OCTOBER UPDATES

Sun. 10/31

Kathleen's father in law who she

fondly calls "the girls Papa" got a nice writeup in

the San Jose Mercury today. She is bummed out for

Papa who recently told her that the team's center is

out with an injury.

Sat. 10/30

Kathleen, though loose most of the day was sleepy

through most of the day and not as alert as the

previous day.

Fri. 10/29

Kathleen had a good day today. She was awake most of

the day and very loose. Though she did tighten up

initially in the standing frame, she eventually did

very well. (Maybe she enjoyed the especially long

visit [4hrs] by her daughters). Kathleen and Mike's

kids enjoyed the Almaden festivities which included

Halloween Arts and Crafts and then the girls went down

the hall, walked in the resident's rooms and offered

them candy. Almaden has been very good to both

Kathleen and her family and we will miss the people

there when we leave.

Thu. 10/28

Kathleen had some fairly strong tone for periods of

time today but also verbalized often. She was less

sleepy today than the past week. The evening CNA was

convinced that she was trying to mouth words to Samie

on the phone around 8pm. Of course this assessment is

subjective.

Wed. 10/27

Kathleen was very sleepy and loose during the morning.

She did well on the standing frame too.

Kathleen was very alert in the late evening and seemed

to try and say words upon command. She opened her

mouth and made a variety of noises on the exhale.

ReNeuron, a company the Davey's have been following

just made an announcement.

Tue. 10/26

Kathleen had several bouts today where her heart rate
shot up to abnormally high levels.

Mon. 10/25

Kathleen will begin a neurogenic diet on Wednesday and

try and cleanse her system of some of the more

powerful medicines in the process. It is crucial that

over the next few weeks those observing her take

diligent notes in the book on her tone and awareness.

Kathleen had a blood test and everything checked out

well. Her white blood cell count is normal, with a

normal differential, making infection much less

likely.

Sun. 10/24

As mentioned on 10/17, one of Bean's therapists
had her friend and two of her three daughters
murdered. Information about a scholarship that has been

created for the family’s surviving daughter and information

regarding funeral donations can be found here.

Sat. 10/23

Bean seemed very alert today and enjoyed the visit
from Mike's cousins.

In the late evening Kathleen seemed a bit queasy and
had difficulty with her last meal of the night.

Her hands are more relaxed and much easier to get in
the braces. Visitors seeing Kathleen please note the
schedule on the wall which is being maintained for
braces, feedings, and activities.

Fri. 10/22

Kathleen has been very sleepy in the mornings. The
Davey's are trying to determine whether new medicines
are responsible for the drowsiness.

Samie came to visit her mommy for a couple of hours
and hopped in bed and snuggled with her while they
both watched the video "Bean's Life: Part One". Samie
then got up and recorded in Bean's daily log "My
mother was doing great! I was sleeping in bed with
her." She also drew a picture of Bean in the
wheelchair with a big smile.

More brain repair news.

Thu. 10/21

Kathleen had a good day until the evening when she
violently bit her lip and held it down. Stressed and
scared she bit harder and tears poured down her
cheeks. She eventually relaxed and released her lip
which though swollen did not break..

Here is a new article on Kathleen and Coach Davey

Wed. 10/20

The last 24 hours have shown a significant improvement

in the tone of Kathleen's fingers and a moderate

improvement in her wrists too. The botox seeming to

have more effect – Bean also seems more relaxed.

Discussion and decisions about casting and bracing options

to maintain and improve her new mobility will be made

Thursday.

Here are some letters to Kathleen from Kathleen’s

From today’s visitors.

Tue. 10/19

There was flooding in Kathleen’s room today. There was

about 4 inches of water in the adjoining courtyard that

leaked into her room .Through the diligence of around

20 staff members, they got things under control as they

mopped, set up a generator to pump water out and

Shop Vac to vacuum water from her room. Physical Therapy

was being applied to Bean (the P.T. who was kind enough to

volunteer her time on several occasions while Bean was at Kaiser

when they wouldn't provide anything) when I left and she was

very pleased with the mobility in Bean's arms. Kathy thought

Bean did well today and thought the fingers of her hands were

much more flexible.

Mon. 10/18

Kathleen got a flu shot which is very important since her

immunity is weakened. She is running a slight fever.

Though Kathleen’s wrists and fingers are slightly

looser, and her tone has been reduced to an extent the

botox, as of yet, has not been as effective as

initially hoped. Full effectiveness is supposed to be

evident in 5-7 days after the shot. The family has to

be diligent in doing range of motion exercises and

putting her wrists in braces.

Kathleen seemed to intently watch a video of Samie as

an infant.

Sun. 10/17

Kathleen got up in the standing frame with the

assistance of two family members who were trained in

the process for the first time on Sunday. She did

great for 35 minutes.

Please send warm thoughts to the surviving daughter of

a close friend of Kathleen's lead therapist. Her

mother and two sisters were killed by her step father

and she certainly needs prayers and support.

Sat. 10/16

Kathleen again rested more than usual today, but less

than Friday.

Bean moved her head off her pillow up into the air

(against the normal direction of her tone) several

times in the evening and seemed very focused.

One person's take on visiting Bean: It is an oddly

grounding part of my life, spending time with Kathleen

every week, getting to know her and providing

some measure of comfort. Someday, I might even get to

know her well enough to call her Bean. I don't like to

miss my time with her. It is like being a small patch

on a patchwork quilt. Individually, we, the patches

are small, but stitched together provide warmth. A

hole in the quilt, lets in drafts.

Here are some open visitation spots that need to be filled. Thanks!

Fri. 10/15

Kathleen slowly recovered from what seems like was a

traumatic experience (her trip to Kaiser on Thursday).

She slept throughout most of the day. By the end of

the day her eyes, which had appeared sunken, had

returned to their normal beautiful blue.

Kathleen had a duel speech therapy session with

swallowing practice and electrical stimulation (vital

stim.) to help encourage her swallow. Both speech

therapist would like Bean's visitors to give her ice

chips in a very measured way, but not water or food at

this time.

Since Kathleen was so diligent about working out, the

Davey's feel obligated to warn other fitness devotees

to get the tests she wasn't encouraged to get by her

physician when Kathleen complained of chest pains.

See this article.

Thu. 10/14

Kathleen went in a cab to Kaiser Santa Clara this

morning for treatment of the tone in her wrist and

fingers. Special thanks to Kathleen's father in law

Dick Davey who stayed with her the entire time and

also Dr. Giap and Dr. Packia Raj who treated gently

throughout. The doctors were very impressed with

Bean's musculature which still remains since her

accident and what a trooper she was throughout the

botox injection treatment.

Kathleen was up for 4 hours in the wheelchair taking

the cab (which was late on the way back) and during

the botox procedure. The last 45 minutes she was very

stressed and she collapsed into a deep sleep when she

got back to bed. During the sleep she seemed very

pale.

When she awoke her heart rate skyrocketed into the mid

130s and she was given blood & urine tests and an EKG

to see if there were any problems. Her EKG showed the

same problems that her heart has demonstrated in

previous times of stress, but nothing new. The blood

tests were clean and the urine test was inconclusive.

There was some bacteria in there, but it is likely

colonized and is not causing her to be sick/have

fever.

Wed. 10/13

Kathleen stood up for a record 45 minutes on the standing board.

She also held her head up for 18 minutes.

Kathleen received a nice long facial massage by Mike.

Please note: A spot opened for seeing Kathleen this Sat. The Davey

family would be most appreciative if somebody could fill it.

In the course of our research, the Davey

family have discovered that the Stem Cell

research is progressing much faster abroad in

countries like Sweden and the United Kingdom after the

US Stem Cell ban. Now the Bush Administration is

trying to enforce its stance again therapeutic cloning

(which has been approved of in many countries) by

going to the United Nations.

Tue. 10/12

Kathleen did very well on the standing frame today and

was very loose in the morning. Again, however, she

was tight in the evening until she went to sleep

Kathleen bit her lip Monday night and it was swollen

throughout the day Tuesday.

Mon. 10/11

Bean had electrical stimulation on her neck (to

facilitate swallowing) this morning...then slept

through most of the morning except the standing frame.

In the afternoon she vocalized with Elizabeth quite a

bit. Elizabeth noted, "She started with the big yawns

and ho-ho-hums and she was able to do about three

small but very definite swallows of cold water. Then

there was lots of mouth movement - just moving around

her mouth and jaws - I think more than I had ever

seen. I kept talking to her and asking her to talk to

me and she probably made about 15 good tries with the

"Oh" or "Ah" sound on the exhale. I was really

impressed. Then Elina came in suggested that we show

a mirror to her. She zoomed right in, looking at

herself very intently. She was very alert during the

last 45 minutes I was there."

In the evening Bean's hands were very tense with a lot

of tone. She did however seem intent on watching a

video on Samie when she was a newborn.

Kathleen will go to Kaiser Santa Clara on Thursday for

botox treatment. Hopefully she will get a flu shot at

that time also.

Sun. 10/10

Kathleen weighed exactly the same as last week and has

finally seemed to stabilize her weight after losing

considerable muscle early on.

Kathleen enjoyed a beautiful Sunday afternoon and

evening with lots of brief visits from friends.

The Davey family was saddened by the death of

Christopher Reeve. Members of his foundation were

very kind in helping the Davey family get a jump start

on their own research for Kathleen.

Fri./Sat. 10/8-10/9

Kathleen got up in her chair twice and had no
problems. Both days were fairly uneventful. She did
however, enjoy time with her daughters, goddaughter,
sisters, and a cousin from back east.

Kathleen has been much more relaxed in the evening
since the change in her diet and the addition of
neurontin. Her late night feeding remains a concern
however as her small stomach seems to have difficulty
handling so much food all at once so late in the
evening

Thu. 10/7

Kathleen got up twice in the wheelchair today and is
now scheduled to do so daily along with the standing
frame on weekdays.

Kathleen's neurogenic diet was adjusted and she seemed
more comfortable in the evening hours. Kathleen also
started neurontin in the evening.

Kathleen is scheduled to get botox injections to help
her spasticity in her wrists and fingers next Thursday
at Kaiser Santa Clara. Kathleen will get there by a
wheelchair taxi service.

Rachie (5) who has done more than her fair share of
crying as of late, excitedly drew this picture for
her mommy and proudly delivered it to her today to put
on her wall. She also enjoyed telling her mommy
about her Irish dancing class before trying to con
some snacks out of another of Kathleen's guests, Rusty.

Wed. 10/6

Kathleen was again very loose all day long until the

evening hours until her heart rate raced up, she

stiffened up considerably and her tone set in.

Kathleen's neurogenic diet is going to be altered

slightly to try and relax her more in the evening

Ground broke on Kathleen's new room at the Davey

house. The family is gutting a bathroom to make a

shower wheelchair friendly and adding a new room for

her downstairs since she won’t be able to make it

upstairs to the master suite. Rachie and Samie were

thrilled with the work and want to "watch TV with

Mommy when she comes home"

Tue. 10/5

Kathleen was again very sleepy today though less so

than yesterday. Kathleen received a massage, stood in

the standing frame and otherwise had a non-eventful

day.

Kathleen's status as "minimally conscious" is finally

getting some study by scientist. See this very interesting

article.

Mon. 10/4

Kathleen had a shower this morning. After briefly

throwing up her medicine which she had just taken, she

seemed to relax. For the first time, she closed her

eyes as the water approached at the appropriate time

and kept them closed.

Kathleen was very sleepy throughout the day and into

the early evening. She even slept in the standing

frame and the wheelchair.

Kathleen increased the dosage of her neurogenic diet.

Mike had a good meeting with Dr. Giap and Dr.

Packia-Raj regarding Kathleen's long term therapy and

spasticity management. All agreed that though the

worst of Kathleen's tone was in her wrist and fingers

and that botox would likely be helpful. Yet, Bean's

tone was also global and that it would need to be

managed by many means including medicine, physical

therapy, and splinting and casting. Dr. Giap

suggested Neurontin. (Here is an article on Nerontin

or Gabapentin). Though hesitant due to its

potentially sedating effects, the Davey's agreed to a

small dose at night only for a trial period. The

meeting as a whole, however, was positive and the tone

brought to the table about treatment rather than

maitenance of care was a refreshing change.

Mike has never instructed a student on how to vote or

told them how he has voted. Yet in this case he has

asked all visitors of this page to please vote yes on

Prop 71 and support government funding for both

embryonic and adult stem cell. Though stem cells to

regrow brain cells is still in its infancy, research

that the family has done suggests that it is showing

great promise in rats and some higher animals, and

support for the research can potentially aid Bean and

many others in the future.

Stem cell site.

Sun. 10/3

Today was mostly a quiet day for Kathleen.

Here is an article on a potential stem cell source.

Here is the Oct. 4-10 Schedule. The holes in the s

chedule still need to be filled.

Sat. 10/2

Kathleen had an excellent morning in which she
vocalized often saying the "La" sound in particular.

Kathleen seemed uncomfortable throughout the afternoon
after she came out of the wheelchair. She made her
"snoring sound" which suggests she is unhappy about
something.

Kathleen stopped snoring when she got back into the
wheelchair in the evening for a BBQ outside on the
patio with her family and friends. She had carrot
juice while her family had carrots and sausage.

Kathleen resumed her snoring in the evening when she
returned to bed.