Rhyang

by **nefarius** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:30 pm

My climbing partner and I have had a couple of close calls with deer on the road in the past couple of months. Scary.

Rob has an awesome sense of humor. I wouldn't post anything that I thought was going to offend him. We're all just happy he's doing so well.

by **rhyang** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:18 am

A week ago I was in the rehab gym for outpatient PT and was chatting with my ex-roommate (he's since been discharged & gone home). He asked me what kind of car I was going to get, once I was able to drive again (btw I suspect that won't be until 2008 sometime).

I thought a moment, and considered saying 'Prius ?' but he interrupted my pause, and blurted out "Land Cruiser !"

We laughed for a while, and then I said "Next time, I'm gonna hit that fucker" :twisted:

(sorry, just a little hospital humor

)

by **stevepack** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:27 am

rhyang wrote:A week ago I was in the rehab gym for outpatient PT and was chatting with my ex-roommate (he's since been discharged & gone home). He asked me what kind of car I was going to get, once I was able to drive again (btw I suspect that won't be until 2008 sometime).

I thought a moment, and considered saying 'Prius ?' but he interrupted my pause, and blurted out "Land Cruiser !"

We laughed for a while, and then I said "Next time, I'm gonna hit that fucker"

(sorry, just a little hospital humor )

Hummer...armored...full roll cage and five point safety harness.

Then go deer "hunting"!!!

Hang in there Rob. Keep fighting and getting stronger.

by **Gene** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:35 am

Rob,

I forgot to tell you. My daughter, who you met at Memorial in Week 1 of this epic, saw the picture taken by Lisae of you out hiking. I asked "Remember this guy?

Now, I'm no fan of 16 year old launched F-bombs, but she said "Dad, he's a f....... savage!"

Cracked me up! Truth out of the mouths of babes.

GM

by **rhyang** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:34 pm

Your family always brings a smile to my face Gene

re: halo - I'm going in for a CT scan on Nov. 2nd at valley medical. My neurosurgeon in Modesto said he would see me the following week, so I made an appointment with him for Nov. 8th in the early afternoon. I hope he will take the halo off then, but it would not surprise me to hear that my neck needs to heal more ... wish me luck ...

Dan, Gene - maybe we can coordinate a little get-together after the Dr. visit, either way.

In other news, Dragger and Outdoorgirl_ca helped me reconnect with my sister, whom I hadn't talked to in years. She, her husband and her 2-month old daughter came to visit last weekend. So I'll be riding with my sister to Modesto & back. Y'all can meet my new neice too

by **keema** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:20 pm

Sounds like things are progressing well. I get off at 2, so I look forward to the get together.

by **Gareth** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:05 pm

rhyang wrote:In other news, Dragger and Outdoorgirl_ca helped me reconnect with my sister, whom I hadn't talked to in years. She, her husband and her 2-month old daughter came to visit last weekend. So I'll be riding with my sister to Modesto & back. Y'all can meet my new neice too

That's cool!

Let me know if you need any nerdy trivia facts about CT...like how the Beatles helped develop the technology... :wink:

I was gong to ask you something...

Did they say that you had something called a "Jefferson's Fracture"? That's a fracture of both the anterior (front) and posterior (rear) arches of C1.

Here are some images

:
The top is a normal x-ray. It's called an AP "open mouth" (which I frankly can't see any sign of a fracture on).
the bottom image is a CT axial slice (horizontal if you were standing)

by **rhyang** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:54 am

hey Gareth - I did some googling earlier and read about this type of fracture. One of my doctors did tell me I broke C1 in the front and back, so I'd bet that's what it was ...

Dan, Gene - my neuro's office called me back, and said I should reschedule my CT for the week of November 19th (3 months after halo was put on, not 11 weeks, not 12 weeks, but 3 months) :evil:

and then correspondingly reschedule the office visit. He's a stickler for details, which, I would guess makes him a good neurosurgeon

I'll send you guys a PM once I have some idea what I'm doing ...

While I'm kind of annoyed, it beats the alternative - apparently the neuros at VMC wouldn't be able to see me until January

by **jrbouldin** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:12 am

That's great about seeing your sister. And great to see you hanging in there and progressing on your rehab. Best wishes.

by **Gene** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:38 pm

Rob,

We'll see you and yours Monday, 11/19.

Good news: You can be FrankenRob for Halloween.
Better news: We won't be able put lights and tinsel on your halo for Christmas.

Keep on keeping on.

Gene

by **rhyang** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:39 am

People have asked me what I'm going to do with the halo when it finally comes off (hopefully at my Nov. 27th appointment - the 19th is when the CT scan is in San Jose).

I don't have a clue ... maybe I'll keep the ring as a souvenir, and treat the rest as one would the Gävle goat :twisted:

btw I think I found the manufacturer's web page (clicking on pic visits their site)

I'd guess I'm wearing model 1233

by **Zzyzx** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:25 pm

Lolli wrote:does it itch?

Llama fur doesn't itch Lolli. It's nice and soft.... :lol:

by **rhyang** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:14 pm

Thanks Kris for the reminder - the model I'm wearing is actually 1233L :lol:

by **rhyang** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:51 pm

Showering with the thing on is most certainly a pain, but it's doable (and very refreshing

) Afterwards though the liner is all wet and needs to be changed. I have one synthetic liner (ordered for me when I was at valley medical) and one of sheepskin (the original liner, from when the halo was put on in Modesto). Basically, the liner is held in by velcro strips and is composed of two parts, front and back.

After a shower I lie on my back and an assistant slides a plastic bag in between the halo frame and the liner to break the velcro. The wet front liner can then slide out, and the new dry liner can be put in. The assistant checks my skin for pressure sores, removes any dead skin with rubbing alcohol, and then replaces the liner.

I then turn over on my stomach with a pillow under my chest so that I can breathe

and repeat the process. Voila

I'm told it may take more assistants if the patient has more severe tetraplegia (paralysis in all four limbs). For me, this task (halo liner replacement) is the one thing I can't do for myself - amazingly my occupational therapists have taught me how to do basically everything else with the halo on. Apparently the rehab facility at SCVMC has a good reputation and I can understand why

I hope I've answered your questions adequately :wink:

by **QuailBS** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:56 am

So dude, what kinda drugs they got you on?

Rhyang

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