Thursday, May 3, 2012

Andrea's Rainbow


On February 28, 2012 Andrea was in her home Ennis Ireland she collapsed and went into cardiac arrest Her boyfriend David "Mul" Mulcahy was right there with her and began CPR and called 911 (999) Paramedics arrived within 4 minutes. They took CPR over and after 15 minutes and 3 to 6 shocks to get her heart going, they loaded her in the ambulance  then she was transported to Limerick Region hospital in critical condition. Meanwhile Deidre "Dee" O'neill arrived home to find the commotions going on, waited on perimedics to get Andrea set and ready then her and Mul followed the ambulance to the hospital. Questions going through their minds were What happened? How could a 24 year old have a heart attack? What did she choke on? Is she going to be okay?
After arriving to the hospital Andrea was placed in the Intensive Care Unit and the life support systems were being connected; Breathing tube, feeding tube, monitors, and later dialysis. She was in a coma and no one knew why. Her friend Katheryn "Kat" Adams meet them at the hospital and began calling and trying to reach us. The doctors told Kat and Mul that Andrea may not make it; things looked very grim.
When I woke up Tuesday I noticed 6 missed calls from Andrea and couldn't imagine what was wrong. Andrea was to move into their new apartment today? I called and heard hello I said "Andrea" and then I heard  "No this is Kat" and she proceeded to tell me what happened.
Prayers begun immediately and I was on my way to Ireland. Praying constantly and knowing that my neighbor and good friend Tracie already started the prayer chains I had peace and comfort for Andrea's recovery. As I took off from San Jose I saw the most beautiful rainbow over the runway and couldn't help but believe that was a gift from God to tell me everything will be alright. I had an overnight  in Charlotte.  While there I called Mul he sounded very worried and concerned. I called the ICU and spoke with Doctor O'Malley she said Andrea was very ill and that it is good that I am coming. I also heard Andrea was stable but critical. It would take me 2 days to get there but I met my Mom in Newark and we got there as soon as we could.
We were keeping everything posted on facebook to help everyone to stay updated, so prayers were truly being said all over the world.
My life verse is Romans 8:28 All things work together for the good, to them that love God and are called according to His purpose...
So my belief was that there was a reason Mul was there with her when she collapsed and that the paramedics were there with-in 4 minutes and that Andrea is still alive.
After our arrival and seeing Andrea the severity of her injury was realized. She was hooked up to all kinds of machines, on heavy sedation, and her face had red spots. But as a mother I was thanking God she was alive.

Week 1 Andrea has gone through all test to determine what could have happened. She had an MRI to check for brain damage and there is some. Doctors come to guess that it may be Epilepsy because of the area of the brain affected. She was still having seizures and the plan is to get those stopped. Meanwhile we are keeping her comfortable with reflexology, and grooming fixing her hair, facials, manicures and pedicures. We constantly spoke with her believing she can hear us and gave her music on her I-pod to listen to while she was waiting to wake up. She was opening her eyes but no response. Except when we told her to keep blinking her eyes so they don't get dry. The Occipital lobe is the area with the damage and Dee (who works with TBI patients) talked to us about what functions that area affects. It would not be her personality or memories.

Week 2 Her Dad made it for a visit, He could only stay for a week but we knew she would know he was there and hear his voice. Her Grandma and I stayed with Dee and Mike and her Dad stayed with Mul's parents. We had lots of wonderful friends and family bringing us back and forth to the hospital. Phillip, (Mul's brother), Dee, Selina (Andrea and Dees) friend. and Kate Lorraine's (Mul's Mom) friend. We took videos of us in the waiting room to document what was going on during her coma so she could watch later. This week Seizures are still happening although not visible the EEG test picked them up. Andrea began thrashing her arms and legs and they would up her sedation to get them to stop. With sedation and upping the seizure meds with sedation. How could she ever respond. We would spend every moment we could in with her. Doctors would come by for their testing and observations. But Andrea was not giving responses.

Week 3 Andrea's Grandma, Mul, and I found a great place to stay within walking distance to the hospital. This was sweet relieve to be able to go back and forth. The Doctors' and nurses are saying that Andrea should be responding, even under the sedation she is on. She had a 3rd EEG to see if the seizures were still happening and on Friday. Dr O'Connor said there is no obvious signs of seizures but the reports are unofficial. We will speak to the neurologist about the next week. Andrea was still thrashing and sometimes severely. They continued to up sedation and we continued our reflexology, our physical therapy, and grooming. It was obvious to me her stomach was bothering her because it made noises and etc. How else can she tell us She had a breathing tube down her throat. This week they began to wean her from the breathing machine and put a trecholostomy in her neck. This is a big step in the right direction. We are still very prayful, we had Father O'Neil and the Chaplains assistant Rose coming by to pray with us when possible and lots of prayer all over the world. Our ladies prayer group, in Costa Rica, church family in Texas, friends and family's churches and friend's and family in Ireland. We have claimed Andrea's full recovery.

Week 4 Andrea's Grandma needed to return home to take care of things there and David would be joining me. The neurologist has gone on vacation this week and we wondered why we could reach him to get the official reports of the EEG. But it was obvious that she was not having seizure and the thrashing medication did not work because her thrashing was not involuntary. I kept telling the nurses that it is her stomach and they claimed they were giving her something for it. It was difficult to watch her go through this but we are glad she will not remember this part. I went through days of crying but remained prayful and had faith that she is recovering. Lorraine and I was in for a visit and Andrea smiled for us 3 times upon request. Now that is responding. But when we asked her to do it for the nurses no response. We had a meeting set up when Dr Elijah (the neurologist) got back the next week. Meanwhile her main Doctor Dr O'Conner met with David, Mul, and I. She said, "Andrea should be responding and we should consider What Andrea would want? "Would she want to live this way" I exclaimed "We are not giving up on her" "She smiled for us 3 times" the doctor said she can't document that because her or the nurses had not observed any responses. We were devastated even though we knew that she is going to have a full recovery.

Reason for our faith Matthew 7:7 Ask and it shall be giving, Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you...

David, Mul and I talked and agreed that we should get Andrea to Texas to the Texas Medical Center and another group of specialist. It seamed they had given up on Andrea. I got on the phone with Mary Pinkley my good friend and an agent for Spring Chicken Travel to get our claim started with Travel Guard. Our mission to get Andrea home began and her Aunt Tricia, Dad, cousin Kristin and many friends worked feverishly to find an accepting hospital for Andrea. Also Travel Guard was getting the plane scheduled and helping find the hospital. Glitch was Andrea did not have US medical insurance. Doctor Motherway from ICU got the paperwork process from this end and everything would have to be approved by the team of Doctors in Ireland on Andrea's case in order for her to travel on the medical aircraft. Our Meeting would be next Wednesday at 3:00 pm
Our next with visited Andrea was just as everyday before. The nurses ask, "Did the Doctor speak with you?" They expected to see me devestated and couldn't believe I was acting as if everything was as before. I expected to see Andrea fully recovery. We continued her pampering and went through another slow weekend waiting on the meeting next week and another MRI. The nurses tried to stay positive with us and kept very supportive. We still tried to lower sedation daily and get her weaned from the breathing machine. That was going slowly especially since she would thrash about and they would increase the sedation. We were getting no where. It was very frustrating our thoughts were how can she ever wake up with so much Opias based medication.

Week 5 Monday  we had our visits and repeatedly told Andrea we are going to Texas and that they are having a big BBQ for her. Although not an official response we could see when she was irritated or pleased. Paperwork was done for transport but hospital has not accepted her yet. I could not wait on the meeting with the medical team. Tuesday we arrived at the hospital and Andrea was gone to have her MRI we waited for her return and saw her come back through into ICU. Later that afternoon Dr Elijah came by after reviewing the MRI and said he could not see obvious changes from the original test but this was unofficial. Wednesday morning about 1 am the phone rings, it's the hospital stating that Andrea has been moved to the High Dependency Unit. Although her condition remains the same. We worried about the visiting hours being strict. When we arrive to visit the said it was okay for us because we help keep her calm.The main nurse was Mary and she would be joining us for the team meeting.  We all sat down in the meeting Mul, David and I with about 6 doctors and 4 nurses to discuss Andrea's condition and transfer. Dr Elijah described the damage he saw in the MRI and how sometimes the brain can help compensate for the damage, and he had to add sometimes it doesn't. We remained to have our faith and keep positive because after all they don't know Andrea and the power of prayer. Thursday, still thrashing and stomach problems Andrea's condition still seamed the same. I called Good Friday morning to check on her and Mary told me they had to up her sedation again because Andrea had a bad night. WOW really. After arriving to the hospital this was a crying day for me I was trying to hold it together. Dr. O'Conner came by and told the nurses that under no circumstance or they to up the Remifenitol and to get her off of it. They also put stomach meds into place for her stomach problems.
That night we went home early and I researched again about solutions and prayed that God give us answers. I ran across a treatment called Stilnox it has worked for hundreds. This was encouragement.
Easter Saturday Morning: As Dave and I took our 15 minute walk to the hospital we made plans for our day. I was so upbeat about the Stilnox and thinking that God has something that could work. David said we are not even going to need this. He put a plan and goals into place for Andrea today. We arrived at the hospital and discovered they had her quarantined because the had the Winter vomiting bug... Go figure there was something wrong with her stomach. We got into her room and David was on her left side and I on her right David said, "Andrea we are going to ask you some questions, If you want to answer Yes blink twice and for no blink once." "Do you understand" then one very slow blink and then two. WOW PTL she answered. He then ask, "Andrea can you squeeze my hand" I'm telling her don't worry Andrea if you can't...David looked at me and said She's squeezing my hand. I then ask her "Andrea does your stomach feel better" Two very slow but definite blinks...Andrea "Do you love Momma" Guess you want to know how many blinks? Tears of joy filled our eyes so I walked away so she could not see me cry.  She was giving her biggest most beautiful smiles and upon request. The nurse came in was witnessing her responses and I made sure it was documented. Mul came in a flash and the awakening was official. She was smiling and blinking for everyone. Dee and Selina came up to fix her hair to paint her toe nails. She had started nodding her head for yes and no by the evening. Celebrations began. Andrea was Awake and responding. Now we are ready to let the recovery begin...PTL for the answers to prayers and giving us the grace, comfort and faith.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Meanwhile Theresa (Andrea's cousin) with many other wonderful friends and family have arranged for a fundraiser on April 21, 2012 to help with Andrea's medical expenses.  Facebook post have been tremendous and everyones prayers and support are so comforting. Team Andrea's Website was put into place and donations were coming in. We want to say a special thanks to everyone who helped, supported, and donated.