Day 83 - Tuesday March 6, 2012

Today we took Bridgett to see the rehab doctor.  I gave her the Zofran an hour before we left.  Although she was nauseated, she did not throw up!  (One step at a time!)  She did much better then last time we drove to Salt Lake about trying to unbuckle her seat belt.  Every time I have taken her, she has unbuckled about four times.  Each time I get her to rebuckle and explain why.  We made it all the way to Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake before she unbuckled this time.  She only did twice.  She didn't eat well for breakfast, but told us she'd eat a hamburger when we got to Salt Lake (early before the appointment).  However, by the time we got there, she did not want to eat and only ate about six french fries.  All the way up there I quizzed her about Dr. Speed's name.  Often she would forget.  However, when we got to the appointment, we discussed the passing out situation with Dr. Speed for about a half an hour before he actually asked her questions.  Then when he asked if she knew his name she rattled it right off!  She also remembered the year but forgot the month.  He asked her to spell table forwards which she did and then backwards--which she also easily did.  He asked her if she'd been practicing that.  Funny, cause she wouldn't have remembered even if she had--but she hadn't!  Anyway, he told her three objects and said to remember them.  Then he talked about something else and after a bit asked for the three objects again.  I could only remember two of them myself.  He tried to prompt her, one of them is a building (house), but she couldn't remember.  We all had a good visit.  We had so much to talk about and only an hour to do it.  He is thinking that there is a real possibility that the pituitary gland was jolted and there might be a problem and that might explain the passing out.  He said to see the endocrinologist for sure.  He said taking the Zofran while driving to Salt Lake is a good temporary measure but obviously not good for the long term.  I had written a note about the dentist on the sheet I gave to him but we did not discuss it because we ran out of time.  I left him a note with the secretary when we got out of his office.  She will give it to him and if I don't hear back by tomorrow I will call.  Also, I will bring it up to the neurosurgeon on Thursday when we see him.  All in all it was a good appointment.  We still don't really know about the passing out thing but hope to find out soon.  I called the endocrinologist and they said that there first available appointment was in June--brother!  They offered to set up an appointment with the PA for April.  I said we really need to get in soon--she's had a TBI and is passing out.  They made an appointment for March 27, so three weeks.  Not too bad.  Aunt Debbi came over for a quick visit.  She brought cards from Bridgett's cousin Tosha and her kids.  Tosha typed her note on the computer in large font and Bridgett read it!  Of course, she has to slow down some because she sometimes races ahead and supplies an appropriate word in the sentence without really reading it.  But, when I pointed at the words and stopped her if she skipped one she did really well.  It was one page front and back.  I will show the speech therapists and they will be happy.  I think that Bridgett's vision is really changing.  We need to see Kasey at the Low Vision Clinic and Dr. Freestone the optometrist there as well, however Bridgett has not been up to the trip yet.  Dr. Freestone is only in on Mon-Wed.  I will set it up for next week.