Restarting

Well, it has been 13 days since Ann fell in the garage and hit her head on the concrete floor. It was about 11 am, Sat. Nov. 4, and we were all packed ready to get into the car to drive down to visit with Katie and Conor. Ann was standing by the door into the garage when I said I was going to get a coat to take. I went out of the room to the hall closet and began searching for the coat I wanted to take. When I went into the kitchen Ann was not there. We were planning to take Aspen with us, so I put her on a lease and opened the door into the garage. There Ann was lying on her back facing the door. She looked dead. I yelled "Ann, what did you do" and patted her face. She started blinking. I asked her if she hit her head. Ann said she thought so and started to get up. At that point she seemed okay, so I helpped her get up and back into the family room ... all while she is saying she was okay and we should continue on our trip. I said no way. Then I called Dr. Janice who agreed that I should take Ann to the Wilmington ER right away.

Ann chatted with me as we drove to the hospital. I parked outside the ER and went inside to get a wheelchair. Ann was starting to get out of the car and I made her get into the wheelchair. Dr. Janice had called ahead, so the admitting nurses were ready for Ann and we were soon in an examination room. Ann during this time continued chatting to all who would listen. Nurse and doctor examination showed no outward injury to Ann's head, so a CT Scan was ordered. Ann chatted with the machine operators who did that scan. When we returned to the exam room we started watching the Penn State game on TV and Ann and I commented to each other when Joe P. the Penn State Coach got injured on the sideline.

Doctor came in and said the scan showed multiple blood spots on and in Ann's brain. It was clear some were in the area of where she hit her head. But there was blood also in other areas of her brain. We debated wheter the fall caused the bleeding or bleading caused the fall and more bleeding. The doctor ordered another scan with dye to get a clear picture of where the blood was. He said the options were to send Ann to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia or to Christiana Care. He said a decision would be made based on the results of the second scan as to whether or not Ann had suffered a brain aneurysm. By this time, Byron, who had been running in an "Old Timers" race came to the hospital. He talked to Ann and decided to go home to get a shower and take care of the pups. I had called Katier earlier to tell her we were not on our way. She started up to Delaware from her home in Maryland. When we learned that the scans showed Ann did not have an aneurysm, transport was ordered to take Ann to Christiana ER. I said goodbye and have a safe ride.

Druring my drive down to the hospital I kept hoping all was all right, since Ann seemed to be okay. But it was not to be. When I arrived at the Christiana ER Ann was already in an ER exam room and she was not communicating at all and was very sleepy. By now it was after 7 pm. Byron, Katie and Conor arrived to keep me comany and watch over Ann. Ann was taken for another CT Scan. She was seen by several ER doctors. Byron, who was himself was not feeling well, went home and then around 1 am Conor went to our house. Katie and I continued the wait with Ann for an ICU room to open. Finally we got up to 2A12 around 2:30 a.m. Ann was in bed and hooked up. Katie and I talked to the nurses and went home around 3:30 Sunday morning When we left Ann had not resumed communicating and was sleeping.

I returned around 11 Sunday, followed by Katie, Byron and Conor. Ann was awake and communicating. We spent the day with her talking to various doctors and nurses. It was determined that there was no need for surgeons. We would just need to wait for the blood to be absorbed. We all went home Sunday night thinking Ann was okay.

Monday morning I found Ann to be again in deep sleep and not communicating with anybody.