updates on my little sister

Oy Vey

2006-08-20T21:43:00.000-04:00

Greetings and salutations, my faithful readers! Sorry for the delay on posts… the computer was out of commission for a while, and things have been extremely busy for us. This is the miracle herself (I am so tired of hearing that) writing to you. Don’t expect much from this final post, my brother Kevin is the writer in the family and my dad’s just… well, we love him because he tries so hard. Actually, I want to thank all of my family for helping me through this crazy time in my life... and I’d like to thank all you faithful readers! You don’t know how much it means to have such good friends.

Kevin is back from his excursions in Europe and I think he enjoyed himself; I, on the other hand am enjoying my snow globe and purse from Europe!!! We visited him this past weekend...it was great to see him, although I’m not sure how much of us he could see--- his hair was pretty dang long!!!

I am finally finished with therapy and am overjoyed about that!!!! Also, I am off to Xavier this Friday!!! I’m more excited than nervous, but I haven’t begun the painful packing process yet. That should be a blast.

Well, thanks again for sticking with the blog through its’ many authors! Those wonderful prayers from all of you have gotten me to a healthy place. I will probably never know the magnitude of everyone who has touched our lives in such a positive way. We love you all!!!

“The world breaks everyone, and afterwards, some are strong in the broken places.” –Ernest Hemmingway

Love,
Jenny

Days of Summer

2006-07-18T21:51:00.000-04:00

Jenny is doing well with her therapy. We visit Xavier in a few days to discuss some of her limitations and the university's ability to accommodate her needs ---to be continued. Friends, teachers and neighbors drop by to bring a fresh face into Jenny's day and keep her and MOM from reaching the "boiling point" of too much togetherness. My wife worries about everything so I can go to work and know she has that department covered like a blanket! Although not the summer we had planned, all things considered we are fortunate and thankful to be dealing with the regimen of exercise and therapy and some practice driving sessions in the parking lots. Kevin is in his final week of the program in Tuscany and then on to Rome and Naples for more free spirited travel. The cards, phone calls, meals and just knowing you care, keep us going. Bless You All Papa Bear

Alive and Well

2006-07-10T20:55:00.000-04:00

Jenny is now in out patient therapy and we try to deal with the all powerful insurance company for approved visits. Her mother is coach, trainer, chauffeur, chef and psychologist all at the same time (aka MOM). Jenny does more intense exercises, some while sitting on a ball to help coordination and balance --she is awesome! She hardly uses her cane and is at times walking without her temporary leg brace. Small motor skills with her right hand (like writing) are still very difficult but she works hard to improve and is starting to venture out of the house more often. Kevin is now in Italy (World Cup Champs) for three weeks and is enjoying his course of study. Good friends bring meals, stop to visit, offer to help with anything and most importantly continue to send prayers. Many Thanks, Papa Bear

Happy Fourth of July

2006-07-04T19:41:00.000-04:00

Sorry we have not written sooner. Jenny is progressing rapidly and the in-home therapists are ready to send her to out patient therapy for more intense workouts. She moves around the house without a cane rather well and can handle the stairs to the basement for those needed retreats to her own space. Her mother keeps the daily vigil on her exercise routine and meals (she has gained back a few of those lost pounds), while her dad clowns and makes her laugh (who has the tougher job?). Kevin is enjoying Europe and just starting the scholastic three weeks of his trip. This being the Fourth of July, the fireworks are going off "inside" our home as we celebrate our daughter's recovery. She is determined to get herself ready for Xavier -we say go for it kid! Jenny is beating all the odds for a rapid recovery. Our thanks to all of you! Papa Bear

On "Recovery Road"

2006-06-26T21:44:00.000-04:00

Jenny had a good weekend at home. She continues to do her exercises and her physical therapist comes on Tuesday for the first visit. We can see improvement everyday (a wiggle of the toes on her her right foot on Sun.) as she fights her way back to regain all that was lost. Her mom is right with her for help and encouragement every step of the way --this is the person you want on your team when it comes to good health and lots of LOVE! A family crisis like this one makes you re-think your priorities and appreciate those around you. Those of you that have surrounded us with your good wishes and prayers have touched us deeply and made a difference in our lives. Heartfelt Thanks Papa Bear

Home Sweet Home

2006-06-23T20:44:00.000-04:00

Jennifer was released from the hospital today. She and my wonderful wife are back home, our lives are whole again. Words can not express the appreciation we have for those caring and skilled persons that work at Bethesda North Hospital. Our next step in the healing process is in-home therapy that will be scheduled real soon. Jenny, with the aid of a cane, is navigating around the house with little trouble, checking e-mail and texting on her phone (all looks normal to me). We have been blessed! "and when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me. Shine until tomorrow, let it be." Sweet Dreams

Happy Days are Here Again

2006-06-21T22:55:00.000-04:00

The smile will not leave Jenny's face ---she departs the hospital on Friday 6/23! This is earlier than originally planned but her progress has been exceptional. If you plan to visit at the hospital, please do not leave anything for Jenny as we had to book Two Men and a Truck for the trip home. This evening she walked all over the rehab floor and up and down a flight of stairs with a cane and one of us along for support, if needed. The right leg and arm move more each day with growing strength and flexibility----it is like watching a miracle as her body gradually recovers what has gone dormant after the injury to her brain. All of you have participated in her recovery through loving prayer --God Bless You All!

FATHERS DAY

2006-06-19T22:33:00.000-04:00

The best Fathers Day ever --I spent it with my daughter, Jennifer Marie! Hope all dads had a wonderful day with their families. Kevin asked to to do something with the "blogspot" and I assumed he made a mess in the kitchen. As an electronically challenged adult I will try my best. I have notes from my wife ----she is making a huge sacrifice to be with Jenny and take charge of getting her well ---I am deeply thankful. Jenny makes progress every day and works hard in therapy. She requires many extra calories to heal and keep active all day. No chance she will pick up any weight soon! All the doctors and therapists remain optimistic she will continue to recover as we move down the long road of rehabilitation. She is tackling hallways and stairs as well as getting in and out of bed with minimal assistance.We are all inspired by her grit and determination! Please keep her in your prayers and know that our family appreciates every one of you.
Papa Bear

so long, farewell...

2006-06-16T13:42:00.000-04:00

This is it...my last post before heading off to Europe. In my stead, someone will continue to put info up on this website, so you won't be horribly deprived. The latest news, so you know, is that Jenny's central line was removed, and she continues to get better and better with each passing day.

Here's what you need to know:

-check out this website: http://www.aero-fs.com/jenny/
Jenny's friend Brooke set up this awesome site as a way to get involved in Jenny's recovery, and to give other folks a way to do the same thing. My folks are planning to match all money raised with a charitable donation of some sort, so click the link and get outfitted with summer's hottest accessory: the "Pennies for Jenny" wristband!

-Want to visit? Great...another of Jenny's friends is helping to coordinate some of what I've been doing the past couple of weeks...feel free to call Jenna at 513-405-7395 if you need some info about coming to see my little sister.

That's all from me. God bless you all for your kind emails, your thoughtful gifts, your incessant phonecalls, and of course your faithful prayers. Peace,

-Kevin-

the in-patient is impatient

2006-06-13T00:04:00.000-04:00

Lots going on lately over at Bethesda North...here's the latest news:

Jenny's doctors, nurses, therapists, surgeons, stockbrokers, and her agent all met this morning with my parents to consult about Jen's condition. The deal is this: her speech is continually improving, although she still struggles quite often to get out exactly what she wants to say. It's hard to watch at times -she scrunches up her face and visibly strains to get the words right. But the speech is coming along, and her long-term memory seems to be intact. Her short-term memory is also intact, in that she is able to form new memories, but she doesn't have any recollection of the events leading up to the emergency. Probably just as well, in my opinion.

As far as motor skills go, Jenny is learning to move the fingers on her right hand ever-so-slightly, and practices scrunching them up (easy!) and straightening them out (tough!) while she lays in bed. Tonite, before going to sleep, she moved her right arm across her body to hold my hand and say goodnite, which was good...but she wasn't able to move it back on her own, so she picked it up with her left hand and put it where it belongs. Nothing happening with the left leg yet...remember that the leg is further away from the brain than the arm is (complex medical idea, I know), and that means it'll be slower to recover than the arm will be. That's not a promise that either or both will recover fully, but I think she will continue to make some sort of progress with her motor skills.

In terms of emotional/mental state, Jenny's enjoyed seeing so many of her close friends put in such long hours hanging out with her at the hospital, and her brother definitely enjoyed the snacks and books that they brought for him...she's getting worn out from constantly having people in the room, and I appreciate everyone's willingness to be patient with your visitiation schedule. The doctor thinks she'll be there for another three weeks or so, so time remains to keep her company. I am really excited to have gotten to wheel her around in her wheelchair last nite...we went outside and scared my dad, who nearly dropped the phone when Jenny and I went screaming by him. Tonite, we watched a show called "Wife Swap," whose premise I'll refrain from explaining, except to say that Jenny and I decided a chest tube was less painful than bad reality TV.

What else? My family is hanging in there...my mom has been staying at the hospital all day and all nite, so she's worn out....if I were a writer, I might use the word "haggard" to describe her, but I'm a son, too, so I better stick with something more benign, like "weary" or "wiped out." We don't need anything in particular, but I've gotten some requests for specific prayer requests, so I made a short list:

If you'd like to pray, pray specifically for:
-Jenny's continual improvement moving her right arm
-Jenny's ability to remaster her ability to speak (and then pray for those who'll have to listen to her :-)
-my parents: as they dig deep for strength and energy, let the well not run dry

And now, bittersweet news: I'll be leaving Cincinnati this coming Sunday for Washington D.C., and will be flying to Spain for a six-week stint in Europe, including stays in Switzerland, Italy, and Prague. I'll be traveling and sightseeing for some of the time, and doing a program in Tuscany for a few weeeks in July. I am excited to be going, and feel grateful for the opportunity to go, but obviously regret that I won't be able to be here as Jenny undergoes rehab. The decision to attend the program was a difficult one, but I asked Jenny what she thought, and she laid it out for me as clearly as can be, and my friend and traveling partner helped me sort out the rest of my thoughts before I finally decided to follow through on my plans.

Someone, I believe, will still be writing the blog after I leave, and I'll be intermittently accessible by email during my travels. I've enjoyed the chance to share the life of my best friend with so many people, and deeply appreciate the continued prayers for Jenny's full recovery. I promise to post again before taking off (literally and figuratively), but for now, stay well.

Peace,

-kevin-

Sunday

2006-06-11T11:47:00.000-04:00

Heyhey -just wanted to let folks know that today is not a good day to try to visit Jenny. Nothing to be worried about...she's just tired and has a bit of a headache. The doctors wanted to be cautious and did a CT scan this morning, but we haven't seen any results yet. Shouldn't be anything to stress over, but just the same, please try to plan a visit for another day. Peace,

-kevin-

what are little sisters made of?

2006-06-09T17:52:00.000-04:00

Forget sugar and spice -my little sister is made of determination and stubbornness, and we're all better for it! Therapy is hard...it takes up a lot of time each day, and it demands a lot from someone still trying to rest and recover from her surgery, but Jenny's not about to let that get her down. In fact, Jenny walked down the hallway with the use of a cane today...how's that for progress?!?! I hope she keeps getting better, cause I'm scared of what might happen if Jenny gets to carry a cane around with her -my glasses and every vase we own cringes at the thought. No word as of yet as to how long we'll be at the hospital, but the care has been nothing but top-tier so far...still, I think Jenny's looking forward to sleeping in her own bed.

Didn't mean to scare visitors away with my last post, although it did do what I wanted it to do and slow down the invasion a bit. If you want to come, that's awesome -it's just helpful if you can call or email first, so we can be intentional about not overwhelming her with too many people all at one time. In honor of the World Cup, I might institute a Yelllow Card/Red Card system to let people know when it's time to leave the room. I will not, however, be using a referee's whistle...I know my limits.

Peace,

-Kevin-

and we're back

2006-06-07T23:56:00.000-04:00

well, sorry about the delay between the last post and this one...combination of 1) a communication breakdown between me and the parents and 2) the blogspot.com server going down for a while. both of those things have been remedied...and i have news.

this morning, jenny had an angiogram on her brain, and no one told me how to spell it, so sound it out if it looks unfamiliar. an angiogram (I think) consists of pumping dye into the veins/arteries in the brain (although it's more commonly used to look for trouble in the heart) and seeing what's being pumped where...it's a lot like when you flush a dyed fluid through your car to see if there is a possible leak. the idea today was to determine what, if anything, is still blocked or causing problems for Jenny. results from the test came back as positive as possible: her doctors were excited by the fact that there is no more blood vessel tangle, no more aneurism, and no further neurological danger. her physical health is good, and the only thing we're still working on is physical therapy...

...which is also going well. Jenny does a crazy amount of therapy each day -something near six hours, including speech, physical, and occupational therapy. Jenny and I weren't sure what occupational therapy was the first day, so I told her it was where they'd teach her to either become a plumber or an electrician...she didn't buy it. Her right side is still not moving a lot, but yesterday, for the first time, little sister grabbed my dad's hand with the fingers on her right hand. Progress is already being made on that front, and her speech continues to improve, although she still manages to say some ridiculous things every time I go to see her, which is often.

Lastly, the number of visitors is beginning to affect her a little bit, so we're going to be decreasing her "daily visitor tolerance" number (sports fans, think of it as monitoring her pitch count) to allow her to have some peace and quiet. J still needs her rest to continue to heal, and between the constant chatter from the parents and the teasing from her big brother, she's worn out by the day's end. She does, however, really enjoy receiving mail, so if you've got a moment, drop her a line:

Jenny Simowitz
c/o Bethesda North Hospital (Room G6)
10500 Montgomery Road
Cincinnati, OH 45242

thanks for reading, and for staying in the loop...peace,

-kevin-

Goodbye, ICU...

2006-06-05T10:35:00.000-04:00

...hello, Rehab! You heard it here first: Jenny is out of the ICU and destined for bigger and better things in the Rehab unit of Bethesda North. No more chest tube, as well, and the IV is not a continual drip as of yesterday...save a little anti-seizure medication and some Tylenol to ease discomfort, Jenny's pretty much on her own right now -scary to think about I know. This means that visitors will need to find us on Floor 6, I believe, but definitely inquire at the information desk when you enter to get directions and a room number. Also, no need to rush over immediately, because 1) we'll be here a while and 2) we're still getting things settled in our hew home-away-from-home, and Jenny's exhausted. If you're trying to come visit, call me (513-374-1013) later this afternoon/evening, and we'll set something up. 'Til then,

Peace,

-Kevin-

Sunday evening

2006-06-04T16:42:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let y'all know that Jenny and I played cards last nite and she beat me -and if you really know me, you know I'm not the type to let someone else win. Even a recovering sister. We watched a little TV in her room before my yawning got too much, and she told me to "go to bed." In short, Jenny's doing better -still has a chest tube in, but the doctors and nurses are trying to get that removed as soon as they can. J was having a little discomfort in her chest this morning, but I think she's more comfortable know. The nurses are reticent to remove the tube before they're absolutely certain about what's happening with her lungs. She is, however, sans feeding tube, and eating and breathing entirely on her own. Maybe we'll be heading to a new room sometime soon...it'll be sad, in a way, since the ICU waiting room is about the only thing my family can find in this hospital, but if it means Jenny's getting better, we'll be happy to adjust. Visiting hours to begin sometime this coming week...stay tuned to get on the schedule. Peace,

-kevin-

Live from the ICU...it's Saturday Night.

2006-06-03T18:24:00.000-04:00

Hello hello...just wanted to let the faithful readers know that you're not forgotten out there. Jenny's sitting up in a chair right now eating her dinner, and she has no dietary restrictions, so we're supplementing the hospital food with some good, wholesome Wendy's cheeseburgers. Jen's holding conversation a little bit better today as well, and she seems to be comprehending everything that's said, although she's only able to respond to every fourth or fifth thing that's asked of her. I think that mainly has to do with the fact that she is tirrrrred of people badgering her with questions all day long, and that she is going to need some time before she can chat easily with folks. She is, however, recognizing what's going on around her, which is certainly good news. She did discover her partially shaved head yesterday morning with much chagrin, but we'll see how she copes with that as we get into next week.

Speaking of next week, we might be moving out of the ICU and into a real room for a couple of days, before we begin in-patient physical therapy, probably to be continued here at Bethesda North. This means, of course, that it'll be possible to visit Jenny sometime during the coming week. I will let you all know when that time comes, but I know it will be important to Jenny to have some different faces come by the hospital when she's able to receive an audience.

Sorry for being sporadic with the posting lately...I'll try to get my act together this weekend and get some more solid information on the website. Peace,

-Kevin-

it might be rainy outside...

2006-06-02T14:51:00.000-04:00

...but it's sunny in the ICU. Apparently, Jenny was sitting up in a chair this morning, watching a little TV before she got worn out and the nurses put her back to sleep. I was hanging out with the life squad crew that took her to the hospital last week...it's tough to find the words to thank the people that saved my sister's life. But they're pulling for Jenny as much as anyone, and it's exciting for all of us that her progress continues to progress. Peace,

-kevin-

so much for "regular" updates

2006-06-01T22:45:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the infrequent posts these past couple of days...I realize that lots of people are using this website as a means of staying updated on Jenny's condition, and I feel badly about not getting as much information up here as I feel like I should. So bear with me.

I'm writing from the ICU waiting room, a place I might be leaving in the next few days! No promises, but we might be under a week away from a new room here at the hospital. I just saw Jenny, and it's wonderful to talk to my beautiful sister without tubes and with open eyes. I have to think she's totally recognizing my family, and she gets really excited at the mention of the names of those closest to her. She is even talking a little bit -I think the main limitation right now is an incredibly sore throat and a struggle to piece together all that's gone on lately. She knows she's in the hospital, but it's almost like she's in a bit of a fog as she tries to comprehend what's said to her. But I think she's comprehending it. If you ever saw Jenny (or me, for that matter) take a math test...it looks like that. That look where things seem familiar but don't quite make sense yet is all over her face right now -I'm confident she'll come out of the fog much better than we ever did on our math exams.

Solid consistency food is the word for tomorrow...not just for my parents, but for Jenny as well. She's moving her left side really well, and her right side (the side affected by a left-brain injury) is still not doing much on its own, but does respond to pain stimuli. One step at a time.

OK, time for me to go home...thanks for staying up late (or maybe waking up early) and reading the site. Email or stop by if you're so moved, and keep praying either way. Peace,

-Kevin-

morning news

2006-06-01T12:57:00.000-04:00

i know, i know, the morning news doesn't make it to the website til the afternoon. sorry. but check this out...

my dad was standing over jenny's bed this morning, and he looked at her and said, 'who loves you?' and jenny looked at him and mouthed 'daddy.' bettter each day,

peace,

-kevin-

Wednesday nite

2006-05-31T23:06:00.000-04:00

Good evening faithful reader-

Well, it's been quite a week, to say the least. I won't wax poetic here, besides to say that I came across my list of "things to do this summer" and was stunned by what it really means to think about priorities. Where I once had weeks at a time planned out, my calendar now progresses one hour at a time, and I meausure my days by counting answered prayers and loving emails. Life changes fast.

I hung out with Jenny a little bit more tonite...she's still doing a great job of breathing on her own, and she's definitely more aware of what's going on around her than she has been up to this point. Don't be fooled, though -Jenny's got a long road to recovery. Fortunately, she has amazing friends and devoted (if exhausted) family to travel with her.

Also: thanks to those who've been bringing food to the hospital for us. However, we don't need anything else at this point, as I'm afraid it would go to waste. I'll let you all know when there's something else you can do.

As a favorite band of my little sister is fond of saying, drive well and sleep carefully. Peace,

-Kevin-

oh hooray

2006-05-31T11:40:00.000-04:00

if you were to wander into the ICU and ask me why I'm smiling, I'd tell you that it's because I just held hands with Jenny and she squeezed mine back when I asked her to! she also moved her head and followed me with her eyes while I was in the room...all very exciting things for this older brother. the breathing tube is out, and she's doing great today...the nurses spent all morning cleaning her up, and she looks wonderful. even my parents look rested and renewed right now! maybe more medical news later, but i just wanted to share the good word from this morning. as i reflect upon the fact that one week ago today, almost to the minute, doctors and nurses were rushing Jenny into the emergency room, i'm just thankful that we are all busy living. peace,

-kevin-

better news

2006-05-31T00:05:00.000-04:00

west coast readers, here's the evening news...midwest and east-coast folk, good morning:

The neurosurgeon removed the drain previously attached to Jenny's head today, as he felt that she wasn't losing any more blood as a result of the surgery. He also turned off the ICP (that's inter-cranial pressure for those of you who don't hang out in the ICU all day) monitor, which measures, as you might guess, pressure within the brain. Both of these things are good things: the doc feels like Jenny's getting more and more stable.

They put a chest tube in today, and I finally got the answers I wanted to explain this on the website. There was some excess air in Jenny's chest cavity today, which is fairly normal after a surgery like hers but nevertheless needed to be removed. Hence, the tube to remove that air. This was the reason they didn't take the ventilator out today -but, this afternoon, she was splitting time with the ventilator, and by the evening was breathing more often than the ventilator was. That means that, while the tube is still in, she's doing more of the work than the machine is, which means that soon that tube might be a thing of the past.

My mom also told me they did an ultrasound on her today, which led to a lot of confusion on my part until they explained that ultrasounds aren't just for pregnant ladies; they can also be used to monitor possible infections around the heart. Yup, I'm in college.

Last thing for tonite...I went in to talk to Jenny, read her some top-notch cards her friends delivered today, and generally horse around with my little sister. I told her about a conversation I had with a couple of her classmates this afternoon, and she got all stirred up. I don't know if it was just the sound of a voice, a totally involuntary thing, or a real response to hearing about the many people in the waiting room who love her, but she was moving around. Which made me happy. And she looks a lot better than yesterday.

For those of you wanting to help our family out, please mention to my mom that, while promising my sister as many puppies as she wants when she feels better seems like a grand idea now, there's gonna be big trouble at the Simowitz house when Jenny finds a litter of labradors she fancies. I know I'm not feeding them.

Peace,

-kevin-

setbacks and steps forward

2006-05-30T16:29:00.000-04:00

Life in the ICU isn't a lot of fun...it's hard to keep up with doctors, hard to understand why things are done, harder still to understand why things happen like they do. Jenny's doing about the same today...she had some fluid in her side , so they put a tube in to drain that out. However, this means that she's back on the respirator full-time, as they want to give her the best chance to heal before starting to wake her up all the way. Her nurses are with her pretty much all the time and take really good care of her, but it's difficult -we can't read CT scans and don't know what the beeping machines by the bedside mean, so judging progress is not simple for my parents and me. There's also the whole thing where we're not sleeping very much, which has left us pretty run down today. All in all, Jenny's making it -the doctor assured us that this is totally normal, and the neurosurgeon will be in later on this evening. Apparently, he has other patients as well, which I feel is totally unacceptable, but no one's asking me :-) Sorry for those folks I worried by not posting earlier today, and thanks to those who've come by today and helped pass the time. I appreciate the love, the support, and the coffee cake.

Peace,

-Kevin-

Monday evening

2006-05-29T19:30:00.000-04:00

I was preparing a big Memorial Day metaphor for this website, but I scrapped it all in favor of this short anecdote:

I was looking for a phone number this afternoon while at the hospital, and decided to check Jenny's phone for it, as she has pretty much everyone in the greater cincinnati area in there. When I turned it on, I glanced at the message on her welcome screen...and was greeted by one of her favorite quotes from one of her favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption: "get busy living, or get busy dying." Indeed.

Get busy living.

Peace,

-kevin-

Monday afternoon

2006-05-29T13:17:00.000-04:00

I had to wait longer today until I got the full story, but here's what I know:

Jenny's neurosurgeon saw her today and he was really pleased with the CT scan they did this morning...he said that the ventricles are starting to open up a little bit in her brain, which is good, as it means the pressure is lessening. The are moving/have moved her from relying on the respirator to breathe to a setup where the respirator helps her breathe but where she's doing more of the work herself. This, coupled with the news that they are backing off her sedatives today, is good news...the slow progress is starting to take hold. The nurse even mentioned that they might have the tube out in a few days.

Enough medical news...Jenny continues to look better with each passing day, and I'm still reading her the notes that have been coming in when I go to see her. Yesterday, Jen received a bundle of cards from a class of first-graders here in town with whom she volunteered in January -special thanks to the special girl in that class who helped make that happen. The nurses are awesome -they hang everything we bring in on the walls for Jenny to be able to see when she's finally able to open her eyes.

Thanks, as always, for everything. I'll write more when I know more. Peace,

-Kevin-

Special Prayer Request

2006-05-28T19:27:00.000-04:00

Hey boys and girls-

It's Sunday evening around 7:30, and I'd really appreciate you all praying for another family here in the ICU. I don't know their name, but they are going to lose a man who is a brother, father, and grandfather to a lot of very upset and heartbroken people. I believe that around midnite tonite he will pass away, and while I can't give you a name, I can tell you that he suffered something relatively similar to what Jenny had happen on Wednesday. This hits close to home, and I'd ask that you all ask God to be present to in the ICU tonite, as only God can be. Peace,

-kjs-

Sunday morning

2006-05-28T11:51:00.000-04:00

It's definitely crazy to think that a mere four days have gone by since Jenny was rushed to the hospital...I feel like we've been here for weeks, and simultaneously expect to find out that this all is a bad dream or a silly misunderstanding.

This morning, the nurses put what they called a "central line" into Jenny, I believe right below the collarbone. The central line is a tube that goes right into the vein to prevent the constant sticking of her arms every time they need to give her something through an IV...of course, the nurse who called to ask consent at 7AM scared me to death, but it's all fine. No change in Jenny's condition this morning, which is good by the doctors' standards, but doesn't do much for those of us (my family included) who are waiting for Jenny to jump out of bed and spike a volleyball on someone.

Thanks again for all the food you've brought, prayers you've said, and visits you've visited ;-) Enjoy graduation parties and family, and I'll write again later. peace,

-kevin-

saturday afternoon

2006-05-27T18:36:00.000-04:00

heyhey-

just wanted to thank everyone for making graduation so special...I can't wait til Jenny can see the film of the day's events. Her diploma's up in her room, but I put it off to the side, so she wouldn't open her eyes and be so shocked that she needs more medication!

also, thanks to those who brought food by the hospital for my family. we've got all we need for now...not just to eat, but enough to open our own Kroger branch. No need to bring anything else to eat for a while.

no new news today...jenny looks a lot better today, and I just finished hugging her and kissing her for everyone who asked me to do so. that makes for two worn-out Simowitz kids ;-) More tomorrow,

peace,

-kevin-

weekend update (enjoy that, saturday night live fans)

2006-05-27T09:10:00.000-04:00

Not much to report this morning...Jenny's still runing a low-grade fever, but the doctor who visited her this morning really likes her vital signs. As far as the non-neurological end of things, she's doing wonderfully. The neurological stuff is a little bit more up in the air, in that they won't know too much until they start to keep her less sedated and are able to test her response and movement.

If you're a CHCA graduating senior or a faculty member, enjoy graduation today, and congrats again to the class of '06. You're all probably well aware that Jenny would hate all the attention coming her way right now, so we know I'll have some questions to answer when she wakes up. I'll be at graduation today to receive Jenny's diploma, and I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of you there. And no, contrary to popular belief, I'm not wearing her white gown.

The holiday weekend means it'll be a little slow around the hospital as we try to get updates on Jenny, but I will, as always, pass along new information as I get it. peace,

-kevin-

The backstory

2006-05-26T16:19:00.000-04:00

So, I know this is a little out of order chronologically, but I wanted to give folks an idea of what happened leading up to Jenny's stay in the ICU. I'll try to give as much detail as I can, for those interested. If you're just visiting this blog for the first time, use the "previous posts" option on the side of the page to navigate through the page and access the entries I've put up in order, if you like. For those folks looking to contact me, again, my email address is kevin@virginia.edu.

Joan Didion began her book entitled "The Year of Magical Thinking" with the words, "Life changes fast. Life changes an instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. The question of self-pity." I've written about, reflected upon, and quoted Didion's words often since first reading her memoir of the year following her husband's death. I was wholly unaware that I would find those very words on a loop within my own head, playing again and again as I waited to hear whether or not I would get to see my little sister anymore.

I arrived back in Cincinnati Tuesday evening, and Jenny and I were pretty excited to see one another. We hung around the house that evening, and I hung out with my friend while his mom visited with my parents. The next morning, Jenny and I were doing what we do -we were messing around the house. She went outside about 10:30 to write on my car (don't even ask), and came back inside complaining that her head was hurting. She even laid down on the kitchen floor -should I have known? Who could've guessed that she was in such pain? About ten minutes later, my mom found her laying on my parents' bed, holding her head and saying that she couldn't feel her feet. I came into the room and sat beside her on the bed, holding her hand and talking to her while my mom called the ambulance. Jenny looked up at my mom and me and said, "I don't even feel like I'm in my body." As the emergency crew arrived, they began to ask some questions, their speed increasing as Jenny's awareness rapidly deteriorated. Recognizing that the situation was urgent, but audibly declaring that he "had no idea what was going on," the crew moved Jenny to a stretcher. I helped lift her off of the bed as she continued to struggle answering basic questions, unable to tell the medics how old that she was. They asked her who I was, and she knew I was "Her brother. Kevin." They wheeled her into the ambulance, and my mom rode with them to the hospital. I told her I would follow in a few minutes.

Of course, I had no inkling of the severity of the situation. I gathered some things up around the house, and called my dad at the office. I was still getting some thinks in order at the house when my dad called me from the hospital...he told me to come, because they "[thought] she had some bleeding in her brain."

The consultation period at the hospital is too long to work into this post...I remember being struck by the fact that by the time I found my parents in a private waiting room, a chaplain was already with them. We were taken to meet a surgeon who stood beside Jenny's bed and explained to us that the second CT scan had revealed more bleeding than the first, and that he would have to operate immediately if he wanted a chance to save her life. Life. changes. fast.

They told us to hug her and say goodbye to her, because the surgeon wasn't sure that she would survive the emergency surgery to remove the blood vessels tangled together around the aneurysm in her brain. He admitted that ususally he would need a time of radiologists and surgeons to study the problem and work on it together, but that they didn't have that luxury. He didn't even have the chance to lay out a plan...he was intending to begin surgery and deal with whatever he found as he encountered it.

There are not words to describe the next few hours of my day. I will say that I couldn't say goodbye to my little sister- I couldn't fathom, and I can't fathom now, what it would be like to not have her here. The updates from the operating room sustained us until 8 that evening, when the sugeon came out after closing her up. He said that she'd done about as well as she could in the surgery, and that they would move her into a room in the ICU. I didn't care about anything after that -I was so thankful that Jenny was alive to move! I believe the blog begins that nite when I get back to my home and put this website up.

I know the details of all this are still not clear, even after this post, but I will leave it where it is for now. I am, of course, shaken by my own mortality, but I am sustained by the sight of my sister, tubes and all, and she keeps changing my life, and changing it fast, changing it in the instant...as are all of you. peace,

-kevin-

afternoon update

2006-05-26T15:13:00.000-04:00

hey jenny fan-club:

just wanted to let you all know that the fever jen has had is starting to break a little bit, so that's some good news. i just went in and read her all the cards people have written to her -she's not talking back or anything (which is certainly unusual for Jenny), but I'm pretty confident that she can hear our voices. I told her about some of the graduation weekend plans, just to make sure she's in the loop. They're going to ease off the sedatives a little bit this afternoon to check her responses, so if I hear anything new, I'll post again this evening.

On another note, I know lots of people have been asking for some way to help my family...I'm hesitant to just put this up (for fear of over-response), but we could use a little snack-food for the waiting room if folks are planning to visit. Don't make a special trip, but some cookies/crackers for the waiting room would help make sure 1) my parents eat something and 2) our many visitors have some snacks as well.

as always, thanks for keeping jenny in your prayers. peace,

-kevin-

it's friday...but sunday's coming

2006-05-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

Sorry to have not put anything up yet today...my dad just gave me the morning report. The doctor called this morning to let us know that they took Jenny off of the respirator last nite for four hours to test her breathing. Probably trying to get enough air for a wisecrack, Jenny did great -they were impressed with how long and how well she did off of the respirator. They put her back on it this morning, mainly to allow her to conserve strength and heal up quicker.

Also, the doctors have started to slowwwwwwly lower the amount of sedative she is given, so that Jenny is a little more aware of what's going on around her. Still nowhere near the point where we're having conversation, but this is a good sign as well.

Finally, another CAT scan this morning revealed no new bleeding, a big step forward in terms of J getting healthy. I'll share more news when I have it.

My dad held her hand for a while this morning, and said she was responsive on her left side, and to a lesser extent on her right side. Still be a while before we know more about motor problems she might have, so continue your prayers for healing.

For now, much love to the CHCA class of 2006 tonite at Diaspeiro...more later,

-kevin-

no news is good news...

2006-05-25T18:06:00.000-04:00

...but that isn't much comfort for the most impatient brother in the world! The surgeon just talked to my dad and he (the doctor) said that he considers himself a pessimist and that he feels like Jenny is doing extremely well. I saw her for a while this afternoon and talked quitely to her, and read her the card some folks signed in the waiting room yesterday.

The technical name of the clump of blood vessels removed from Jenny's head is an "arterio-venous malformation," for you medically-astute readers out there. The doctor said that in a couple of days they might try to wean her off of the sedative, but for now she's still all knocked out. She's running a fever that the doctor considers pretty normal under circumstances such as these...getting blood on the brain is the equivalent, so I'm told, of an infection, causing her body temperature to rise.

A nurse came and visited my mom today...her boyfriend is on the rescue squad that came and took Jenny to the hospital yesterday morning, and she said that he and his partner on the squad had been calling her nonstop to find out anything they could about Jenny's condition. He, I learned, has a little daughter at home, and he cancelled his evening plans last nite to go home and be with her, after being struck by the swiftness and severity of Jenny's condition. Also, we got two more Miracles in the waiting room today, when Dr. Miracle and Bruce stopped by to visit us. As usual, everything just feels like it's going to be OK when Dr. Miracle's in the house. Thanks again to everyone who's visiting/praying/calling/emailing...forgive my inability to get back to everyone on a timely basis.

That's the news for now, and while I know it's hard, we're still not able to have folks visiting Jenny in the ICU. If you want to come by and hang out with my family in the waiting room, you're always welcome, but don't feel obligated -your prayers and concern are valued more than anything right now. My cell phone again is 513-374-1013, and you can email me at kevin@virginia.edu. I'll put more news up when I get it, possibly late tonite but more probably tomorrow morning. peace,

-kevin-

Thursday morning

2006-05-25T10:36:00.000-04:00

Thanks for being patient in checking this site...I just talked to my dad at the hospital. They're with Jenny right now, and they just spoke with her doctor and nurse. Excellent news -the sugeons believe that they got all of the problem tangle (for lack of a better description) out in surgey, and they said that Jen is "95% better" than she was yesterday. She is responding to stimulation on both sides of her body, and the doctros are pleased with her stable condition. They plan to keep her in the ICU for a while -could be two weeks -and to keep her sedated so that she has time to heal. For right now, there isn't much room for visitors beyond my family at her bedside, but be assured that as soon as it's possible, I'll let you all know. Don't hesitate to call me (number below) or email (kevin@virginia.edu) if you need something.

peace,

-kevin-

First Post

2006-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm not too familiar with how this whole thing works, but I'll do my best to use this site as a way to keep folks up-to-date on what's happening with my little sister (who, I suppose, isn't really that little anymore, but she's always a little sister to me). As for tonite, I got my mom and dad back to our house, and we're hoping to get a little sleep before heading back to the hospital tomorrow. things to know:

1) Jenny's relatively stable. She's not in the clear just yet, and there's no speculation as to what sort of shape she'll be in long-term, but they're observing her in the ICU 24 hours/day. which leads to...
2) J's in a medically-induced coma right now as a means of allowing the doctors to better monitor her condition...so, at least for a little while, the people visiting in her room will be kept to family members. I know that lots of folks want to see her, and I'll let everyone know as soon as that's possible.
3) My family will be at the hospital (Bethesda North) for most of the next few days, I expect. If you need something, please call my cell phone (513-374-1013). If you are looking for an update, please keep checking this site...I'll do my best to post every time I hear something new from a doctor or nurse, or when I get the chance to see her.
4) As far as what my parents and I need: I don't really know right now. When we/I do, I'll put the word out, and I know you'll all be there. For now, though, your prayers are needed more than anything.

I am thankful to have friends as amazing as you all are, have been, and will (I'm sure) continue to be. Tomorrow, I'll put up the backstory for those who haven't heard it yet, and give you the news from the beginning of jenny's recovery. my sister's a stubborn girl, and she's got a lot of fight in her. Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

peace,
-kevin-