards allowed in the ICU, Mum will have to find out where exactly they have been sent to and keep them at the hotel. No stuffed animals either! Also, do not send too much to Austria, because it will be hard for Mum to bring home. I expect for as long as sheis in the ICU, Chukka will be very tired and weak and will not have energy even for reading cards. She will also be on a lot of medication for the pain. Chukka will be here quite soon and then we can all send her everything we want.
She is in a very queit, safe place. THe ICU is hard for visitors, because you never go there for something good, but for the patient it is very safe and very quiet. Her spirit and body have been on a very long journey, they must come back slowly. The best thing we can do right now is stay in touch with the quiet place inside and keep her -- and us -- safe there.
Of course it is very hard to do nothing, that is why I am on the blog instead of just resting. But now I will take the day off.
There are no cards allowed in the ICU, Mum will have to find out where exactly they have been sent to and keep them at the hotel. No stuffed animals either! Also, do not send too much to Austria, because it will be hard for Mum to bring home. I expect for as long as sheis in the ICU, Chukka will be very tired and weak and will not have energy even for reading cards. She will also be on a lot of medication for the pain. Chukka will be here quite soon and then we can all send her everything we want.
She is in a very queit, safe place. THe ICU is hard for visitors, because you never go there for something good, but for the patient it is very safe and very quiet. Her spirit and body have been on a very long journey, they must come back slowly. The best thing we can do right now is stay in touch with the quiet place inside and keep her -- and us -- safe there.
Of course it is very hard to do nothing, that is why I am on the blog instead of just resting. But now I will take the day off.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Chukka
She is doing well. It sounds like they may have tried to wake her, but it was just a little too soon, so still asleep tonight, but perhaps tomorrow they will wake her up. No organ damage. All seems to be going well, no surprises for them. Tomorrow Mum and Magda can talk to the surgeon instead of the residents or whoever they are. I think we are the only English-speaking family right now.
Clinic here in US was waiting to send fax because it is night in Germany! Will double-check on that soon.
Clinic here in US was waiting to send fax because it is night in Germany! Will double-check on that soon.
Of course...
The fax isn't there yet. Been about two hours. Just checked & Mum's health plan have the right number, so just tell me that it takes time to pull records and print them out, and now they're at lunch, and then it takes a good while for a fax to reach Munich. But I will be happier when it's really there.
Lunch.
Lunch.
Devils and Angels
Devils
FedEx for not being able to deliver before Tuesday (DHL may be better)
Customs for not letting anything without a prescription anyway
The Airplane Gods for canceling my mother's flight so we didn't know what plane she was on
The three people, including one supervisor, who couldn't find her reservation in the plane system because that flight was yesterday and had been deleted,
The pharmacist at Muum's health plan who said they couldn't fax a prescription out of the country and gave an 800 phone number that clearly wouldn't work out of the US,
Angels:
My father for digging up my mother's plane reservation number
my sister Magda for contacting the US Embassy
Barbara in the US Embassy (she is the contact they gave us when they told us about Chukka) for knowing that there is a 24-hour medical clinic and a pharmacy in the Munich airport, and for knowing the magic words "my mother is a cardiac patient, she has forgotten her medications, and she is extremely agitated."
Stefan for putting aside the time to meet my mother at the medical clinic tomorrow and driving her up to Innsbruck when he doesn't own a car and has no time for anything.
The man who dug out my mother's original reservation so we could figure out what flight she'd been bumped to
The woman for the other airline who also had to locate my mother when she was invisible in the system and who booked a wheelchair at the other end,
The advice nurse at Mum's health plan who gave me my mother's ID number even though I couldn't remember her birthdate,
The phone person at Mum's health plan who took twenty minutes to write up the note to the doctor and phoned ahead to the clinic after she told me "The doctor will respond in 24 to 48 hours," and I said, "That's not possible." Deep breath. "My mother is a cardiac patient and. she's forgotten ..."
The woman at the clinic in Munich who was very sweet when I called and the fax had not yet come through (still hasn't, but I feel more like it will),
the Airplane Gods who gave my mother a three-hour layover in the US so I could actually page her to call me and tell her the plan,
AND
me
FedEx for not being able to deliver before Tuesday (DHL may be better)
Customs for not letting anything without a prescription anyway
The Airplane Gods for canceling my mother's flight so we didn't know what plane she was on
The three people, including one supervisor, who couldn't find her reservation in the plane system because that flight was yesterday and had been deleted,
The pharmacist at Muum's health plan who said they couldn't fax a prescription out of the country and gave an 800 phone number that clearly wouldn't work out of the US,
Angels:
My father for digging up my mother's plane reservation number
my sister Magda for contacting the US Embassy
Barbara in the US Embassy (she is the contact they gave us when they told us about Chukka) for knowing that there is a 24-hour medical clinic and a pharmacy in the Munich airport, and for knowing the magic words "my mother is a cardiac patient, she has forgotten her medications, and she is extremely agitated."
Stefan for putting aside the time to meet my mother at the medical clinic tomorrow and driving her up to Innsbruck when he doesn't own a car and has no time for anything.
The man who dug out my mother's original reservation so we could figure out what flight she'd been bumped to
The woman for the other airline who also had to locate my mother when she was invisible in the system and who booked a wheelchair at the other end,
The advice nurse at Mum's health plan who gave me my mother's ID number even though I couldn't remember her birthdate,
The phone person at Mum's health plan who took twenty minutes to write up the note to the doctor and phoned ahead to the clinic after she told me "The doctor will respond in 24 to 48 hours," and I said, "That's not possible." Deep breath. "My mother is a cardiac patient and. she's forgotten ..."
The woman at the clinic in Munich who was very sweet when I called and the fax had not yet come through (still hasn't, but I feel more like it will),
the Airplane Gods who gave my mother a three-hour layover in the US so I could actually page her to call me and tell her the plan,
AND
me
Somewhat Under Control
Stefan in Munich will help out. I have contacted my mother in her layover and so she knows what we will be able to do. Her doctor's office is not open for another half an hour here.
Urgent! Mum may need help
She filled her medication prescriptions & then forgot to take them. I cannot get them to her before Tuesday. Things we need: someone who could meet her flight in Munich & travel up with her to Innsbruck. She is likely to be fine, but could be a little light-headed, just very important to have someone with her if possible! Also someone who can find out information about clinics, pharmacies she could get to in Munich or Innsbruck. She will want to see my sister right away, so she will want to go straight to Innsbruck, but things might close for weekend? Austria closes down. She gets in around 7:00 to Munich. We may be able to phone in prescription (but international unlikely).
Anyway, I have set up a gmail account with the same name as this blog, chukkasupport. Send email address, phone number If anyone can help, would be so appreciated.
Anyway, I have set up a gmail account with the same name as this blog, chukkasupport. Send email address, phone number If anyone can help, would be so appreciated.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
From Dad
There will be tough times. You can handle them. You have all our love and support, permanently.
Wrapped in the Love of Her Friends
My mother wanted people to know she had been trying to think what she could get Chukka as a gift & she decided they could get her a shawl. So she called Magda & Magda said, "You know, I was just thinking we should get her a shawl, and then I saw this one I got in Ireland and never opened." So they will be bringing that to her, and Mum said, "It will be like she is wrapped in the love of her friends."
Everyone's support means so much to all of us.
Everyone's support means so much to all of us.
No Danger of Life
My mother's flight was canceled, I got a call on my machine, probably from the airport, that she would not arrive in Munich till Saturday morning. So I've called to cancel one night at her hotel and then also called the ICU to let them know.
I got a physician, and he said, "I expect you're calling to ask how she is. Normally it is best to talk to only one family member." I was sort of sitting there sputtering, "no, it's okay, I understand," and he went on, "so please understand if there are any discrepencies," and then gave me the latest info. And he is right, coming through me, it is already less clear, so you also understand we cannot know so much.
He told about the amputation. He did say, "There is no danger of life," which must be an improvement since at one time she was critical but stable. There will be some more surgeries, another one tomorrow, some to address additional trauma, and some "to ensure the rest of the leg remains intact." Heart and lungs are good. High fever.
She will remain in ICU another one or two weeks. It's my impression she will then be discharged to be brought (medevac) to the US. Not sure how that will be paid for, but my current impression is that it will be covered.
Please do keep up the comments, love, caring, they support us as well.
So DON'T send anything big or slow, it might not get there, and even if it does, it will be hard for Sally to bring back.
My limited experience with this is that dates and times and what will happen will keep changing until one day they say, "tomorrow, she will be leaving...."
As he also pointed out, she still doesn't know what has happened to her. She is now in a "light sleep".
Driving home today, some idiot did one of those unwise lane changes and I found myself saying, almost begging, "Please be careful, please be careful." It's like the Sting song "On and on, the rain will tell how fragile we are, how fragile we are." Margaret was a fan of the Police, and then of Sting.
I got a physician, and he said, "I expect you're calling to ask how she is. Normally it is best to talk to only one family member." I was sort of sitting there sputtering, "no, it's okay, I understand," and he went on, "so please understand if there are any discrepencies," and then gave me the latest info. And he is right, coming through me, it is already less clear, so you also understand we cannot know so much.
He told about the amputation. He did say, "There is no danger of life," which must be an improvement since at one time she was critical but stable. There will be some more surgeries, another one tomorrow, some to address additional trauma, and some "to ensure the rest of the leg remains intact." Heart and lungs are good. High fever.
She will remain in ICU another one or two weeks. It's my impression she will then be discharged to be brought (medevac) to the US. Not sure how that will be paid for, but my current impression is that it will be covered.
Please do keep up the comments, love, caring, they support us as well.
So DON'T send anything big or slow, it might not get there, and even if it does, it will be hard for Sally to bring back.
My limited experience with this is that dates and times and what will happen will keep changing until one day they say, "tomorrow, she will be leaving...."
As he also pointed out, she still doesn't know what has happened to her. She is now in a "light sleep".
Driving home today, some idiot did one of those unwise lane changes and I found myself saying, almost begging, "Please be careful, please be careful." It's like the Sting song "On and on, the rain will tell how fragile we are, how fragile we are." Margaret was a fan of the Police, and then of Sting.
news from hospital
I spoke to a doctor at the clinic. Chukka had surgery again yesterday, and had the dressing film (I think, hard to translate in my head at this point) on her legs changed. She responded well to surgery, but is restless at times.
They are thinking of bringing her round on Friday, My mother should be there on Friday later in the day and I will get there for Saturday afternoon. I should have more to report once I have seen her. I will be back in England late Monday. My mother is staying, I may go back, it all depends on so many things.
Thanks for all the messages. I will print out what there is here on the blog tomorrow evening and take your messages to Chukka. I don't know when she will be able to read them, or have them read to her, and I don't have any idea what her internet access will be, but I guess the messages will reach her sometime and I thought this was a way of taking them.
Magda (Sachs)
They are thinking of bringing her round on Friday, My mother should be there on Friday later in the day and I will get there for Saturday afternoon. I should have more to report once I have seen her. I will be back in England late Monday. My mother is staying, I may go back, it all depends on so many things.
Thanks for all the messages. I will print out what there is here on the blog tomorrow evening and take your messages to Chukka. I don't know when she will be able to read them, or have them read to her, and I don't have any idea what her internet access will be, but I guess the messages will reach her sometime and I thought this was a way of taking them.
Magda (Sachs)
Photographs
Ok, this post is supposed to be from Chukka's sister Magda. Actually I am Magda's husband (and so Chukka's brother in law), Michael. Magda has asked me to post on her behalf, because she is so rushed off her feet arranging to fly to Chukka at the the same time as working etc, etc.
Chukka was with us in England immediately before she flew off across Europe on what was destined to be such a tragic journey. It is so difficult to believe such a thing can have happened to someone you have been with so recently, and who was then absolutely fine, and full of life. Of course that is irrational, but it is how I feel.
We have some photographs of Chukka with me and my children (Chukka's nephew and niece) taken just days before her accident, and we thought other people might like to see them. Originally I posted URLs to link to them here, but later I decided to put them directly into the blog, so you will find them in a later post.
The first one is on a bridge at St John's College, Cambridge. Olaf, standing next to Chukka, is a student just down the road from St John's at King's college. The fourth person is Iona.
The other two photographs are taken near Dovestones in the Pennines in the north of England, a couple of miles from where we live.
Chukka was with us in England immediately before she flew off across Europe on what was destined to be such a tragic journey. It is so difficult to believe such a thing can have happened to someone you have been with so recently, and who was then absolutely fine, and full of life. Of course that is irrational, but it is how I feel.
We have some photographs of Chukka with me and my children (Chukka's nephew and niece) taken just days before her accident, and we thought other people might like to see them. Originally I posted URLs to link to them here, but later I decided to put them directly into the blog, so you will find them in a later post.
The first one is on a bridge at St John's College, Cambridge. Olaf, standing next to Chukka, is a student just down the road from St John's at King's college. The fourth person is Iona.
The other two photographs are taken near Dovestones in the Pennines in the north of England, a couple of miles from where we live.
Address for cards
Innsbruck Medical University
Unfallchirurgie
für Patientin Carol Sachs
Christoph-Probst-Platz
Innrain 52
6020 Innsbruck
Österreich
Thank you Stefan. Too soon for flowers, there will be so many, they will not keep. I do have the hotel address & of flower places in Germany, so if *one* person wants to send flowers, we can work out a way. My mother will be upset if there are too many before Chukka is awake.
Passing the hat: Chukka is covered by insurance -- she's a federal employee, so she has very good overseas coverage, no preapproval while abroad, which is a mercy, because it was three days before they could get a hold of us. But put some money in an envelope now and put it aside -- there will be so many expenses insurance will not cover, from modifications to the house, hand controls for the car, all that kind of thing. She will be the one to tell us what she needs.
Unfallchirurgie
für Patientin Carol Sachs
Christoph-Probst-Platz
Innrain 52
6020 Innsbruck
Österreich
Thank you Stefan. Too soon for flowers, there will be so many, they will not keep. I do have the hotel address & of flower places in Germany, so if *one* person wants to send flowers, we can work out a way. My mother will be upset if there are too many before Chukka is awake.
Passing the hat: Chukka is covered by insurance -- she's a federal employee, so she has very good overseas coverage, no preapproval while abroad, which is a mercy, because it was three days before they could get a hold of us. But put some money in an envelope now and put it aside -- there will be so many expenses insurance will not cover, from modifications to the house, hand controls for the car, all that kind of thing. She will be the one to tell us what she needs.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
No news is good news
This is going to be a little incoherent, normally I am a believer in complete sentences, can't bother now.
Haven't heard about surgery, since they did not call, assume it went okay. She will likely be in ICu a while yet. When Magda phoned to see if she would be awake over weekend, they said "too soon to tell," but her impression was it was a "probably not" kind of too soon and not the other kind.
I'd been starting to worry about the induced coma thing -- a little knowledge is a dangerous thing -- & friends came up with really dire reasons. But then my friend B. said, "Sometimes the reason is very simple, like to make sure they don't pull their tubs out. To keep them from thrashing about." I like that word, "thrashing", it seems so strong and powerful, like under the induced sleep, something in Chukka is already fighting for her.
I have asked Doll Face to get an address for cards, but ICU may be difficult, where will they put them. So if no hospital address, may ask Mum if okay to send to hotel. Flowers too soon, may not last till she wakes up and there will be so many!
Thanks, Thanks, thanks!
Haven't heard about surgery, since they did not call, assume it went okay. She will likely be in ICu a while yet. When Magda phoned to see if she would be awake over weekend, they said "too soon to tell," but her impression was it was a "probably not" kind of too soon and not the other kind.
I'd been starting to worry about the induced coma thing -- a little knowledge is a dangerous thing -- & friends came up with really dire reasons. But then my friend B. said, "Sometimes the reason is very simple, like to make sure they don't pull their tubs out. To keep them from thrashing about." I like that word, "thrashing", it seems so strong and powerful, like under the induced sleep, something in Chukka is already fighting for her.
I have asked Doll Face to get an address for cards, but ICU may be difficult, where will they put them. So if no hospital address, may ask Mum if okay to send to hotel. Flowers too soon, may not last till she wakes up and there will be so many!
Thanks, Thanks, thanks!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Chukka's Tribe
I'm exhausted. This is so hard to take in.
It was hard for us to contact Chukka's friends. My mother doesn't have any contact information. But I knew from Scott's memorial there were some wonderfully supportive people out there if only I could find them. So I finally googled "Scott Lofgren Bounce" and discovered she had a community, just as I'd hoped.
I just want to thank all of you for being out there, and I also want to say, no message is too small. I was talking to someone, and she said "What do you say?" and I said, "You know, it's not the individual messages, it's the number of them," and she said "No, I don't know." And I thought how strange it is, you just get used to it in a way. With all Chukka has had in her life, this really is shocking.
I intend to keep this up to date, as we learn things. They may keep her unconscious for a while. My mother will not get there until Friday. The clinic itself seems very good -- as far as I can make out with my limited German, it's a state-of-art trauma facility that other doctors can come and observe.
I will probably try tomorrow to call the cli
It was hard for us to contact Chukka's friends. My mother doesn't have any contact information. But I knew from Scott's memorial there were some wonderfully supportive people out there if only I could find them. So I finally googled "Scott Lofgren Bounce" and discovered she had a community, just as I'd hoped.
I just want to thank all of you for being out there, and I also want to say, no message is too small. I was talking to someone, and she said "What do you say?" and I said, "You know, it's not the individual messages, it's the number of them," and she said "No, I don't know." And I thought how strange it is, you just get used to it in a way. With all Chukka has had in her life, this really is shocking.
I intend to keep this up to date, as we learn things. They may keep her unconscious for a while. My mother will not get there until Friday. The clinic itself seems very good -- as far as I can make out with my limited German, it's a state-of-art trauma facility that other doctors can come and observe.
I will probably try tomorrow to call the cli
A Tragic Accident
Chukka Sachs was very severely injured Friday, April 27 while trying to board a train in Innsbruck, Austria.
Both legs have been amputated about 5" above the knee.
She is in an induced coma. An additional operation is scheduled for
Wednesday (tomorrow). The hospital she is in has a specialized trauma center and has very good equipment.
Her mother, Sally Sachs, will be flying out on Thursday and arriving on Friday. Her sister Magda will be out this weekend. We do not know if she will be conscious by then.
Both legs have been amputated about 5" above the knee.
She is in an induced coma. An additional operation is scheduled for
Wednesday (tomorrow). The hospital she is in has a specialized trauma center and has very good equipment.
Her mother, Sally Sachs, will be flying out on Thursday and arriving on Friday. Her sister Magda will be out this weekend. We do not know if she will be conscious by then.
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