Life...........and a Level One Trauma........the Details Part 4

Part 1

I don't know how long it was before the doctors came out to talk with me. I just know that it seemed like it took forever. They introduced themselves to me and said that they were ordering some tests including a full CAT scan to get a better picture of Lindsay's injuries.

They told me I could go in and sit with Lindsay until she was taken for her tests but they wanted to warn me about what I would see when I entered the room. There were lots of tubes, wires and machines and they didn't want me to be alarmed.

I assured them I could handle seeing Lindsay hardwired in such a manner. Nothing would ever be as bad as that first day after her surgery at Children's Hospital in Seattle. I promised they didn't have to worry about me freaking out so they let me go and visit with my daughter.

The chaplain followed right along probably thinking he might be needed if the whole thing became too much for me. Or maybe he thought he might lend some comfort to Lindsay but as far as she was concerned the only one who existed in that room was me.

Poor Lindsay was so frightened she was shaking violently. At first I thought she was just cold, but it turned out to be totally based in fear. I don't know what was going through her head and I doubt if she remembers but it was clear that the poor kid was scared to death.

Her face was cleaner than it had been but she still had some muddy tear stains. Her ears and her hair were almost gritty looking. Her left eye was really blood shot and looked like it was going to turn black. The whole area under her eye looked bright red like it might bruise as well. Dave and I thought that must have been where she hit her head.

I tried to take her mind off what was happening in the room. There were still at least three professionals milling around her checking monitors and doing I don't know what else.

Instead of watching them I tried to get her to pay attention to me. I held her hand bending over her and looked directly into her eyes and asked her to breath with me. Just like good old Lamaze classes breathing. In so very slowly and out oh so slowly with me coaching her along.

At first she was reluctant but I kept insisting. Once she really began to give the breathing exercise her full attention, the shaking began to slow down. It didn't take too long before the shaking had all but ceased. It didn't take much to get her off focus and the shaking would start up again.

One of the nurses asked me if I wanted to save her clothes. There in a pile on the floor were Lindsay's clothes all cut to shreds. I think that was the hardest part of being in that room. Seeing her clothes cut to ribbons like that was like getting smacked in the face with reality.

I told the nurse not to bother. About the only thing those clothes would be good for was to use for a picture on my blog. That made Lindsay giggle.The nurse probably thought I was kidding.........but for a brief instant I was really wishing I'd had my camera. Words cannot describe the picture of Lindsay's shredded clothes laying in that heap on the emergency room floor.

Everything was cut...........her jeans, her underpants, her Victoria's Secret bra (that I paid an arm and a leg for!) her favorite T-shirt and her socks. Still can't imagine why the socks had to be cut off...........but I guess they didn't want to jostle her.

All I could think was it was a good thing the paramedics had taken her tall Muck brand boots off in the ambulance. I'd hate to see what those things would have looked like if she'd arrived wearing them. Not to mention I'd hate to have to replace them.........those things cost nearly as much as the rest of her clothes put together..........except maybe that bra.

I told Lindsay this was really a cheap trick to get new clothes. Again she laughed...........my black humor had gotten her through some scary times. I was glad to know that it still worked. I teased her about needing more attention in my posts but this was a h*ll of a way to go about getting it. For that she actually giggled.

She still wasn't talking much..............one word answers if anything at all. I wasn't sure if it was because she was afraid or because she didn't know the answers to our questions. Sometimes it was like she just wasn't there. I would be glad when they finally came and took her for the CAT scan. At least them we would have some answers.

Dave arrived sometime right before they came to get Lindsay for the CAT scan. The poor guy was frazzled by all the procedures he'd had to go through to even get on the base. Then he'd been directed to the wrong parking lot and gotten lost.

Before they took Lindsay into the scan they tried to prepare her for the test. From the sounds of it their machine was one of the most modern ones that are very open. Once they knew that Lindsay had tolerated the "tunnel" type of MRI machines, they knew she would be OK with this test.

It didn't take long before the neurologist came to talk to us about the results of Lindsay's CAT scan. In layman's terms there were two small bruises on the left side of her brain. One had actually bled......but just a little. They thought the bleeding was stopped. But to be sure they would do another CAT scan at 3 am

Lindsay would be taken to the intensive care unit for at least twenty four hours to be monitored. What happened after that would depend on her progress. And that was that.............we could stay with her through the night (which Lindsay didn't want) or we could call whenever we liked and get updates on her condition.

To be continued...................

Part 5

Lindsay has struggled with headaches today. It seems to be a bit more than yesterday but I think it's being complicated by allergy headaches. If she isn't improved tomorrow, I'll be calling the neurologist.

This picture is Lindsay with Surprise.

Lady of Chaos wants to know what happened............she's not the only one. I'd like to know too. That's one of those things about brain trauma. You rarely get to have all the answers.

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