More stable, more improving

[annathepiper]

Not much new to report today either, except that Dara did do "great" (or so they told me) on this morning's breathing trial. She also rested and breathed significantly easier today the times I was in the ICU room. Today's day nurse, Lillian, told me that they turned her sedation down again to try to get her weaned down from it, which was good. So we get to see what happens again tomorrow, I guess.

I sang seven or eight GBS ditties to her today, and Lillian told me I had a beautiful voice. Which was nice, but it was nicer to see Dara settle down and sleep at least while I had voice enough for song.

One of the OKPers has asked for our tickets to the Malkin Bowl show, which is also good. If I can't use them, I will prefer to see them in the hands of another OKPer. (Though really, even if I couldn't get them into another fan's hands, I'd still be okay with the B'ys having my dollars, 'cause, well.)

Tonight I will be watching the Great Big DVD again all the way through.

Comments

[tiggymalvern.livejournal.com]

So happy to hear she's doing well - you've got a great network of friends there too, for both of you. Hugs to everyone.

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Yeah, the pace of improvement is maddeningly slow, but it is improvement, and it helps to keep that in mind. :)

And indeed, the local folks are beyond fabulous.

[ceallaighgirl.livejournal.com]

Still keeping her in my prayers!

[annathepiper]

Thank you very much. :)

[cheryl-f.livejournal.com]

Pats & pets for Dara when you see her next. Getting off the breathing tube will do wonders for her, not to mention your morale & peace of mind.

I'm busily letting all the Norwescon folks know about her injuries. Expect more kind thoughts coming your way.

[annathepiper]

Indeed, "off the tube" is the next big thing we're all pulling for.

Thank you so much for relaying to the Norwescon folks. It helps!

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear that she's making progress there.

HUGS

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Thank you! Yeah, every tiny little bit of progress is helping, even if Paul and Jenna and I are going AIGH now that we're heading into the second week. Eef!

[kitchengrrl.livejournal.com]

Anna,

I just got online for the first time in weeks. I'm so sorry to hear about Dara. I'm glad that she's been improving so much, and will be sending all kinds of good thoughts to you and her. I wish there was something more I could do.

This is, of course, not the best news to read the morning that my own lifemate does his first morning commute by bike. :/

[annathepiper]

Continued good thoughts and wishes help. And if you'd like to send her a card, that would certainly be welcome. She can't take flowers till we get her out of the ICU, so anything that comes right now needs to be cards.

And oof, not good timing there, no. He IS wearing a helmet, RIGHT? :}

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

ohh, great and great! thanks for posting the good news :)

[annathepiper]

Welcome. :) Baby steps of progress, but at least it's progress. We'll see how things go today.

[zeekar.livejournal.com]

More good news! So glad Dara's improving. (And sorry I got her name wrong in my last post. As I'm the parent of a toddler, the name "Dora" (as in the Explorer) lives very near the surface of my brain, along with such lights as "Elmo", "Thomas", "Noddy", "JoJo", "Clifford"...)

I gather from previous posts that you're a USAnian, but close enough to the border to make Malkin Bowl a reasonable trip? I had never heard of Great Big Sea before encountering your LJ, but since I like folk (and filk. Shh! don't tell anyone!) and my taste in Canadian import bands ranges all the way from the Arrogant Worms to Rush, I think I'll have to give them a try.

[annathepiper]

Heh--no problem. 'Dora' is the least of the creative ways her full name has been mangled over the years, so worry not.

I am indeed Amurkin; my household is in the Seattle area. Vancouver (and Stanley Park and the wonderful Malkin Bowl therein) is only three or four hours away, give or take however much time is required these days to get across the border.

If you'd like to go look at GBS, here is my collected set of recommendations about them. Hope you like them. :)

[pstratt.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking good thoughts for Dara's recovery. Just remember, you need to take care of yourself too. Please keep posting her status.

[annathepiper]

Thank you very much. Dara and I have several local friends who have been after Jenna, Paul, and me to all look out for ourselves, for which we are most grateful. :) And thank you for coming by to read the posts! I'm very glad that the Norwescon folks got the word; it had actually occurred to me to try to find out how to tell you all, but I was spacing on how!

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

I'm so very happy to hear that she's making improvements. Slow and steady is good! I continue to hold you both in my thoughts, and send healing energy your way.

I hope that by the time I am back from the Kite Festival, she'll be home and happy and well into the mend.

[annathepiper]

It's too early to say for sure--but signs are looking very hopeful!

I hope you and Meems both have a great time with the kites!

[raise-a-jar.livejournal.com]

So glad things are improving for Dara! Here's hoping today's the day that the tube comes out... ::fingers crossed:: Right after I saw your post Friday night, a lightning storm took out my router and I've been gnawing my fingernails all weekend wondering how things were progressing.

If you wouldn't mind, could you send me your address? You've got my e-mail...

[annathepiper]

You've seen the later update on this at this point--now we work to get her to the hurdle of waking up.

Email with our address is on the way!

bike for Dara

[auntmonkey.livejournal.com]

been off the face of the earth for the last several weeks, but shed a few tears at reading the saga here - thank God Dara was wearing her helmet! you don't know how much I want to scream at little kids (and big ones too) when I see them pedaling along w/out helmets on - don't they know their very lives could depend on those fashion disasters of plastic and styrofoam?

But.
Please keep in mind that you know someone who works for a bike company (that'd be me). And if Dara ever wants to get back on a bike after she's home & recuperating (I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to even see one for a while), I'm here to help. Around October-November-ish, we tend to have a "back-door" sale on the sample bikes they bring in for the big shows in September. And Dara's just about the right height to fit just about any of 'em (they tend to bring in just the middle-range sizes, so those of us who are shorter don't always get to take advantage of the deals) - she's got an inch or two on me, yes? Prices are like cost plus freight, so very cheap (we got Ren's bike - about $600 retail - for $200 last year). And considering the circumstances I just might be able to wrangle even better pricing out of the marketing guys who adore me here.

Know that Dara is being prayed for very heavily now, and accept my apologies for not checking in on the LJ sooner to do my part in the prayer arena. I'll make it up, I promise. :) And you, Paul, and all of the Murk family are in my prayers as well.

Re: bike for Dara

[annathepiper]

We chatted about this briefly when you came by the hospital the other night, but I just wanted to thank you again for this offer. I suspect Dara will opt to just repair her current bike, but we'll see what happens. :) jessicac's husband Tim has very kindly offered to go over Dara's bike for her and issue a verdict on what it needs--he's an expert biker himself and very, very good at bike repair! *hugs a bunch* Thank you, nevertheless! And for your kind words and thoughts! And the sushi! :) :)

[aikigreg.livejournal.com]

Hey - I just now have been informed of what happened, and I can't say how sorry I am. Being such an avid biker and bike commuter as well, makes it especially so. Was Dara wearing a helmet? I can't imagine those kinds of injuries without a car being involved. Either way, I hope she recovers like yesterday!
She'll be in my prayers.
Greg

[annathepiper]

She was indeed wearing her helmet, and her helmet really took one for the team. It's not split, but it is significantly damaged.

We think that what may have happened is that her bike locked up on her as she was coming up the hill to our house, which is quite steep on the side street where she was found. Paul even reminded me today that Dara had complained earlier of her bike's gears being a bit wonky, so it's certainly conceivable that this is purely a matter of a serious gear malfunction on the bike. If that made it lock up on her as she was going uphill and threw her right off the back of the seat, that would totally explain the skull fracture.

And really, that was the only injury she sustained. What actually kept her in the ICU was the damage to her lungs when she threw up in the ambulance on the way into the ER and aspirated that material.

Thank you very much though for your kind thoughts and prayers! I'll make sure she knows you and Alex are pulling for her. :)

[kissare.livejournal.com]

Slow improvement is frustrating, but beats most of the alternatives by a long stretch! I'm glad Dara is starting to breathe better, and it must have been so good for her to hear you singing.

[annathepiper]

I doubt she'll remember, but hey. That's okay! ^_^