Mike today

I saw Mike today during his lunchtime and was pleased to see him eat on his own. The nurse places a brace-like fork holder on his arm and he can scoop the food up and eat on his own! He is getting pretty mobile in his chair and he said it was nice to fell that this offered him a little independance. He is pretty wiped out during the day which his PT says means he is getting a good work out. The PT, Jon, told our dad that Mike has a pretty strong upper body. MIke is looking foward to seeing all of his family this weekend, as he has grandparents, aunts, and cousins in town and of course, any friends who can make it! I put a new picture up of him in his chair.

I've received a few emails already about the calendar on his blog. This is just something for Mike's friends to help them spread their visits out. This does not need to be filled out in order to visit. Sorry for any confusion, but thanks to Shannon for establishing this so that Mike will have his visits a little more planned so he can spend some individual time with all of you! Visiting hours are from 11am-9pm daily, so feel free to stop by anytime.

Please note that this weekend the usual parking garage will be closed and we believe the one on the left as you turn toward the NRH will be available.

Thanks!
Kim

Visit Schedule

Hi,

Shannon set up this schedule. If you want, put your name in when you plan to visit so Mike knows what to expect. Of course it isn't cast in stone so if plans change no big deal. This way all will be able to see how many people plan to be there and when so everyone can try to plan a time when they can get the best visit. THANKS SHANNON!



http://www.localendar.com/elsie

Sign in: Gotz1128

Password: RedSox37



Red

Schedule

I noticed something about a schedule and a link to it. I didn't see it on the Blog, so if someone can send it to me I will. Maybe it will make it easier for all and that way Mike can know what's potentially ahead of him each day.

I'll post another update with Mikes progress yesterday a little later.

Red

Update

Mike had a tireing day. His schedule fo rehab keeps him working from 8 - 3:30 every day. This is a good thing, but hew was really tired cause he didn't get any sleep the night before due to his respritory treatments. It really takes a toll on him. But his spirits are strong as usual and he is looking forward to improving. They fitted him with some implements that he can use to feed himself with once he masters them. He is determined to leave this place without needing them, though. It seems to me his arms from elbows down have improved so much. He moves them more freely and with more control, it seems. And his wrists seem to be a lot better to where he can make circular motions with his hands.

Thanks to Jay, Amanda and JJ for stopping in last night. Mike really enjoyed seeing you guys!

I told Mike about GotzStrength and he was smiling from ear to ear and can't wait to get one. When I told him who's idea it was he just smiled, like that sounds like Robin!

More to follow.

GOTZ STRENGTH? Wristband Fundraiser

GOTZ STRENGTH?

We have ordered GOTZ STRENGTH? wristbands to sell as a fundraiser for Mike.  The above image is a sample of the wristband (sorry the quality is not very good).  We decided to go with all black bands, since Mike said black is his favorite color.  We will be selling the wristbands for $5.00 each and they should be available within the next two weeks.  All proceeds will go directly to a fund for Michael.  

I will be sending half (500) of the original order to Kim so she can sell them in the Maryland area.  We will keep the other half here in Massachusetts to sell.  Kim will have 250 Adult and 250 Youth available, and the same amount/size will be available in Massachusetts.

The response has already been huge and people are anxious to get their own wristband.  Please be sure to let friends and family know!  

Thank you for your support!!

Please contact either Kim or Robin to order:

Kim - showgotz@verizon.net

Robin - robinscott215@hotmail.com

If you will be paying by check, please make out to: Michael Gotzens

-Robin

Thanks!

We just wanted to thank everyone who came by to see Mike this weekend. It was a tiring transfer, but as our Dad's emails indicated, he is settling in and anxious to continue therapy and learn the machines that will help him become more independant. The continuing support and presence of his friends and family is so important to keep him positive, although he is usually upbeat and comical on his own!

Since getting to NRH, Mike is moving his left wrist, and has been issued a custom electronic wheel chair, which our sister, Erin, saw him cruise around in on Saturday morning! He is wearing his regular clothes, and does not have to keep the oxygen mask on for now! The doctors are still working on the fluid in his lungs.

Stay tuned to the blog for some new updates about possible fundraising events for Mike and some pictures of his newest temporary home!

-KIm

Phone Gizzmo

Al lot of people have been asking about Mike's machine that lets him receive and make calls. As of this morning it is not set up yet because a few times he was being shown the way to use it he was too tired. And he had a full day of visits yesterday and wanted to watch the Sox game. We are going to work on it today and will let people know when he is ready to use it. He is anxious to get his independance with these things and really wants to talk to all of you, but also has is priorities and he would rather visit with people that take time to learn the system, at least up till today. You all know Mike, computers have never been a priority with him ;-)

As soon as we are up and running he wants people to call whenever they want during the visiting hours, 11AM - 9PM. Please keep in mind, like all of us, sometimes we are just not in the mood to talk, so if you don't get an answer, give it some time before you call back in case he is sleeping or just needs time with his thoughts or visitors.

Red

Update

Mike is doing well and sdettling in to is new temporary home. He has had a lot of Drs, PT, OT and nutritional people around him getting him on board. He has been in a regular wheelchair to get a touir of the place and now has a power chair to use that they will continue to adjust to him as he progresses over the next weeks. His pnuemonia seems to be improving and his spirits are good. He is anxious to get rehab going and as usual has the greatest of attitudes. His biggest battle now is emotional. He misses his freinds and hopes to see the come streaming through soon.

Red

Safe and Sound

Mike is in National Rehabilitation Hosptal now safe and sound. Room 224 West.

Was was pretty tired today but will be happy to see people tomorrow. Visiting hours are 11 - 9.

The place is amazing. He wasn't there 2 hours when they came in and set up this gizmo on the bed where he can call the nurse, change channels and volume on the TV and make and answer calls and even store numbers all by blowing or sucking through a straw to make selections on this little monitor. He was too tired to learn it all so the guys are coming back tomorrow.

He is really anxious to see his freinds so come ahead tomorrow and over the weekend.

Bigred

Mike is on his way

Mike left Richmond about 10:30 this morning. He should be in DC by 1:30 or so allowing for loading and unloading etc..

I think he will be up for visitors tomorrow. I let everyone know for sure tonight.

Bigred

Mike's Moving!

Mike is scheduled to leave the hospital tomorrow at 10am! He is going to the National Rehabilitation Center in Washington, DC. I do not know the exact address, but will post this as soon as he is settled in sometime tomorrow. We ask that he have no visitors until Friday and so on please! The visiting hours go until 9pm, and the daily part of the schedule is unclear as of right now as well. This is a great step in the right direction and Mike is very happy to get this news!

-Kim

Yesterday

Mike did well again yesterday both with his lungs and his PT. He has the 2 girls wrapped around his finger ( or so he says) They worked him an hour and a half, but obviously for the good, and he really did well, but slept for two hours after.

We are still trying to break him out of here. He seems more than ready physically and it's only a 2 hour ambulance ride to NRH where they have the exact same care available for any non-rehab issues. We will be talking with the Drs today to see what the timeline is. Everyone keep there fingers crossed for today.

You will notice a new picture of Mike to the right. Go to the slide show link and open the Images tab and click on the picture to see a bigger version.

Bigred

More Great News!

According to our mom, Mike has been cleared to attend the National Rehabilitation Center in Washington, DC and they have a spot for him starting tomorrow! The hospital social worker is working with the doctors to find out if they will clear him to be moved that soon! The HRC is a facility which could treat his pnuemonia and oxygen problems as well. Mom and dad are waiting to hear the news and someone will post this as soon as we can after that.

I know that some of Mike's friends were prepared to come down during the week, but in lue of this news, it may be better to hold off until we receive word about the timing of his move!

We have NOT told Mike yet of this development because we are not sure when and don't want to get his hopes up in case we still need to wait a day or two.

We will keep you all posted....

-Kim

Great Day

Mike started out not doing too well. He was tired of having the BiPap mask on and kind of fed up. He really was bummed about the fluid in his lung too. Jean and I spoke to the nurse and asked for some answers on what goals he needed to get the mask off. She explained that until the fluid was under control, he had to keep it on, and that was pretty much what was keeping him back. The Dr. came and had a long talk with the three of us and explained a lot of things in terms we understood. Mike seemed to feel better and at least knew why he was getting the treatment and where he had to get to get out of here.

Now the good news... two therapists, one OC and one PT came in and worked on Mike for about 45 minutes. They had him tipped up with his head almost on the floor, then on his side, all kinds of positions while pounding on his back in all these positions. This was to help get the goop out of his lung. They suctioned a lot while doing this with him coughing. We could hear it out in the hallway.

The Dr. also changed his pain meds to a patch. Within a few hours Mike was alert, bright eyed and talking normal (for a change) he didn't mind the beating he took because the therapists were young pretty girls who he flirted with the whole time. He was laughing at Sinefeld on the TV too.

If you think that's good news.... earlier in the day we were with him and Jean was lotioning his legs again and we did the touch test and he felt just about everything on both legs. He even got miffed when his mom did the test on his butt. The Dr.'s know about this and are now saying his injury is "incomplete" which is outstanding news. At this point it is the sensation of touch, no movement yet, but this is a great start.

All the paperwork is done to get him to NRH when he is ready.

Sorry we haven't called the family today, we were pretty busy and my cell phones were dead.

Jeff & Jean

Courage...

I loved this quote for Mike. He'll get stronger every day with his positive attitude and sense of humor.

-Kim

“Courage takes many forms. There is physical courage, there is moral courage. Then there is a still higher type of courage–the courage to brave pain, to live with it, to never let others know of it and to still find joy in life; to wake up in the morning with an enthusiasm for the day ahead.”

Howard Cosell, sports announcer

Sunday Afternoon

Mike's CT came back and did show more fluid in his left lung. One of the nurses said they were going to give him a tube to clear out his left lung. Mike was pretty upset about that, but when respritory therapy got there it turned out he only needed the nebulizer. A mask that has some medicine in it that goes into his lungs and help break things up. After that we did some compression coughing and he got some out. They are tesing things because he does have an infection somehwere, most likely the stuff in his lungs. His temp is good and he needs the mask still, but I think he has turned thr corner some. They have him on 3 diferent kinds of anibiotics to cover everything.

He was resting when I left at 1. I'll be back with him at 4 and let everyone know how he is doing at the end of the day.

bigred

Update

I spoke to Mike's nurse this moring and he had a good night. His O2 level stayed in the 90's which is good. We didn't hear back yet on the CT scan he had yesterday but the Dr. did tell me that if we didn't that was good news.

Mike's pain level seems to be the same, but he is more coherant as some of the additional meds they gave him get out of his system. I think they have found the right combination to give him relief without making him "loopy".

He still has his BiPap mask on that helps him get more O2 in his system and he will keep that on until the levels in his blood are right, and he can keep them there. Mikie is also holoding his temp better too. Although not normal, he is averaging arounf 99 - 100 rather than 102-103. That is really good news too.

The good news in all of this is that everyone still says Mike is miles ahead of the average state of pateints with his injury. Most aren't even breathing on their own and need to be ventilated for several weeks so we have a lot to be greatfull for still.

Me, Kim and Zack will be with him all day and he has a few more freinds scheduled to stop by too so he will continue his streak of not having even one day pass without freinds or family being by his side. We can't thank all of you enough for being so supportive and generous. It feels like we have a family of 100 people.

bigred

Mike today....

Today Mike had several friends visit him which, as always, cheered him up. He has been a little "out of it" due to the pain medication that the doctors will slowly try to reduce. His fever has been under control, but they have him on the breathing machine to help keep his oxygen level up. He had another CT Scan this evening so that the doctors can make sure he has no fluid in his lungs. We are not sure when his expected date of transfer to Maryland or DC will be, but hopefully he is still on track to be moved in a week or so. If there is fluid in his lungs, the doctors may move him back to ICU just as a precaution, but we have not heard for sure.

Thank you to all friends and family for you your support and love!

-Kim

Local Rehab Centers

I came home to do on site tours of the Rehabilitation Hospitals hear today. The recommended ones were Adventist Rehab at Shady Grove, National Rehabilitation Hospital in DC and Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore. I thought NRC was by far the best of the bunch but we will give all the information to Mike and let him make the decsion, with our advice. NRH and God Sam are the top 2 in this region, and NRH runs one of only 14 Spinal Cord Injury Model programs in the nation.

If anyone wants to take a look a these places;
www.nrhrehab.org
www.adventisthealthcare.com/ARHM/services/index.aspx
www.goodsam-md.org

Jeff

UPDATE!!!

I just spoke with my mom who had some very good news with regard to Mike's progress. She was applying lotion to his legs and feet and he could feel every touch! Before, he had some feeling in his right leg, but now, she said she would poke his foot and he would know she was poking it, she would wrap her hands around his foot and he would know she was specifically wrapping her hands around his foot and he could tell this on both legs! He was lying flat during this entire time!

His nutritionist was coming to meet them as well and his pain is a little better today and of, course, his spirits are high!

-KIM

"Anything is still possible if you put your mind and heart into it!" This is a quote from Andy Crowe and I think it best depicts the attitude that Mike and all of us have towards his injury.

Here is Andy's website for more details on his amazing story:
http://www.andycrowe.co.uk/


Thank again to Amanda for providing this info!

-Kim

Great Link...Tons of Information and Resources!

I found this site (I'm sure someone else has also come across it) and thought it was great!  It provides tons of resources, information and detail. Definitely check it out: www.sci-info-pages.com

Love you Mikey,

Robin

Slow Progress Today, Good news for the near Future

Mike had a rough night last night with pain from his second surgury. The Neurosurgion (I wish this blog had spell checker) spoke to me and and said it was common because he had a lot more work done the second time. Things should improve regarding that over the next few days. They expect he will have some chronic pain going forward, but managable.

She also said that if all goes to plan she would expect him to be ready for transport back home to in patient rehab around the end of next week. I am home today and tomorrow morning to do in person visits to 2 facilities so Mike will have the best information to make his choice of where to go by.

He was ready to get in bed therapy when I left this morning and wasn't looking forward to it because he was hurting, but was going for it anyway because that represents the stage he was at before the seconf surgury. Now there are no steps backwards anymore!!!

I added some photos to a slide show that show the hospital, his floor and where his room is to give all of you a feeling for his surroundings. A picture of him getting his hair washed this morning is there too. He was in some pain, but not about to give up this oportunity. What a Ham!!!

I will be looking at Kessler Rehabilitation Institute in Rockville, and National Capitol Rehabilitation Center in DC before going back tomorrow about noon.

I'll have another update and pictures of Mike tomorrow.

website with spinal injury stories....

"I acquired a spinal cord injury four years ago when I fell down a staircase. It was a C5 injury that left me paralyzed and in a wheelchair for almost a year. I am now a walking quad and use a cane to get around. " Lei Chang, C5 spinal Injury, now walking!!!

http://www.paralysis.org/site/c.9dJzHJNmGkF/b.2262987/k.E9D1/Lei_Chang.htm

Mike's new address

Medical Center of Virginia Hospital
Department of Neuro Science, 11th Floor
Mike Gotzens (TRDCAKE) Room # 408
401 12th Street
Richmond , VA 23298

Please note that according to Pops (Big Red, Red, Dad, Jeff) there is not a lot of room for items, but please send along whatever you would like. They may need to show Mike, and then keep in the Hospitality House after that until he is moved. So when you visit, if you don't see what you sent, that's why!

-Kim

Better Every Day

Mike is doing a little better today. His pain is being managed and starting to be controlled. He has already started adding to his "Harem" with the new nurses on 11 West and trying to negotiate more frequest sponge baths. All his doctors said he was doing well and we are hoping to get him out of here in 10 days or less. We are working with the Social Workers here to get all the benefits and paper work in place. As soon as he is able they will let him go. He should be starting some basic rehab stuff here in the hospital this week.

Dr Lin, (Mike calls him Dr Dread and hates his guts) actually delivered good news to him and said he is definately done with surguries.

Mike's Uncle Tommy from Boston and his family came down and spent time with him this morning and that really picked him up. Michelle and her Mom and Brother also stopped by.

It looks like another busy weekend with family and friends too. I will add some pictures of the Hospital, Mike and his room later so everyone can get a better feel for his surroundings.

-----Bigred

Great link for information and encouragement

Amanda passed along a few great websites. One of them is http://www.determined2heal.org/C5.htm

Which allows you to focus in on the specific part of the spine injured and then gives the level of activity, range of motion, and mobility expected, and we all know Mike will move way past what is "expected"!

-Kim

Mike's out of surgery!!

I just got off the phone with my dad and Mike is out of surgery. He did really well and has been transferred to the "step down" bed we've been waiting for on the 11th Floor. He also does not have to wear the huge shoulder, neck, back, chest brace-he will only need the neck brace he had on originally. I'm not sure for how long yet. He is in recovery for the next couple of hours and our mom and dad are going to collect all of his wonderful items from friends and family. Thank you to everyone for all of your thoughts today as we completed another step in this journey! Mike could not have done it without all of you and especially the constant love, support, and bedside care of our wonderful parents!

Love, Kim

Surgery update

Mike went into surgery around 12noon and is expected to come out around 2:30-3pm. Our mom and dad are waiting for him to come out. The doctors believe this will only prolong his being transferred closer to home by a few days. Let's keep our fingers crossed for that!

-Kim

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

We were told late last night that Mike would need another surgery today. This is being done as an extra precautionary measure to help ensure the stability of his neck throughout his recovery. The surgeons will implant another matel plate in the back of his neck to "sure up" some remaining cracks. He is expected to go into the 2 hour surgery around 11am. Mike was surprised by the news, but was accepting of it. Our parents will keep us posted on his status as the day progresses. Thank you for your for your thoughts and support throughout this next step in Mike's long road to recovery.

-Kim

Information and support

Thanks to my wonderful family, Aunt Nancy, Aunt Susan, Kristen, and Robin, who came down last weekend and communicated some wonderful research on my condition, I will try each day to post a new statistic on research and foundations. Please feel free to email me with any others you come across in our journey together to help Mike!

This is from the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation website at www.christopherreeve.org

"...if the patient had at least som movement in at least one of their legs at the time of injury, there was a 3 out of 4 chance they walked again..." and as we've heard, he was moving his leg right after the injury so we're very hopeful.

-Kim

July 14, 2008

Mike had an easier night as our dad held virgil at his bedside! As some of you saw, Mike was sitting in his chair yesterday with his beloved niece, Savannah, on his lap! This was received by him with a huge smile we all know and love. He was able to slightly grip a Sharpie pen, but unable to write with it quite yet. HIs room was decorated with gifts from his friends Crystal, Randy, Shannon, Kyle, Jay, Amanda, Sean, Joe and his girlfirend (I'm sorry I forgot her name!) including new knives, a Rebel Flag, pictures of him with all of his wonderful friends, and especially a separately framed picture of him and his "better half", Sean Hungerford!

Thank you all for the warm thoughts, gifts, words of encouragement, meat-filled breakfasts, and just being there for Mike. It means the word to everyone in his family, and especially to him.

-Kim

Friends and Family:

Thank you for all of your continued support and kind words over the past week. Updates will be posted shortly to ensure that everyone close to Mike stays informed about his progress.