March 31, Midnight update

Quick update.

Linda has improved enough to make the move yesterday from the ICU at LDS Hospital up the road a few blocks to the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center (the old Holy Cross Hospital). She's now on the second floor in an acute care facility called Promise where she will remain for the next several weeks as she continues to heal and gain back her strength.

Before she left the ICU early Tuesday evening, she had what they are hoping to be her last dialysis treatment. Her kidneys have improved to the point where her doctors are feeling confident enough to suspend those treatments for now and remove the shunt in her chest. They also replaced her existing trach tube with a smaller one that will allow her to begin speech therapy. All this was done prior to loading her up in an ambulance and transporting her to Promise.

She's now had most of the IVs removed from her arms and is continuing to breath on her own for most of the day. This takes an incredible amount of effort on her part so the respiratory therapist is attaching the ventilator at night to help her rest.

With the feeding tube and ventilator repositioned from her nose and mouth, the sores on her nose and lips have almost completely healed. She looks beautiful!

She's becoming more and more aware of her surroundings and physical condition and is able to consistently answer questions posed to her by nodding and shaking her head. She's also begun to mouth letters and words within the last couple of days. She's remembering words and phrases during her sessions with her therapists, even when they try to trick her.

Linda's cute personality is slowly beginning to shine through the haze and if you're lucky enough to be on the receiving end of one of her smiles...it's as if you've been given a priceless gift. She was even able to roll her eyes at me after one of my stupid remarks and direct a special Allen family "gesture of love" to our brother Steve. :-)

Our sister Patti was able to make the trip from North Carolina to Salt Lake yesterday and was greeted with a big smile and a tight squeeze of the hand from Linda. We're glad she's here with us for a few days.

Linda's working hard and doing the things she's being asked to do. She's a fighter and we know that she's being blessed because of your love and support. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers...we know it's making a positive difference. Thank you.

March 28, 6:30p update

It's been three weeks today since Linda was admitted to the hospital. The Strep A infection that attacked her body is largely under control but the lasting effects remain. The great news is that she's making progress each day and she seems very determined to recover fully.

Since her tracheotomy last Wednesday, she's been breathing mainly on her own, only needing a little help from the ventilator at nights. Along with the ventilator being moved from her mouth to her neck, her feeding tube has been repositioned from her nose to her abdomen. Both of these things have made her much more comfortable. Her kidneys continue to improve and they've cut back her dialysis treatments to every other day.

One of the most difficult things right now seems to be how weak the infection has left her. With her body beginning to heal, Linda grows impatient and frustrated at times with the fact that she's still unable to speak and engage in more physical activity. Those of you who know Linda can appreciate this. Patience isn't her strongest virtue. :-)

Linda's physical and occupational therapists continue to work with her and push her each day. They help her stand briefly and walk to her chair where she sits for up to 90 minutes at a time. They exercise her arms and legs and ask her to respond to questions that test her dexterity. After these twice daily sessions, she's physically exhausted and barely able to keep her eyes open for any length of time.

Her doctors are encouraged however and are considering a move to a transitional care facility close by. We should know more tomorrow and I will be sure and update you with the specifics as we get them. She continues to receive wonderful care from the professionals here at LDS Hospital and we're grateful for they kind and loving way they administer to Linda.

Her family visits her each day and Lynn is constantly at her side. And the outpouring of love and concern from each of you has been heartwarming. Linda is truly loved. Thank you.

March 26, 3:30p update

Sorry for missing the updates the last couple of days. Linda's at a point now in her recovery where she continues to make daily progress and, thankfully, there isn't a lot of new details each day. So, I'm going to be updating this blog every few days or as new news dictates.

Linda's tracheotomy on Wednesday afternoon went very well. With the ventilator tube out of her mouth her sores will be able to heal and she will be able to begin speech therapy.

Her kidneys are continuing to respond and she's doing well with her physical therapy. She's currently undergoing a 3 1/2 dialysis treatment which they will continue every other day. Her doctor's are planning on moving her feeding tube from her nose to her abdomen later today, which will make her much more comfortable. She's down to only 4 IVs and breathing tubes attached to her which is a great improvement! :-)

With her infection under control and her overall health improving, they're focusing their attention on helping her regain her strength.

Thank you again for all of your love and continued faith on Linda's behalf. We're excited to see her progress and thankful that she is still with us.

March 23, Midnight update

I'm amazed at the human spirit...

...and I love my sister.

Linda continues to make small improvements each day and seems to be more and more aware of her surroundings and current condition.

I was lucky enough to be able to spend another morning with her today. She was sitting upright in the chair by her bed when I arrived and, although she tired quickly, was able to hold her head up by herself and respond to the questions she was asked. Her nurse shampooed her hair and I washed her arms and hands with a warm washcloth. After we returned her to her bed, I had the chance to be alone with her for awhile, uninterrupted by the normal hustle and bustle of her nurses.

It had snowed lightly on my drive down from Park City, but now the sun was shining through her window and filling her room with light. For once, the rest of the ICU was quiet so I offered to read to her and she nodded her approval. I read an article from one of her favorite magazines and a "Get Well" card from one of her dear friends. After, I talked to her about a lot of different things; the events of the last two weeks, the spring weather we've been having, her granddaughters, memories from our childhood together, and the progress she's been making each day. When we finished talking, we watched a few funny video clips on my laptop computer. My kids can probably guess which ones. :-)

Her eyes stayed open and focused the entire time. She tried her best to smile once or twice and answered all of my questions with a simple nod or shake of her head. Even though she's unable to use her voice or move her mouth at this point in her recovery, she can speak volumes with her eyes and facial expressions.

Tomorrow will be another big day for Linda. After another 3 1/2 hour dialysis treatment in the morning, she's scheduled for a tracheotomy (which will be performed at her bedside under local anesthesia) in the afternoon. At some point in between, the wound specialist will change the vacuum-pac dressing on her incision.

I was able to attend the status meeting this morning with her doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and technicians. Overall, they continue to be encouraged by the progress she's making and feel that the tracheotomy will be another positive step forward in her recovery. The "trach" will reposition the ventilator tube from her mouth to her neck, just below her vocal chords. This will allow her to begin some more aggressive physical therapy which will help increase her strength. Repositioning the tube will also help her lips and mouth heal from the sores created by the ventilator.

Linda continues to fight and respond to her treatment. Her family continues to be grateful to each of you for the love and support that you've shown.

Thank you.

March 22, 5:30p update

A quick update and a couple of clarifications from yesterday.

First, I mentioned that Linda is slowly awakening from her coma. To clarify, her nurses rate her coma level (her level of awareness and ability to interact) each day on a scale of 1-15. When Linda was admitted to the ICU at LDS, she was at a level 3. Now, based on her being able to respond to questions by nodding her head and the fact that she can keep her eyes open and move her hands and feet, they're rating her at a 13/14 level.

Second, I stated that her doctors intend on performing a tracheotomy later this week to remove her ventilator tube from her mouth and throat. To clarify, the tracheotomy will reposition the ventilator from her mouth (which will help the sores on her lips and in her mouth heal) to just below her vocal chords on the front of her neck (which will hopefully allow her to begin speaking again).

I apologize for any confusion.

As far as today's update goes, she's currently awake and undergoing a 3 1/2 hour dialysis treatment. The wound specialist was just here to change the vacuum-pac dressing on her incision (which is done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and noted that her wound is healing perfectly.

Linda's kidneys continue to improve! She began producing urine again a couple of days ago and is producing more and more each day. Lynn can't believe how excited he is for a little pee. :-)

They continue to "dangle" her a couple of times each day. She sat for just over an hour this morning in her chair as part of the work she does with her physical therapists.

We're grateful for the progress she's making each day. Thank you all for your love and your comments on the blog. I pass them along each day to Linda and Lynn. Linda smiles...Lynn just grunts. :-)

Until tomorrow...

March 21, Midnight update

A long two weeks.

It was two weeks ago today that Linda was taken to the emergency room at North Davis Medical Center in Layton with an extremely aggressive Strep infection in her abdomen. The infection had caused her kidneys to fail and she had suffered a series of small strokes. Her doctors at North Davis performed emergency abdominal surgery the following day (Monday) that literally saved her life. She was then transferred to LDS Hospital later that night where she has remained in ICU. During this time she has endured two more abdominal surgeries, numerous hyperbaric chamber treatments, several MRI and CT scans, countless IVs, and almost daily dialysis treatments. The number of doctors, nurses, technicians and therapists that have cared for her to this point is staggering.

Linda's family has remained by her side each day and, along with each of you, have waited anxiously for any small sign of improvement. Thankfully there have been many.

The infection in Linda's abdomen is now under control, her kidneys are beginning to respond, and she's slowly awakening from a deep coma. Although she hasn't been able to speak yet, her eyes are open and she can respond to verbal communication by nodding her head or squeezing your hand. She's moving her feet and legs as well as her hands and arms. And, with the help of her therapists, has been able to sit in a chair and on the side of her bed for a few minutes each day.

She's now breathing almost entirely on her own but has yet to reach the point where her doctors are comfortable taking her off of the ventilator. For this reason, they're planning on performing a tracheotomy later this week so that she will be able to have the ventilator removed from her throat. Linda's suffering from sores on her lips and in her mouth which will be able to heal once the ventilator is removed. Hopefully this will help her to begin speaking again as well.

Linda has responded positively to the treatment she's received in the ICU at LDS Hospital and her doctors now feel that she would benefit from more specialized physical therapy. They're planning on transferring her to Intermountain Medical Center later this week to take advantage of the facilities there. I will make sure and update you on those plans as soon as we know them.

Linda's a fighter and it's very clear that she's not ready to throw in the towel. We love her very much and are extremely grateful that she is still with us. We're also grateful for each of you and your continued love and support. Thank you.

March 20, 6:00p update

Today's update is a lot like yesterday's. Linda continues to make progress each day and it seems like she's settling into somewhat of a routine. She had another fairly rigorous physical therapy session this morning. They helped her walk to the chair again and she was able to sit up for just under an hour again. She's continuing to respond to voice commands and can complete most of the exercises she's asked to do. These sessions really wear her out and her doctors compare the effort it takes her to do these in her weakened condition to the amount of effort it takes a healthy person to run a half marathon.

Linda's learning that the difference between a terrorist and a physical therapist is that you can reason with a terrorist. :-)

She's been resting this afternoon and is currently in the middle of a 3 1/2 hour dialysis treatment. Her white blood cell count has been a little elevated over the last week due to some side effects from some of her medication. They've been watching this closely and are pleased that it's begun to drop to a more normal level.

Many of you have asked about the possibility of visiting Linda. Unfortunately, during her stay in intensive care, the only visitors allowed are her immediate family members. She's still on life support and tires extremely easily so even her family members are trying to keep visits to a minimum. We understand and appreciate your desire to see Linda and we will update you as soon as that becomes a possibility.

Thank you again for your support and concern for Linda. We know that she is benefitting from your collective faith and prayers.

Until tomorrow...

March 19, 6:00p update

A couple pints low.

It was time for Linda's 3,000 mile check up this morning. Her brakes and windshield wipers looked great so they just gave her a couple of pints of blood and she was good to go for another 3,000. :-)

Linda's had a good day today. She's resting now after a busy morning of physical therapy. During her morning "dangle" session, they actually helped her walk over to a chair by the side of her bed! She sat there for almost an hour and followed a series of voice commands from the therapist. They had her moving her legs and feet, transferring a small tube of ointment from hand to hand, using the small tube as a weight and performing curls with both arms. Amazing! One of the interesting things about LDS Hospital is that they believe in getting their patients up and moving

The really exciting thing to see is that Linda knows her right from her left and responds to each command they give her. She also understands the questions they ask and can respond by nodding her head yes and no.

She's beginning to muster a slight smile once in a while, usually when she's talking to her daughters or Lynn. When she has the strength, she can squeeze your hand and lift her arm to wave goodbye when you leave her room for the night. The last few days have been truly amazing.

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Sorry for the short delay, but I just had the opportunity to watch Linda's Wound Specialist, Martha, change her vacuum-pac dressing on her incision. Incredible. The incision looks healthy (or "beautiful" according to Martha) and is healing very well. And with the help of the vacuum-pac, it will heal up to 50% faster.

Linda is definitely a fighter and, according to her doctors today, has reached the point in her battle against the Strep infection to have her medication changed to straight Penicillin. She's down to just a couple IV's and she's currently scheduled for dialysis treatments only every other day.

Lynn wishes to thank again each of you who continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Your faith and kindness are truly playing a role in her recovery. Thank you.

March 18, 2:00p update

I've got to start being nicer to Linda. I had forgotten how tall she is so when she stood up for the first time in 11 days this morning, I realized that she can still probably take me. :-)

That's right, during her 20-minute "dangle" session earlier today, they stood her up for a few minutes and she did great! She was working hard to help steady and support herself and she seemed to be doing just fine. She's continuing to move and flex her feet frequently as well as her hands and arms.

Linda's making progress each day but it's going to be a long and steady road to recovery. She's just now finishing up a 3 1/2 hour dialysis treatment and there are no other tests or treatments scheduled (at the moment) for the rest of today. Hopefully she'll be able to get some much needed rest.

The number of cards and letters on Linda's wall continue to grow and they definitely cheer up the room. The giant card and CD from the Primary kids was a special surprise! The love and support from each of you seems to grow each day. We can see and feel the difference it makes in not only Linda, but in each of us as well. Thank you.

P.S. A big shout out to the "Yard Fairy"! You know who you are...

March 17, 5:30p update

Pink toenails!

Linda's had one busy day today. Earlier this morning they conducted another MRI and CT scan. The results on both were positive. Her MRI showed no changes since her last one a week ago which is great news. And her CT scan showed no abscesses in her abdomen (what they were checking for) which is wonderful news as well.

The wound specialist changed her vacuum-pac dressing again today on her abdominal incision. That is quite the process and she seems pleased with the healing progress so far.

She "dangled" again today and I'm sure, for Linda, it seemed like going to the gym! She's able to respond to almost every voice command and they were having her really work it today. She's able to hold her head up, balance herself on the edge of the bed and kick her legs out. When they had her back in the bed, she was lifting her legs up a little and lifting and repositioning her arms. She was one tired girl when they were done. The physical therapists are very impressed with the progress she's making, especially in the last couple of days.

The infectious disease doctors stopped by to check on her this afternoon. They're pleased with her progress as well. During their visit, they asked Linda if her brother was in the room with her. She raised her right arm and pointed to me with her index finger. Yeah sista!!!!!

Linda's been able to stretch and move her feet around a lot the last few days so they've been able to keep the high-tops off for longer periods of time. Soooooo, in keeping with the pink Nike theme, my wife Brooke decided to paint her toenails the perfect pink to match. (See the attached photo.) They look awesome and all the nurses are jealous!

All of you have been so great with your support and love for Linda and Lynn would never want to single anyone out. But I wanted to mention how grateful Lynn is to his employer, Chris Martineau of Martineau Homes. Chris has not only covered for Lynn during the time Linda's been hospitalized, but most importantly, he's insisted that Lynn spend the necessary time with Linda without making him feel like his job was in jeopardy. Chris and his wife Sherrie are dear friends of Lynn and Linda's and we're grateful for them in their lives.

As of Monday, Lynn has been able to go back to work for a few hours each morning and check on each of his projects. Work is a blessing and sometimes the very best therapy.

Linda is resting now and hopefully preparing for her exercise session tomorrow. They're considering standing her up for the first time. Amazing.

Not to be repetitive, but a big thanks to all of you who are following this blog each day and keeping our cute sister in your thoughts and prayers. We feel of your strength and are seeing the effects of your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

March 16, 5:30p update

Who'd a thought...

...that a simple nod of the head and a wave goodbye would have meant so much?

Last night, around 10:00p, my cute wife Brooke (I realize that might imply that I have an ugly one as well) and I dropped by the hospital to check in on Linda. We had been with her most of the day but had taken some time off to go to the Jazz game with our daughter Jennie and her friend. When the game was over, we decided to stop back by on our way home and tell her goodnight.

After visiting for a few minutes with Linda's daughter Katie, we were saying our goodbyes for the night when I told Linda that we would be back to see her the following day. She looked into my eyes and nodded her head twice, as if to say "see you tomorrow". Then, as if that wasn't enough to get us cheering, she raised her right hand and waved goodbye with her fingers. We couldn't believe our eyes...what an incredible thing to see!

As we were finally leaving her room for the night, I stopped outside her doorway in the hallway and looked back in at her to find her still watching us as we left. I waved goodbye to her again and she raised her arm and waved to us one more time! That was the first time that I knew that Linda was really there and that she absolutely knew what was happening at that moment. What a miracle.

Linda's doing well today. She had another hyperbaric chamber treatment this morning and was back in her room by 12:30p. Because of the sedation they give her in preparation for that treatment and the effort it takes her to complete the treatment, she's been sleeping most of the afternoon. They continue to "dangle" her (sitting her up on the side of her bed) a couple of times each day and she will begin another 12 hour "SLED" dialysis treatment later tonight.

Her doctor has decided to suspend any additional hyperbaric treatments for the time being to allow Linda to rest as much as possible. She's scheduled for another MRI and CT scan tomorrow. They will compare this MRI with the scan they did earlier last week to see if there's been any change from the series of small strokes Linda has suffered. The CT scan will be used to determine the current status of the Strep Group A infection in her abdomen. I will update you on those results as we receive them.

The wound specialist was able to change Linda's vacuum-pack dressing on her abdominal incision yesterday and they will continue to do so every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Lynn was able to be there for that (and was able to remain in an upright position!) and said that the specialist was pleased with her healing progress to date.

All in all, she's had a good couple of days and has made some great progress. As always, we're grateful for all of the love and concern each of you continue to show. Thank you.

March 15, 2:00p update

Night or day...?

Linda made it through another night in the ICU. Although, from her perspective, I'm sure it's difficult for her to tell what time of day it is. That's why her nurse this morning wasn't too concerned that Linda was awake a good portion of the night. As many of you may know...it's difficult sometimes to distinguish between night and day in a hospital room, especially one that's filled with as many machines and monitors as hers is.

Linda continues to make progress. She seems more alert today (moving her eyes around the room, stretching her feet and toes, slightly moving her arms and legs, and squeezing a few hands along the way) and she just finished up with her one and only hyperbaric chamber treatment for the day.

She successfully "dangled" this morning (the term her doctors and nurses use when they sit her up on the side of her bed and let her feet dangle off the side) and she's resting now before her 12 hour dialysis ("SLED") treatment later this afternoon.

She continues to do the majority of her breathing on her own and her color looks really good. Now it seems like we're being greeted each day by a little more of the Linda we all know and love. Although she's still not able to speak or make any facial expressions (other than furrowing her brow when she's getting her teeth brushed!), she can look into your eyes and speak volumes.

Her doctors, nurses and technicians are amazing and each of you continue to show your great love and support for Linda and her family. We are deeply grateful. Thank you.

Last night I talked to my brother Dave. As he updated me on Linda's condition, he mentioned that she had a twinkle in her eye when she looked at Lynn and that her eyes seemed to follow him and she responded when she heard his voice. I was touched by the love that transcends the physical. When our earthly bodies are weak our spirits recognize what is most important--eternal love! Thank you Lynn for always loving our sister!

March 14, 9:00p update

OK...OK...I'm sorry for taking so long to update you today! So let's get right to it. First of all, Linda's day off yesterday from her hyperbaric chamber treatments (and any other procedure that would have taken her out of her room) was a good thing. Other than her dialysis treatment, she was able to rest most of the day. Last night I mentioned that she was beginning to track a little more with her eyes and responding to voices.

Well, that was nothing compared to today. :-)

Since last night:

1) Her nurses and physical therapists have been able to sit her up on the side of her bed twice, and she's working on her third time as I write. They keep a very close eye on her vital signs while she's up and they confirm that she's been able to handle this huge step with flying colors.

2) She's beginning to blink her eyes more frequently and she continues to improve her tracking ability each day.

3) She's definitely responding to voices and small voice commands.

4) She's started to move her head slightly from side to side and reposition her arms a little. And, within the last hour or so, wiggle and flex her feet!

5) She's beginning to squeeze your hand on command and seems to be able to distinguish left from right.

6) The number of IV's in her arm have been reduced significantly.

7) Probably the most amazing thing for us to see is that she's been able to breath completely on her own for most of the last 24 hours! Her ventilator is still in place and has been used during her time in the hyperbaric chamber today, but other than that, she's been doing it all on her own.

Lynn is certain that she's beginning to return to her old self. As proof of this, he asked her to blink if she still loved him..........no blink. :-)

Overall, Linda seems to be responding well to the amazing care she's been receiving from the kind and dedicated professionals here at LDS Hospital. It's extremely evident that she's also responding to the many prayers that have been offered on her behalf by each of you. Thank you.

March 13, 2:30p update

Dear Friends,

I want to apologize upfront for the personal nature of this update. Throughout this past week, I've tried my best to keep my emotions in check and update this blog with the most current and accurate information regarding Linda's medical condition. But, as my sister Patti mentioned in the previous update, today's my birthday and my kids tell me that I can do anything I want. So I'm going to. :-)

Because of the best wife, children, extended family and friends that a guy could every dream of, I've had some pretty amazing birthday's during my life. Today is no exception.

As you know, Linda has been in critical condition, on life support and in a deep coma since early last Monday morning. (We've learned that they measure the depth of a patient's coma on a scale of 1 to 15 with 1 being the deepest or worst level. Linda has been at a level 3.) Over the past couple of days she's begun to open her eyes periodically, but still not being able to focus on anything or anyone. She's also been unresponsive to any sound or anyone's touch.

Yesterday afternoon she began to open her eyes more frequently, and keep them open for longer periods of time. It even seemed like she was beginning to recognize the presence of her two daughters and her husband. Today, when we arrived at her bedside, her eyes were open and she almost seemed to be having a silent conversation with Lynn. The kind of conversation with your eyes that seems to only take place between a husband and a wife. Her eyes were moving and following his face and she was responding to his voice.

When I had the chance to hold her hand, lean in close and softly talk to her...she made me feel, for the first time this week, that she could see me and hear me. That was the very best present I could have received.

In the last two days she's improved from a level 3 to a level 7 this morning. And already today she's gone from a 7 to an 8! What an amazing thing to witness!

Her doctors have decided to forego her hyperbaric chamber treatments today and let her body rest. They're continuing with her dialysis however and just completed a three hour procedure. They're planning to do a 12 hour "skid" dialysis treatment later today.

So that's the latest update...pretty exciting news! Thank you again for all of your positive thoughts and prayers. Lynn especially wanted to thank everyone who has been fasting and praying for Linda over the past few days. He's grateful for your kindness, friendship and service on behalf of his family.

Today is my brother Dave's birthday (our update blogger) and as I was thinking what I could do for a man who has everything, these many miles away, it came to me that Linda would want me to wish him a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY on her behalf. She would tell him how much she loves him and how grateful she is to have him for her brother. She would want him to know how much she appreciates his kindness this past week. She also might make a smart remark about his age but I'll let her do that when she wakes up!

So Dave, your other sister from NC wants to also say Happy Birthday. Enjoy today and do something with that cute family of yours. I love you too! I will end this post the way Linda always does in birthday cards HUGS and KISSES XOXOX

March 12, 8:30p update

Just a quick update to let you know some positive news. Linda had a TEE (Tran Esophageal Echocardiogram) about 4:00p this afternoon. This is a procedure where they insert an instrument with a camera on the end down your esophagus so they can get a good look at your heart.

Linda's heart had been operating at about 50% of normal since she was admitted to the hospital so they wanted to check closer for any possible damage. The result of the test today showed no damage (holes, plaque, infection, etc.) and that her heart has actually improved over the last few days to where it is now functioning at approximately 62% of normal.

Now she's finally back in the hyperbaric chamber for her 90 minute treatment. The doctors call it "taking her for a dive" because it is similar to scuba diving down to about 50 feet below sea level or 2.4 atmospheres.

Well kids...there's your science lesson for the day. :-)

Until tomorrow...

March 12, 2:00p update

Linda managed well through her first hyperbaric treatment last night. She finished up around 11:00p and they had her settled and back in her room in the ICU around midnight. She had an early call this morning and had completed her second treatment by 10:30a. She's currently undergoing another three hour dialysis treatment before she begins a third trip to the hyperbaric chamber (nicknamed Columbus) later this afternoon.

We had the opportunity to attend the morning staff meeting again today where they discussed Linda's current status and the game plan for the upcoming 24 hours. They reviewed the details of her numerous IVs and medications and focused significant time on her nutritional needs. She continues to be fed through a tube in her nose directly into her small intestine. They're making sure she's receiving the appropriate amount of nutrients due to the fact that she's spending 4-5 hours each day in the hyperbaric chamber (Columbus).

The sores/bruises on her feet and back are considered mild and are being treated by a wound specialist. These should begin to heal now that Linda is able to be moved on to her sides periodically so they can clean and dress the wounds more frequently.

Her coloring continues to look good and she opens her eyes fairly frequently. She still doesn't seem to be focusing on anything when her eyes are open and she's not moving any other part of her body voluntarily at this point. Hopefully she will begin to do so over the next few days.

The Group A Strep infection that Linda's struggling with continues to be of the utmost concern. We're hopeful that the increased focus on combatting this through medication and the hyperbaric treatments will begin to slow it's progression.

We will plan on updating you again tomorrow morning. Thank you all for your love and concern.

Linda's family is her pride and joy! She is never happier than when she is spending time with her husband, her two loving daughters and son-in-laws, and her adorable granddaughters. And her family is growing--two more grandkids are on the way!

This picture was taken in August 2009 at the Salt Lake Temple after the wedding of her nephew Jeff Allen and his wife Lauren.

March 11, 7:30p update

Linda made it through her third surgery this afternoon in stable condition. They did a little more cleaning of her abdominal cavity and removed some additional tissue that was infected from her abdominal lining.

There were able to completely close the incision in her abdominal wall, leaving open only the top layer of skin. This will be treated with a special vacuum pack dressing that will draw out any excessive fluid from the wound and allow it to heal over the next few weeks. With her abdominal wall now closed, it will allow Linda to be moved more easily as well as letting her sit up and even walk as soon as she is conscious again.

The Neurologist was able to examine Linda following her latest surgery. Although her examination was somewhat limited due to the residual affects from Linda's anesthetic, she (the Neurologist) felt encouraged that Linda should be able to recover from the series of small strokes she suffered earlier in the week.

Test results this afternoon from tissue samples taken during her surgery on Tuesday have confirmed the presence of a VERY aggressive Group A Strep infection. Because of this, Linda is being prepared right now to begin treatments in one of LDS Hospital's three hyperbaric chambers (please see photo). This will increase the amount of oxygen in her system over ten times. The increased amount of oxygen will attack the infection and increase the speed of Linda's recovery. If any of you scuba dive, the pressure is equivalent to diving to a depth of 45 feet below sea level. The treatments will last 90 minutes each (plus 10 minutes to pressurize and 10 minutes to decompress) and she will undergo two treatments each day for the next week.

LDS Hospital is a pioneer in hyperbaric treatment and we consider it fortunate that Linda has access to this specialty. We wish to thank again the team of professionals charged with her care.

One thing that is increasingly evident during Linda's time in the hospital to this point, is the number of people who love and care for her and our entire family. Thank you all for your love and support.

Until tomorrow....

March 11, 1:30p update

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know that Linda’s sister Patti, who lives in North Carolina, and I (her brother Dave) are working together to keep this blog up to date. Patti is uploading pictures and designing the overall look of the site and I’m writing the daily updates since I’m able to get the information directly from the attending staff here in Salt Lake.

Not to be left out, my brother Steve wanted me to let everyone know that he’s responsible for Linda’s nickname, LaLa. When they were very young, he called her LaLa and she called him DeDe. Crazy kids. J

As of today, Linda is still in ICU, unconscious and on life support. However she’s stable and did fairly well through the night. She developed a slight fever again yesterday afternoon but it seems to be under control. She has begun to develop sores/blisters/bruising on her feet and back as a result of being on her back in bed 24/7. They’re treating those carefully and doing everything possible to keep those at a minimum.

They conducted an MRI and an Echocardiogram on Linda this morning. On the positive side, the Echocardiogram showed no problems with her heart (they were specifically looking for any holes). However, her heart is only functioning at 50% of normal due to her diabetic condition and the current trauma/infection she is experiencing.

The MRI results showed the evidence of several small strokes. We were included in the staff meeting this morning where they reviewed the scans with everyone involved. A Neurologist is scheduled to review the scans later today and give us some definitive information on the strokes. For now, they feel like they were small enough not to affect her cognitive skills.

She is scheduled for another surgery at 2:00p today to do some additional cleaning of her abdominal cavity and begin to close her incision. In preparation for her surgery today, she’s been on a three-hour dialysis treatment since they brought her back from her MRI/Echocardiogram this morning.

Another bit of positive news is that she has been strong enough for them to take her off of her low blood pressure medication periodically. She will likely be put back on this medication during any dialysis treatments as well as her upcoming surgeries to help her body manage the strain of those procedures.

We all continue to feel of your love and faith on Linda’s behalf. She’s opening her eyes more frequently and is beginning to show a slight response to verbal commands. She definitely knows when her sweet daughters and husband are in the room with her. Miracles are happening.

Look for another update later today after her surgery.

Wednesday, March 10th, 1:00p update

Last night (Tuesday), Linda had her second surgery on her abdominal cavity. The surgery lasted just under an hour and she remained stable throughout. This was the second of several surgeries intended to clean out her abdomen and check for any additional infection. According to the surgeon, Linda did very well during the surgery and, to his surprise, everything looked very clean. Her intestine, colon and bladder all seem to be healthy and without signs of infection.

They're planning her third surgery for tomorrow (Thursday) where they will continue the cleaning process and begin to close her nearly 14" long, vertical incision. They will do this by suturing closed a small section on each end, and will continue to do this over the next several surgeries until they are able to completely close it.

After she returned from her surgery last night, they began a second dialysis treatment. This time they initiated a continuous treatment that will have much less of an impact on Linda's system. This will act as her external kidney and clean and filter her blood from all toxins, allowing her own kidneys to rest and begin the healing process so they can again function on their own.

Linda remained stable throughout the night. Her coloring is improving each day. She has begun to occasionally move her mouth, very slightly, and has opened her eyes once or twice this morning as the nurses have attended to her many IV's and dressings. As you can imagine...this has been a very exciting thing for her family to witness!

While this has been very encouraging, and we all continue to talk to her and hope for her to wake up, we just learned this morning from Dr. Pearl (her attending physician) that he would rather her not until they have fully closed her incision. For obvious reasons, keeping her quiet and still until this can be accomplished is imperative.

Another positive sign this morning is they have taken her off of the medication they were giving her to keep her blood pressure at a safe level. She is able to do this on her own now. Great news!

They've scheduled Linda for an MRI scan on her brain tomorrow morning. They want to be able to rule out any possible complications from the high fever (107 degrees) she had on Sunday/Monday and make sure everything looks the way it should. We will update you on the outcome of that scan as soon as we receive the results.

On a happy note, Dr. Pearl asked that we get Linda a pair of high-top athletic shoes and tube socks for her to wear for eight hours each day. A possible result of laying in bed for an extended period of time is the contraction of your achilles tendon (a condition called "drop foot"). Wearing high-tops will help counteract that condition. Sooooo...we ran right out and got her the coolest looking pair of pink and white Nike's they had! They look great although Linda will probably pitch a fit when she wakes up and realizes she's been wearing those for all to see. :-)

She is receiving great care from the ICU team here at LDS Hospital and we are very grateful for the kind and respectful way everyone treats her. We are also very appreciative for everyone's love and support that you've shown Linda and her family. We can feel the positive effects from your faith and prayers and we know that Linda is responding because of this. Thank you.

More to follow...

Linda has been been admitted to LDS Hospital. Here is what we know as of today.

• Her kidneys have completely shut down and she’s already had a couple of dialysis treatments. Upon arrival at LDS hospital last night, they relocated her dialysis shunt from her groin to the right side of her neck in preparation for her up to receive constant dialysis treatment instead of the periodic treatment that you would normally receive. They’re thinking this will help reduce the buildup of any toxins between treatments while her body’s fighting this infection.
• She’s still unconscious, in critical condition, and on total life support.
• Her incision from her 4-hour surgery yesterday has been left open so that the swelling and infection can subside before they can close it properly. They plan on taking her back in to surgery in an hour or so to irrigate and clean her abdominal cavity and incision from further infection and pus. Her current doctors also suspect that her enlarged uterus was not the cause of the infection so they are hoping to find the source during surgery.
• She is suffering from a severe strep infection.
• Her heart is functioning at 50% of normal capacity
• She had a 107 degree temperature yesterday but it has subsided to a 102-103 level today.
• Her coloring and skin temperature is much better today.
• She has yawned/moved her mouth for the first time within the last hour.

We know that Linda has a long road ahead of her but for now we are hopeful. We are grateful for all of your thoughts and continued prayers.