Not so Happy Halloween

It is 9:20 PM MST and we are still in Denver Health Emergency. They can't seem to get his heart rate below 111. It's been as high as 131 and as low as 70 (only for a split second). They aren't sure if it is that he is dehydrated or what. So, they are pumping him full of fluids hoping that will help. He is on his second bag and so far no luck. He is really wanting out of here so he can get back into the more comfortable bed. His low back is killing him and there just isn't anyway for him to get comfortable. We switch sides with a pillow and that seems to help some. Problem is he isn't able to roll or sit up well and it's hard to get a pillow back there.

Hopefully we'll be back at the other place soon. He's been here since 2:30 AM and is getting pretty tired of the joint.

It is really busy around here tonight. Seems that just about every bed is full. Even still, he's still getting good care.

He did have a visit from three of the girls from school who were all dressed up. Unfortunately he wasn't up for visitors but it was awfully sweet of them to track him down. Thanks, Christina, Courtney and Wren (I hope I spelled that right). You made me laugh... %-}

Hope you all have a good night and I'll be back with hopefully better news in the morning.

Happy Halloween
Love & Hugs to all, Bev

Bad News, Good News, Great News

The bad news is he has to have the catheter put back. The "Skilled" Nursing Facility should never have removed it due to the type of injury he had. Not sure if they knew that or not but I'm going to find out.

The Good News is they were able to reinsert it without any problems.

The Great News is because they were able to reinsert it, he won't have to have another surgery.

Whew! Dodged that bullet. Now all he wants is to be released back to the "Skilled" facility so he can get back into a more comfortable bed. These beds are called surfboard because they are so hard.

We are just waiting for his heartbeat to come down before releasing him. They said that sometimes it is due to dehydration so he's getting lots of fluids right now while he's sleeping.

Spoke with Dr's Osborn and Braveman(sorry if I've misspelled that) this morning which was comforting. Dr. B cleaned up the graft and showed me how to take care of it. We'll see them again on Friday at the ortho appt. They may take the stabilizer bars out then but if Nathan can't tolerate that then he'll be scheduled for out patient surgery the following week.

I wanted to mention that we really appreciate the comments on the blog. We've received comments from people that don't know us and from many family members and friends. They mean a great deal to us and wanted you all to know that. Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated.

Hugs to all, The Mellon's

Back in ER this morning

Well, I received a call this morning about 6:30 that Nathan had been taken to Denver Health ER as the Dr. at the Skilled (I'm beginning to use that term loosely) Nursing Facility removed the Foley, because of a urinary tract infection and was unable to reinsert it, so because of his bladder injury they brought him back to Denver Health ER at 2:30 this morning. He didn't call me sooner as he thought he would only be here a short while. And though this call was nothing compared to the first call from them on 10/2/06, it was still a huge attention getter. They are going to do a scan to see if maybe they can leave it out as he has been able to relieve himself without it. So, I'm hoping and praying that we get good news for that. I know he'd be much more comfortable without it.

Since we are here, I asked them to look at the skin graft as we were getting a few mixed signals at the "facility". Concern.... No concern.... Hard to keep up with them. They were suppose to clean and redress the graft wound yesterday. When I saw it today, nothing had been done. So, when I get back someone is going to get a "dressing down". I chose them for their wound care and this doesn't indicate much care. The Dr. who looked at it said that it may not be due to anything they did or didn't do. However, when the Dr. told them to redress it last night it should have been done.

Sorry to start your day like this. I much more enjoy giving out good/positive news. Unfortunately, I'm sure this won't be the last day like this. Good days and bad. Maybe the day will end on a positive note. Seems like it's been the opposite. Time for a change.

It's pretty bad when you're glad to be back at the hospital.... %-}

Wishing you all a perfect day. Love to all, Bev

Dressed for the first time in 4 weeks!!!!

Another Red Letter Day!!!! Nathan got his shorts and a t-shirt on today. First time in 4 weeks. Isn't that great???? He looks really good too.

They got him up in a chair and he had to help a lot. So, he's learning to move himself around which is what we need so that we can come home.




I didn't even have to tell him to smile.

Today looks to be a good day.

Love & Hugs to all.

Sunday 10/29/06

Yeah! We got bedrails!!! When I got here this morning and they weren't on, I started asking everyone who walked in the room, "where are the bedrails?" They all seemed to start passing the buck (similar to yesterday) telling me that a doctor had to order them. I explained (again) that they should have been ordered on Friday! Well, it wasn't much longer and the maintenance guy showed up and put them on. Mom is much happier now. That is one of Nathan's favorite things to ask me now, "happy now?" To which I reply, "much".

Tomorrow they will get him the trapize so that will help too!

The nurse wanted to know which surgeon did the skin graft as she was concerned about it. I couldn't remember his name so I called the hospital, needless to say, that department is closed until tomorrow. There was another little push of the frustration button. Nathan said that the nurse cleaned the wound and said it was looking better than she thought so it was okay. We will follow up on that tomorrow for certain.

As many of you may have seen, Mary Swift of the King County Journal wrote an article about Nathan and the accident that was in today's paper. If you're interested, check it out at: (You'll have to cut and paste into the address line....)

http://www.kingcountyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006610290313

Tara is more than a shirttail niece as indicated in the paper. She is my niece, it's just that I didn't know her well prior to now. She and Kyle are true blessings in our lives right now. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Also if you are interested the address to where Nathan currently staying is:

Monaco Parkway Health & Rehab.
895 S. Monaco Parkway Rm#107
Denver, CO 80224

Thanks for all the cards, email, financial support, love and prayers. Love to all, The Mellon's

Saturday 10/28/06

Well, I wish I could say I was as impressed with the place in the daytime as I am at night. Maybe it was because it was the weekend but by the time I left this evening, I was so darn frustrated I wanted to rake someone over the coals. That may come tomorrow. Last night they told us they would get him some bedrails and the trapize bar as that is really the only way he can move himself around. At 2:00 today they still didn't have any of those in place so I started asking. They kept telling me they'd look into it but never bothered to come back and let me know anything. I stood at the nurses station until I got what I thought was an answer but, no that didn't happen. Then a nurse brought his medicine and I asked her, she told me it probably wouldn't happen until tomorrow as that was something that maintenance handles and they'd left for the day. I said that wasn't right. She asked when we'd made the request and I explained yesterday. I explained to her that he is unable to move himself around without it and that I wanted it taken care of. Well, I had to take off and I fairly certain that it isn't happening tonight. I told Nathan things better start changing or we're moving. Therapy didn't visit him today but are scheduled to be in tomorrow.

Had a great dinner with Tara, Kyle and Ethan. We tried the local Pho' restaurant. It was fun to have them try something that I enjoy so much. They both said they enjoyed it and would have it again.

Thank you for your continued love and support. You help make frustrating days like this bearable. Love to all. Bev

We Made It!!!

Well, we made the big move about 5:30 tonight. The hospital called the paramedic who came and loaded him up and transferred him to Monaco Parkway. Everyone there greeted us on the way in, called Nathan by name, have stopped in to say hello and to let him know that they are here to help him. I'm feeling much better about the move and that I made the right choice. It's just another example of people going out of their way for us. He has a room to himself. He's in room 107 at the end of a hall. I thinks he's liking it okay so far.

More tomorrow %-}

Love to all, Bev

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
~anonymous~




One of my dearest friends sent this to me this morning. It is so true. What wonderful words to live by. As my sister Carla, another of my dearests reminded me of a song I love by Garth Brooks called The Dance. I could have missed the pain but I would have missed the dance. As hard as it's been, it could have been so much harder. As bad as it is it could have been so much worse.

I know I drive Nathan crazy as I'm sure he considers me forever the optimist. Thank God for that. Beside all the love and support from all of you it is my optimism that has kept me strong.

Today we are moving to the Skilled Nursing Facility. Don't know for sure when exactly. But, sometime today.

I've gotten all of the cards and goodies from everyone packed up and ready to go. Unfortunately we had to send some of it home with Steve and Dad as there was no way I'd be able to handle all of it to get on a plane with. Thanks again for all your cards, letters and little gifts. They mean the world.

I'll update once we get moved.

Love and hugs to all, The Mellon's

The move is back on

Doctor was just in and said they will most likely schedule Nathan to be moved tomorrow afternoon. Don't know if that means early or late. Most likely when we least expect it.

He also told him that the catheter will stay in for another 3 weeks. Better to know now than to have to go through that awake.

He'll have to come back here in 3 weeks and have another scan. So I guess that answers that question of will we be home in 3 weeks. Hmm.... Doesn't look like it. But, whatever he needs is all that matters.

He got one of his favorite nurses tonight. Jill has taken good care of him. She's been off the last few days so he was glad to see that she was on for his last night. She's really good at working all night to control his pain. And she just seems to go the extra step if she's having trouble getting the pain under control. Thankfully we've had exceptional care here. Only one problem and we solved that by asking that she not be assigned to his care again. I've gotten the evil eye from her since. Oh well, some just aren't meant to be in the care giving profession.

He's ready for a good nights sleep tonight and I think Jill will help with that. I won't be staying tonight.

Steve and Dad made it home today! YIPPIE!!!! I'm sure they are so very glad to be home. I'm glad they've finally made it. Thanks to all who helped along the way.

Sleep well all. Hugs to you!

Up bright and early

Because of the snow storm that was headed this way I opted to stay over night at the hospital. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back in, in the morning and they have been talking about transferring Nathan today and I didn't want to not be here. Well, the snow didn't start until early this morning. It is definitely coming down now. Just watching the news and the area that Steve, Dad & I stayed at is quite deep! Now I'm really glad I stayed.

The doctors were in this morning at 5:45 AM. They took the bandage off the skin graft and the harvest area. They want the graft area to dry out and left part of the covering on the harvest area that Nathan was to remove as he could. He had it off in about 30 minutes and the site seems to feel so much better. It looks a lot like a square burn. The Doc said he needs to be careful of getting it sunburned for the next year due to his coloring. It was pretty funny, Nathan said "what are you saying that I'm pale, albino....?" Then Nathan said he never wears short shorts anyway so it is unlikely it would be exposed. The Doc was relieved to hear that and agreed that no man should wear short shorts.... A little morning humor. That was Dr. Osborn. I really like him. They've all been great.

He did say that they want to keep an eye on the graft for a couple more days so they won't be transferring him today.

The snow is coming down hard and at some times completely sideways. They are expecting high winds here today as well.

Hope every one has a wonderful day. Thanks for all your prayers and positive thoughts. Hugs to all.

Wednesday, at least I think it's Wednesday

Boy the days begin to run together. Is it Tuesday or Wednesday??? Well, it is Wednesday and all is pretty good.

Today is Steve's Dad's birthday! Happy Birthday Dad! We love you and wish you the best birthday ever! Thank you so much for your love and support during this difficult time.

Today they took Nathan down for a scan of his bladder to see if the cath can be removed. Don't have the results from that yet. Need to follow up on that one.

Talked to the Social Worker today and she said that it is possible that Nathan may be moved to the skilled nursing facility tomorrow, Thursday. Won't really know until tomorrow. I was thinking maybe Friday.

Today I found the Denver Property Office and got some great help with my CRN upgrade. Those people are as nice as the people I work with in Seattle.

Expecting a possible big snow storm here tonight. I've heard 10" and 3" of snow. I'd love to see it but am not looking forward to possibly having to drive in it. At least it is mostly flat here.

Pretty quiet day today. I'll let you know if any thing changes.

Love & Hugs to all, Bev

Tuesday update

Well, Nathan moved to a wheelchair today for a few hours. We even went outside for a little bit. Of course today was over cast and a cool but it was still nice to get him out for awhile. Unfortunately they left him in the chair for too long and by the time they got him out he was in terrible pain. I had to hold his legs up (more level) so there wouldn't be so much pressure on his low back. Of course while waiting for the staff to come and move him, one of the Dr's. came in and had to draw fluid from the graft area. Thankfully that didn't hurt. Once they got him back in bed he was much better and had a good nap. I'm going to attach a few photos below.


WHAT WE WOKE TO A COUPLE MORNINGS AGO!


NATHAN TODAY AFTER BEING TRANSFERRED TO WHEELCHAIR


LOOK HOW HE CAN MOVE HIS ARM!


LOOK MOM! NO HANDS.





THIS WAS A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WHEN HE TRANSFERRED TO THE RECLINER


CHAINLINK MARKS ON THE HELMET!


THE HELMET!


PEPPER PLANT THE GUYS FROM SCHOOL BROUGHT





PLANT SENT BY BEV'S OFFICE



Sorry I didn't get the photos posted earlier. If you click on the photo it will enlarge it.

Hugs to all, Bev

Sorry I missed yesterday

Well, yesterday was a busy day! I toured two Skilled Nursing Facilities that were recommended by the hospital. The first one was called Briarwood and seemed more like a retirement center than a nursing home, at least in the main areas. It was very quiet, they have a little store that the residents run. There is a very nice dining room. Not that it is very likely that Nathan will eat in the dining room much. They have a nice therapy department but there was nothing going on. Very few visible staff. There are single, double and triple rooms. None of the singles are available. Which I don't think will go over too well. But we'll see. The second one (Monaco Parkway) I looked at was definitely more nursing home atmosphere. However, there was a lot of activity and the therapy room was in full use. They have a young staff and they were everywhere. They have a section that is more for short timers and that includes cable TV and their own phone and phone number. They don't have any private rooms available but said they would make every effort to keep him in a room by himself. Monaco is known for their wound care which is really essential for Nathan right now. I talked with my niece Tara and she has a friend in the industry and she provided her with some names of places that she is familiar with and would consider using. I need to go through that list today. Wanted to get this done first.

Yesterday Nathan sat on the edge of the bed by himself for 20 minutes or so. That is really huge when you think that last week he wasn't able to sit up all the way and had to have support. He was also able to do countless arm lifts and extensions while holding cans of Ensure. The therapists were pretty impressed. They also removed the wound vac which hurt like hell. I felt so sorry for him. But once it was off it seemed to be a little better. He's still suffering with the graft harvest site. He seems to think (and so do I) that once that heals he's going to feel quite a bit better and better able to move.

Hoping to get the catheter out today. They are talking about injecting him with dye and doing an x-ray before removing it to make sure the bladder is not leaking. Once that is gone he'll basically be tube free except for the IV line that they leave in for injections.

The therapists should be here anytime and are going to get him in a wheelchair so maybe we can go outside for a little bit. It has been so beautiful here and the fresh air will do him good.

Otherwise all is well and about the same.

Miss you all! Thanks for your continued support and love.

UPDATE

We've chosen:

Monaco Parkway Health & Rehab
895 S. Monaco Pkwy.
Denver, CO 80224
800-949-2159

He will most likely be transferred at the end of the week. I'll keep you posted.

Painful night

Just wanted to get a quick note out that tonight has been a really uncomfortable night for Nathan. The leg they took the skin from for the graft is really hurting. I guess is shrinks as it heals and it is really painful. They finally gave him some decent pain medication and he is now sleeping soundly. Hopefully it will last thru the night.

Tomorrow I will begin looking at Skilled Nursing Facilities as he will most likely be transferred at the end of the week. They say that once he isn't a surgical patient they can't keep him here. So, when that happens he just needs time to heal and get his strength back so we can get him home. We'll be sorry to leave the great care he's gotten here.

We wish you all a wonderful week. Thanks all for your love and support. We couldn't do it without you. Hugs, Bev

Sunday 10/22/06

Tired today when I got here. He'd had PT this morning and they had him sitting on the edge of the bed, he had to hold himself up and they had him move his feet on the floor. They had him bending his knees. Then they got him back in the recliner that he'll stay in for a few hours. So, he is pretty tired right now. He's cold. Last night he was really cold. I put 3 blankets on him and turned up the heat in the room but that didn't seem to help. He was starting to get a little warmer when I left. Thankfully he didn't have fever. Maybe because his metabolism is slowed down that is why he is cold.

The progress is slow but sure. Getting him to eat much is a tough one. Trying to get his strength up. He drinks Ensure and eats some fruit. Just kind of picks at stuff. Never has been a great eater. He's one of those that eats to live where as I and many others I know live to eat.... I've been known to plan a vacation around food. ;-}

Steve and Dad are still in Rawlins. Waiting to get some help. I just found out that my Aunt Gracie's sister lives there and he husband is a mechanic. So, I'm trying to get a phone number for them to see if I can ask for help. I'm hoping to catch them home.

Well, keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming so we can get Steve and Dad home quickly and safely as well as Nathan.

Love to all, Bev

Learning to care for himself

When I got to the hospital they were transferring him to the recliner and then it was time for PT/OT. He did great range of motion exercises with both shoulders, hands and elbows. Did some strengthening on his right side. Then she showed him how to bathe (most of anyway) himself. He said what he really wants is a shower. She explained that they are building his stamina so he can stand being up for that long. He's still really weak but everyday is better.

Today I stopped at Subway and got him his favorite BMT & Meatball sandwich. Don't know if he's totally up for it but figured why not.

His spirits are good and his conversation is better everyday.

Talked to Steve and Dad and they stopped in Rawlings, WY last night. Steve called this morning and they were having every kind of weather, none of it good and guess what? The truck won't start! So, now they are in the middle of no where and the only mobile auto repair is closed till Monday. Kind of comical after a while.

Well, I'll keep you posted on how today is going. But it is definitely going in the right direction.... YIPPIE!

Love & Hugs to all!

Good Day!

Well, I spent the afternoon with Nathan. They'd gotten him back to bed by the time I returned. He doesn't seem to be anymore comfortable in one place or the other. Today we talked about the blog and he read through it all and read all the wonderful comments. He was able to get into his email and his myspace accounts and read the wonderful messages there too! He even posted a short bulletin to his friends. He will post his own blog soon. He said that he was pretty sure that 18 days away from a computer was a record for him. I was thrilled to see him back on the computer and his phone. Can you believe I said that?? I can! Yeah!

It was so odd but about 6:30 tonight I realized they never brought him any dinner. I asked about it and they were going to check into it. Well, needless to say, they never did bring him anything to eat. Which was just as well. I walked over to Burger King and got us a burger and he actually ate the whole thing! YIPPIE! About the most I've seen him eat in I don't know how long.

They left the recliner in his room so I have a much more comfortable chair to sit in when he isn't. It's nice to sit in and watch tv with him. Almost (not really) like being at home.

Hope everyone had a good night. Thanks again for all your support and love. We love you all.

Friday 10/20/06

Hard to believe that 18 days have passed. So much is just a blurrrrr......

When we got to the hospital today Nathan was sitting up in a reclining chair. That was pretty great to see. Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera in so didn't get a shot of it. But there will be other days!!!

He seems in better spirits today. We talked with the social worker and he will most likely be transferred to a rest home type setting about this time next week. He isn't to the point of being mobile yet. That will probably be several weeks at least. But all that is subject to change at any time.

Steve and Dad got on the road today at about 2:15. Truck seemed to be running well. Thank goodness. Don't need them to have a problem on the way.

I've moved to my niece Tara's home. She has a wonderful home with a place just for me. I'm going to enjoy my time with them that is for sure.

All for now. Love to all, Bev

Frustrating Day

Got everybody all packed up this morning and checked out of the motel. Picked up the new rental, dropped of the old rental. Stopped in to visit with Nathan to find him in a good deal of pain today. The nurse mentioned that he'd gotten off sync with the meds in the night and they were working to get him back on schedule and thought that would help him control it.

Steve and Dad said their goodbyes to Nathan and off we went back to the motel to pick up the truck and trailer. Well after forever, trying to get it to start Steve finally had to unhook the trailer and call AAA to have it taken to a shop to figure out why it won't start. So, needless to say we are back in the same room we moved out of this morning. Hopefully, it will be a simple fix and they can get on the road first thing in the morning.

So it has been a frustrating day at least outside the hospital. However, it could have been worse as they could have been between here and nowhere. Maybe they weren't suppose to be on the road today. You never know... Besides that, with everything else this is pretty small potatoes. It's actually great to have something else to think about. Don't tell Steve I said that.... %-}

EVENING VISIT WITH NATHAN

Just wanted to let you know that we had a short visit with Nathan tonight. He seemed a little better than he did earlier today. Poor guy has a big bump on the back of his head from the helmet. Its about the size of a silver dollar and a chunk of hair fell out. That is the least of his worries but still bothersome. I know he's sure tired of laying on his back. Hopefully tomorrow will be a much better day.

We are truly blessed. Love to all.

Another Amazing Day!

Today Nathan had his skin graft. It was a a 4 hour process including recovery time. When he was brought back to the room he was wide awake and talking. It was really cool. He hadn't really been like that since I can't remember when. We had a great visit and he told me that he actually felt pretty good.

He had a good visit tonight with Caitlin, Krystal and Jason from school. We're really glad to have the kids back. Katy visited with him last night but I don't think he was feeling all that great. It's really nice having the kids back to keep him on his toes. Thanks to all of you!

Today, Steve and Dad finally got the truck to start and they got the U-Haul and with the help of several of the kids and one of the JW Security guys they got all of Nathans things down from the 6th floor and into the U-Haul. Thanks much to you all for your help. It was greatly appreciated.

Tonight we had dinner with my niece Tara and her wonderful husband Kyle and their absolutely adorable little boy Ethan. We tried a place called Benny's Cantina. It was pretty good but think we like another place called Blue Bonnet better. Anyway, it was fun and the food was good.

After dinner tonight, Dad and I went back by the hospital to visit with Nathan. He was doing well and actually had me loosen the screws on the stabilizer bar on his arm and he moved it straight and bent. It was kind of scary. I was afraid he'd push too much and told him not to over do it. His response was, "you're never satisfied"... I know it, but it freaks me out to think he might do it too far too soon. YIKES!!!!

Tomorrow Steve and Dad will begin their journey home. Probably won't make it home until Saturday or Sunday. They'll be stopping in Twin Falls to visit our special friends the Clontz'. Nita, I promise they'll be there. They wouldn't dare come through without stopping. Thanks for taking care of them.

Boy what a surprise to sign on to the blog tonight and see the blog from Derrick and Deb. Once again, someone doing something nice for us when we least expect it. How awesome are you! How lucky are we!!!

Obviously all your prayers and good wishes are paying off. Granted we still have mountains to climb but the best news is that they are climbable....(yes, I made that up)....

We hope you never tire of being told "Thank You". We couldn't have made it without all of you. We love you all.

Helping In Any Way We Can...

There's a new section added to the site today. Take a look at the right margin.

Deb Wilson, the next door neighbor of Steve and Bev, has set up a benevolent fund at Washington Mutual. If you're willing to help offset the financial burden that the Mellon's will face, consider contributing.

The address is to send checks is:

Washington Mutual Bank
17314 140th Avenue Se
Renton, WA 98058
425.255.6960

On the check, be sure to include account number 3080136499, and write "Donate to Nathan Mellon Benevolent Fund."

We all know what medical bills cost these days, even with insurance. Any help is appreciated.

Please remember, Steve and Bev never asked for any monetary assistance, meaning Deb is one of many doing whatever she can to help in their time of need. We've all wondered if we were to write a book about our lives, if anyone would read it. The Mellon's are showing they've made an impact on people's lives by the love being shown their way.

We should all be so lucky.

What a day!

Today they took away the pain pump that Nathan has been on for umpteen days. They have decided it is time to roused him. They will still give him pain meds orally so he shouldn't be too uncomfortable but it was time to get him off the big guns. I think he will be back amongst the living pretty soon.

Today the Occupational & Physical Therapist came in and actually got him sitting up. As you can see he is thrilled to be moving around. He said it wasn't too bad. Thank goodness. What a hard job to get people to move when it hurts. But the sooner he starts moving the better off he'll be and the sooner he can come home.

The doctor removed the wrapping around his elbow. I was surprised to see how great it looked. They actually started moving it today in PT. Here is a photo of his arm. It's pretty graphic so beware...Looks like the bionic man...







Tomorrow they have scheduled the skin graft. They will take a thin layer of skin from his right thigh and put it on his left thigh. They make it sound very simple. Lets hope so.

We found out today that his left clavicle is fractured. But they don't do anything with that. He hasn't complained of it hurting. I guess there were other more painful places.

It's Snowing!!! I think winter has officially arrived in Denver. Hard to believe it was around 70 yesterday and is currently 35....

Surgery will probably be around 1:00 tomorrow. Will keep you posted.

Love & Hugs to all!

10/16/06 Okay day

Today was an okay day. They got Nathan onto the air bed which wasn't a great experience and got him settled. He seemed much more at ease once he got settled. He's eating a little better. He got a visit from the Occupational Therapist and the Physical Therapist. Needless to say, he isn't real excited about their scheduled meeting tomorrow. They will start working with him to sit him up and possibly transition into a chair. That should be interesting. It is agonizing to hear the pain he's in when they move him.

In the morning they are going to remove the wound vacuum and at that time we will meet with the doctor and see what the game plan is for the skin graft. They are talking about releasing him "soon". We don't know what the definition of "soon" is but it won't be sooner than 2 weeks from last Friday as they told us that would be when the stabilizer on his elbow would be removed. But it could be within a month. That is my optimistic side showing... %-}

They did figure out today why it hurt him so bad to be turned. It had something to do with the wound vac. They fixed that and he seemed to be able to be turned much easier.

We continue to receive support and prayers from all of you. Which I must say continues to just amaze us. We are so truly blessed to have all of you in our lives. It is really hard to put into words how grateful we are to all of you. We didn't realize we had so many angels in our lives. Thank you so much. We love you all. Good Night!

Monday 10/16/06

Nathan seems more alert today and eating a little better. He got a shave, washed his face and brushed his teeth, I think that helped a little bit. The nurse has ordered him an airbed that should help him move a little better as well as a trapeze (don't know if I spelled that correctly) bar so he can pull himself up. The pain seems a little better today. Nice to see our Nathan coming back to his old self at least a little bit. Don't know anything more about additional surgery. Need to talk to the Trauma Coordinator and the Social Worker to get more info. We never seem to be around when the doctors are. Well, I'll let you know more as soon as I know it.

Steve and Dad are off to make sure they can get Nathan's truck to run. They've had a hard time getting it to start. They will head home with the truck, bike and a trailer with all Nathan's stuff in a day or so. They are waiting until all surgeries are complete before leaving.

Thanks again to all holding down the fort at home and at work.

Love you all.

Quiet day today 10/15/06

Today has been a very quiet day. Nathan seems to be in a good deal of pain and has been hitting the pain meds regularly. They changed from morphine to (I'll probably spell this wrong) dalautin thinking it would help. Doesn't seem to have made much difference.

Steve's Aunt Juanita and Uncle Bill came up from Colorado Springs and we had a great visit with them. Steve hadn't seen them in 30 years. Nice people and I hope I get to visit with them again before heading home.

No word yet on when Nathan will be able to come home. Might know more tomorrow but it will be awhile yet I'm sure. He has to have a skin graft and that will probably be the first of the week.

Steve and Dad are still with me but are planning to head out sometime mid week. At least that is the plan for now. I'm lucky to have them with me. I'm sure they are glad to be here but will be glad to be home soon.

I have to wish my sister Carla a very Happy Birthday. We love you and appreciate all your support and prayers. We're sorry we can't be there to celebrate with you. Hope you'll take a rain check. We'll party when we all get home! Thanks for everything!

Since tomorrow is Monday, we'll probably start getting more information on what to expect next. We'll keep you posted.

Love you all.

Thank you for the comments

We just want to thank everyone for the comments they post. They mean so much. It's great to hear from you. Thanks for reading.

Out of SICU

Nathan just got moved from SICU, which by the way stands for Surgical Intensive Care Unit. He is now in the Orthopedic section of the hospital room 314. Moving him is always a challenge and it puts a real strain on him. But, up until the move he was having a pretty good day. Mostly sleeping but didn't seem to be in much discomfort. His arm is in a stabilizer that doesn't allow it to move. It will be about 2 weeks before he can move it and after that they want him to move it. I hear that the physical therapy people will be looking for him starting Monday. That will be interesting. Probably not too much fun but definitely something he'll have to endure for sometime.

We are so blessed that he is doing as well as he is. We've made acquaintances with other family's who have loved ones in SICU and it looks very grave for several of them. They have been so wonderful to us even going through all that they are going through. It continues to amaze me how people just keep giving and supporting. I guess that is what we do in times like these.

Steve and I had asked the kids not to come for a day or so as Nathan was really needing some down time. However, we think it is time to get him going again. He's pretty quiet today especially after the move but if you are in the area, please come see him for a short visit. He's now in room 314. Visiting hours are 11:00 to 8:00. He might not have much to say and probably won't feel like entertaining but, I'm sure he'll be glad to see all your familiar smiling faces.

Hugs to you all!

Elbow surgery completed!

Nathan went into surgery at 1:00 this afternoon to have his elbow repaired. After 6 hours of waiting, we were told he was heading to recovery and the Doc would be out soon. The Doc told us that he felt really good about how the surgery went. They were able to use his own bone without using part of his hip as was thought might happen. So besides a good deal of bone, a great deal of metal. He will have some limited range of motion but for the most part it was successful. We were very happy and encouraged by this news. The Doc said he's only seen one this bad before and it was due to a gunshot wound.

When we got to visit with Nathan later his face was swollen liked he'd been in a boxing match. The nurse said it was from all the fluids he's received. He said he felt pretty good. Which is a first. Hopefully that will continue. We didn't stay long as he was nodding off and needed to rest and we had much laundry to do tonight.

My friend Ann suggested keeping lots of chocolate in the room for the nursing staff. I must say we've had great care. Don't know if the chocolate helped or not but it's been worth it. Thanks Ann!

So, as you can tell, today was a pretty good day and we are all feeling pretty darn good.

Love to all.

We're on

Just got word that he is on his way to surgery for his elbow. Yeah!!! Will let you know something as soon as we do. Keep those prayers coming.

Something funny that happened before he went into surgery was the nurse was going to take out a big IV that he'd had in the upper left part of his chest for many days. She told him she would count to 3 and he needed to hold his breath. So she counted to 3 and pulled the IV out and went on about her business. Pretty soon he starts to shake and is raising his hand and waving it around. The nurse asks him what? He asks "can I breath now"? She hadn't realized he hadn't taken a breath. She decided he should probably be a deep sea diver since he can hold his breath so long.

Love you all.

Better day

Today was a very quiet day. Nathan rested and watched TV. He is still in SICU but holding his own. Tomorrow is grand rounds and we should have better information then. They are still giving him blood thinners and surgery for his elbow is on hold at this point. He will also have to have a skin graft on his left thigh. That was planned for Monday but will be set back as well.

We would like to say "Thank You" for all your generous financial support. It is making being away from home so much easier. You have definitely helped to defray the expenses we have been incurring. Thank you for easing our burden and letting us focus on Nathan.

We love you all, Steve, Bev, Carl (Grandpa) and Nathan.

Thursday 10/12/06

I don't have much to tell at this time. Nathan is back in SICU and resting comfortably. His breathing seems much better. He is really tired and sleeps a lot which is a good thing.

today's surgery is postponed until further notice. We haven't talked to the Dr today so don't have much news to post. But he's holding his own.

Thanks again for all your prayers and positive thinking. Love to all.

Last update for tonight 10/11/06

Well, Nathan had x-rays on his lungs and belly, more lab tests and a cat scan on his lungs and belly. He's been having a terrible time breathing tonight. He was so pale all day and really not very with it.

We just got back from the hospital and received a call that they are moving him back to ICU tonight. He has blood clots in his lungs and they need to start giving him blood thinners and watching him really close. I'm glad he's going back to ICU as they will be monitoring him much more closely. Because of this, the surgery that was scheduled for tomorrow will be postponed. Don't know when that will be rescheduled. Joe, his nurse on the main floor has been terrific but he has many more patients to tend to and can't really spend the time with him that he needs right now. We'll look forward to getting back to Joes care. Thanks Joe.

Time for bed. Good night all.

Super hard day

Today has been one of the hardest on Nathan. He's had two transfusions which they thought would tank him up. So far we haven't seen anything to indicate it has helped much.

They took him down to ultrasound his legs to check for blood clots which they said is negative. But when he got back his heart was racing and he was having a lot of trouble breathing. They took another chest X-ray and are going to do a cat scan of his lungs and belly to make sure there isn't something going on. They said he could end up back in ICU if his breathing doesn't improve. They sounded surprised considering this is 8 days later.

Sure is hard to see him like this. Breaks my heart.

Poor Steve and Dad have been trying to get the bike released all day. They got the okay and the muscle to help move it and now they are saying that because he doesn't have the registration they can't release it. The detective has the registration and won't release it to us because we are not the legal owners. Freaking catch 22. I don't know what they expect a person to do.

The shock is wearing off (a little anyway) and the frustration is rearing it's ugly little head.

That's all for now. Will let you know more later. Hugs to all.

10/11/06 Update

Just wanted to let you know, that he isn't having surgery today. I talked to the surgeon today and he said that he wasn't ever scheduled for today. He wasn't sure where that came from. He was able to confirm that all went well with the Monday night surgery.

He has had to have two more blood transfusions today as his red count is down and his white count is up.

Not having a great day today. Hopefully with the transfusions he'll be feeling better by tonight.

More later....

Tuesday 10/10/06

Nathan's surgery was very good last night. He is in a great deal of pain today and really uncomfortable. They have moved him out of SICU to a regular room. He's now in room #432. He had wonderful care in SICU but I'm sure he'll be glad to not be poked and prodded quite as much.

He is tentatively scheduled for elbow surgery sometime tomorrow. We don't have a time as basically they will fit him in if they have time. So, it looks like it may be another frustrating day. I promise to do my best to keep my cool and not stress Nathan out like I did yesterday.

Today we spent most of the day at the dorm getting stuff packed up. Let me tell you, he has more stuff in that room than all the rest of the kids on the floor. No seriously, he really has a lot of stuff. All the comforts of home....

Steve has been working all week trying to get the bike released so we can figure out what to do with it. It has been a frustrating process but the detective we've been working with has been terrific.

A group of guys from school called The Rough Riders have offered to help with the repairs. They do charity rides and are planning one for Nathan and another rider who was injured the same night with similar injures. This is just one more instance of someone doing something so very special for us. Which has truly been the case at every turn.

I have to give special thanks to my family and friends who have generously donated funds and hotel points to help ease the costs we are experiencing being away from home. Thanks so very much!!!

And a big thank you to my co-workers who are having to pick up the slack and figure out what I've left behind that needs to be dealt with. Fortunately, I only had nice people with claims.... ;-}

My sister Pam is holding down the fort and keeping my other babies very spoiled. They won't be missing me anytime too soon. Keep up the good work Pam. We love you!

Nathan's buddy Derrick is heading back to Texas tomorrow. It's been great having him around. He's been able to pick up when Nick had to return home. What a couple of great guys. I think I'll keep them both. So gentlemen, consider yourselves adopted into the Mellon Family!

I need to mention the girls. Thank you ladies for all your love,support and offers of help. You are all very special and Nathan is very lucky to have you in his life. Steve, Grandpa and I have enjoyed having you around and we appreciate all you have done and all your generous offers to help. Consider yourselves adopted as well.

Now I'm just babbling. Time to head for bed.

Keep those prayers coming. I'm certain that is why things are going they way they're going. Praise Jesus!

Love to you all, Steve, Bev & Nathan.

Surgery went well

We missed talking to the doctor by 1 minute. Could not believe it. All because the fire alarm was going off at the hotel and I ran back into the office to be sure all was okay. So, we don't know what the doc had to say. I'm assuming we'll talk to him tomorrow. We waited until Nathan returned to his room from recovery. That was at 3:00 AM. He was awake and telling us his fingers hurt like they were frost bit. The nurse didn't know anything just said that maybe it was from them being in an odd position or something. He said his elbow hurt but they didn't do anything with his elbow. The nurse said the surgery went fine and that they didn't have to put in the exterior brace like they thought they might. That is really great! Otherwise we don't really know much more tonight.

We are asking that he not receive visitors until noon tomorrow or today as the case may be 10/10/06. He's had a super long day and a tough night. I'm sure he'll be ready to have a few short visits then and will look forward to seeing you.

Love you all.

Surgery Update

Well, at 9:00 PM mst they FINALLY came and took him to surgery. The game plan is optimistic that the repair to the pelvis isn't going to be as bad as first explained. And that much of it will heal without work. The big job tonight will be the femur and even that didn't sound as horrible as we'd first heard. They didn't think they'd work on the elbow tonight but with the way things went today, that is subject to change. It's will be scheduled for Thursday at this point.

I was so irritated by the time they finally came and got him. 6 Hours Later!!! I thought I was going to have to thrash someone. I felt so bad for Nathan as he was totally aware of my frustration.

We will head back to the hospital in an hour or so and wait for him to come out of surgery. I'll update the blog as soon as I can.

Thanks everyone for your prayers. Hugs to all.

10/9/06 Surgery Update

Just wanted to let you know that Nathan's surgery was scheduled for 3:15 mst. Well it is now 7:45 mst and we are still waiting. From everything we've been told (which isn't much)they are going to repair everything. So maybe it will be worth the wait. I'll let you know more as soon as I can. Thanks again for all the prayers and positive thinking. Love to all.

Surgery is today

Just wanted to quickly let you know that today is the big surgery day or at least one of them. The surgery isn't scheduled until 3:15 this afternoon so it is going to be a very long day, especially for Nathan and the Dr's.

Nathan had a pretty decent day yesterday. By evening he was trying to get one of his friends (who knows nothing about cars) to buy the much needed blinker fluid for her car. So as you can see, he hasn't lost his spirit.

I talked to him this morning and he didn't sleep well last night even with a sleeping pill. But, I imagine he'll be sleeping a good deal the next few days.

I'm attaching a couple of photos from yesterday. As you can see he has less hardware and his right hand isn't tied down anymore.




Nathan with Jason



Nathan with Caitlin



Nathan with Katy

Oh, and if you couldn't tell, that is Nathan's facinated look. He just loves having his picture taken....

Hugs to all, will keep update this as soon as we know more.

Saturday and part of Sunday update

Saturday October 7, 2006

Everyday seems a little better than the day before. On Saturday he decided it was time to remove the feeding tube, so he did…. Luckily for him, they decided he didn’t need it and didn’t have to put it back as that wouldn’t have been fun. They started him on a liquid diet and he’s gotten some jello-o and tea down. He beginning to understand what happened and what the extents of his injuries are. He’s a little on the cranky side which is to be expected. Steve keeps telling me that I’m really going to be in for it for the next few months.

I wanted to explain the why and how of all of this. Nathan has been going to school in Denver at Johnson & Wales University. He is working on obtaining his degree in Hotel Management. He’d just gotten back to Denver on September 1st and classes started the following week.

On Monday October 2, 2006 at 10:10 PM pacific time, we received a call from Denver Health telling us that Nathan had been involved in a serious motorcycle accident and was there someone who could come and be at the hospital. Thankfully we have a niece, Tara and her husband Kyle that live in Golden. So I called and got them out of bed and Tara bless her heart jumped and ran over to the hospital. When she arrived he was in surgery to repair his ruptured bladder and to pack his pelvis to get the bleeding stopped. When he was put in ICU she stayed with him the rest of the night and was so great about talking to him for us while we were scrambling to get thing together to get to Denver. She and Kyle spent the day with him until we were able to get in about 11:00 AM on 10/3/06. Tara and Kyle we hope you know how much we appreciate what you did for us. We could never repay the comfort you provided to us by being here for him. Thank you so very much.

We are staying at Marriott Town Place in Lakewood that is about 8 miles from the hospital. They have a Marriott practically across the street from the hospital but it was full when we got here. We may try to move to the closer place for the next week if they have room.

Steve, Dad and I are all hanging in there thanks to all the wonderful support, encouragement and prayers we have received.

As I said everyday is better.

Sunday October 8, 2006 AM

Today he is off the oxygen mask and he just has the loop for his nose. He is eating real food. That is, when you can get him to eat. But I must say he did eat applesauce, pears, peaches and cottage cheese.

He’s talking very well and I think for the most feeling better as long as they don’t move him much.
Tomorrow is a big surgery day. We don’t have a time yet but it will most likely take most of the day. They will work on his pelvis and femur. They don’t have a game plan for the elbow yet but hopefully that will be soon.

Thank you all for all your support and encouragement and prayers. We love you all.

Take A Look For Yourself...

Several pictures have been uploaded of Nathan in his hospital bed, as well as photos of the crash site. I'll post one or two below, but to see the entire album, I will post a link, as well.

Before you browse the pictures, I want to warn you: a few of them are quite graphic and show a lot of the work the doctors are using to heal his injuries. There is a bit of blood in a couple pictures, lots of bruises, and they show Nathan in bed with tubes connected to his body. As described in a previous entry, the metal bar that is around his waist holding his pelvis together is pictured, and the swelling on his left side of the body is shown. Since then, much of the bruising and swelling has subsided.

Understand this, though: Nathan's getting better each and every day. The mood at the hospital amongst his friends is not gloomy, as a matter of fact, it's quite the opposite. We're very upbeat and positive, and while he's bitching about nurses and an uncomfortable sleeping arrangement, his spirits are high. Even though the pictures paint a scene that is extremely serious, the reality is that it's not as bad as it appears.

Also, you'll notice when you follow the link below, there is a second picture album of the crash site. When browsing the pictures, notice the straight skid mark along the road where he obviously tried to stop. The fence was where he landed, and the debris on the ground was (obviously) from his motorcycle.

According to the police report, Nathan flew into the fence, while his bike became airborne and landed on the other side of the fence you see in the pictures.

Keep him in your prayers. If you don't pray, then think of him over a beer.

Follow this link for the pictures.



Note: The tube in his mouth has since been removed by Nate, himself. This led to his right arm being, literally, tied to the bed. But, knowing Nate, we can't be too surprised, right? The tube has since been replaced with a mask.

Thursday 10/5/06

Today was a really good day. He's starting to complain so that is a really good indication that he's on the mend.

They had him breathing on his own this morning but he decided to remove his ventilation tube himself. That wasn't a great thing but they took it in stride. He's breathing on his own and feeling better for it. He is able to sit up a little more and that will help keep pneumonia away. He wanted to communicate so badly that he was frustrated beyond belief. He is now restrained on his right arm so he can't unplug anything else.

I talked with the nurse tonight and he will have surgery next Monday to begin the repairs to the bones. He will most likely remain in ICU for at least a week after that. Once he leaves ICU he goes to a place called Step Down which is between ICU and a regular hospital room. It sounds like once he's done at Step Down he will be transferred to a rehab center. I asked her if I lived in Denver if he would be able to come home at that time and she said "no". So, he will have to have rehab here for an unknown period of time before we'll be able to bring him home.

He is giving the nurses a hard time, big surprise. They love it because it shows he is strong willed and that is a really good thing for recovery.

I can't tell you how wonderful everyone has been throughout this whole ordeal. The staff has been exceptional. Kind, caring and compassionate beyond words.

The kids he goes to school with, Nick who came down from Seattle and Derrick who came up from Texas are the most amazing young people we've ever had the pleasure to know. They have been here for Steve and I every step of the way. Offers of a place to stay, a car to drive, a meal, doing laundry, running errands or just being there to have a shoulder to cry on and so many other things that it's almost overwhelming. It makes us so proud to know that Nathan has the caliber of friends does. I'd take them all home with me if I could. I hope their parents get to read this so they can know what wonderful kids they have.

I'm going to attach a photo that was taken on 10/3/06. I just want you to see how good he looked when we got here, at least from the chest up. He's looking better everyday.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, well wishes, calls and emails. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. That too continues to amaze us. How lucky are we!!!

We love you all. Please understand that we can't always answer each email but will do our best to keep you posted here and drop an occasional email if and whenever possible.

Crash...

Let's play catch-up.

At the moment, Nate is in critical condition in Intensive Care at Denver Health Memorial Hospital. The left side of his body is where the vast majority of the damage is located. He has several compound fractures and broken bones, including his left elbow, pelvis, femur, and his L5 vertebra. There is currently a metal device (almost like the head of a wrench) that is clamping his pelvic area together holding him still. This afternoon (Wednesday), Nate was given a blood transfusion, and as with any major operation, there are numerous tubes and IV's in and throughout his body.

Several surgeries await him, the first of which took place yesterday, and went well.

The accident happened around 10:15 Monday evening (October 2) when Nathan appeared to be going too fast on his bike and lost control at a turn in the road (pictures of the accident site will come soon). At that point, he became airborne, along with his bike, and crashed into a fencepost which shattered the left side of his body. The bike continued on and either hopped the fence or slid underneath; it's unclear which, but evidence supports either theory.

Luckily, people living in the homes nearby heard the accident, and one of the civilians on the scene happend to be a doctor, who took care of him until the paramedics arrived. Nate was conscious enough to give them his parents name and contact information. The positive news, however, is that Nate was wearing a helmet, riding gloves, and a protective jacket. Also, the hospital tested him, and no alcohol was found in his system.

It's still not clear how long he will remain in the hospital, but the general belief is approximately three weeks. At that point, he and his family will likely stay in Denver until he's well enough to travel, in which case he will return to Seattle to rehab. Because of the damage to his left leg, he likely will not be able to put any weight on it for at least three months, and he's not expected to return to school until the fall of 2007.

While the accident appears grim, the positive news is that barring any major setbacks, Nathan will walk again and have full mobility. All of his fingers and toes work, and his brain will function normally. He did wake up late Wednesday evening, and while the tubes in his throat do not allow him to speak, he understood every word we said, used his hands to give us instructions, and even had a laugh from his friend Nick.

I asked him if he was in pain, and he shook his head, "no." He also said he doesn't remember the accident, but that's to be expected.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment and ask, or give any of us a call. I (Derrick) can be reached at 409.313.0281, or Bev (Nate's Mother) at 206.459.6308. An e-mail address has also been activated if you prefer to use it at fixnathan@yahoo.com.

If you'd like to send cards, please feel free to do so, the address is below. While we are allowed to decorate his room with stuffed animals, cards, balloons, posters, etc, the nurse has asked that we stay away from flowers and food, as they attract bugs. Again, the address is as follows:

Denver Health Medical Center
777 Bannock
SICU #214 - Nate Mellon
Denver, CO 80204

Anything to keep his and his families spirits positive is appreciated.

We look forward to reading your comments, and can't wait to hear what you have to say. More will come when it's made available to us.

Be careful out there...

The First Of Many...

By now it's no secret that Nathan was in a serious motorcycle accident on the night of Monday, October 2nd. Your phone calls and visits to the hospital have shown his family how much love he's received while being away from home, but do to the number of lives Nate has touched, it's difficult to keep everyone in the loop about his status.

At the request of the family, this website will act as a medium to keep everyone informed, from friends in Washington, fellow Cast Members in Orlando as well as on the Disney Cruise Line, Johnson & Wales classmates, and everyone in between.

As the information becomes available, any change in Nate's status will be posted here. Bev (Nate's mother) will take pictures every step of the way, and they will be posted here, from the scene of the accident, to Nate lying in a hospital bed. The hope is that, not only will it keep everyone informed, but also act as a reminder to everyone to always do the right thing.

Your comments are welcomed and encouraged, so when Nate gets out of the hospital, we'd like him to understand how many people love him and wish him a full recovery. Pass this website along to anyone who might have interest.

In his best interest...