I am thankful for my mom my two sisters my brother lance the plan of salvation my sister gillian
kaitlin and my dad ohh my friends and jen bye
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
pcmc tomorrow
tomorrow I am going back up to pcmc because i am sounding not so good I have granulation tissue stuck in my vocal chord and they have to get that out so i can sing again so this will be my last post bye
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
PCMC - AGAIN!!
Ok, this is getting old -- Ammon is back in the hospital. As we diminished the amount of steroids we were giving him per doctors' instructions, I could tell that his voice was tightening up again by last Friday. He still seemed well and happy. He went to school all day for the whole week (Tuesday-Friday at least) and loved being there. He was so excited to tell us what he learned. He has done very well with the bi-pap machine and it has seemed to help him feel better during the days. By Sunday night, the rattles started to come back. He attended church and even went to Stake Priesthood with his dad on Sunday night. By the time he went to bed, I suspected that the granulation was inflamed again. He went to school on Monday, but apparently it was pretty scary for the aides because from noon to 3 p.m., he did another nose dive and sounded truly awful when he got home.
I slept in his armchair by his bed most of last night so I could monitor the alarms and oxygen levels. The first 3 hours were pretty scary, but he started to settle down by about 1 a.m. enabling me to go to my own bed for a few hours. I was so worried that he would stop breathing that I got up about every half hour to check on him, never getting a good sleep.
Jim called the ENT doctor's office this morning only to learn that the doctor (Dr. Smith) who had worked with Ammon two weeks ago was in surgery all day today and then out of town for the rest of the week. When Jim asked if there was another doctor that could take a look at Ammon, she told him that they legally can't take another doctor's patient. Can you believe that?! So Jim said, "Well, what do you want him to do? Die?" She told him to go through the ER in order to get a doctor so that's that they did.
They admitted Ammon but Jim doesn't know if there is a plan or not. They increased the steroids again and when I talked to Ammon, he sounded quite a bit better. This time they did not wait to give it to him and so he was somewhat comfortable when I talked to him. Hopefuly he will come home tomorrow or Thursday. Jim is staying up there with him.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate Jim. He is a trooper. Anyone that can sit through the ER experience is a saint! The shortest time we've ever spent in the ER in the 13 years with Ammon has been 5 hours. I don't think they beat that record today. I will go to work for two days and if Ammon is still there on Thursday, I will switch Jim places and go up for the weekend.
Once again, we ask that you remember Ammon in your prayers. I don't know how this situation is going to be solved - possible laser surgery to remove the granulation but then there is no guarantee that more won't grow back - and how do you intubate an inflamed throat? No one wants to do surgery on Ammon. We especially don't want him to have surgery. So we are praying that the steroids will really zap this stuff this time around.
Enough already!!
Mom
I slept in his armchair by his bed most of last night so I could monitor the alarms and oxygen levels. The first 3 hours were pretty scary, but he started to settle down by about 1 a.m. enabling me to go to my own bed for a few hours. I was so worried that he would stop breathing that I got up about every half hour to check on him, never getting a good sleep.
Jim called the ENT doctor's office this morning only to learn that the doctor (Dr. Smith) who had worked with Ammon two weeks ago was in surgery all day today and then out of town for the rest of the week. When Jim asked if there was another doctor that could take a look at Ammon, she told him that they legally can't take another doctor's patient. Can you believe that?! So Jim said, "Well, what do you want him to do? Die?" She told him to go through the ER in order to get a doctor so that's that they did.
They admitted Ammon but Jim doesn't know if there is a plan or not. They increased the steroids again and when I talked to Ammon, he sounded quite a bit better. This time they did not wait to give it to him and so he was somewhat comfortable when I talked to him. Hopefuly he will come home tomorrow or Thursday. Jim is staying up there with him.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate Jim. He is a trooper. Anyone that can sit through the ER experience is a saint! The shortest time we've ever spent in the ER in the 13 years with Ammon has been 5 hours. I don't think they beat that record today. I will go to work for two days and if Ammon is still there on Thursday, I will switch Jim places and go up for the weekend.
Once again, we ask that you remember Ammon in your prayers. I don't know how this situation is going to be solved - possible laser surgery to remove the granulation but then there is no guarantee that more won't grow back - and how do you intubate an inflamed throat? No one wants to do surgery on Ammon. We especially don't want him to have surgery. So we are praying that the steroids will really zap this stuff this time around.
Enough already!!
Mom
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Bi-Pap Machine
Hey Everybody! I look like a Martian here. This is what I have to wear to bed every night. Mr. Hiatt, don't be afraid. It's just a bi-pap machine. (Just try it for a few days.) I don't mind it. Once all the alarms weren't so loud it wasn't bad. I feel better since I started using this.
I have been going to school all day long this week. I like it! I only missed 3 on my spelling test yesterday. It was picture day yesterday and I smiled nice.
I have been going to school all day long this week. I like it! I only missed 3 on my spelling test yesterday. It was picture day yesterday and I smiled nice.Monday, November 10, 2008
Dear Ammon,
It was great to have you with us last week, the team had a cheer for you in the locker room after we beat Colorado State in Colorado last Saturday. Now we play San Diego State at home in LaVell Edwards Stadium. You know, Ammon, if we win tomorrow, it will be the first time EVER that any BYU team has won all their home games three years in a row. So we need all the help we need. Cheer extra loud, and we will hear you. Remember, your name is on the flag, our flag, that we carry out into the stadium in front of the whole crowd before each game. You were with us last week and you will be with us this week as we take the fields against San Diego State. Lets WIN!!!!
Your friend and teammate, Ammon
Coach Barry Lamb
BYU FOOTBALL
It was great to have you with us last week, the team had a cheer for you in the locker room after we beat Colorado State in Colorado last Saturday. Now we play San Diego State at home in LaVell Edwards Stadium. You know, Ammon, if we win tomorrow, it will be the first time EVER that any BYU team has won all their home games three years in a row. So we need all the help we need. Cheer extra loud, and we will hear you. Remember, your name is on the flag, our flag, that we carry out into the stadium in front of the whole crowd before each game. You were with us last week and you will be with us this week as we take the fields against San Diego State. Lets WIN!!!!
Your friend and teammate, Ammon
Coach Barry Lamb
BYU FOOTBALL
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Sleep Study Results
The sleep study showed what they suspected: Ammon definitely has sleep apena - either caused by anatomical structure of his spine, brain (Arnold Chiari area), or still being caused by inflammation of the throat. He sounds great now. No more gurgles unless he sleeps on his left side. He doesn't sleep as well on that side.
The MRI was scheduled for 11 a.m. this morning but that was cancelled because Ammon de-sats so much when he is asleep that they thought if they sedated him he would be in the same trouble he was when he first came in. The doctors talked to the neurosurgeons and they said it would be extremely rare to need to decompress the Arnold Chirai again. For now, we will work with a c-pap machine and see how that goes.
I asked the doctors about the granulation and whether or not it could become inflammed again. She said it could and if it did, we would have to come back up here. The only other option they have would be to cut the granulation out but that is scar tissue and it would probably come back. They do not want to intubate or put anything else down his throat right now. Hopefully the granulation will stay at bay and cause no more trouble. They will not be sending any more steroid medication home with us.
Now we wait for the sleep study experts who won't be in until Monday. They are going to try to find a mask that will fit Ammon and start the c-pap tonight but it has to be monitored carefully. He will have to stay in the ICU for this procedure. If all goes well and Ammon tolerates the mask, then we hope to be home by Monday.
Ammon has been such a trooper for so long but he is really struggling with this stay. All he can talk about is going home. Last night as they were putting the probes all around his head (same as when having an EEG), he was crying his little heart out and said, "Where is Kaitlin when I need her?" He had a very tough time last night until they had him all done and then he fell to sleep almost instantly. He is a lot more emotional this time and wants to be home so badly!
The MRI was scheduled for 11 a.m. this morning but that was cancelled because Ammon de-sats so much when he is asleep that they thought if they sedated him he would be in the same trouble he was when he first came in. The doctors talked to the neurosurgeons and they said it would be extremely rare to need to decompress the Arnold Chirai again. For now, we will work with a c-pap machine and see how that goes.
I asked the doctors about the granulation and whether or not it could become inflammed again. She said it could and if it did, we would have to come back up here. The only other option they have would be to cut the granulation out but that is scar tissue and it would probably come back. They do not want to intubate or put anything else down his throat right now. Hopefully the granulation will stay at bay and cause no more trouble. They will not be sending any more steroid medication home with us.
Now we wait for the sleep study experts who won't be in until Monday. They are going to try to find a mask that will fit Ammon and start the c-pap tonight but it has to be monitored carefully. He will have to stay in the ICU for this procedure. If all goes well and Ammon tolerates the mask, then we hope to be home by Monday.
Ammon has been such a trooper for so long but he is really struggling with this stay. All he can talk about is going home. Last night as they were putting the probes all around his head (same as when having an EEG), he was crying his little heart out and said, "Where is Kaitlin when I need her?" He had a very tough time last night until they had him all done and then he fell to sleep almost instantly. He is a lot more emotional this time and wants to be home so badly!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Tests
Today they are going to do some tests to see if they can figure out the entire story because they don't want to send him home without it being safe.
I don't have a lot to tell you yet. He does have some granulation along the backside of his good vocal cord which is a result of the intubation problem with the last surgery. Dr. Smith, the ENT, thought that he had this problem instead of the croup and that was probably mis-diagnosed (but the treatment he got was the correct treatment for current problem anyway). Ammon appeared to be getting a little better so we had no reason to suspect otherwise until Monday night.
When he got here at the hospital, they admitted him on the medical floor and then during the night he had some episodes (sleep apena or whatever they want to call it) that caused them to move him into the ICU. They gave him some special treatments with helium (leaving Ammon with a "chipmunk" voice as he says) and oxygen. They gave him steroids and will keep him on some for about 10 days to help with the swelling. There is a slight possiblity that he may still have to have surgery to remove the granulation, but for now he seems to be much better and hopefully has escaped surgery altogether.
They are very concerned still and will do a brain MRI to make sure there isn't trouble with the decompression area at the brain stem. They made that decision because they heard strider breathing (high whistling sound) and that indicates shunt or brain issues. They are simply eliminating all possiblities of problems for the future. They will also conduct a sleep study tonight because his heart rate and oxygen levels drop dramatically when he is asleep. They are looking at the possiblity of sending us home with a c-pap machine. If that happens, we can't go home until at least Sunday because they have to know he can handle the machine and that he is stable with it. An EKG has also been ordered.
I'm really grateful Jim moved as quickly as he did to get him to the doctor and get him up here. I'm also very relieved I wasn't here that night to deal with the emergency on my own. Thank you, Jim!!
Ammon sounds much, much better today so we're hoping for a release tomorrow sometime. I will update this as I know more. He told us he would do a victory dance for us if he could just go home.
Mom
I don't have a lot to tell you yet. He does have some granulation along the backside of his good vocal cord which is a result of the intubation problem with the last surgery. Dr. Smith, the ENT, thought that he had this problem instead of the croup and that was probably mis-diagnosed (but the treatment he got was the correct treatment for current problem anyway). Ammon appeared to be getting a little better so we had no reason to suspect otherwise until Monday night.
When he got here at the hospital, they admitted him on the medical floor and then during the night he had some episodes (sleep apena or whatever they want to call it) that caused them to move him into the ICU. They gave him some special treatments with helium (leaving Ammon with a "chipmunk" voice as he says) and oxygen. They gave him steroids and will keep him on some for about 10 days to help with the swelling. There is a slight possiblity that he may still have to have surgery to remove the granulation, but for now he seems to be much better and hopefully has escaped surgery altogether.
They are very concerned still and will do a brain MRI to make sure there isn't trouble with the decompression area at the brain stem. They made that decision because they heard strider breathing (high whistling sound) and that indicates shunt or brain issues. They are simply eliminating all possiblities of problems for the future. They will also conduct a sleep study tonight because his heart rate and oxygen levels drop dramatically when he is asleep. They are looking at the possiblity of sending us home with a c-pap machine. If that happens, we can't go home until at least Sunday because they have to know he can handle the machine and that he is stable with it. An EKG has also been ordered.
I'm really grateful Jim moved as quickly as he did to get him to the doctor and get him up here. I'm also very relieved I wasn't here that night to deal with the emergency on my own. Thank you, Jim!!
Ammon sounds much, much better today so we're hoping for a release tomorrow sometime. I will update this as I know more. He told us he would do a victory dance for us if he could just go home.
Mom
Thursday, November 6, 2008
ICU AGAIN
I wasn't going to blog again for a while but this is the most efficient way to let all of you know what's going on with Ammon.
Yesterday Dad took Ammon to the doctor to see why he was still sounding so rattly and why he wasn't able to sleep. On Monday Ammon really began to nosedive and couldn't sleep - he was up the entire night on Tuesday - just like having a newborn all over again but he couldn't even get through an hour of sleep. We knew something was wrong by then beyond recovering from the croup or surgery. The doctor told us his lungs were clear so he called the ENT that had done Ammon's endoscopy and they called the ENTs at PCMC. They suspected that there might be granulation in the vocal cord area. Granulation is a rapid growth of tissue (Jason can explain it better) that looks like a bunch of mushrooms and it's ugly. Jim took Ammon directly up to PCMC from the doctor's office and they verified that there is a section of granulation under a fold of his good vocal cord. It had cut of about 85% of his airway. They admitted Ammon into the hospital to the medical floor and began a series of cortisone treatments. At 5 a.m. this morning they transferred him to the ICU because his blood gasses were too high, meaning that there wasn't a good enough oxygen exchange in his blood. He has to use a mask to help him breath with a special treatment and they will watch him for part of the day to see if it improves. There hasn't been enough time for the cortisone treatment to probably take full effect. If he doesn't improve, then he will have to have surgery to remove the granualtion. That will happen either later today or tomorrow.
Jim told me yesterday to go to work today and he would stay with Ammon. Now that has changed. I will go up in about an hour and stay with both of them until tonight and then either me or Jim will come back home to do chores and to get Kaitlin to school tomorrow. We will update the situation on Ammon's blog so check there.
Brent was here last night to attend a meeting this morning and then he has to fly directly back home but he was able to go up to the hospital last night and help Jim give Ammon a blessing. Thank you so much, Brent! Friends put Ammon's name on the temple prayer rolls yesterday so Heaven's blessings have been sought once again. Please keep him in your prayers.
Yesterday Dad took Ammon to the doctor to see why he was still sounding so rattly and why he wasn't able to sleep. On Monday Ammon really began to nosedive and couldn't sleep - he was up the entire night on Tuesday - just like having a newborn all over again but he couldn't even get through an hour of sleep. We knew something was wrong by then beyond recovering from the croup or surgery. The doctor told us his lungs were clear so he called the ENT that had done Ammon's endoscopy and they called the ENTs at PCMC. They suspected that there might be granulation in the vocal cord area. Granulation is a rapid growth of tissue (Jason can explain it better) that looks like a bunch of mushrooms and it's ugly. Jim took Ammon directly up to PCMC from the doctor's office and they verified that there is a section of granulation under a fold of his good vocal cord. It had cut of about 85% of his airway. They admitted Ammon into the hospital to the medical floor and began a series of cortisone treatments. At 5 a.m. this morning they transferred him to the ICU because his blood gasses were too high, meaning that there wasn't a good enough oxygen exchange in his blood. He has to use a mask to help him breath with a special treatment and they will watch him for part of the day to see if it improves. There hasn't been enough time for the cortisone treatment to probably take full effect. If he doesn't improve, then he will have to have surgery to remove the granualtion. That will happen either later today or tomorrow.
Jim told me yesterday to go to work today and he would stay with Ammon. Now that has changed. I will go up in about an hour and stay with both of them until tonight and then either me or Jim will come back home to do chores and to get Kaitlin to school tomorrow. We will update the situation on Ammon's blog so check there.
Brent was here last night to attend a meeting this morning and then he has to fly directly back home but he was able to go up to the hospital last night and help Jim give Ammon a blessing. Thank you so much, Brent! Friends put Ammon's name on the temple prayer rolls yesterday so Heaven's blessings have been sought once again. Please keep him in your prayers.
Monday, November 3, 2008
My Day
Today for the first time I went to school full time then I rode the bus home. I love my sister. I am about to do a new post and play on the computer. Two more things. I am watching Icarly. It is the best day ever, bye.
Ammon
Ammon
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