Friday, November 25, 2011: High fever now, and also diarrhea.  Also, her intracranial pressure is not as low as they would like.  So, they can’t remove the remaining catheter in her brain, and that could be causing the fever, or a source of infection. The nurses spend all day wrestling with her pressure and sedation. It isn’t a good day.

Thursday, November 24, 2011 (Thanksgiving): Having some fevers during the night; hopefully they are nothing, but that’s not good. It could indicate a brewing infection.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011: Stable. She still gets a fast heart rhythm, and they’re calling a cardiologist. More family arriving, which is comforting.  She remains very sedated.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011: At 3am Mom isn’t getting enough oxygen, and they have to replace the ET tube, which means sedation again. They also see blood on the right side of the brain, and ultimately send her for an MRI exam.  Also, she has runs of very fast heart rate. A lot of disappointment all around, but more grandchildren are congregating.

Monday, November 21, 2011: One of the drains in the brain is removed, and in the morning, so is the ET tube.  She seems to breathe fine, but isn’t swallowing her secretions, and has bleeding when she is suctioned. With the tube out, she can be less sedated, but she is not responding to commands.  There is a lot of cerebral swelling, so that is pretty much expected.

Sunday, November 20, 2011: No news, and that’s good news.  Mom still has some movement on the left side, and very little on the right.  She breathes against the endotracheal (ET) tube, which is hopeful.

Saturday, November 19, 2011: Intubated and deeply sedated. Mom passes a quiet day.

Friday, November 18, 2011: Called at 12:55pm by Judy; Mom is being transported to Evanston Hospital because she may be having a stroke. I stuff some work into my briefcase and head for my car.  Luckily there is little traffic going North, and I make it to Evanston’s ER by about 1:35.  Judy and Jessie are at the door. I introduce myself to the ER doctor, who shows me an ugly looking CT scan with a large left-sided cerebral hemorrhage. I go into see Mom, who is rousable, and follows some instructions, but speaks only jibberish.  By about 2:10 the chief of neurosurgery arrives, and after an exam recommends surgery.  However, he also suggests that it is safe to transfer her to Rush, and calls Dr. Richard Byrne, who arranges for the transport. The traffic on the expressway is terrible, but we take LakeShore Drive, and she is in a bed being evaluated at 4:35. They take her into the CT scanner, and within minutes she is in the OR.  Three and a half hours of surgery follow, and then she is in bed in the Neuroscience ICU. Judy K arrives just before surgery is over.