Happy New Year

Happy New Year from Atlanta.

The Carr family wishes you all peace, prosperity and happiness in 2008. Thanks for all of your support in 2007.

Other news..... Dana broke the candy filled pinata at the London's Rockin' New Year's Eve party at the Shepherd Center with one whack! The kids at the party loved it!

Staying awake til midnight might be a struggle this year, especially after a full day of rehab. Party safely everyone, take care, and see you next year!

Surprise.....Ernie visits Atlanta!!

We celebrated the Christmas holiday a little different this year, but full of great cheer and several surprises. On Sunday I went to the airport to drop off my friend Dave and to surprise my in laws! They had no idea that I was working on my car transfers, and was able to leave the Shepherd Center, as long as Courtney was with me. I was sure they would enjoy the surprise! Little did I know, I was getting a surprise right back!! My inlaws Susie Q and Brittany were thrilled to see me, a few tears were even shead! Shortly after the greeting, Britt said, I have to go to baggage claim to get another bag(mom packed too much again). As she walked toward me, so did a little guy on a leash. Ernie Weston made the plane ride to Atlanta, to celebrate his first Christmas with me! Words can't describe feeling! Ecstatic!!
Court,Susie Q, Britt and I went to Christmas Eve mass(at a local church),and out to Ruth's Chris steakhouse for a nice Christmas eve dinner. So enjoyable and tasty too! That of course, was after a day of therapy. Christmas day was the only day I had off.
On Christmas Day, I slept in a little and then Court and Britt picked me up and I went to Erin and Dan's house(where Court is staying)for a Christmas celebration including Ernie. We ate delicious food, watched a Christmas movie listened to Christmas music, played games, and shared a few secret santa gifts. I also spent some quality time with Ernie. The day was full of laughter and excitement!! In a cozy atmosphere, just like home! I truly enjoyed the holiday and spending it with my inlaws, Court and Ernie. It was extra special to see you Ernie!! I love all of you and thank you for the continued cards, gifts, letters, etc. A special thank you to Susie Q and Britt for arranging to bring Ernie. I am blessed and thankful that we are all a family. Enjoy the remainder of the holiday season...and lets look forward to a healthy and happy 2008!
Love, Dana

Merry Christmas!!

Wishes for a very Merry Christmas from Atlanta!! Have a nice day celebrating with family and friends. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A weekend of fun!

Dana has been very busy with therapy. On Friday Dana's best friend Dave came to Atlanta to visit. It was great to spend time with him. (For those of you who don't know, Dave was with Dana at the time of the accident). As you can imagine, the visit was an emotional one.
Friday was also the day of the holiday party. Dana and I learned to wheelchair dance. Suprisingly, we didn't do too bad. At the party, the patients decorated, exchanged gifts and had a nice spread of food for lunch.
Friday night we went on a Therapeutic Recreation outing to Bear Rock Cafe.

Saturday was another busy day! Dana has therapy in the morning, lifting weights and stretching and did some dexterity exercises with his left hand. Since the splint was removed, the left arm/hand is really coming along. Dana is able to push his chair in a straight line.
The afternoon was filled with shopping at a local outdoor shopping center. It was the first time Dana transferred with help, into a car. As he puts it, "its great to get out and see what Atlanta really looks like."
Dave it was great to see you and catch up! Your visit was very special, as is your friendship.

Very Merry Highlights!

Another good week of therapy! Although it is only Thursday, tomorrow is a holiday party for Dana's team! He will be celebrating the holiday season all day.....a well deserved celebration, I might add.
This week was full of highlights. On Monday, Dana worked on transfers to and from his chair to the therapy mat. They are coming along well, especially as his strength increases.
He has been dressing himself in the mornings as well as doing many of the daily living activites independently.
On Tuesday he got back in the kitchen to cook a full meal. It consisted of Italian grilled chicken, alfredo pasta and chicken caesar salad. The meal was delicious and I was so glad to share it with him. He cooked all of my favorites! The therapy aspect behind cooking a meal was to have several things going at once. Remembering what time something started cooking, and making sure to have all items prepared at the same time. Time management and safety in the kitchen!
Perhaps the best day was today(Thursday). We started the morning with transfers again, but this time into a car. It was challenging at first, but with practice and patience it will get easier. We can't tell you how much we are looking forward to getting out in a vehicle. I look forward to being able to give Dana a tour around the great city of Atlanta. This afternoon he played his first round of pool, in therapeutic recreation. As Dana says,"although fun, it will take practice getting used to his new method of shooting pool. A different, exciting experience, nevertheless." Later in the afternoon, the upper extremity surgeon who reconstructed Dana's left arm, stopped by. He had nothing but wonderful news. Yesterdays xrays showed everything has healed well. The bone graft has taken formation and all bones have healed in good alignment. No more splint. Dana is thrilled and looking forward to having no restrictions on his arm. FINALLY!!! (Keep in mind, everything up to this point, he has been doing with only one arm.) Two will make things soooo much easier!
We are off to dinner, we have a little celebrating to do! Today marks Dana's 99th day at The Shepherd Center.
Thank you for all of the holiday wishes, cards, packages, etc. You all have helped so much in brightening our season!

Winner of the Santa Raffle

The drawing for the Santa was held today! Congrats to the winners, Frank and Karen Steed of Elmira. The raffle was a huge success! Thank you to all who helped organize this drawing and to those who contributed. Words can't express how appreciative we are for the tremendous love and support that has surrounded us during this challenging time in our lives. We are looking forward to getting home soon! Happy Holidays to all.
Love, Dana and Courtney

Rehab all the way!!!

An update of this weeks events.
The week was full of therapy! All kinds...physical, occupational, mental and I even made a few crafts, during a dexterity class.
Monday night I made Courtney a Christmas stocking and necklace at a craft class. Also on Monday, my favorite sister in law Brittany was in town to visit for a few days. I couldn't be in better hands, my wife an ICU nurse, my sister in law an almost Dr. in physical therapy.
In physical therapy I have been working alot on my transfers. To and from my chair to various places. They are coming along well, but things will be much easier when my left arm restrictions are lifted. It should be sometime later this week. Yah!! I have been looking very much forward to this, as it will make everything go a little smoother. Especially pushing my wheelchair!!!
I was able to get out on a couple of outings. Dinner a few nights and the mall Thursday night! It was great to get off the Shepherd Center campus for awhile. The mall was a bit busy, during the busy holiday season, but I maneuvered okay with the help of Courtney and a few Therapeutic Rec advisors. Keeping in mind that Courtney doesn't drive my chair any better than she drives a car!!
A highlight of the week was my cycling class. The class offered alot of different options for paracyling. Something I will be interested in for sure!
Now that I am feeling better, I have learned several machines in the weight room. It will be great to spend some free time lifting iron and building up my cardio!!!
Thanks for all of the Christmas cards! I am getting better everyday and look forward to getting home soon!
Enjoy the holiday season...and to all of you in the north, stay warm!
Dana and Courtney

There are benefits to being in the South ............

Like sunshine and 75 degree weather. Woo Hoo!

This is the end of my first full week in rehab and it was great to be back. The week was filled with PT, OT, and other physical activities (like working out in the fitness gym on the hand operated exercise bike). I loved getting out in the "real" gym again. With all of this physical activity comes great afternoon naps and restful nights (rehab is almost as tiring as running again). I had an extra one hour PT session on Saturday morning consisting of arm strength training and manual dexterity training for my left hand. My left hand improves a little bit every day. Mom can't believe the difference since her last visit!

On Wednesday evening, Dad and I went to watch Rugby practice (aka murder ball). If you haven't already seen it you should rent the movie "Murder Ball" and you'll have an idea of how tough the sport is.

Dad took over as "junior" nurse mid week and went through the training necessary to obtain a push pass. Thanks to his efforts he was "certified" on several procedures, and we were able to leave the Shepherd campus on Saturday. This is the first time I have been outside Shepherd's in my manual chair, so it was a new experience. In the afternoon we went to the drug store and had lunch at Chick-fil-A (a southern fast food emporium just across the street). For dinner, Mom, Dad, and I went to the Montana Grill (also just down the street) where the specialty is bison; very tasty.

Courtney bought a small Christmas tree for my corner of the room complete with white lights and blue candy canes and decorations. The staff at Shepherd's seem to enjoy the tree and it helps keep us in the Christmas spirit.

I am looking forward to next week and a full rehab schedule. We are also looking forward to visiting with guests traveling to Atlanta over the next several weekends.
As always, I appreciate your cards and letters as they provide excellent motivation and support during this transitional period in my life.

Best wishes and happy holidays. Enjoy the season!

Dana

The Santa Raffle is extended!!

The drawing for the "Santa Raffle" has been postponed. The drawing will be Sunday, December 16th. If interested, see earlier blog posting for further information. Thank you and Happy Holidays!!

Back on track!!

Good evening everyone! We just wanted to give a brief update on the last few very busy days.
On Wednesday, Dana moved back to the 2nd floor. This is the main rehab floor where Dana was prior to his last surgery. He was glad to get back into the swing of things, and resume a daily schedule. He is in room 218 A at this time.
Tomorrow morning starts full status rehab. Dana has waited patiently for the okay to be given....and it has!!!! We celebrate yet another green light!!
His left arm, athough still healing, is much improved in its mobility and flexibility . The splint is no longer needed all the time.
The weekend was filled with different activites. On Friday night, we celebrated our friend Erin's birthday with her, here at The Shepherd Center.
Saturday, Dana had therapy in the morning and in the afternoon we went down the street to a salon, where Dana got his hair cut. The haircut was followed by some lunch at a nearby deli and a trip to the Fresh Market(a local grocery store). All places are in walking distance to The Shepherd Center so we can get to them without a car. We aren't to that point yet, but hope to be soon! The Shepherd Center encourages patients and families to get out during free time, and experience things together before the patient goes home. Saturday night was a holiday concert at the center. The music was very nice and it felt great to get out and share in some holiday spirit with other patients, families and people from the community.
It was a beautiful Sunday in Atlanta. The temperature was approx 70 degrees. We spent a good part of the day outside enjoying some sunshine and pet therapy. Several times a month, pets are brought in for patients to see. It was great to see and pet some very cute dogs, but it made us realize how much we miss Ernie.
Have a great week! We will let you know how full rehab is going as the week goes on.

A green light once again!

Today was a very positive day in Atlanta. The morning started off with the removal of the last JP drain(from the flap surgery), which makes Dana eligible to move back to the second floor. The biggest news of the day was that Dana sat up in his chair for two hours. It was great to see him vertical again. Starting on Friday of last week, he sat up in his chair for 30 min. The length increases by 30 min each day.

In addition, he has obtained more mobility in his left arm(post surgery), with all of his superb effort during PT and OT.

The first of his two hours in the chair was filled with OT, while the second hour Dana and I spent roaming the halls of the Shepherd Center. We even ventured outside, dodging the rain drops. It was a well deserved trip for Dana after he spent weeks in bed without sunlight.
Wednesday Dana will most likely move back down to the second floor. He should resume full rehab status by the middle of next week. Way to go Dana!!
Dana requested to be weighed today after several people mentioned he was looking a little healthier. He lost nearly 20lbs during the last several months and is beginning to put a few pounds back on. Still, he has room to pack on a few more!!
Thanks to everyone for remembering us with cards, letters, gifts, etc this past week. It was a special Thanksgiving for us, as we have alot to be thankful for. I am most thankful for my amazing husband and the incredible progress he has made, during this horrible ordeal. "Dana, you are such an inspiration to me and my biggest hero! Keep up the great work! " We are also thankful for the friends and family that have surrounded us and supported us during all of this!
Love, Courtney

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

The Carr's and the Lampman's celebrated Thanksgiving 2007 on the 7th floor of the Shepherd's center with a view of downtown Buckhead (fabulous view)! The room on the 7th floor has an entire wall of glass and it was a great place to spend the afternoon with my family. After a great traditional Thanksgiving dinner (arranged by Aunt Kim and cousin Missi (thanks so much!), Uncle Jake and Jessy serenaded us (Jake on the piano) with Jessy singing Bonnie Raitt's' "I can't make you love me". What a treat! While Uncle Jake and Jessy performed, the Lampman contingent in Boston listened in on the cell phone. We missed you Courtney, Susan, and Brittany! Hope Ernie enjoyed his first Thanksgiving turkey!

I'm doing well and looking forward to next week. I start sitting up in the chair tomorrow and building up by 1/2 hour increments added each day. If all goes well I'll be back on the second floor (the rehab floor) towards the end of next week.

I'm very thankful that so many of my family members were able to make it to Atlanta, as I know the! drive from DC was long (12 hours) and lots of traffic. I'm also thankful for all of the love and support from everyone. I am blessed to have all of you cheering me on. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Love you Courtney!

One, Two...Three, Four!!

Hello all from Dana and Courtney in room 318. We wanted to update you on this weeks happenings. Week two of healing following the muscle flap is nearly complete. Weeks 1 and 2 down and weeks 3 and 4 to go. Hard to believe that it has been 13 days since the surgery!! The flap is healing well. Earlier this week, 2 of the 3 drains were removed as well as the staples. The doc is very pleased with the progress. We continue with "therapy" in the room by strengthening right and left arm muscles.


On Wednesday afternoon, we met with a Neuropsychologist and several other team members, to review the results of the neuropsych test, Dana took several weeks ago. The results of which were overall very positive considering the impact of the collision on Dana's brain. He will follow through with therapists doing cognitive excercises to strengthen the weaker areas. (The brain is a muscle too and needs time and strenghtening to heal.) The docs are encouraged with Dana's progress and therefore don't anticipate the brain injury recovery to be very lengthy. In our free time we have been playing Outburst and Memory Madness to stimulate our minds. We also watch the occasional movie and episodes from season one of the West Wing.


A highlight of our week was a visit from our good friend Mara. The three of us enjoyed visiting and catching up. Thank you Mara from making the trip from Boston and for the goodies. We will let you know when we complete the brain teaser puzzle.


Thank you everyone for your continued cards, emails and care packages. They all mean so much to us! Have a great weekend!

One week down and about Two to go!

This is Dana dictating to my assistant (Mom). Sorry not to have blogged in a week, but l've been busy. I know that sounds a little crazy, but the first week of bed rest after surgery on 11/5/07 flew by much quicker than I had imagined.

Busy doing what you ask? Even though I have had to lay relatively flat in bed, the trusty PT, OT and Speech team have continued to visit and work with me as much as possible. I have been working on building up strength in my right arm with bicep curls, shoulder presses and raises and have been working very hard to stretch my left arm and elbow to increase my flexibility and mobility. Yesterday, I was able to do sets of reps with my left arm with a theraband hooked to the lift in the room. I'm sure I'm not describing that very well, but trust me it works and it tired me out. All small steps in the right direction.

I've also been watching the first season of "The West Wing" (thanks Dad) - I'm on episode 11!

Thanks so much to Laura Little and the wwwww's for the quilt. My favorite colors and the perfect size. It is truely a work of art and greatly appreciated.

Also, thanks to the West Coast Spirit Club aka Aunt Jann, Peggy and Corky - "Fa geh da bow dit". Great T-shirt!

The docs checked on me today and think everything looks great. I am healing very well and as of today, I'm headed toward starting to get up in a chair for a short time just after Thanksgiving (here's hoping I stay on plan). The stitches in my left arm were removed today. Ouch!

My continued gratitude to everyone for all of your love and support. It means everything to me. That is it for now - I'm going to catch one more commercial free episode of "The West Wing" before bedtime.

Love you all,

Dana

"A Santa Raffle"

For Your Information....

The Elmira Country Club Women's Golf Association is holding a "Santa Raffle", all proceeds to go to Dana. The "Santa" is a one of a kind by Sayre, PA, artist Glory Kilmer. The Santa is currently on display at the Elmira Country Club. The ticket price is $10.00. If you would like to help out, here is the information:

1. Send a check made payable to "ECC Women's Golf Association" to:

Judy Mustico
826 Holley Road
Elmira, New York 14905

2. Please include your email address or a self addresses stamped envelope, if you would like a receipt. Receipts will be forwarded after November 18th.

Drawing is scheduled to be held on December 2nd. If you would like more information or would like to help with ticket sales, please contact Judy Mustico at judym@stny.rr.com. Thank you very much!

Surgery Went Well....Hooray!!

Good Monday Morning Everyone,
The plastic surgeon just came out to let me know that the surgery is done and everything went great. He was very pleased!! Dana is already awake and talking to the recovery room nurses about cycling. He will return to his room around 11:00 am, just in time for lunch. Thank you for all of the extra prayers last night and this morning....they sure helped!! As far as we know, this is the absolute last surgery that Dana will need for now. Lets keep our fingers crossed! Have a great day!!

A Busy Weekend and an Early Monday Morning

It was a busy weekend here at the Shepherd Center for Dana. He had Occupational Therapy on Saturday morning for an hour. The therapist focused on stretching the left arm to get full range of motion back. After the session Dana did a little extra and spent some time on the therapy bike. It is set up to move your legs for you in the pedaling motion while you move the arms. The hope is that someday Dana's brain will reconnect with the nerves and his body will recognize that motion as one he was very familiar with. In the meantime, it keeps the leg muscles from totally withering away(atrophy).
Saturday afternoon and evening we spent visiting with our friends Eric and Colleen. They flew in from Baltimore to see Dana. The visit was very refreshing. It was great to chat about something other than the injury or The Shepherd Center. You get so consumed with daily life at The Shepherd Center, you forget that there is a whole world out there around you. For dinner we were joined by Dan and Erin. We had a push pass and went across the street to TGIFridays. A late night as we didn't get in till around 10:30pm. Thanks Eric and Colleen for the visit. It was great to catch up with you two, Dan and Erin. We are blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends.
Sunday was a restful day. Dana and I went to the church service here at The Shepherd Center and spent alot of the day outside because starting Monday morning he will be on bedrest for approx 3-4 weeks.
As you start your Monday morning, say an extra prayer for Dana as he will undergo(what we hope to be the last) surgery around 7 am. He has a sacral wound(tailbone area) that is taking its time to heal. It could take months to heal. Instead of waiting the months to heal, and per doc's suggestion, Dana will have the quarter size hole closed tomorrow via muscle flap. The surgery itself won't take long. The doc will take muscle and skin from another area and cover the sore. The recovery time however is a bit longer and will be a true test of Dana's patience. He will have to lay fairly flat(with side to side turns only) for 3-4 weeks. That means...lots of reading, movies, watching TV etc. The timing is planned so that the sacrum and left arm with both be healed around the same time, late November. With that being said, watch out....come the first of December, Dana will be ready to go! In the meantime...keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Cards, letters, emails etc. will be especially appreciated during the next few weeks. I will have an update as to how the surgery went, tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight!

A variety of information from 216C

Backing up a couple of days and starting with Thursday. Dana had therapy all day. It was the busiest day yet! The day was started off in a manual chair where he pushed with only the right arm. The left arm has another 5 weeks of healing to do. As you can imagine, pushing up hill, down hill, over curbs etc. is very draining....add lifting weights, stretching, and mental thinking to that and Dana was exhausted. By the afternoon, Dana was back in his power chair to continue with therapy. He spent some more time in the kitchen...this time making brownies.....they were delicious! In speech on Thursday, Dana ran an interview. His interviewee was a little difficult and tossed in some "make you think", type comments, but Dana ran the interview just as professional as ever. (Oh and by the way.....the interviewee was ME)! Late afternoon he met with the sports professional to learn about hand cycling and golf the adaptive way!
The hand surgeon tracked Dana down to follow up on his arm. Everything is healing well. The current cast will come off Friday and a splint will be made.
On to Thank Gosh it is Friday! Dana is able to get his shirt on by himself. He is putting in his own contact lenses, brushing his teeth and shaving. In therapy he did more weights, stretching, flexion and extension of his left arm and massaging of his neck and upper back muscles. In speech therapy Dana filled out a credit card application and answered all the follow up questions correctly! Friday afternoon the left arm splint was made and is alot lighter and less bulky. Friday night Dana and I got a push pass. Dana is able to go anywhere that we can get to without using a car. The places are limited, but we had dinner at Houstons. They use the push passes to allow families to get back into the community and figure situations out together. Dinner was great and Dana even treated! (Using a credit card, figuring out the tip, manuvering through a restaurant and around people in a chair, is all part of therapy). Not to mention...getting used to the ingnorant people that stare. Dana says,"I am getting a sign made up that says....YES..I am in a wheelchair, have you ever seen a wheelchair before???"
The two of us had a very nice meal and it was great to get out together(just us) for the first time since August 12th. This weekend will be a busy one, as we are expecting some friends to visit. Enjoy the weekend!

A recap of the past few days!

Following a busy, family filled weekend, it was back to business on Monday. In addition to Monday's usual therapy, Dana, Courtney and Brittany also attended the seating clinic. The seating clinic presents the different options for chairs and the bells and whistles that can be added. Dana ordered his take home chair a little early so he will be able to get used to it before going home. A manual chair, black and silver in color, two sets of wheels, (one for going a little faster), and a great cushion. The frame is titanium and very lightweight. Ironically, selecting a wheelchair is very similar to selecting a bicycle....an area we know Dana is an expert at!!Following the seating clinic...it was off to an orientation of the pool. As soon as Dana is medically cleared he will be able to start therapy in the pool.

Partial results of the neuro psych test that Dana took last week are in. He excelled in most all departments but there are a few that still need some fine tuning. The speech therapist will focus on the specific areas. In saying that, we have heard from just about every doc, therapist etc..that when you hit your head as hard as Dana hit his, it is hard to believe and nothing short of miraculous the progress he has made so far.

Tuesday was another busy day! Dana received his first massage in the afternoon. It helped to loosen up some of the muscles in his neck and upper back. Following the massage was a stretching class. On Tuesday night Dana and I went out to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. It was the first time since August 12th that Dana had been off the campus of a hospital. It was part of the Therapeutic Recreation program here that helps to get patients back in the community as active members. He was thrilled to get out and see some of Atlanta.

Happy Halloween (belated) to all. The Shepherd Center really does it up for Halloween. Dana and I dressed up with his team and went to the Haunted House. Dana was a Pimp Master and I was the mistress. If I can figure out how to post pictures, I will. They are rather comical. As always...thanks for the cards, love, support and Halloween treats. Dana really enjoys the cards and emails. They add that extra boost of support to the day. He continues to work hard and put forth 110% into all of his therapy. On a last note, the left arm continues to heal. Have a good afternoon everyone!

Successful Arm Surgery

Hi everyone! We apologize again for not posting sooner. It has been a very busy couple of days. First and foremost the left arm surgery on Friday was very successful. The docs were able to remove the pins in the wrist, use a piece of bone to graft the ulna, reset his broken hand and remove scar tissue from the elbow. Although it seems like alot was done the surgery itself only took 1.5 hours. Dana was awake 1 hour after the surgery.....just in time for dinner. The range of motion in his left elbow has already improved from where it was 3 days ago. Good news!
Early Saturday morning Dana was up in his chair and ready to go. Its a good thing because lots of family was in town to keep Dana occupied. It was great to see everyone...Mom, Dad, Susie Q, Brittany, Jessy and Grandma! "Thanks Grandma for making the trip. It was nice to spend some time with you." "Susie Q...thank you for all the goodies, I will enjoy them and grandmas cookies are always a sweet treat." We look forward to the next time that everyone can get together, but for now the weekend is over and Dana is back to a very busy schedule. We will update as the week goes on. Thanks as always for the cards, emails, letters and special packages that Dana has received. Love, Courtney

It's Wed...Over the hump day!

We apologize for not posting in a couple of days. Things at Shepherd Center are going very well for Dana. He is getting stronger and stronger everyday. When I got back into town on Monday after being away for five long days, I was pleased to find Dana looking marvelous. He has color back in his face, his appetite is steadily increasing and therapy sessions are getting longer and more intense. The best part, Dana is feeling well enough to enjoy the therapy. Yesterday in speech class, Dana did some research and with the research, started to put together a Power Point Presentation. The presentation will be given to family, friends and Shepherd Center employees at a later date. Today in OT, Dana spent some time in the kitchen using everyday life skills. "I really enjoyed working in the kitchen. I felt right at home. I like to cook and for all of you who know Court and I, know that I do all the cooking. She is yet to find the on button for the stove." says, Dana! Funny...but true. The past few nights we have gotten out of the room for dinner in the cafeteria. We have enjoyed spending some quality time together. Lots to talk about!! Today...I said to myself...Dana is talking and acting like his old self again. Even making few comments that left me in stitches laughing and nearly crying. He is a funny guy!
Tomorrow is a busy day...a couple of classes in the morning and therapy sessions in the early afternoon. In the middle of the afternoon Dana is taking a Neuropsych evaluation test. This test will determine what, if any, weakness that Dana still has from his brain injury. The results will help to formulate a plan for Dana's future therapy sessions. With that being said, this test is usually done close to when a person is to be discharged. The docs are so encouraged with his progress thus far, they would rather sooner than later, so the results can pin point exactly what to target. They are expecting a full recovery from the brain injury and Dana is close to being there. Way to go DANA!! Wish him Luck as the test is 3.5 hours long.
Friday is the tentative date for the long awaited arm surgery. We knew this needed to be done, and are very ready to have it over with. Think good thoughts and wish Dana well as we hope this will be the last of the surgeries.
The cards and emails are wonderful! Dana looks forward to reading them every afternoon. He also reads the blog and loves all of the positive thoughts and comments that are left. Thanks to everyone! Goodnight and have a great Thursday!

End of the first week back on the 2nd floor

It is Friday night and the end of the first week back in 216C. It has been a busy day and a busy week. With the latest medical issues behind him, Dana finally got to take some advantage of the rehab expertise here at the Shepherd Center. He attended most of his physical and occupational therapy sessions and his speech therapy sessions. Although these sessions are quite short (one hour) at this point, they really take a lot out of him. He's pretty tired by the end of the day. We're concentrating on nutrition to help him heal and to provide him with fuel for his recovery. He had a good eating day today and we almost got three full meals in him, so that's a start. Dana also got a bit of an extreme makeover. He got a haircut (his first since the ICU in Albany) and a shave (his first in about a week) so he's looking good! We'll try to post some up-to-date pictures as soon as we figure out how to do that. We're all looking forward to a restful and relaxing weekend.

A dinner "date" with Mom

Dana had a very busy day today with a full schedule from 9 to 4. He and his classmate Jeff had to give a 15 minute presentation during the speach therapy session. They did a great job. You are all probably wondering why speech (since Dana can talk just fine). It is all part of the process to make sure everything is working. Shepherd's teaches individuals to think of the brain as a muscle and as such, the brain needs to be exercised just like any other part of the body. Dana also learned roll overs in PT and practical everyday things in OT such as crossing your legs. I'm sure it sounds easy, but believe me it is hard work to train your body to do even simple movements that we all take for granted.

It is so impressive and uplifting to see how hard the patients at Shepherd's work to gain back even the smallest movement and master an everyday life skill. Everyone has a different and unique circumstance and they are all highly motivated to get back to their lives and regain/recover as much as they possibly can. The atmosphere is positve and can do! It is truly inspirational to watch as they reach their goals and conquer each challenge one step at a time.

Courtney flew back to NY late this afternoon to work for several days and left junior nurse in training (Mom) in charge. I have a long way to go, but I'm learning! Dad will join Mom on Thursday, so we'll have another junior nurse in training. We sure can't hold a candle to Court, but we will do our best and will keep things moving in the right direction for Dana. Guess we'll do what we do best, just be Mom and Dad. I think that will work just fine.

Now that Dana is free of his IV's etc., he has been able to motor around in his chair. Tomorrow the Doc's plan to remove his pic line and discontinue pricking his finger's to test his sugar level (I'm probably saying that incorrectly, but I'm sure you all know what I mean). Dana says his finger tips are really sore, so he is very happy. One less procedure! Woo Hoo!

Tonight Dana and I went to the cafeteria for dinner instead of eating in the room (a dinner date with Mom). The cafeteria closes at 7:00, and we didn't arrive until 6:50, so the menu was slim pickins, but we had a great time and Dana was thrilled to see another part of the building. Besides.... lurky back in the cabinet in Dana's room were peanut butter cups for desert. Yummmmy.

Tomorrow is another big day, so I'll sign off. As always, thanks to all of you for your constant support. Oh and hey Reggie and Amy..... way to go. Great job on the race. Thanks so much for your dedication on Dana's behalf.

Update from 216C

This will be a group effort blog (Dana, Courtney, and Mom). We had a great and restful weekend. Since Dana was still hooked up to equipment, we had to stay in the room. Dana moved to 216C and is next to a window. Definitely a plus to have the sunshine beaming in the morning hours.

We spent time chatting and catching up and we played Sorry. Courtney was the champ, Dana was second, and Mom came in last. It was a peaceful weekend.

Today Dana started back on his therapy schedule...... a few things were lost in the the translation when moving back to the floor from ICU, but by the afternoon we were set. Dana went to OT late this afternoon and was able to sit on the end of an exercise bed without assistance from his therapist. His balance is truly amazing. Tomorrow will be a full schedule. Dana is back on a normal diet, so we are pushing him to eat and drink lots of fluids to build up his strength. He did a great job today.

Thanks to everyone for the cards and e-mails (they are all truly inspirational). Mail call was fun today. Dana would like to thank Laurie SantaMarie's (aka Laurie Jamieson's) class for the big batch of cards that arrived today. Laurie, your class is awesome and we loved the artwork and had a great time reading them all. Thanks so much!

Last but not least.... the trach tube was removed at 4:00 o'clock this afternoon, and the IV pole has left the room. Hurray...... free at last!

We'll post again tomorrow...... Oh.... Grandma...... I loved the cookies..... very tasty... thanks so much for sending them with Mom (I finally had an opportunity to eat a few of them yesterday.

All our love to everyone. Dad, looking forward to seeing you on Thursday and it was great to hear from you Susan! Take care everyone.

On The Move

All is well in Atlanta today. Dana was given the ok to transfer out of ICU. A long awaited step back in the right direction. He is back on the second floor, (Rehab floor),just in a different room. A room with a window view!! Room 216 C.
The morning was filled with some rehab sessions including some weight training. The afternoon, a game of SORRY!! Courtney vs. Dana......and after a long fun game, Dana reigned as champion!(just barely). Dana is up in his chair now, getting ready for some liquid dinner. We look forward to a restful weekend. Full rehab starts again on Monday. Dana needs to be rested! Hope all of you have a great fall weekend!
Signing off for now,
Courtney and Dana

An Update from The Shepherd Center

Hi All!!
Tonight we wanted to take the time to update everyone on the past few days. Overall Dana has had a very restful week thus far. He remains in the ICU following the abdominal surgery but, not for long. His trach tube has been plugged and Dana is able to talk. As you can imagine he has alot to say. Reading lips gets old and tedious after awhile. Needless to say, it is great to hear his voice.
Several of his abdominal staples were removed and the drain in his belly is gone. One by one he is getting rid of all the tubes and monitoring devices he has accumulated.
Dana has been sitting up in his chair for hours at a time. He is getting stronger by the minute and it is so insipiring to watch. Meals consist of liquids for now, soon... that too should be a thing of the past. His intestines are finally working again and he looks forward to solid food when the okay is given.
Therapy continue to take place, just on a limited basis.
The arm surgery that was originally scheduled for today has been postponed until further notice. The surgeon needed to travel out of town on an unexpected basis.
The cards and emails are very encouraging for Dana to read. We both thank everyone for the kind words, cards, emails, packages, phone calls etc. It is people like you that make each day brighter for us! Hugs... Dana and Courtney

"ICU Crashers" by Dana Carr

(The following blog is a group effort, with Dana as head writer, or dictator as the case may be, enjoy everyone!)


Today, my day started early. When I woke up, the doctors came in and checked on me. They weened me off my vent setting, and I am breathing on my own, but keeping the trach collar on as a precautionary measure, and also because I look so good in it. Once awake, and talking with the doctors, I asked if I could sit in my chair, and around 9am, my request was granted!

Around 10:30, Jessy, Court and Brittany arrived to see me sitting up and watching some good Sunday morning pregame football news on ESPN. We all hung out and talked for awhile, recapping our night, and then we turned the ICU room into a great little movie theatre, all cuddled up and watched Wedding Crashers.

After sitting in my chair for 6 hours, (yay!) Dana decided to get back in bed and take a nap, and the girls grabbed a quick bite to eat.

After such a major abdominal surgery my belly is starting to heal! The doctors are able to hear my intestines and stomach moving. Slowly, but surely I'm healing up!

When the girls came back from their lunch, we had a "spa day." We did a hospital version of a mani/pedi! and got Dana all cleaned up. Everyone here today has told Dana how lucky he is to have 3 pretty girls looking after him all day.

At 5:30, the ICU nurses decided we had "crashed" long enough, and worn out our welcome, and asked to leave for a few hours. Though slightly disappointed, we understood, because they have been pretty good about us breaking the visiting hours most days.

We are all back together now, talking and sharing a few laughs. Dana is yawning, so we are pretty confident he will get some good rest tonight. He's looking forward to watching the Cowboys play tomorrow night, and also to get back to the floor and out of the ICU.

Thanks as always for everyone's support! We've had a really positive weekend full of good health, lots of laughs, and really enjoying each other's company. The kids haven't been able to hang out together in awhile!

"Thank you everyone for the support and the cards. They really help keep me motivated to work hard and get better." -Dana

"Although Dana is still on antibiotics and IV nutrition, he is making huge gains everyday. He looks forward to a great week ahead!" -The girls, with approval from the Boss...aka. Dana.


We love you guys!@ Keep the support coming!

Love,

Dana, Courtney, Jessy and Brittany!


P.S. During our break from the hospital tonight, Courtney, Brittany and I were discussing our friends from Albany Med, the Ferraro's and Kitsock's. We checked the blogs and want you to know you are still in our thoughts and prayers! We miss seeing you on a daily basis. Dana has heard all about both your families! Live Strong!

A Touch of Humor for Saturday night!

Well, after a very long 15 hours, Jessy and Brittany FINALLY arrived in Atlanta happy to see Dana! He has been sleeping well today, and when we arrived, we woke him up from a nap (whoops!), but he didn't seem to mind, and was rather excited to see his sisters!

We have had a great afternoon talking/reading lips (we haven't lost our skill at it)! Dana showed us how strong both his arms are getting, by doing a few of his strength exercises with his therapy putty. Pretty impressive I must say!

Anyway, we were looking through pictures that Brittany and I brought to hang in his room, and were telling Dana how handsome he was in a photo, and he left us with this statement for the evening:

(Dana, with a smirk):

"I am the most handsome guy with a trach tube."

Can't argue with that!


Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday night! We will update tomorrow aftgernoon with more thorough information, so that we can enjoy the rest of our night with DB! Take Care!

-Jessy, Brittany, Courtney, and Dana!

Courtney is back in Town!

Hi everyone,

The blog tonight is a group effort - Dana, Court, and Me. The group effort is Dana's idea, so is the title of the blog and actually he wanted to name it Nurse Courtney's ICU.

Dana was very happy to see Courtney's smiling face today. Court is fabulous at explaining what is going on in ICU and what all the bells and whistles mean. Dana doesn't really remember much about the Albany ICU (thank goodness for that), so her explainations are informative and comforting. As I mentioned yesterday, Dana is taking a little rest in the ICU while he heals from his intestinal surgery. He says he felt fair yesterday, but much better today. All of his vital signs are looking good today. Dana says even though he is hooked back up to equipment in the ICU (he thought he left behind in Albany), he knows it is helping him relax, rest, and heal so he can return to the 2nd floor and his rehab program. We're looking for the green light!

Yesterday we mentioned the two cross country teams running for Dana. What we forgot to post is the IHA cross country link, just in case you want to follow their progress. It is:

http://ihaxc2007.blogspot.com

We also forgot to thank Anti for the supply of "Running for Dana bracelets", so thanks so much. The Carr clan loves them!

We have also been asked for Dana's address, so I'll post it in this blog as I can't remember which blog we posted the address in originally. We also understand that some folks are having trouble posting to the blog, and we also have an e-mail address at Shepherds for patients and the e-mails are printed off and delivered to Dana with his regular mail (thanks Mara for figuring that out for us).

1. How to post to the blog

If you are trying to post to the blog, double click on the name of the blog (for example "Courtney is back in Town!).
Next, scroll to the bottom of the posted comments and look for the light grey underlined words Post a Comment and click.
This will take you to the next screen. On the right is a box titled Leave your comment. Type your comment in the box and sign your name.
The next part seems to be the tricky part for some people. Choose an identity: If you don't have an identiy (and many don't), click on the radio button for anonymous (below and to the right if you aren't a regular blogger).

Once you are happy with your message click on the orange box titled publish your comment and you are done! Whew..... hope you got that!


2. USA address

Shepherd Center (Dana Carr Room 217D)
2020 Peachtree Rd. N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30309-1465

3. e-mail address

To send an e-mail to Dana at Shepherd's:
http://www.shepherd.org/about/reach.asp
next click on e-mail a patient and fill in the next screen with your message

I think that is it for tonight. All our love to everyone! Thanks so much.

From the ICU at Shepherd's

Sunday Evening Emergency Surgery

As I reported last Wednesday, last week was a tough one for Dana. Sunday evening at 10:30, Dana had emergency surgery as a CT scan on Sunday afternoon revealed a blockage in his small intestine. The surgery lasted about 3 hours and Dr. C removed a small damaged section of his small intestine and also his gall bladder. Needless to say this was all a little stressful on the Carr clan.

But, true to form, since noon today (Monday Oct. 1) Dana seems to be on the mend. They did need to move him back to the ICU (we're not sure how long), but Dana has been exercising his arms in bed, in fact when Dr. C came in this afternoon Dana quipped.... look what I can do with my left arm Doc! Can I go back to my room? I want to get out of this bed and back in my chair! The Doc reminded Dana that he has had enough excitement for one year and really needs to be patient. He is receiving a lot of fluids and other meds, so we really need to be sure his intestines are truly on the mend. Dana is incredibly positive (and we're just so happy we finally found out what was ailing him) and we are on the forward path again...... I see a green light later this week! We'll keep you posted.

Meantime, thanks to the Immaculate Heart Academy & Dominican College 2007 cross country teams coached by "Anti" aka Mark Ledgerwood for the inspirational notebook filled with photos, letters and famous quotes from the team members. You folks are fabulous. To all our virtual friends and family, the teams are sporting blue "Running for Dana" live strong bracelets and are running for Dana this season. We are overwhelmed and touched with the support. Thanks to everyone on both teams.

Dana also received another surprise letter today from President Bush (we think Nate has connections in the West Wing and thanks are coming his way). The letter was very inspirational! Thank you George W.

Mail call today was a big one and Dana also received many other cards and e-mails from family and friends. Thank you all so much! Your support is uplifting!

We look forward to updating you soon on Dana's progress.

Wednesday evening update 9/26/07

Sorry we haven't blogged in a few days. The week has been busy.

Frustrating as it is for Dana, the hiccups returned early in the week and he has had an upset stomach, so he has been resting a lot. The docs have been running a few tests to try to determine the problem. So far they haven't uncovered anything and this morning they gave him something for his hiccups. The drug worked and hurray the hiccups are gone (let's hope permanently) and Dana has been sleeping for the majority of the day. I'm sure the sleep will do him good.

Dana has been receiving nutrition intraveniously (TPN). We had a nice chat and I told Dana what Dr. K (from Albany Medical Center) told us to keep in mind about the road to recovery. We are traveling on a highway with red lights and green lights. You hope for clear sailing all the way, but sometimes you arrive at a red light and need to wait for the light to turn green. This doesn't mean the light will remain red, as we know it will turn green and we will move forward, we just need to be patient. While many of us in the Albany waiting room heard this from Dr. K, Dana hadn't and he thought it was a great way to think about the journey. If you know Dana, then you know he is a patient person!

As always, thank you for your love and support and a big thanks to Team Greensburg - the poster you sent is taped to the wall above Dana's bed and looks great!

Safe travels to Dad from Dana and all my love to Court.

A Day of Real Food!

Hello to all of our favorite followers...

We have just returned to Dana's room and decided it would be nice to fill everybody in (since we skipped out last night). I, Courtney's sister, arrived in Atlanta late last night and, unfortunately, Dana was already zonked out so I had to wait til this morning to see him. But he is filling me in on yesterday's events...
Dana attended his therapy sessions throughout the morning and afternoon. Dana tells me that his therapy went well, "tough, but it feels good." He concluded his day with a ride around the facility; but it wasn't exactly a joy ride. The therapist, Mark, who accompanied Dana challenged him to open all of the doors and press all of the elevator buttons without any assistance. Dana, of course, mastered this task with ease while also maintaining his motorized chair (which Court and I both decided we would crash). After checking out Dana's neck, the head nurse commented that Dana's trach wound is healing very well...hence his voice is getting much stronger and clearer. Good thing because Ernie needs a little fatherly input in order to modify his behavior. After all his hard work throughout the day the rest of the evening was a party... no pun intended...
For anyone who did not already know yesterday was Courtney's birthday (hurry up and get the belated's in before she holds a grudge!) For the occassion Erin and Dan brought over party hats and a cake and they really did have a little party (they saved me some cake and I must say..mmm delicious... nice pick Erin!) Ryan and Matt Osborne made appearances to visit Dana as well during the evening, and Dana said that was nice catching up.
This morning Susie-Q and I came over just while Dana was finishing up his breakfast (nasty eggs and bacon but he did enjoy the oj, fruit and cherrios). During a normal week the plan is that Dana will be working hard Monday thru Friday and then resting on the weekend. Today, however, was an exception. At 10 oclock Dana attended one occupational therapy (OT) session, which he has termed the "saturday special." Ginger, who is not the OT on his treatment team, is a super nice girl who enjoyed working with Dana. They worked on some seated balance exercises and Dana even got to lift some weights. He says that he did bicep curls and tricep extensions 15x for 3 sets with his right arm... "5 lbs feels like a lot when you havent done anything in awhile." To refuel after the workout, Dana, Court, Q, and I enjoyed lunch from Panera outside in the Garden section of the facility... HOT out there!
The rest of the afternoon was some chatting and resting. We concluded the day by having take-out dinner from a southern chain called Maggianos... sooo delicious.... I really would not have guessed southerners could do Italian so well! The choice was between Mexican or Italian but Dana said he wanted to have Italian since he was hanging out with some Italian women (although no one believes we really are). Upon eating downstairs in the atrium sitting area high school pals James and Sadie surprisingly popped in after having driven 6 hours from Orlando. Dana was happy to see them and briefly catch up, but they will be back again in the morning!
Right now Dana is scrubbing up his pearly whites and getting ready to lay back in bed. We will update you all again soon.... but for now Dana leaves you all with the following words...
"I continue to get stronger each and every day and learn more about my rehabilitation and what led me here. I look forward to the continued weeks in rehab so I may return home strong and healthy!"

Goodnight everybody... thank you for all the love you send... and we love you all right back.
Adios for now-
Brittany

A Thursday Night Update from Room 217D!!!

Hi All....it is Courtney (typing) and Dana (dictating). We are sending an update tonight from the sunny skies of Atlanta! Courtney says,"Yes...this is my first day typing a blog, as I made a deal I wouldn't blog until Dana was able to provide input." Dana states, " We are very excited to be doing this together. It was another busy day, filled with speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. Therapy has been progessing well, so the length of occupational and physical therapy sessions have increased again by another half hour. Although challenging and grueling for now, I know that ultimately the gains at the end will be worth it. To change things up a bit....the second half of OT was held in the beautiful garden here at the Shepherd Center. It felt so good to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. Laughter and Sunshine are two of the best medicines. Just ask...Courtney! While outside in the garden....Court and I had a very long discussion. She filled me in on where I was 6 weeks ago, and where I am now. It is hard to realize how far I've come, when I know how far I still have to go.
We were in the garden so long, the nurse came looking for us! He had medication he wanted to give me and couldn't find me! Ha ha!
Another highlight of today was a visit from Ryan Osborne...a friend of mine from high school. It was a great surprise! It was nice catching up with you Ryan.
Tonight for dinner I got a meal ticket(a better choice than hospital food). It included a great hamburger, tomato soup and gatorade. Oh and a special treat..Court brought me peanut butter cups, my favorite. This is by far the best dinner I have had.
On a different note....Courtney and I wanted to take this time to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts, for the cards, letters, prayers, thoughts, visits, etc! We are very fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful people in our lives. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We are getting through this one day at a time and we surely couldn't do it without your continued love and support." Have a great night! Love, Courtney and Dana, in Rm 217D

The first Monday of Rehabilitation 9/17/07

Dana had a very busy day today. His trach tube was removed and replaced with a "button". The button is a device that will stay in place for a short time keeping the hole open, just in case it is needed.

Dana met with the members of his team who will help him on his road to recovery. The team consists of several doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pychologists, speech therapists, nurses and technicians. (I hope I haven't forgotten anyone). Schedules with each of these individuals begin slowly this week, but by next week the plan is for a full day (9 to 4) Monday through Friday (and sometimes a half day on Saturday). Dana was very excited to begin this process. Today he started a few exercises for his left arm, shoulder, wrist, elbow and fingers. He didn't get a chance to get out of bed today as they fitted him for a new chair which will be ready for him tomorrow. He is very much looking forward to tomorrow for a ride around in his new chair.

Dana is in very good spirits and is even cracking some jokes. Courtney and I were both in stiches tonight laughing with him.

Dana asked me to send congratulations to Brad and Amber on the birth of their new baby boy Weston Charles born on Saturday. Thanks Nate for letting us know!

An impressive day! Over and out from ATL.

Atlanta Update

Sorry I didn't update the blog last night. There is good news from Atlanta.

Yesterday late afternoon, Dana was moved out of the ICU to the second floor Room 217, which he will share (4 people in the room). Think of it as a dorm room at college. He actually has more space in room 217 than he did in ICU. ICU was pretty tight quarters. The real significance of the move to 217 is tomorrow (Monday 9/17) will begin Dana's first week in rehab.

We understand that tomorrow will be all about setting up the plan for the first week. Dana will meet with the crew here to find out what his schedule will be and will start slowly (an hour each with the physical therapist and the occupational therapist). The second week will kick in to a full day schedule from about 9:00 to 4:00 each day.

Last night Court and I took Dana for a ride around the second floor (as far as we could go until we have more clearance) . He had a chance to see one of the physical therapy rooms (there are many). First thing that Dana asked was whether there were any bicycles to ride in rehab. Of course the answer is yes. Shepard's also has a fabulous pool which no doubt Dana will use during his stay here.

Dana is looking forward to this first rehab week and is in very good spirits. Other than a case of hiccups for the last few days (intermitent - which are really annoying to him), he is doing very well. He is eating well (and able to feed himself for the most part)! He his trying to load up on fluids (so he can get rid of the IV). Yesterday he sat up in the chair for 12 hours. Hurray! His trach tube was stepped down in size and capped, so we are able to talk with him. His voice gets stronger each day.

Now that we don't have to read lips anymore, we have had great conversations with Dana. He asked me to send his love to everyone and said he is so lucky and thankful to have all of you cheering him on every step of the way. So toward that end, now, more than ever, please keep the positive thoughts, cards, etc. flowing.

I'm headed back to 217 (he is up in the chair). Court is planning on shopping for a few things for Dana. He can wear cloths now (but we didn't bring any - hence the shopping trip) . Kind of like the first day of school and guess we were a little unprepared! Actually a big thanks to Mike P. from Dana for the Cowboy t-shirts. He is wearing one right now! Good thing we brought them.

That is it for now. Over and out from ATL!

Friday Night Update 9/14/07

This update is coming to you from Horseheads. Many problems with late flights from Philly, but I'm leaving at o-dark-thirty in the morning and will be in Atlanta at 10:00 am.

Lots of great news from Courtney. She said Dana sat in a chair for about 3 hours and is eating well today, in fact, he was able to feed himself. He may leave ICU tomorrow. Court talked with the ortho doc regarding the results of his x-rays and his bones are healing very well. Court had the oppportunity to peak at the x-rays and the Doc said the bone is beginning to heal over the plates in his left arm and the femur has healed well and will soon be able to bear weight. All very encouraging news.

But the best news is when Courtney returned to Dana's room the therapist asked her if she had heard how strong his voice was. The trach tube had been stepped down to a smaller size and was capped. Dana said "hi honey", how are you doing? Needless to say Court was filled with tears of joy to hear Dana's voice. (Mom can't wait to hear his voice tomorrow!) Court said Dana is smiling and joking and in very good spirits and he started thinking about his projects at TEPPCO (he says he has a few loose ends on some of the projects). Dana was reminded that he didn't need to worry about the projects at work right now and that he just needed to concentrate on healing.

The update tomorrow will come from Atlanta (provided I can fly the friendly skys)! Stay tuned!

Linda

Thursday night news from Courtney

Just got off the phone with Courtney and all is well in Atlanta. Dana has been x-rayed from head to toe and examined by numerous people and has generally been very busy today with therapists, etc. He has a bit of an upset stomach, but the docs think they have diagnosed the problem and are taking action. Due to his upset tummy, Dana is a little dehydrated, so an IV has been inserted. Court says he is in great spirits and they are really keeping Dana busy. Let's hope he can get some sleep tonight!

A great big thank you to Erin and Dan for helping Courtney find her way around the area today and for welcoming her into their home. We really appreciate your kindness and I'm sure Susan (Courtney's mother) will sleep well tonight knowing she has company. I know I will!

I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow night to visit Courtney and Dana. My next update will be from the Atlanta waiting room. I think I have a touch of waiting room withdrawal! Over and out from Horseheads.

Linda

The Next Step

Today Dana took the next step on his road to recovery. He flew by air ambulance (accompanied by Courtney) to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA. Shepherd's is a catastrophic care hospital specializing in spinal cord injury for young people, especially athletes. With Dana's determination and athletic focus we think this will be the best place for him to rehabilitate. If you are interested in taking a peak, the website is http://www.shepherd.org/. The mailing address is

Shepherd Center
2020 Peachtree Rd., NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-1465

Dana and Courtney are so grateful for the tremendous support they have received - from the stream of visitors in Albany, the inspiring cards, and well wishes and prayers from everyone. Courtney is alone in Atlanta for the next few days, so please keep the positive energy, cards, etc. coming her way. Her e-mail address is cwolanin1@hotmail.com. While she might not be able to answer every e-mail, I'm sure she will appreciate hearing from you.

Dana will be in the ICU for a couple of days while they access his condition and formulate a plan for the medical rehabilitation phase. Their stay in Atlanta will most likely be several months.

Courtney said the flight from Albany to Atlanta was smooth and Dana is doing well.

As we receive more information from Court, we will upate the blog and keep you posted on Dana's progress. As always, thank you so much for your continuing support, words of encouragement, love and faith.

Tuesday night update 9/11/07

Dana had another good day. He is now sporting a new high tech arm brace, compliments of the ortho docs. Dana sat up on the edge of the bed again today and they removed his IV. He is taking in enough fluids on his own so it is no longer needed.

Dana visited with some of his high school friends and Rick gave him another shave and he is lookin good!

Dana rested a lot today, which is a good thing and as we speak is sleeping soundly. All in all a fairly quiet day in D319.

Over and out from the waiting room.

Monday night 9/10/07

Dana had another great day. He slept all night and he ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Assisted by an occupational therapist, Dana was able to sit on the side of the bed with his feet touching the floor. He has a date with the occupational therapist again in the morning to sit on the edge of the bed a little longer than he did today. This went very well for Dana as he did not feel light headed or dizzy. Definitely a step in the right direction!

Dana also had a visit from two of his TEPPCO colleagues and they had a great conversation (well they do have to read his lips) about pipeline projects.

Late this afternoon the docs removed the last chest tube. Dana insisted that nurse Courtney participate in the process. Dana is clearly captain of his own ship!

After dinner, Rick and Dana took a look at Google Earth on the computer. If you haven't taken a look at this amazing site you should take a peak. This site will either amaze you or scare you depending on how you feel about zooming in on a satellite image of your home. So be on the alert.... we're watching you!

Dana thanks everyone so much for all of the cards of encouragement and well wishes he has received.

Links to other "waiting room" family blogs

Here are the links to the blogs supporting Joe, Reece, and Todd.

http://www.joesprogress.blogspot.com/

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/reecemcintyre

http://www.tkonthemend.blogspot.com

Sunday night report from the waiting room

I'll give you an update on Dana's progress today, but first I want to let everyone in "virtual" land know about the three wonderful families we have been sharing the waiting room with, the McIntyre's, the Ferraro's, and the Kitsock's. We wish we hadn't met under these circumstances as each of these families, like us, have a family member in critical condition in the SICU. We have laughed and cried together and have cheered each other on as our loved ones progressed through each tiny step toward recovery and we have become friends. So I'd like to thank these amazing families for their friendship, faith and support. As you continue your prayers, encouragment and support for Dana, please keep Reece McIntyre, Joe Ferraro and Todd Kitsock in your thoughts and prayers as well. These families are amazing and the Carr family is truely blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know them.

Now for the rest of the story. Dana had another great day. He is eating well and at long last he slept last night. We are hoping for another good nights rest for him again tonight. He continues to improve a little bit each day and tonight he watched the football game. (Go Cowboys)! Tonight marks the fourth week in the waiting room and we were just discussing how it seems like the longest yet in many ways the shortest month of our lives. Continued gratitude comes your way for everything you have done for us. Dana will be heading to Shepherd's in the near future, but the exact date is yet to be determined. We'll keep you posted. Over and out from the waiting room.

Ernie visits Dana

Dana had a fabulous afternoon. Thanks to Dr. K and nurse Kristen, Dana took a trip outside in his bed for a surprise visit with Ernie and the rest of the clan. Ernie sat on Dana's lap and gave his "Dad" a big kiss! Needless to say the chance to get outside the hospital was uplifting for Dana and he was grinning from ear to ear. Dana also had a chance to see little Dexter aka D4 and Ava Grace (Dexter and Nicole's wee ones). We'll post a couple of the pics soon (we didn't have the cable to upload them), but trust me they are precious!

Dana ate well this afternoon (he is getting the hang of it), but he didn't sleep again last night as it has been hard for him to sleep in the ICU.

We're trying to keep him up a little bit this evening to give him the best chance at catching a few zzzzzzz'z tonight. Toward that end, as we speak, Dana and Courtney are on a movie date in his room watching "Happy Feet". Let's hope for a peaceful sleep tonight.

Sweet dreams to everyone - from the waiting room.

I'm honored to be the Guest Blogger today...Aunt Judy

Linda asked to apologize for her in not 'updating' in the last day or so... just needed a small break. Dana had an evening of watching Law & Order and Friends Wed evening with his glasses on and attentive! Thursday and today Dana has had a hard time sleeping through the night(as he has had for a NUMBER of weeks)...but has been very responsive during the day. Two pieces of great news is that Shepard Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta has let Courtney know in the past day or so, that they will admit Dana! At this point the exact date has not been determined. Meanwhile back in D 319 a PT has just an hour ago started to gently mobilize his hips, knees and ankles. He has been periodically moved from the reclining chair, to the 'sport bed'...to alleviate possible pressure from building up in one or another area. The immediate major focus is as Linda said...to wean Dana off of the vent, to encourage him to eat (He DOES seem hungry!) but more importantly to give him a quiet and restful environment conducive to sleep. DANA however, wants company and indicated a number of times recently that he was 'bored'! All of the above efforts of course, to prepare Dane for his sojourn to ATLANTA! Courtney and the immediate family are just SO grateful and heartwarmed by all of the prayers, well wishes, and deep consideration for the enormity of Dana's progress. Live Strong...

Skin Graft Surgery Complete

The Docs were able to complete the skin graft surgery on Dana's left arm this afternoon. The surgery took a couple of hours and Dana returned to D319 late this afternoon. Everything went well and Dana woke up around 5:30 pm.

While the skin graft heals, the next two goals for Dana are to start eating on his own and to be weaned off the vent. He has been having a hard time swallowing with the trach tube in, but he is getting the hang of it. After he woke up, he ate a little jello and sipped a small glass of water. We've got some sherbet in the frig/freezer in his room (how convenient) so I'm sure he'll try that a little later this evening.

The Docs are working to wean Dana off the vent. It's a gradual process. I'm sure Dana will be elated when the trach tube can be removed.

Today was yet another great day on Dana's road to recovery. To quote one of the Docs "he is nothing short of miraculous ". What can I say, I'm his mom, I agree!

Our continued gratitude and thanks to all of you who have given us so much strength, hope, support and encouragement. Repeat after me......... I believe in miracles! Good night from the waiting room. Linda (Mama Carr)

Surgery has been rescheduled

We just found out that the surgery on Dana's arm has been rescheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) and we don't have a time!. The rescheduling has nothing to do with Dana. We have been told there were several ortho and plastic surgery emergencies today so Dana was bumped . Guess there is no room in the OR!

Since the surgery was postponed, Court helped Dana drink some purple Gatorade. He was very thirsty, as he has been patiently waiting for the surgery.

Dana seems a little tired today (a good thing since he has been awake a lot over the last several days). We'll update tomorrow and let you know how the surgery goes.

Labor Day in the waiting room

Greetings from the waiting room.

Dana continues to be a "Chatty Cathy" and has been awake a lot today. We would really like to see him sleeping and resting a little more and we imagine the nurses would as well, especially those on night duty! Oh well, guess you can't keep a good man down!

Dana asked when the docs were going to fix his arm and we were happy to tell him tomorrow!

We hope all our family and friends visiting us this weekend had safe travels home.

Sunday evening news from the waiting room

Good evening from the waiting room.

Since Dana had a haircut yesterday, Rick decided to give him a shave today, so he looks great! Dana had a few sips of apple juice and purple Gatorade as well as a few spoonfuls of vanilla pudding. As much he enjoyed the pudding he made it known that it wasn't nearly as enjoyable as his ice cream yesterday. He gave us a thumbs up on the Gatorade. We've spent a great deal of the day talking and trying to read Dana's lips. We're getting better at it! He waves to everyone that passes by his room and is always polite to the staff!

We told Dana about the blog today. He was surprised and very touched to learn of his family, friends and other caring and concerned supporters in the "virtual " waiting room cheering him on. He thanks you all so much and looks forward to the time when he can read all of your words of encouragement and positive comments.

Brittany surprised Courtney last night by bringing Ernie for a visit. Needless to say it was a great surprise. We toyed with the idea of sneaking Ernie in to see Dana, but thought better of it! Over and out

Hi everyone. Today has been a busy and positive day for Dana. This morning he was moved from his bed to a type of reclining lounge chair to get him more upright. Then Courtney (using her excellent driving skills) and the nurses took him for a quick spin around the ICU to give him a change of scenery. They even stopped to look out the windows. After his tour, one of the ICU nurses gave him a haircut which was a big improvement. He had his head partially shaved during the first week for a procedure, and the haircut evened things up and he looks much better. He has been having sips of water and he even asked for some ice cream. He had a couple of small bites, but then wanted his mother to finish it, which she did, of course. He has been reasonably awake for much of the day and is quite a chatty Cathy. We are still struggling to understand what he is trying to communicate given his still medicated state. Overall, it has been another good day and Dana continues to improve slowly but surely. Thanks to everyone for all your thoughts and prayers. They are surely working.

Friday evening late night update 8/31/07

Hello from the waiting room.

Dana had some staples removed from his incision and stiches removed from his leg today.

After this activity, Dana spent the day resting (which is a good thing). We talked with the ortho and plastic docs today and the skin graft on Dana's left arm is scheduled for next Tuesday. Nurse Court explained that this is a relatively simple procedure (at least for the plastic surgeons) and doesn't take very long.

Since there aren't any procedures scheduled over the weekend, Dana will continue to rest and gear up for next week. Tomorrow he might get a hair cut!

Dana is steadily improving and grows stronger every day and from time to time he is awake and interacts with us and sometimes we are able to read his lips (we are all improving in this skill). We are looking forward to a restful holiday weekend. Please know how much we appreciate the support from everyone in the "virtual" waiting room.

Continuing Good News Thursday 8/30

Yesterday Dana spent most of the day "awake". We put that in quotes because we don't want you to get the impression he fully understands or remembers what's going on. He'll shake his head yes/no when answering questions and wave his hand or give a thumbs up occasionally. But that's about it. After being so alert for almost 18 hours, he finally dozed off and had a peaceful night's rest.

Dr. D checked him out this morning and felt everything looked great. This morning they were able to put him into a reclinable chair. He looks really comfortable and appears to be a bit tired. That's a good thing after yesterday's activity.

So today we're keeping a small distance (the distance from the ICU room to the waiting room) from Dana for him to rest up.

Update from the waiting room 8/29/07

We're happy to report that yesterday Dana was doing so well the neuro surgeon decided to do the surgery on Dana's back. Dana did fabulous during the 6 hour surgery (Dr. D was very pleased) and Dana was back in his room resting last night.

Dana was alert when we saw him this morning and the nursing staff will begin sitting him up in the next couple of days.

We don't know the timing of the surgery on his left arm yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Yesterday was another amazing day in Dana's road to recovery. Thanks again for all of your tremendous support. Over and out from the waiting room.

The Bucknell Support Crew

"HEY DANA NEW RULE GET WELL GO BU"
"RUN => GOOD BIKE => BAD"
"YOU ARE OUR 13th MAN LIVE STRONG"

Thank you guys for including Dana in your run and for doing such a great job! We saw you finished 5th out of almost 300 teams! We know Dana was there with you in spirit keeping that lactic acid out of your muscles.

Monday afternoon update 8/27

Yesterday, Dana had a trach tube inserted replacing the breathing tube in his mouth and peg tube to help with tube feedings. Nurse Courtney says this is a good thing for Dana as it will be much more comfortable for him . As has been the trend, Dana did great with the procedure and was responding to Court and others.

This could change, but the plan for the week is for two surgeries. Tuesday the docs(both ortho and plastics) will repair his elbow and also perform a bone graft and skin graft on his left arm. While we haven't talked with the Neuro surgeon yet, at the moment, Dana's back surgery is planned for Wednesday.

It has been a tough two weeks for all of us and Dana has come a long way in a short time and your love, support, thoughts, prayers and well wihes have been tremendously uplifting. Thanks so much.

A dose of humor from room D319!

Today we found out that Dana's infection is most likely coming from his lungs. The antibiotics he was put on yesterday seem to be working because his fever broke and his temperature is back down in the normal range. During the night, the nurse aspirated his lungs to get out all of the "junk" and now his oxygen levels are back up. This evening he will be going for a CT scan of his stomach in order to determine why he is not tolerating his tube feedings.
We are happy to report that Dana was more alert and responsive tonight when we all went in to visit him. As we talked to him he kept opening his eyes wide and was smiling and trying to answer us through nods, thumbs up, and some facial expressions. He was a pretty funny guy tonight. We read him the letter from Mr. Armstong that we posted on the blog and when we asked him if he thought that was pretty cool he widened his eyes, raised his eyebrows, smirked and shook his head yes! We all just continued to talk to him and let him know we were here. Everytime he seemed to doze off we said goodbye and his eyes shot open, as if saying "I'm not that tired yet." It's nice to know that after all this time, he still enjoys our company. When Brittany told Dana she was taking care of his little black sports car, he gave us a concerned look but when she told him she wasn't driving it around he smiled and seemed relieved. As Courtney said goodbye for the time being, he puckered up for her and she leaned in for a big smooch. So overall, it was a very special night for everyone and we look forward to having more of these interactions with Dana.

Friday Morning quick update

Update from the waiting room. Dana had a restful night. He still has a temperature and the docs just performed a lumbar puncture to run a test on his spinal fluid to see if that may be a source of the infection. Tough guy that he is, Dana tolerated the procedure just fine. He is resting comfortably. We think we may have the test result later today.

We'll keep you posted. over and out for now.

Linda

Reporting in....

We hope we didn't upset all of our virtual waiting room viewers by not updating the blog until now. The truth is, we all kind of needed a little time today to catch up on some things and refresh our minds.

Dana's progress still has not changed a whole lot. But, that being said, he's still doing well. The physicians do have a game plan for next week, but once again it will all depend on how Dana's doing. At this point, they'd like to do his back surgery either Monday or Tuesday. A day or two after that they'll reset his elbow and do some skin grafting. They're hoping the Wound Vac takes care of most healing on his arm, but that might still need some skin grafting.

It's just one of those days where you sit and wonder how this kind of thing happens. But we also talked about how it makes you realize how in times of need your family and friends reach out and keep you going. It's been a trying time but knowing all of you are there, we know we have some great things to look forward to with Dana...in time. Thanks for your patience today with waiting for an update.

The Cool News

Thank you for patiently waiting for the good/cool news. So wait no more!

As you all probably know, Lance Armstrong has always been at the top of Dana's most influential people. Having survived cancer, Lance's journey inspired Dana to maintain his positive attitude through his own bout with cancer. Since that point Dana has biked across the country, run as fast as he could to raise money, and logged countless mileage all in the name of cancer and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

So look to the right or below and you'll find the cool news. It might not seem like much but we believe a personal note written to Dana from Lance himself may inspire Dana to pull through any hurdle that lies in his way, just as Lance did.

P.S. we're sorry the "good" part of the news isn't directly referring to Dana, but if you know Dana, you'll know what this will mean to him.

Wednesday, August 22 - 4:13 pm

We think Dana's back surgery will most likely happen next Monday(8/27) or Tuesday (8/28). He still has a temperature and we don't want to risk a set back. Dana is doing amazing. He rested well during the night and is still breathing on his own since Sunday night, so his lungs are steadily improving. He just arrived back from a procedure that involved installing a "Greenfield Filter". It's basically a way to catch any blood clots that may form.

Oh and sorry the blogsite was down. Apparently Google couldn't handle the traffic that this site was generating. We told Google to step up their side of the deal, so keep the traffic coming!

We also have other good/cool news but will have to post that a bit later. (Keep your refresh button clear)

Dana's Address

We have had many requests for Dana's mailing address. It is:


Albany Medical Center
43 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208

Dana Carr
Room D3 19

Thanks so much for the notes of encouragement, faith, hope, love and good wishes for Dana.

Tuesday, Aug. 21st.. 2:20

Here is the mid afternoon update. Dana had a restful night. The did do the Echo this morning but we're still waiting on the results. We're also waiting on culture results to determine the source of his higher temperature. The orthopedic physicians just re-splinted his left arm. We're also still waiting to hear when the next surgery will happen.

Over and out for now from the Virtual Waiting Room.

Monday Night

It's now 11:00 pm and we've just left the ICU a little bit ago. Today was a pretty good day...for everyone. Dana has been temporarily taken off his respirator. This is a very good sign that his lungs have begun to heal. However, he will only be off the respirator as long as he can tolerate it. If he, at any point, stops breathing or has difficulty, the respirator will alarm and begin to aide his breathing.

As for his back surgery we still have not heard what the plan is. We were under the impression it was going to take place Tuesday morning, but we haven't heard that it's still going to happen. So we think it's most likely going to be pushed back a little bit.

He had a fever for most of the day but it was down to 99 at the end of the night. It was at 101 yesterday so we're very pleased with that too.

He also had a wound vac put on his arm too where the operation to fix his forearm took place. If the wound vac heals the area the way they hope, he may not need a skin graft here.

We also mentioned earlier that an Echo cardiogram was done with no results. We were incorrect and that no Echo had been performed. We don't know if they still intend to do one in the morning, but we'll let you know.

He looked very peaceful and more at ease today. As a result, we too were more at ease with today's progress.

Update for Monday morning

After a restful Sunday, Dana continues to hang in there. His vitals are continuing to progress and remain consistent. He's recently developed a temperature and the physicians are looking into the source. His new IV line, which provides a port for medicines to be administered, can be left in now for a much longer period of time (up to a year). The old IV lines had to be removed every couple days, then cultured for potential infections. So the new IV line is a really good thing.

They performed an Echo cardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) this morning to determine if there were any "overlooked" issues. The results have not been determined yet.

Dana's left elbow, the one that was dislocated, might need to be reset as the physicians think it might not be aligned correctly.

Dana's a bit more alert and requiring more sedation to keep him from biting his breathing tube or from pulling it out. He's still a feisty one!

That's pretty much all that's going on today....so far. We'll keep you posted.

Quick Post

Hello everyone,

The latest Dana news is that the team here believes they've found the cause of Dana's lung issues. They think he has a "Flail Chest". If that's the case, they'll transfer him onto a special bed that will alleviate his chest issues. Then they should be able to perform the operation.

They're not sure if they are going to operate Monday or Tuesday. Either way, it looks and sounds much more positive.

As Dana becomes more awake and aware of his surroundings, he is becoming very anxious and excited. He wants to be able to talk and interact with all of his visitors. However, his heart rate and blood pressure are going way up when he hears familiar voices. He then opens his eyes and wants to interact. So we have decided that it is best to not have people go in and visit Dana until ater his surgery because it is so important for him to rest these next few days before surgery. He is becoming a bit feisty and wants his tubes out! The nurses also say, the more he becomes aware of things, the more he is going to feel the pain. So we want him to rest and feel as comfortable as he can as his body recovers.

We want to thank all who have traveled to see Dana. We know your visits have helped Dana realize he has so many people that love him. Now that he has come this far, we have to keep our emotions contained in the waiting room until after Dana's surgery. It will be very difficult not seeing him as frequently, but we also realize we need to do what's in Dana's best interest...not what's best for us. Thanks for your prayers, it is keeping us all going strong. We will check back in with you all tonight!

Same as yesterday

Hello,

There hasn't been much change as of yesterday. The physicians attempted to perform the back surgery again today, but had to abort for the same reason as yesterday. Unfortunately, they're in a catch-22. The lungs need to be better in order for the surgery to happen. Yet performing the surgery will quicken the recovery of the lungs.

He's back up in the Surgical ICU where he's been since Monday. He's currently resting, but awakens about every hour when the nursing staff tests his vitals. When he wakes up, he's pretty groggy due to the sedation from this morning's surgery preparation. Most likely he'll be alert again tonight like he was yesterday.

We thank you all for keeping an eye on the blog and pulling for Dana.

6:30 pm......to our virtuals...

The most amazing thing just happened...... nurse Anatolli just came to the door and we were all startled.......he said "he is wide awake"

Mom is so excited that she passed the torch to Cuzin Joey to continue with the blog. As Courtney and Mom went in, Dana was wide awake, Eyes wide open, acknowledging all who were around him. Thus a line formed outside the doors for all of us waiting to get a chance to see the newly rejuvinated Dana.

As we all went in we got a rash of responses from eyes open to his arm moving up and down, to giving us a thumbs up, and he even said bye through the tubes. Once we all went though, Courtney returned to his side where he reached out for her hand.

The level of excitement here in the hospital is amazing. We are all so grateful for the progress of our Dana! We can't thank you all enough for all of your support and prayers, its working!

This is Cuzin Joey signing out, stay tuned for more updates thru the night..


GO DANA!

Latest News to everyone in the "virtual" waiting room

Hi all. Sorry we haven't sent any updates yet, but we actually haven't had any until this point.

So here's the news. Dana was scheduled to have his back operated on this morning pending the Dr's feeling of his vital stats. Around noon, the doctor decided his vital stats were stable and looking good enough to proceed with the operation. Dana was transported from the ICU to the Operating Room (OR). He was turned onto his stomach, which puts some stress on his body, and they watched his vital stats. Soon thereafter his vital stats jumped and the team felt Dana was not ready for the surgery. Therefore they have postponed the surgery until tomorrow morning.

On a lighter note, Dana was "wide awake" this morning. Courtney got a call from a nurse who advised she come over. Dana woke up and lipped, "Wife". So Courtney rushed right over and got a very responsive question/answer conversation. He was moving his whole arm, shaking his head, and giving thumbs-up.

Thanks so much to the wonderful nurses helping Dana hour by hour.... Megan, Patty, Jessimin, Megan, Bernie, Anotolli, Judy, and all the other nursing support staff. You are angels.............

R & R late night update

Dana rested today and his vitals are still looking good. If his vitals are stable in the morning the neuro surgeon will consider repairing his displaced vertebrae. If not Dana will rest until Monday and then undergo the surgery.

We've got the TV in his room tuned to the weather channel and Dana gave the selection a nod after Dave asked him (that is what Dave and Dana always watched during the ride of 05)!

Thank you so much for all of the amazing support..... we love hearing from you and Dana is so blessed to have so many loving and caring friends and family. We love you all.

That is it for now......... from the Carr waiting room............

ACTUALLY........THIS JUST IN..........

Courtney just came back out with grey surgical gloves on, a HUGE smile and great news! The nurse asked Courtney if she wanted to perform the neuro check and Courtney did. So Courtney lifted his right eye and Dana immediately focused on her. She asked, "Dane....you can see me, right?!" Then Dana nodded!!

P.S. Courtney is saving the gloves!

R & R Day

Hi everyone and thank you for all your prayers and thoughts.

Dana had a good night and all of his vital signs are stable and good. If he continues to be stable they're hoping to do his spinal surgery tomorrow. This morning when asked if he could hear everyone around him, he nodded acknowledging their presence. We were told that today will be a day of rest in preparation for tomorrow.

He's still looking good. Please keep him in your everyday thoughts and prayers. As you can see, they are helping!

P.S. There are two nice articles written on Dana. One was in the Corning Leader yesterday. The other was printed today in the Times Union:
Click Here for Times-Union Story.

Phase 2 Complete

Hi all from the Carr Waiting Room. We have good news to deliver.

It was just moments ago that one of the Orthopedic doctors left the room after delivering the best news we've heard yet. He relayed to us that as he entered the operating room, Dana's femur had already been plated and screwed and was ready for his part. Because Dana was tolerating the surgery so well he began to operate on Dana's forearm. Again, more plates and screws were inserted and Dana was wrapped up and sent back to his room in the ICU. Although Dana will have more surgeries to come in these areas, he seems to be tolerating them well and we have no doubt that further surgeries will be just as successful as these were. So as Dana is resting up, we are filled with happy thoughts and we thank you all again for your warm wishes and prayers.

P.S. Give yourselves an extra couple hours when travelling with Dana as he passes through the metal detectors.

3:10pm est - August 15

Surgeon checked in with us a short time ago. They successfully sewed his abdomen back up, and removed his appendix. Right now the orthopedic surgeons are working on his broken arm and hand. If that goes well, they will also work on his broken leg right after. If they continue with the leg, they may not finish until late this afternoon - perhaps around 6pm or so.

So far so good....

Dex (Dana's cousin)...

11:20 am 8/15/07

11:20.... surgery delayed..... but soon.... scheduling issues.....Dana had a good night .... doing well....the plan is to check his abdomen and maybe close the incision and the orthopedic docs are planning to work on his left arm and if all goes well his left leg....

thanks and love to everyone for all of you messages, prayers and overwhelming love and support....it means everything to us!..... so keep it up...... it's working.......... will update later today.... surgery, once it begins will take hours, but as soon as we have good news we'll update the blog......... love to all and thank you so much for everything........ Linda (mama Carr)......

Due to schedule changes in the OR, DB's surgery is now happening around 10:30. The doctor is going to go in and close up his abdomen, as they have had it open to alleviate pressure on his lungs, and if his body tolerates that, they will continue on with repairing the fractures in his arm and hand. Things will go one step at a time, and should be a few hours before we hear anything depending on the progress of each surgery.

Tuesday Night Update

Jessy here again,

Wanted to give everyone an end of the day report. (Aug 14, 11:00pm EST)

Dana is comfortably in his new, high-tech fancy bed, and it is now in full swing! Literally! It very slowly rotates from side to side to keep his blood moving, and to relax and settle his spine. The bed specialist came in and set everything up this afternoon. Dana seems to be responding to it well. His oxygen levels are great, still sharing the duties with the machine, but definitely taking on more of the role of breathing on his own. The nurses have cut back on his blood pressure meds, which is a good sign towards his stability.

Because of all the positive progress, Dana is scheduled to go in for surgery tomorrow at 7:30am so they can begin to repair the fractures in his left arm and leg. During your morning routine tomorrow, please keep up the positive thoughts for a successful surgery! We will let you know the results once he is out and back in the ICU tomorrow afternoon.

We're all very excited for such progress. All the doctors and nurses are amazing, and quite impressed at what a strong man he is. Obviously, none of us are surprised. He's too competitive and high-spirited to let this get him down! More soon!

New Update

Hi, this is Dave Benyo. We just got informed by a nurse that Dana has been moved to his new bed. It's this really sophisticated looking bed that will swing back and forth to relieve pressure from his back, letting the spine settle. This is a huge step and one that they didn't know if they'd be able to perform until he was ready.

The nurse also informed us that when she told him he was going to be moving to another bed, Dana shook his head up and down indicating he agreed. Once he was in his new bed, she informed him and he shook his head again.

We're also told that they are not going to be using the bed's rotating mechanism yet as they don't use this type of bed very often. They are awaiting a representative from the bed's company to come and start the bed's motion and to oversee the progress.

At this point they're still not allowing visitors, but we're outside in the waiting room waiting patiently to see our Dana!

Hey all! Jessy, Dana's sister here! This is going to be kind of a family free for all, so extended fam and friends who are here will all be pitching in to keep this current. We just wanted to let you know, that the accident happened Sunday night around 8pm, not Monday, like my poor editor of a cousin wrote earlier :-) kidding.

Anyway, just wanted to also let you know that the doctor's want to keep the visiting Dana in the ICU limited, because they really want to focus on resting him and keeping him moving forward. I guess we over did a bit with the loads of people coming and going cheering him on yesterday! We appreciate everyone's thoughts and support SO much, but just wanted to let you know that if you were planning on stopping by, we'd love to see you, but there most likely won't be access into seeing DB. I'm sure down the road, he will love all the visitors encouraging and keeping him busy. For now though, good thoughts will do just fine! Thanks for everything! We'll continue to keep you posted.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANA! 28! WOO HOO!