Thursday, May 28

JP and I met with Dr. C, an ENT, today. She did several tests on JP, looked at this previous tests, and told JP about his options. Basically, his hearing in his left ear is probably gone. She told us that an MRI will not show bruising and how much damage the 8th cranial nerve suffered. I am not sure why the neurologist told us that it would. Anyway, he has three options:

1. CROS Hearing Aid: A contralateral routing of signals (CROS) hearing aid is a type of hearing aid that is used to treat unilateral hearing loss. It takes sound from the ear with poorer hearing and transmits to the ear with better hearing. Systems can involve two behind-the-ear units connected either by wire or by wireless transmission.

2. BAHA Hearing Aid: A Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid is a type of hearing aid based on bone conduction. one-anchored hearing aids use a surgically implanted abutment to transmit sound by direct conduction through bone to the inner ear, bypassing the external auditory canal and middle ear. A titanium "post" is surgically embedded into the skull with a small abutment exposed outside the skin. A sound processor sits on this abutment and transmits sound vibrations to the external abutment of the titanium implant. The implant vibrates the skull and inner ear, which stimulate the nerve fibers of the inner ear, allowing hearing.

3. Do nothing.

Dr. C told JP to guard his hearing in his right ear carefully. She told him that the ringing that he has will probably diminish over time. She also spoke with him about safety. He needs to walk with his good ear facing traffic, really look carefully when he crosses the street, etc...

JP didn't seem open to the option of the BAHA implant, but as time passes, maybe that will change.

The good news: the MRI showed no tumors or abnormalities and the EEG came back negative.

Sunday, May 24

Quick JP update. Wednesday morning JP and I left at 6:30 AM to go to Rohnert Park so that he could take his computer science final at 8:00. At 12:00 PM he went the the computer lab and finished up work for that class. Two classes down, two classes to complete this summer. We were both tired after a long day, but happy that he was able to complete that class.

Friday he had his EEG and an eye x-ray. This morning he had his MRI. He and Brent can compare what it feels like to have an MRI on your head.

Thursday is his next doctors appointment. So....more waiting!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Sunday, May 17

Hello Everyone,

I haven't posted for a couple of days, mostly because there isn't much to tell about JP. He says that his dizziness is all gone. He still can't hear, but still has ringing in that ear. Today he drove for the first time. He and Freddie went to Danville for a European car meet.

His next appointments are: Friday for the EEG (brain scan) and Sunday for the MRI.

On a different note: Natalia bowled in Pacifica today, she bowled her first 600 series! While she was bowling, JP and Freddie saw 3 whales while they were on the beach. Fun day!

Wednesday, May 13

It seems hard to believe that JP's accident was two weeks ago. We all realize how life can change in the blink of an eye, but I believe that most of us do not think that such event will happen in their lives.

I was driving on the freeway Tuesday, when it hit me: We are so lucky that JP is still alive and that he his injuries weren't much worse.

A friend asked today how JP is doing emotionally. He was wondering about depression. So far, JP's spirits seem up. I think that he knows how lucky he is. Plus, his friends have been great about coming over to see him and taking him places.

JP is a true child of this era. He immediately got on the computer and spent quite a bit of time doing research. For some people, the information might seem depressing, but he seems to take comfort in knowing what the doctors will probably tell him.

Monday, May 11

Happy Birthday, Mom (Raymonda or Abuela)!

JP's good news today is that a quick trip to the DMV showed no restrictions on his license yet. We will check again next week. He isn't ready to drive yet, but just knowing that he can drive when he is ready, is a big load off of his mind.

One of his professors wants a letter from his doctor stating that he was indeed in an accident. After we receive the letter, he can submit his application for incompletes for his classes.

Sunday, Mother's Day

Hello to all the mothers out there. I hope that everyone had a wonderful day. Nothing new to report on JP. We went to Rohnert Park today and cleared out the rest of his room. Freddie and JP drove his car home. Even though he can't drive right now, he was very happy to be back in his car. Tomorrow we go to DMV to see if he has been reported for having seizures.

Friday, Day 9

Not much new to report about JP today. In fact, I haven't even seen him today. He was still in bed when I left this morning and was gone with friends when I got home. He has an MRI scheduled for May 24 at 10:00 AM, and yes, I do realize that that date is a Sunday. When I questioned him about it, he said that the other choice was Saturday, May 23 at 9:45 PM. He also said that they told him to get an x-ray of his eyes. We aren't sure what that entails, but will find out soon enough.

Thursday, Day 8

JP and I met with a neurologist for an hour today (I will call her Dr. Neuro, she doesn't want her name on a blog.) She asked him many questions about the accident, some of which he couldn't answer, such as how it happened, etc... The main points that JP and I came away with were:

1. Like Dr. T, she doesn't think that JP had a seizure seizure. She called it a recovery seizure, which would not be uncommon considering the fact that he lost consciousness. However, she has ordered an EEC, a test that measures brain waves.

2. She wants him to be seen by a head and neck doctor, and also ordered an MRI with emphasis on the ear area. She wonders if maybe the 8th cranial nerve, it controls hearing, has been bruised or severed. If there is only bruising, JP will most likely regain some, if not all, of his hearing. If it is severed, hearing in that ear will be lost.

After the neuro appointment, JP went for a hearing test. It showed what we suspected, that he has no hearing in that ear.

Now we wait for more phone calls for more doctors appointments.

Wednesday, Day 7

JP and I made a quick run to Sonoma this afternoon. We got almost everything out of his dorm room, met with a professor and saw Dustin and Chase. The professor agreed to grant JP an incomplete, which means that he will tell JP what work needs to be done in order to get full credit for the class. Technically, JP will have a full year to do the work, but will do it over the summer. We also brought home 2 of his 3 bikes.

Tomorrow he has a neurology appointment. A new symptom has popped up, ringing in his ears. We don't know if that is a good sign or not. He told me that last night he put an ear bud in his left ear and could not hear anything. Today he said, "It would be a bummer if I had hearing loss, but if Grandpa can deal with it, so can I." He thinks that it would be better to lose hearing in one ear than to lose an eye. I have to agree!

More tomorrow after his appointment.

Tuesday, Day 6

JP and I went to see his medical doctor today. He spent quite a bit of time with us, we left with some questions answered and a few new questions.
#1 We have been concerned about the possibility of seizures. Dr. T thinks that maybe he had mild trauma induced seizure and will most likely never have one again. He didn't seem the least bit worried about it.

#2 JP still can't hear out of his left ear. Dr. T did not see any fluid in that ear. He had a quick consultation with a head and neck doctor. They would like for JP to have a audiology test. The head and neck doctor thinks that JP has a basilar skull fracture. (DO NOT Wikipedia it, you will be terrified, I was.) The audiology test will show whether JP has permanent hearing loss or not. Dr. T started him on Musinex and Flonase with the hope that maybe the hearing loss is built up fluid.

#3 We will still see the neurologist on Thursday. They will probably order a CT scan.

#4 JP was told flat out: "Do not bump your head anytime in the near future. If you do, chances are you will die." He wants him doing no activities where there is any chance of head injury.

It all sounds rather bad, but we actually left there feeling better. JP has been very concerned about driving because of the seizure thing and DMV. Dr. T helped put his mind more at ease about that.

Sunday night JP asked me, "Is this what it feels like to be Grandpa?" He was refering to being deaf in one ear. I told him, "Yes, and unfortunately, Dwight is deaf in the same ear." That got a chuckle out of him.

Now we wait for more doctors appointments. Tomorrow we are going to Sonoma to speak with professors, get more stuff out of his room, see his "Biking Gang" and pick up 1 of the 3 bikes he has there.

Thanks to Chase for sending the pictures so that everyone can see his bike.

More tomorrow.

Monday, Day 5

Every day we see an improvement in JP. No naps today (sorry Grandpa). The dizziness remains, he thinks if he could get his ear to pop, that would improve, but is scared to try. He has a doctors appointment tomorrow, that is one of our questions for him. His friends came over and then they all went out to a deli for lunch. JP says that he had trouble riding in the car, the motion got to him.

Several people have asked, and NO he was not wearing a helmet. He will from now on. I have threatened to cut his bike into very small pieces if I find out he isn't wearing his helmet. :-)

PS
Chase, could you please send me pictures of his bike tire? danecastro@mac.com

Sunday, Day 4

Today seemed to be a good day for JP. He had some visitors and took a walk down the street. He didn't sleep as much today, just a two hour nap this afternoon. This morning was a little hard because he was supposed to be doing Tour de Cure. He is over at a friends house right now. It was hard to see him drive off with Jason, but Freddie and I know that hanging out with his friends is the best medicine.

PS
I have made the comment section available to people who don't have Google accounts. Just pick the anonymous profile.

PSS
Thanks to Deirdre for the cinnamon rolls and to Candy for the jambalaya. Both were very good!

Day 3

JP got a good nights sleep last night, the first since his accident. He was still dizzy and woozy this morning, and took a nap after breakfast.

After some research by Freddie about the anti-seizure medicine that he was on, we decided to stop giving it to him. Two of the most serious side effects are: extreme dizziness and nausea. That is on top of the dizziness and nausea that he already has.

Aaron and Mario stopped by for a visit while Natalia was bowling in Daly City.

I think that JP is VERY happy to be home.

3:00 PM Update

JP is home! After a stop at school to collect clothes, his Mac and his beloved camera, they had an uneventful trip home. He is resting on the couch watching a movie with Natalia, Mario, and Aaron. It is GREAT having him home!

JP's Accident

Wednesday night Freddie got a phone call from Dustin, one of JP's friends saying that JP had crashed while riding and was in an ambulance on his way to Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa. A nurse was driving by and stopped to help. He was out cold and when he came to, had a seizure.The police came and blocked traffic and then the ambulance arrived. His friends drug his bike home, he was riding the fixed gear, and jumped in their car to follow the ambulance. Natalia and I walked in the door from bowling just as he was hanging up. Freddie left immediately for Santa Rosa while I stayed home with Natalia. When Freddie got to the hospital, two of JP's friends were with him in the ER. JP was admitted for the night and poor Freddie spent the night in an upright chair in his room and several hours freezing in the van (he took my car because his needed gas). None of us got much sleep that night. At 6:15 AM Thursday, Freddie called to say that they were going to transfer JP to Kaiser in Walnut Creek by ambulance, but before that, Kaiser wanted JP to have another CT scan, blood tests, and to be seen by a neurologist. By the time all that happened, I didn't think that the transfer would happen Thursday, so Natalia and I went to Santa Rosa after she got out of school. I took clothes and Freddie's bathroom kit for him because he had been wearing the same clothes for 48 hours. We got him a hotel room close to the hospital, so yesterday late afternoon he was able to shower and change clothes while Natalia and I held down the fort at the hospital. He stayed there last night so that one of us was close to JP. Natalia and I came home so that she could go to school today.

Now about JP. He doesn't remember the crash. His friends have told him that they only went for about a 10 minute ride. One block from the end of the ride, his front tire slid off the pavement and he apparently went over the handle bars. He has some major scrapes on his face. Until Thursday at about 2:00 PM, his vision was not good, but that has improved. His latest CT scan shows no internal bleeding or swelling. He has hearing loss in his left ear that is probably caused by fluid behind the eardrum. The doctor said that that would sort itself out. He is extremely dizzy and nauseous. The neurologist said that that could disappear in a week or last months. The doctors are also pretty sure that he has a cranial fracture, but there is nothing that can be done for that except letting it heal on its own.