Friday update...

It was a GOOD day today!

Sonny with Angela today...

Sonny has been sluggish and sleepy, so much so that his caregivers had become concerned. When Mom and I arrived shortly after 11am, he still had not eaten or drank anything today by mouth, which means he also had not taken some of his meds that have to be taken orally.

Then the lip-smacking began.

I told his nurse that when he smacks his lips, that is his way of telling us that he is thirsty...it would be a good time to try to get him to drink. I asked if it would be okay for me to try to help him to drink, and his nurse approved me to do so. She brought thickened apple juice and thickened ice water...and over about twenty minutes, Sonny agreeably swallowed BOTH cups. So...

Then his speech pathologist brought a small cup of canned peaches, and he ate the whole cup for her. :) So...

She ordered a lunch for him, pureed chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy. It took him a while, but he was able to eat it all plus another cup of thickened juice. He actually became pretty tired out just by the effort, but the staff were all really excited to see him so much more responsive and making progress. He was then able to take his afternoon meds mixed into pudding.

He was very tired by the time we left, but he had made great progress just with these small steps. Seeing him re-gaining ground is very encouraging. He still has issues related to the pneumonia, and that will just take time to let his lungs heal while the medications fight the infection. His heart seems stable.

Once again, thank you all for your kind words and your support. A wise elderly friend once told me, "We are upheld by the love of those who care for us". Her words could not be more true.

"Carry on, my wayward son...there will be peace when you are done...lay your weary head to rest...don't you cry no more..."
~Kansas

Rest well tonight, Sonny...and may warrior angels guard you. We love you!

Sonny's journal page:    www.SonnyPRoad.blogspot.com
Sonny's Facebook:    Sonny on Facebook
Sonny's email:    SonnyIsGreat@Gmail.com

Thursday update...

Today, I was pleased as punch when I walked into Sonny's room and he was...sound asleep. Finally, he was resting deeply, not fidgeting and breathing without such obvious effort.

We still do not have any idea how long the whole process will take to see Sonny get better, but it is encouraging that compared to yesterday he does seem to be breathing easier and resting well. He didn't eat or drink much today, so his IV remains on board to keep him hydrated. He is so tired right now that sleep is the priority.

Obviously this is not Sonny, but today he just reminded me so much
 of a sleepy little boy...

I sat with him for a few hours today and held his hand while he slept. Now and then he would jerk awake and squeeze onto my hand, look at me, then fall back to sleep. I think it must be disconcerting to him to keep track of where he is and what has happened to him, so I just rubbed his hand, told him we all love him and that sleeping is just fine right now. He can get out and about again when he is healed up again, and we look forward to getting him out to see Christmas lights this year.

For now, baby steps one hour and day at a time. We invite notes for Sonny, guestbook entries, emails, anything at all. We show him these, and it has to be encouraging to him to know that so many people are thinking of him right now. Thank you all for your support and encouragement...it has been a rough few days.

"I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived.” 

~Chris Cleave, from the book "Little Bee"

Sonny's journal page:    www.SonnyPRoad.blogspot.com
Sonny's Facebook:    Sonny on Facebook
Sonny's email:    SonnyIsGreat@gmail.com

A matter of the heart...

Greetings everyone,

It has been a while since our last update here. It has been a super busy summer, but once again pressing matters dictate that we let everyone know of current events.

On Tuesday, October 30, Sonny was running a high fever so the nursing home had him transported to the hospital. While en route, he had a seizure. Upon arrival at Northwest Hospital in Seattle, an EKG revealed abnormal heart rhythms...Sonny had experienced a heart attack. Mom and I (Lorrie) were already on our way there when the doctor phoned and asked permission to take Sonny straight into the cardiac catheterization lab, where she placed two stents into the large arteries supplying his heart muscle, effectively restoring blood flow where those arteries had been closed off...the coronary artery was completely occluded, the artery on the front of the heart nearly so.We are indebted to Dr. Hall for her skill and her quick work, wasting no time and quite possibly preventing more significant damage to Sonny's heart had the procedure been delayed for any reason.

Unfortunately a chest x-ray and laboratory studies revealed that Sonny also has pneumonia. He is being treated with IV antibiotics and is getting lots of fluids by IV. On Wednesday, he was able to swallow pudding from a spoon, though he has not yet been able to handle liquids from a cup as he usually does. He may simply be afraid of choking, so he is not being pressed too hard over the liquids, as he is getting plenty of fluids via IV.

When I left Sonny to come home on Wednesday evening, he seemed to be resting comfortably. I had sat with him for a couple of hours and he held my hand very tightly. He is very responsive, is making eye contact and occasionally smiling when we discuss things that he finds funny. I was telling his nurse about how he can pull his head up if we work on keeping his neck muscles massaged and more supple, and he lifted his head off the pillow and half-smiled at me. He couldn't straighten it all the way up, but he wanted us to see that he knew what we were talking about, and to show her that yes, he really COULD do what I was saying he could do. He smiled again when the first bites of food he was able to swallow were chocolate pudding...Sonny loves chocolate.

The staff have all been wonderful, and we feel that he is in the best place right now. His technical care is excellent, and the staff have been very attentive to his specific needs. We have been given much opportunity to share about his condition and to make suggestions for communication, and our input has been welcomed. I have to say, it is quite a switch from what we are used to where people do not seem to want to hear what we have to say on his behalf. (Oops...did I let that leak out??)

So, for now, we covet your prayers, positive vibes, good thoughts, dances around bonfires in the woods under a full moon, chants, songs, meditations...be creative, any healing energy coming Sonny's way is most welcome. Thank you so much to everyone who have sent emails and posted on Sonny's Facebook, we are grateful for all of you.

I will do my best to keep these updates current as we see Sonny's progress, so please check back. Of course you are also welcome to text or call Lorrie at 206.330.3269, or email JustLorrie@gmail.com directly.

"The sky is NOT The limit...there are footprints on the moon."

What a family-filled week!

Happy Saturday!

It has been quite an eventful week! I'm going to write two separate posts today to bring everyone up to speed. First, I want to share about the wonderful family visit we had this past week, then I will write separately about the ongoing nursing home saga.

Sonny hardly took his eyes off of his Grandma all day!

Tuesday, my Aunt Tracy arrived with Grandma and Great Aunt Therese. We all enjoyed a dinner of homemade seafood chowder and berry parfaits, then took Grandma and Therese to their hotel for the night. I stayed with them the two nights that they visited, and had some of the most wonderful conversations with these two ladies! There is something just amazing about hearing the perspectives of people who have lived nearly a century. Those early morning chats will always be a treasured memory for me, it was such a privilege to spend that time with them.

On Wednesday we visited Sonny at HRNS, and enjoyed a nice lunch with him in the fresh air out on the patio. He smiled and smiled, obviously happy to see his Grandma and Auntie. After we were through with our visit there, Mom, Grandma, Aunt Therese and I all had Thai food for lunch at a nearby restaurant. It was just lovely.

Thursday was the best! We had a family get-together at the house with Aunt Tracy, Uncle Bill, cousin Drew, Samantha, and Timothy all joining in for an afternoon of good food and fun. Sonny enjoyed coming home for the day, and as usual ate like a feasting king. Though his usual routine includes a mid-day nap, he stayed awake all day long until we took him back at 8pm...it seemed that he just didn't want to miss anything, so he kept those eyes open until the very last minute!

Sonny and Great Aunt Therese

One last really awesome thing about this family gathering was that it gave us the opportunity to get another photo of the four generations of the women in our family: My Grandma, my mom, myself, and Samantha. The first photo of all of us together was when Samantha was just a month or so old, twenty-five years ago! So all in all, it was a very special day for our whole family, Sonny included. Thanks for sharing it with us by reading this update!

“What can you do to promote
  world peace? Go home and
  love your family.” 
                                      ~Mother Teresa

Friends...

Tuffy and Sonny, July 6, 2012

What a beautiful thing to have friends who stay in touch! For Sonny, it has been difficult to stay close to people he cares about because his communication has to come through us...his family and friends who can speak for him. Nonetheless, there have been some who remain close and Sonny always lights up when they stop by!

Buddies gabbing!

Tuffy came by on July 6th and again yesterday in July 17th, and once again Sonny beamed. I have to say, most people would not have gone to the lengths that Tuffy did in order to see his friend! He rides a motorcycle and the clutch cable went out a few blocks from Sonny's place, so he had to push his bike the few remaining blocks. Thenhe had to go get the part to repair the problem, which he did right there in the parking lot. THEN, he came inside and visited with Sonny for quite a while...it was great! We sat on the patio outside and enjoyed the fresh air and a soda pop while the guys gabbed.

The day before, Angela came by and visited with Sonny for a while in the afternoon, so he has had quite a good time seeing old friends! It is such a blessing to have people stop by to see him...he smiles and obviously enjoys connecting with people he is close to!

I am anticipating a trip to Greenlake with Sonny soon, whenever we have a day with minimal risk of rain. If anyone would like to meet us there for a walk, let me know and we can plan when/where to meet.

Sonny has been doing well recently, eating with assistance and very interactive. It is interesting to "read" the signals he gives us. I asked him yesterday if he wanted to grow his mustache out again and he reached up and stroked his upper lip with his fingers...I took that as a "Yes". So, we will give it a try and see how his skin behaves.

Once again, it was a blessing to see Sonny enjoy a visit from a treasured friend. Thanks to Tuffy and Angela for coming by, and to everyone who have been so supportive as we address issues within the facility and try to bring about positive change for ALL the residents there. We are so grateful for every friend...for every encouraging word...and most of all for Sonny's strong spirit that continues to teach us to PRESS ON!

Fourth of July 2012 was a great day for Sonny!

Mom and I scooped him up at HRNS after lunch and brought him back to the house for a while. He had some ice cream and watched "Rango" with us, an absolutely hilarious movie. Sonny always did like Disney/cartoon flics! We hadn't taken him out since his move to HRNS in early April, so we wanted to "pace his day" a little bit and not make him too tired. He seemed pretty energetic, so we decided to go ahead and go...

Sonny at Coldstone Creamery

...to the mall! Alderwood here we come! Sonny is so patient being loaded/unloaded in the van, and he didn't seem to mind the jostling about. We were the rolling brigade with Sonny in his wheelchair and Mom on her scooter as we browsed the mall and learned where a number of the newer stores were located. With Mom's new scooter we were all able to really enjoy running around and seeing lots of things without making anyone too tired. I remembered the first time I took Sonny to the mall shortly before Christmas 2010, and it was a little overwhelming for him. He shied away from some of the bright lights and louder noises, but yesterday he appeared attentive and not intimidated by comparison. Once again, it gave us a measuring stick of sorts in his recovery. He patiently waited while we looked at shoes (or at least put on a good show of patience!), and seemed to enjoy being outdoors while we strolled the newer side of the mall outside. I have to remember his sunglasses next time so he doesn't have to borrow mine!

For those who knew Sonny previously, it is no surprise that his all-time favorite dessert has always been ice cream. Well, no one does it like Coldstone Creamery, so he indulged in a scoop of yummy chocolate frozen wonderfulness and watched the people amble by. Ice cream twice in one day! We can't resist spoiling him a little now and then. He seemed comfortable and even smiled a couple of times, so I think we avoided brain freeze! As we made our way back toward the indoors of the mall, we passed two beautiful fountains with water splashing. He lifted his head toward the sound, so I wheeled him up close enough for him to see them and splashed the cool water on his hand...he smiled. He used to love the water, and it seems he still does!

We all enjoyed a Chinese food dinner (Sonny LOVES orange chicken!) outside in the fresh air before we loaded up to take him back. It was so sweet to see him trying to stay awake during the drive to Seattle...he was obviously tired from the day, but in typical Sonny fashion, didn't want to fall asleep and miss anything!

Mom and Sonny as we enjoyed an outdoor dinner

All in all, it was a lovely day. An interesting point is that I have been reading quite a bit lately about the balance between rest and stimulation for brain-injured patients. Fatigue can set their progress back, but without adequate stimulation there is less forward momentum in their recovery. So, with Sonny it is a tightrope walk between wanting to expose him to things he likes, pressing him just enough to engage in his surroundings without stressing him and causing excessive fatigue. If he sleeps for three days after an outing, it is obviously more detrimental than helpful to him. However, the general consensus seems to be that many TBI recoverers (I may have coined a new phrase) actually do BETTER with a little push now and then to "step outside their heads" so to speak. Sonny needs to see the world around him, people moving in and out of his surroundings, laughter, tears, children growing up, water splashing, dogs barking...the whole world continuing on. Only then can he see that HIS world is also going on! His entire existence is NOT the inside of a nursing care facility, but still encompasses his neighborhood, his friends, the moon, stars, and universe. Sonny's world has not diminished...who knows, one day we may all realize that his world has embraced even more than all of ours.

I hold on to the belief that one day Sonny will speak to us again. With his voice? Perhaps...perhaps not. Maybe he will need a letter board to spell out what he wants to say, or an Ipad keyboard (THANK YOU, MOM!!!) to type his thoughts. But one day, he will tell us his thoughts the way HE sees everything. I believe that. When he does, oh the stories he will tell us! So many long days and endless thoughts...and I think we will all have so much to learn from what he says!

Meanwhile, July marches on and we look forward to more days like yesterday for Sonny...and better! It was sort of odd in a way, knowing that in years past there were not many recent memories of Sonny, Mom, and me all together doing something random like a trip to the mall. But nowadays, it is one of our most special experiences and will be a treasured memory. So you see? Sonny gives us these gifts so often. He brings people together, makes us see the value of those we love, shows us the strength of the human spirit as he overcomes obstacles most of us have never dreamed of. He is a catalyst for helping us all to see reality, whether or not he would ever take credit for it. Holding onto every precious moment takes us back to our simple motto: Don't ever give up. Sonny continues to be one of our most powerful teachers.

Extra thanks to my Mom, who has made so many things possible through her generosity and her endless commitment to seeing Sonny regain all that he possible can. In the face of so many hurdles, this amazing woman has proven herself to be a tireless runner. Sonny would not have had the opportunities that he has were it not for her aggressive advocacy for her son...I am honored to come alongside and walk beside her in this journey. Very seldom do the "backstage supporters" receive any accolades...this Lady deserves a medal for all that she does on a regular basis. She is the Hero behind our Superman. :)

Here's to one more victorious day.

Thanks for reading.

Guestbook Archive Now Available for Viewing!

After many hours of copying pasting, and general cleanup, Sonny's old guestbook is archived here for easy viewing! Sonny's friends and family began his Caringbridge site on September 8, 2008, four days following his accident. The outpouring of notes and encouraging thoughts over the months and years since then have been a blessing, and we wanted to be certain that not a single correspondence would be lost. Those entries can be viewed by clicking the Guestbook Archive tab above.

It was enlightening as I browsed several of the entries while compiling them, to see the progress different people noted in Sonny over time...he has come so far. Thanks once again to everyone who has written and those who continue to drop by his little corner of the web to let him know you think of him. It means more than you might think, and we are grateful!

Whew! As of today, Sonny's entire journal archive from the time of his injury to the present day is now available here! They are stored according to year, so you can browse through the progress he has made during certain time periods. This should make it easy for folks to navigate through the very large number of previous entries. Current entries will be posted right here on the main page of the blog, so we invite you to return often and/or subscribe to receive notification of new posts new posts in your email. Thanks for reading!

June 4, 2012 12:12pm

"Rome wasn't built in a day..."

Hello again,

One more brief note today. You may have noticed that the theme of Sonny's Caringbridge page has changed from the Classic Car motif to a skyline view of ancient Rome, and his new website and blog here follow a similar theme. There is a reason for this.

Sonny was injured nearly four years ago...it has been a long journey for him to this point, but his sojourn is far from over. He has struggled, cried (we saw it!!), laughed, wrestled, and triumphed over so many obstacles. Yet, his climb toward his personal summit continues. "Rome wasn't built in a day", as he saying goes...and Sonny's recovery happens slowly, sometimes with fits and starts, but it continues relentlessly forward nonetheless.

So,at his point I decided to change the artwork and invite you all to walk with us on Sonny's road. It is sometimes not a pleasant one, but always a beautiful one. There are many who say that Rome was amazing...others say it fell short of what it could have been. But the point is, Rome became what Rome was ABLE to become...built wih the sweat and determination of a people committed to forward progress.

WE are committed to forward progress. Some will say that Sonny "was amazing in his recovery", others will say "he could have been so much more". But as with Rome, Sonny will become all that he is able to...and it will take the sweat and determination of not only himself but also many others to see him get there.

Rome wasn't built in a day...Sonny won't be, either. But we will continue the work, stone upon stone.

Every blessing...
Lorrie

June 4, 2012 11:45am

MANY CHANGES!!!

Hello everyone,

First, apologies for there having been no recent updates to this journal. This spring season has held many challenges for our family, and we simply have not had the time or energy to be as vigilant as we like to be about keeping this up to date. Things seem to be settling down a bit now, so hopefully we will be able to stay better connected and keep you all better informed about Sonny's progress.

The most notable change is that Sonny has moved to a different location, due to North Creek closing as of May 1st. He is now at Health and Rehabilitation of North Seattle in the Greenwood area. Mailing address will be at the close of this journal post.

There have been many challenges for Sonny as he has had to adjust to new surroundings, new staff, and new schedules, but he has come through like the true soldier that he is! He has had a few setbacks, mainly because the staff do not realize all that he is capable of doing for himself, but we are working on "training the new help" and they seem receptive to becoming acquainted wih him so that his progress can coninue. For example, they have thought that we was unable to feed himself at all, so have been feeding him entirely without allowing him to pick up foods and feed himself...so he sort of became accustomed to that and stopped trying. But with a little diligence and a few stern conversations from Mom and Sis, he has rallied and is back on the road! (See the photo taken today of him eating salad BY HIMSELF!)

We hope that you all will continue to check in and visit/write when you can, and remember that we also read to him all of the guestbook posts and emails that come for him. Because he is in North Seattle now, we are hoping that it might be easier for some folks to stop in now and then. Of course, I am always willing to meet anyone who wants to come, to walk you in he door and help you to be more comfortable with a first visit. Nursing homes can be intimidating, especially if you are unfamiliar with the facility, but honestly it is simply "Sonny's new home" and his friends and family are ALWAYS welcome guests. I can also arrange phone calls for him, as whenever Mom and/or I are going to be there we can make a call and give Sonny the phone so he can listen to you! He is still primarily non-verbal, but the smile on his face when he hears the voice of a friend or loved one is absolutely amazing!

Sonny's new address is:
13333 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98133 Room 140
Lorrie can be reached at 206.330.3269

We appreciate all of your friendship as we approach he fourth year of Sonny's recovery...we look AHEAD for him, not behind...we hope you all will continue to do the same.

One final note: The term "Vegatative state" has been tossed around a bit concerning Sonny, and we have only this to say...People in a vegetative state do not feed themselves, cry, laugh, or kiss you back when you say "I love you"...Sonny does all these things and MORE. 


'Nuf said.

Blessings to all of you!
Lorrie...the fortunate little sister to my courageous big brother, aka Superman!

February 7, 2012 8:48am

Just a quick note ~ we had Sonny home on Sunday for the super bowl.  Lorrie and Dan were there and Sam.  We had a nice, easy day after Dan and Lorrie changed my tire that went flat as I pulled into the nursing home!  Sonny seemed to have a nice time ~ ate a lot and smiled a lot.  We told him that next year he has to cheer out loud.

I brought the ipad home and downloaded some more games.  I've tried to learn to play them so I can show him but I have found that I am really awful at video games!!  Some turned out to be more complicated than I can deal with so I know they are too complicated for him.   I'm leaving them on the ipad though with high hopes that they will be doable down the line.  One of these is Lord of the Rings.  Sonny loved that book so I thought the game would  be nice.  But I can't even remember all the rules.!!  And I haven't managed to get past level one of Angry Birds.

Take care all and have a great week.
Loretta

February 2, 2012 12:52pm

Hi again,

Well the Prologue2go progam is really awesome!  I have set some things up on the home page and we will add to and move to other screens as Sonny is able to navigate.  The speech therapist can also use it and set things up.  Take a look if you go to see him ~~ you can use the ipad to take a picture of yourself.  Then use the hi button and the keyboard to say hi, your name, and whatever else you would like him to say.  Attach the picture to the message and when you go in Sonny can pick out your picture and tell you hi.  Really cool.
I think we kind of overloaded Sonny last week with the ipad and teaching him again to use a fork and spoon.  He actually had a few tantrums, slammed the arm of his chair and said "NO".  So that is good too. He has refused things by ignoring them but has not been verbal before.  His doctor told me yesterday how amazed she is with his latest progress.  He is interacting with her also and recognition is showing short term memory which is really good.

And the Ipad is there and you can play games with him on it.  He seems to enjoy someone else playing and showing him how.  If you know Sonny you know that he doesn't like to do things he isn't sure of.  So he is moving slowly into these programs. Just if the battery gets low please plug it into the charger.

Take care everyone
Loretta















January 21, 2012 4:07pm

Lorrie has been keeping Sonny's Facebook updated but I have been remiss at keeping this site up.  I'm not ready to just let it go because I know some people keep updated on this site that don't have Facebook.  Sonny is doing well, actually made more progress.  He is following the same pattern ~ he makes some progress and then he stays put for a while.  I got him the IPad for Christmas and I've downloaded some simple games and books.  We can put all of his music on there too so he will have only one item to deal with.  He has been learning how to navigate ~ to a point and when he wants to.  I left him last night with the book Huckleberry Finn and he was really concentrating.  He was always a voracious reader and I keep hoping that this will push him to trying hard to master the IPad.  We are going to bring it home this weekend (no WiFi at North Creek) and download a program called Proloque2go.  It's a picture to speech program that they are using for autistic kids who are non-verbal.  It would really help communication which is a big issue.  We had looked at the Dynavox system but it is over $40,000.00 so not affordable.  This program is so I'm excited about that.

If anyone visits please leave him with the TV turned on or the IPad set up.  There is a tray there that slides into his wheelchair from the front.  He has to be sitting up for it to fit right.  Or fold a pillow on his lap and prop it up.  Too often he is left in his room staring at the walls and ceiling.  Also be sure to sign in so we know who has been there.  Then we can talk about it with him.

And if you cannot make it to visit please send cards or notes.  He still has a sense of humor and really enjoys the cards.  It takes some doing sometimes to realize that he really is in there.  We just have to go slower and do only one thing at a time. Sonny definitely cannot multi-task.  Probably because it takes so much concentration for him to understand.  We have taken him to a couple of concerts and he was home both Christmas and New Years.  Some of you have been here when he was home in the summer.  Lorrie and Sam have taken him for walks around the nursing home as long as the weather is decent.  He has a coat and hat there and loves to be outside.  We just have to watch the sun even in winter as he burns easily.
So there you have it.  Progress has been slow but is still there.  And we continue to push gently.  He has some really good CNA's and nurses and of course some not so good.  So I pitch a fit when necessary.  If any of you go to see him and he is not clean or shaved please let me know.  I'm getting good at the fit thing.

Take care all
Loretta

A few people have asked recently about the actual nature of Sonny's injury, so I am offering this explanation which I hope will be helpful.

When Sonny had his accident, he WAS wearing a full helmet and did NOT experience spinal cord damage. His type of injury, and many others, are collectively referred to as "closed head injuries" because the skull bone remains intact. Sonny experienced what is called a Diffuse Axonal Injury ("DAI") to his brain, which can be a confusing term. Here is a quickie explanation in layman's English.

When trauma occurs to the brain, nerve connections are damaged or severed. That damage is seen later in varying degrees of deficit in the patient's health. For example, Sonny experienced damage to the speech center in his brain, which is why he is unable to speak now. But the brain heals in amazing ways, and will try to heal broken connections for a long period of time, attempting to return to the previous pathways of activity wherever possible. Eventually those connections will either be repaired or they won't, and with Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) there is definite interference with those connections being re-formed. This means that eventually the brain will begin to try to make NEW connections around the damaged areas instead.

Imagine it this way: Let's say you have an old electrical panel in your home, perhaps about fifty or more years old. Some of the wires are frayed, some are exposed and hazardous, some are completely severed. Sometimes your lights come on when you push the switch, sometimes they flicker for only a second, and sometimes they fail to come on at all. You try to repair the damaged wiring and re-connect the wires that are completely broken, but still your lights are iffy at best. Finally, you give up and just re-wire the whole system, bypassing the old malfunctioning wiring and making new electrical connections completely outside of the old damaged system. This is pretty much what the brain tries to do when the previous connections are simply beyond repair...it begins to find new connections.

This example leads us to more questions than answers at this point, but at least it leads us somewhere! How many new connections can be made? Out of the billions of interrupted nerve impulses, how many can be re-connected? How does the brain even "know how to do this", especially considering that it itself is a damaged organ? How does all of this re-connecting equate into physical and cognitive function? Is it possible that Sonny's brain could eventually be restored to a point that he could walk...speak...read...write...? The answer to all of these and the thousands more questions we ask all the time is "No one knows", though those degreea of recovery from an injury this severe are not expected. We must remember that the number of patients who survive the severity of injury that Sonny had is very small...so small that deriving a helpful statistic regarding long-term prognosis is nearly impossible. But the questions themselves, the fact that Sonny is doing more now than he was doing even three months ago, and dare I say simply the person that Sonny IS, all lead us toward believing his progress of recovery will continue and that there are good things in store. 

Meanwhile, our goal is for Sonny to have as good a life as possible, knowing that his life now includes severe disabilities. Sonny smiles when he sees people he knows, and alwaya returns my kiss when I smooch him. He still enjoys music and pays attention when his favorite tv shows are playing. Sonny has not had a major seizure episode since April of this year, even with a reduction in his dosage of anti-seizure medication...definitely a victory!

In short, Sonny presses on now seven years after his accident. We hope that understanding his injury and prognosis will help friends and acquaintances to feel comfortable visiting and interacting with him, as we all understand that though Sonny lives in a very damaged shell, he is still in there.

Thanks for reading, and for standing with Sonny as he travels this road.
~Lorrie P. for Sonny

As I have been formatting the archived journal entries for posting here to the new blog, I came across one that contained several interesting facts. I thought I would re-share just a portion of that journal entry from September 5, 2010:

"Apparently, people like Sonny are quite rare...like we didn't all know that many years ago, right? But seriously, here are some stats for you...

1. Of accident survivors like Sonny, with the degree pf brain injury he experienced, only 10% come out of their initial coma. (We do not use the word "victim"...Personally I believe in the power of words and this is a very dis-empowering one denoting passivity and weakness. Sonny, "weak and passive"? Um...no. Sonny is a survivor, not a victim.)

2. Of that 10%, less than 1% become interactive and capable of basic functions such ass breathing without ventilator assistance, chewing and swallowing food, or speech.

3. The majority of those survivors experience only minimal improvement, usually remaining in a somewhat constant state without large degrees of noticeable progress.

So, what does all of this mean? Here's the math: 

4. There are 1.5 million reported case of traumatic brain injury in the U.S. each year, with roughly 85,000 resulting in long-term disability (that's almost 6% of all brain injuries!).

5. Of those 85,000, adjusting for major, moderate, and minor degrees of the assumption is that fewer than 1,000 people per year experience a brain injury similar in severity to Sonny's and even wake up.

6. Consequently, there is very little compiled data regarding those survivor's prognosis and recovery patterns, simply because they are such a small population!

That all being said, I'll go back to Sonny's massage and range of motion exercises. (Are you still with me? There's a prize at the end for anyone who reads this entire post!) Being aware of these numbers might seem staggering...and indeed, sometimes we feel like we are groping in the dark with not much direction. So, drawing on human ingenuity, the powers of the universe, prayer, positive thinking, and a fair amount of chocolate, we have persisted in learning all we can and will continue to seek out any and all resources that will help us to participate in Sonny's recovery."

Sonny and Lorrie (sister) in June 2005

On September 4, 2008, Sonny was riding home on his Harley Sportster when a pedestrian stepped off the sidewalk directly in front of him. Attempting to avoid hitting the pedestrian, Sonny crashed his bike and suffered a massive closed head injury. Fortunately he was wearing his helmet or he would not have survived. He was unconscious for over a week, and when he awoke he was moved from Harborview Trauma Center to North Creek Health and Rehab where he lived up until just recently when North Creek announced their imminent closure. Sonny now resides at Health and Rehab of North Seattle on 133rd and Greenwood.

The doctors were not encouraging about Sonny's prognosis at the beginning. They said he would likely never be able to be off his feeding tube, would never be able to communicate...essentially that there was not much hope. But they just didn't know Sonny. :)

Sonny eats ordinary food now, and can manage finger foods by himself. He takes all of his liquids by mouth and is learning to hold a cup himself. He smiles and kisses loved ones hello and see ya later (I hate the word goodbye), clearly makes it known when he is happy/angry/sad or doesn't feel well, even though he as yet has not regained the ability to speak verbally...YET. In short, he seems intent on proving all the nay-sayers wrong!

Meanwhile, the day-to-day struggles for him can take their toll. When everything you do requires great effort, it can become very tiring. We try to encourage his friends both far and near to stay in touch whenever possible. Of course visitors are ALWAYS welcome, and we do bring Sonny home for visits pretty often. But even cards, letters, photographs and emails also help to keep him in touch with the world at large. I often call a friend and hold my phone up to Sonny's ear so that they can talk to him...he always smiles at familiar voices. :)

Sonny and I have matching thread bracelets...black as the signature color for head injuries, and red because it is HIS favorite color. We never take them off. His injury is part of him now, and also part of all those who love him. We stand together that way...he is my only sibling, my Big Brother who on numerous occasions showed up to be strong for his little sister.


We try to keep his facebook updated with recent photos and information about how he is doing, and we share all posts and messages that people send in. Seeing people's faces and hearing their comments reminds him that he is not forgotten...just quiet, but definitely not forgotten. So, you can all find him there on his facebook page, here on his journal/blog page, and/or on his main website at Sonny's Road. 

Sonny's address is:
13333 Greenwood Ave. Room #140
Seattle, WA 98133

His email address is:
Sonny@SonnysRoad.com


We welcome your comments and we hope you will walk with us, and with Sonny, if even for just a few steps along this journey.


Blessings,
Lorrie...Sonny's very grateful little sister
Lorrie@SonnysRoad.com

Welcome!

Welcome to the first post in Sonny's official freestanding journal/blog. In the days ahead, every journal entry from his injury on September 4, 2008 until present will be imported here. Until then, here are a few inspiring thoughts...

Sonny was injured nearly four years ago on the evening of September 4, 2008...it has been a long journey for him to this point, but his sojourn is far from over. He has struggled, cried (we saw it!!), laughed, wrestled, and triumphed over so many obstacles. Yet, his climb toward his personal summit continues. "Rome wasn't built in a day", as the saying goes...and Sonny's recovery happens slowly, sometimes with fits and starts, but it continues relentlessly forward nonetheless.

So, at his point we invite you all to walk with us on Sonny's road...you will notice the repeated theme of Ancient Rome and the amazing story of how that city came to be. This road is sometimes not a pleasant one, but always a beautiful one. There are many who say that Rome was amazing...others say she fell short of what she could have been. The blood of thousands was spilled within the bricks of her building...her history is not a pristine one, but a story speckled with pain, failure, shining victory, blessed progress, and everything in between. Funny, people tend to be that same way. But the point is, Rome became what Rome was ABLE to become...built with the sweat and determination of a people committed to her forward progress.

WE are committed to forward progress, as Sonny leads with his own efforts. Some will say that Sonny "was amazing in his recovery", others will say "he could have been so much more". But as with Rome, Sonny will become all that he is able to...and it will take the sweat and determination of not only himself but also many others to see him get there. Each day on the journey teaches us about life, love, and the amazing ability of a human being who tenaciously holds on and continues to grow. Some say how blessed Sonny is to have his family and friends around him as support...I say that WE are the ones who are blessed to learn true courage and unwillingness to fold when the cards dealt are not the hand we would choose.

Special blessings go to my Mother Loretta and Daughter Samantha, who were here from the beginning when Sonny was first injured. I was not able to be here until almost two years later...I remember countless times that Mom called me and held her phone to Sonny's ear so I could talk to him...she said he smiled. Seeing one's own child recover from a potentially deadly injury is unfathomable. My Mother has a heart and determination that amaze me, and I only hope to have that strength somehow imparted to me. Samantha was also was a vital part of Sonny's early days, and I have no doubt that her love sustained him even when others weren't sure of his awareness. I'm sure he knew his Mama and his Niece were near and watching over him. To say "thank you" to these women, those closest to me on opposite sides of a generation, would seemingly trivialize their connection. "Thank you" will never be enough...but they know....they were there.

Rome wasn't built in a day...Sonny won't be, either. But we will continue the work, stone upon stone...and we have the greatest Teacher a person could wish for. Sonny is obviously not giving up...so neither will we. Here's to the road...the journey...and every lesson learned that makes us stronger and more loving human beings.

Thanks and love to my amazing big brother, aka my Superman. He leaps tall buildings every day and I am awed by his spirit.

Our mantra has become and will remain: "Never give up".

Every blessing...

Lorrie