First post
Hello everyone. This website will be the clearing house for information on my mom, Pam Schneller.
Just to bring everyone up to speed, Mom flew out to LA on Tuesday for the ACDA conference. She was very excited about all the concerts and looking forward to catching up with old friends.
Unfortunately, Pam was hit by a van while out jogging on Wednesday. Very little information is currently available about the accident itself. Currently, all we know is that she was hit, flew about 10 feet, and received immediate medical attention. She was conscious at the scene and was rushed to Los Angeles City USC Medical Center (http://www.usc.edu/patient_care/hospitals/lac_usc/).
The trauma specialists here are very good (it is LA- home of trauma after all!) and a CT was performed upon admission as Pam was incoherent although conscious. The CT scan showed small hemorrhages on her brain. She was hospitalized and further tests were ordered. Over the next hour, however, her neurologic status rapidly deteriorated and she slipped into a coma. Repeat CT scan showed a SEVERE bleed on her brain that was severely compressing the occipital lobe on the left. She was rushed to surgery and the compression was relieved-less than 30 minutes between CT and decompression!
CT of Pam's chest had shown some broken ribs and free air in the chest (pneumothorax) so a chest tube was placed while she was under. CT of her belly was okay. At this time, they also placed an external fixator (stabilizing bar device) on Pam's left leg to stabilize an ankle fracture.
Pam was recovered from anesthesia but did not regain consciousness as the neurosurgeons had hoped. Repeat CT of her brain had complete evacuation of the clot (amazingly good!) and so the neurosurgeons are hopeful that Pam just needs more time to recover from the severe brain compression.
At this point, Pam remains in a coma but at a 'lighter level' than before (a good thing) and is still on the ventilator. Today, provided there are no signs of needing to go back to surgery right away, they will start feeding Pam through a tube that enters in her nose. Otherwise, we are currently focused on just being there for Mom and talking with her and supporting each other. There is no ability to evaluate her long-term prognosis until she wakes up. We are probably looking at at least two weeks here.
Important information: Mom cannot have flowers in the ICU as the pollen can mess up people's breathing. She can, however, have cards, balloons, stuffed animals etc. The more color, the better!
We will be checking this site regularly and updating it. Your prayers are very welcome. Please let anyone know of Mom's condition that you feel should and encourage them to follow-up by visiting this site.
With love- jacqui
Just to bring everyone up to speed, Mom flew out to LA on Tuesday for the ACDA conference. She was very excited about all the concerts and looking forward to catching up with old friends.
Unfortunately, Pam was hit by a van while out jogging on Wednesday. Very little information is currently available about the accident itself. Currently, all we know is that she was hit, flew about 10 feet, and received immediate medical attention. She was conscious at the scene and was rushed to Los Angeles City USC Medical Center (http://www.usc.edu/patient_care/hospitals/lac_usc/).
The trauma specialists here are very good (it is LA- home of trauma after all!) and a CT was performed upon admission as Pam was incoherent although conscious. The CT scan showed small hemorrhages on her brain. She was hospitalized and further tests were ordered. Over the next hour, however, her neurologic status rapidly deteriorated and she slipped into a coma. Repeat CT scan showed a SEVERE bleed on her brain that was severely compressing the occipital lobe on the left. She was rushed to surgery and the compression was relieved-less than 30 minutes between CT and decompression!
CT of Pam's chest had shown some broken ribs and free air in the chest (pneumothorax) so a chest tube was placed while she was under. CT of her belly was okay. At this time, they also placed an external fixator (stabilizing bar device) on Pam's left leg to stabilize an ankle fracture.
Pam was recovered from anesthesia but did not regain consciousness as the neurosurgeons had hoped. Repeat CT of her brain had complete evacuation of the clot (amazingly good!) and so the neurosurgeons are hopeful that Pam just needs more time to recover from the severe brain compression.
At this point, Pam remains in a coma but at a 'lighter level' than before (a good thing) and is still on the ventilator. Today, provided there are no signs of needing to go back to surgery right away, they will start feeding Pam through a tube that enters in her nose. Otherwise, we are currently focused on just being there for Mom and talking with her and supporting each other. There is no ability to evaluate her long-term prognosis until she wakes up. We are probably looking at at least two weeks here.
Important information: Mom cannot have flowers in the ICU as the pollen can mess up people's breathing. She can, however, have cards, balloons, stuffed animals etc. The more color, the better!
We will be checking this site regularly and updating it. Your prayers are very welcome. Please let anyone know of Mom's condition that you feel should and encourage them to follow-up by visiting this site.
With love- jacqui
posted by Jacqui at 10:11 AM
4 Comments:
My daughter Lisa came to visit and called with the information. I have sent the news to Hazel Summerville and she will get it out to our listserv. Also contacted Gay Welch, the Vandebrilt chaplain, to see what she can do to get some help from the USC people.
Also found online that the USC Hospital has a Concierge Service that will help find you the houseing you need. I have found a few other places nearby also, but that should be your first stop.
thank you for taking the time to keep pam and roland's friends updated on her condition. that is a very thoughtful thing to do during such a difficult time. your whole family remains in our prayers. rowena, rudi, ella aldridge
Jacqui, your mom is important to a lot of people. That includes me and at least three other members of my family. In this trying time, you, Brian, Roland and Mickie will all be in my prayers along with Pam. - David
Dear Pam's family,
I am Leigh Copeland and am the friend Jeff refers to in his comment. We were among the first people to reach Pam after the accident and I could tell she was seriously injured. I felt completely helpless.
I could only keep reassuring her that she was doing fine and was going to be OK. She probably will not remember those moments.
I think that, somehow, God placed the right people in place to aid Pam at her time of need. She has been in my thoughts constantly since that terrible incident and I am glad to know she survived the accident. It sounds as though she is making great progress. My thoughts and prayers, as well as those of my husband, will be with her as she begins her recovery.
Leigh Copeland, M.D.
Birmingham, AL
lcopeland@uabmw.org
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