The Accident

On 4/16/2010 at approximately 10 to 10:15pm, my Lenny was involved in a serious boating accident. There were 6 occupants of the boat, all were injured. Both Lenny and his best friend Jakie sustained life threatening injuries and were airlifted to trauma centers, Jakie to Las Vegas, Lenny to Phoenix.

I received a call at 1:45am informing me of the accident. I then spent the next 2 hours trying to find him and find out what happened. After calling two hospitals I found Jakie, and then called his mom and she took it from there. I still couldn't find Lenny, so I called the Lake Havasu Police and they got back to me in about a half an hour telling me he was in Phoenix and that the social worker would be calling me soon. Next came the longest 20 minutes of my life. Waiting to hear....

Lenny sustained the following injuries - Completely fractured face from the upper jaw to above the eyes, broken neck, broken ribs, collapsed lungs, and severely broken legs. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I spent the next several minutes rallying friends and getting to YiYi (that is what Lenny calls his sister). We all headed to Phoenix and below I will update you on his condition, how we are holding up, and have a way to communicate with you to keep you updated and be able to answer your questions and be able to get the support we so desperately need from all the wonderful people that love him.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Week Two - Monday

So today was a rough day. We arrived at the morning visit to learn that Lenny had a rough night and they had to turn up the oxygen on his vent. Which means that he will not be doing any vent trials to get off the vent today. Also, he had pulled out his feeding tube that goes in his nose and down into his intestines. This means they would have to put it back in, which was not going to be fun for him. He was sleeping the whole time we were there because they had given him medicine to calm him down. So basically he took a big step backwards overnight, not life threatening steps backward, but progress steps backward.

Upon arriving back at the hotel I had a package from my work. It was full of gift cards and positive words that brought tears to my eyes. How could I be so lucky to be part of such a wonderful family. I love you guys, and wouldn't be able to make it through this without you.

When we arrived at the afternoon visit the nurse told us she tried to get the feeding tube back in but has been unsuccessful. He hates it, of course, so they were having a hard time. He was pretty much out of it all day because of all the medication for pain and to relax him. They are not sedating him because it would not be helpful to his breathing recovery, but he is getting pain medicine and something to help him relax. Plus every time he gets excited it just takes to much energy out of his and he is even more tired.

In the afternoon I received 5 more Get Well/Support cards and I can't thank you all enough. Alaina's daughter Chloe had even colored Lenny a picture of a cat cause she knows how much "Yenny yikes kitties". It was priceless. I spent the afternoon busily writing out thank you cards for all the donations I have received towards Lenny's care. I am speechless with gratitude to you all for your prayers, love, and support.

At the evening visit I was so excited to see him because he had been out of it all day, and when we walked in the nurses told me not to wake him. They had put the feeding tube back in after a two hour ordeal and he was pissed. He tried pulling everything out including the breathing tube so it had been a rough afternoon. So we only stayed a few minutes so as not to disturb him. At this point I was starting to melt down after this trying day, and on top of it all he really hasn't been communicating with us much in the past few days. I was a little glad two days ago when he was out of it and not asking me about the Laker Game (they lost by 20 and that was news I did not want to report), but now it was just getting to be a long time since I really felt his presence there. All we get is about 20 seconds of him squeezing my hand tightly and then he is back to sleep. I know he needs his rest and I want him to get it. I am just missing him. This whole ordeal scares me so much that I don't know where to channel those feelings. Those of you that know me know that I have become very good over the years on holding everything inside and just pushing it down, but I have not been able to push this down. It all sits in my stomach, or at least that is where it feels like it is, and never goes away. I am sure I will find a way to deal with all of these feelings I have inside, but as of right now I just feel like ......  I don't know what. A lot of me feels like I have no reason to feel all these feelings because at least he is alive, but it all still hurts so much. There are so many aspects of this hurting me that I don't know how to deal with, but none of that matters, only Lenny does. Lenny getting better and coming home. I can't even imagine at this point being at home in our house without him there if he has to go to rehabilitation center for his legs. I am scared for what he is thinking inside his head when he is awake, he has a feeding tube in his nose, a neck brace, a breathing tube into the trach in his throat, his jaw wired shut, his eyes are stitched closed, two broken legs, and his hands are tied down to the bed. It must be awful for him. He can't see, can't talk, and can't move. I know it could be worse, but it must be torture for him in there.

At the night visit he was still asleep, and I just stood there and held his hand lightly so I didn't disturb him. They had turned down the oxygen on the vent so vent trials can resume again tomorrow. I stood there and studied his face as the swelling is going down slowly and the bruising is lightening. His skin looks beautiful. We got so lucky to have such a fabulous facial reconstruction surgeon. The only thing that I can think he will have different when this is all over is the scar that runs from ear to ear over the top of his head and his nose. His nose looks beautiful, but it will have some scarring and maybe some changes to his nostrils, but for the most part he looks great. They had told us so much awful things to prepare for when we were on the way here for his face, but it was all mostly his nose, which they fixed before we ever even saw him. I am glad for that. I imagined his face was all messed up like hamburger meat, but it isn't, it was just his nose and that is fixed. Everything that is wrong with his face is under the surface. We won't know if he will need more facial work until after he has healed more. He may still need a plate behind his eye to keep it from sinking back, he already has one underneath to keep it from sinking down, but for the most part the worst seems to be over. Now just the healing. The doctor joked with me when he was doing the facial surgery if we wanted the big holes in his ears he has stretched out stitched up. I told him no way, he already lost his goatee which was his pride and joy. He has been growing that for 10 years, and I don't know if he remembers it is gone, but when he does I know he will be disappointed. I have not seen Lenny clean shaven EVER, I don't even know the last time he has seen himself clean shaven. LOL. 

Today was a rough day, tomorrow will be a better day.

Love to you all, Nancy

9 comments:

  1. I am praying you have a better, stronger day tomorrow. Just know it is okay to have bad days. With bad days come good days. Just keep writing so you feelings have a place to go. Praying for you, Lenny and Jakie.

    Love Jen Evans, XOXOXO

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  2. Nancy....
    It is a mothers worse nightmare not to be able to protect her daughter from all the problems of the world. I wish I new just what to do to better help you through this horrible time in yours and Lenny's life.
    I want you to know that all though it seems he took a step backwards yesterday in my past experience in the medical field it also lets us know that Lenny is trying more and more to come out of this and when he does it is not uncommon for him to be frustrated and overwhelmed by all the tubes coming from him. Patients usually going through something like this do try and pull the tubes out. The best thing you can do is whenever you are around him try to talk to him about the tubes and what they are doing for him and if he stays calm the sooner they will all be removed and you may have to tell him this over and over because pain meds make you forget the things being told to you.
    Stay strong my daughter better days are ahead. I pray today goes better for the both of you and soon he will be off the vent and into a room where you can stay with him and help him to understand and get through the days ahead until he makes a full recovery. An believe me Nancy that day is going to come.

    I LOVE YOU
    Mom

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  3. Wow.. Nancy... I am sorry you and Yiyi had to go through that yesterday.. More though I'm sorry that Lenny was so uncomfortable. How wonderful that you are getting so much support from so many different directions. I am glad to be here to fill any need you may have.. Please let me know.. I'm thinking about popping by on sunday again.. Maybe bring you guys some grub.. Love you.. Melisa

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  4. Hi, Sorry to hear yesterday didn't go well. Hopefully today brings more progress and a better day. Stay positive and just tell Lenny you love him and you girls are there for him.
    When he realizes his goatee is gone, tell him you and him can watch a new one grow together. Go LAKERS!!! Win for Lenny tonight!!

    God Bless you all!!

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  5. Hi Nancy - My heart goes out to you & Lenny right now. I cannot imagine the emotional roller coaster ride you are experiencing. I can only tell you that you have so many wonderful family & friends who are there for you - what a blessing to have. You cannot do this alone. Bill & I continue to pray for Lenny & you.... lean on God who is always there reaching out to you!!! Things are quiet on Truman Ct., Chino :)
    Bill & Marlene

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  6. Hello Nancy,

    My thought and prayers are with you and ur family. I too can't not imagine the emotional roller coaster you are going through. Just take each day at a time. And I hope for a very speedy recovery.

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  7. My thought and prayers are with you. I have known Lenny for years and he a strong person as well as a fighter. Just take it one day at time and never question why...as long as Lenny knows you are there he is going to be okay.
    Donna Mitchell
    Ridgecrest, CA.

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  8. Hey Nancy,
    I just want you to know that I am thinking about you Lenny and Jakie everyday. I am so glad that you are able to be there with Lenny, I know that he needs you there to get better faster. I love you both.
    Love- Kelly

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  9. Lenny,
    I just heard about the accident when i stopped by Acc house. I did not believe anyone when they told me, i could not imagine that happening to someone that i have known for so long. When i was driving back home all i thought about was what i could do to help, i talked to Nancy and she had told me how you were doing which was a sigh of relief. Your a fighter so dont stop fighting and i know that you will win this through. My wife and I are a phone call away so let us know if there is anything that we could do to help. 480 888 6861 I WILL talk to you soon.....Little Bitch.

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