Some of you have met my daughter Lacy...
She took a fall yesterday and hit her head, she's paralyzed from the neck down. She's in surgery right now and I'm on my way to Utah in a couple of hours.....
TIA....
04/18 Wednesday
I''m sorry guys but I'm pretty much a wreck right now....
They tried taking Lacy off the ventilator yesterday but she went steadily downhill and by 5:00pm we had her on a C-Pap machine that forces air into her lungs. This morning we had a big meeting in ICU and we decided to put her back on life support. She's being prepared right now for a "life flight" to Childrens hospital in Salt Lake City but the weather is against us as it's snowing here.
Once we get there they will stablize her and we have some very hard decisions to make. It looks like she will be quadraplegic for a start and may need assisted breathing for the rest of her life. A traceotomy may be performed later today so she can breathe through her throat and be awake....
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers...
This a picture taken yesterday 04/21 with her cousin Matt who drove from the OC to spend 24 hours with Lacy.....
04/23 Update
On Saturday afternoon the doctors decided that they would take Lacy off the ventilator and she if she could handle breathing on her own. After they removed the tube you could instantly see a change in her, she worked hard all afternoon as now she has to deal with the secretions in her lungs.
Suctioning on the secretions was easy with the ventilator as the vacumm tube runs inside the breathing tube, now its a tube shoved up the nose or directly down the throat, brutal to watch especially as it's required often....
She did well and fell asleep pretty early after a wearing day.
On Sunday I flew home to OC, I had to work this week and prepare to head back there this weekend. After arriving home I called the hospital to find that she was back on a CPAP machine assisting her breathing...oh no.....
As of this morning she's back breathing on her own again and they think they found the problem with the fever, contaminated PIC line from the othere hospital, they changed this out and changed antibiotics, keep your fingers crossed.
Again thanks for all your prayers and thoughts, one day at a time.....
04/24
I called the hospital during the night, the nurse said she worked hard at breathing yesterday so they put her back on the CPAP machine to help her through the night. This morning Lacy came off the machine and worked hard all morning. At noon the doctors gave Lacy the swallow test....
WHICH SHE PASSED......
She was allowed her first sip of water, her mum said she smacked her lips after that....
They then allowed her two spoons of pudding which must have tasted like the best thing you've ever put in your mouth.....
But thats all, the feeding tube that has been keeping Lacy alive for the past 10 days is in her lower bowels where the liquid solution is abosorbed immediatley. They are going to pull the tube up into her stomach and see if her body can process the liquid stuff before they start dropping food into a tummy that does not work.....
All in all it's been a few days of minor miracles, to breathe and possibly eat are giant steps forward in Lacy's recovery.
Still no change in her paralysis.....
The support we have been recieving makes me cry, the emails and phone calls have astounded me.....thankyou.....
A number of different board's members bought up the idea of a "card drive"......
I like that idea it makes me smile...
So if you'd like to send Lacy a card, get friends to send cards, or have your own plan in mind, here's the address....
Lacy Crawford
South Davis Community Hospital
3rd Floor Pediatrics Rm 306
401 South 400 East
Bountiful Utah 84010
Please don't send flowers, they don't allow them due to other childrens allergies.....
Update 04/26
I called the hospital this morning and got to talk with Lacy over the phone, I said "Hi", she said "Daddy", in a gruff tone and in between breathes. That's about all we got to say as the nurses were coming in for bed bath time....
I told her that I'd been making new "Emeril" tapes and we could watch them together this weekend. I got a flight back to Salt Lake and will arrive early on Satuday morning, my boss is allowing me to work from the hospital next week.....
They were going to give Lacy another "swallow test" yesterday but due to the fever they put it off till today and it should take place in about an hour, I'll let you know later...
The card drive has really taken off and people from all around the world are taking part...that really makes me smile...
Thanks again for all the donations, cards, thoughts and prayers, you are all very special people....
Saturday update..
I flew out to Salt Lake early this morning, I'm glad to be back, I missed my little girl....
She had a swallow test yesterday, she's allowed to eat small portions of things like mashed potatoes, pasta etc. Lacy failed on the thin liquids so water has to be thickened like wallpaper paste....
We spent the afternoon watching new episodes of Emeril and working on strengthening her breathing with bubbles and pinwheels....
Her paralysis has not changed......
Sunday is a quiet day at the hospital, I arrived to find Lacy eating mac and cheese, she had refused the oatmeal and the nurse ordered for her...
Uncle John arrived today, he had a friend fly him here in an experimental plane that he built, it was quite an experience. He came to see Lacy and drive Auntie Trish back to California, he’s been without his wife for the past two weeks…..
Lacy got to have a bath today, they bought in a plastic gurney then put her in a sling that lowered her into a hot tub, Lacy really enjoyed that…
Monday update
This morning we visited the next place that Lacy will be moving too. We have decided to take the recommendations of this staff and move her to a rehab/group home that will be taking care of her for the near future. The facility has an amazing staff and Lacy will be well looked after, more about that later.
We had a big meeting at Childrens today and we are running a calorie study for the next 3 days to see if shes eating enough to remove the feeding tube permanently….
We want to thank everyone that has sent cards, nic-nacs, letters, pics, beads, books and donations to Friends of Lacy……
We went outside today for a little walk, then opened cards, the card wall is growing....
Tuesday
Ok so yesterday Lacy passed the second part of the swallow test which meant that she could have her first soda, coke it’s the real thing……
We worked hard yesterday on her calorie count so they would think about removing the feeding tube, maybe tomorrow…
We moved Lacy into her new wheelchair and went outside for a little walk, it was a beautiful day. We had a pretty good day..
Wednesday
Met with hospital staff this morning and as Lacy did so well yesterday eating they pulled the feeding tube…yeah….that thing must have been 5 ft long..
We are preparing to move her to the special care/ rehab center tomorrow so we have a new address which is :
Lacy Crawford
South Davis Community Hospital
3rd Floor Pediatrics Rm 306
401 South 400 East
Bountiful Utah 84010
This location specializes in pediatric spinal cord injuries so Lacy will be well cared fore.
We’re going to have to dismantle the card wall and rebuild over at the new digs…
As always thanks for your thoughts and prayers,
Neill and Lacy
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