The Stark Family

Day 27 - Thursday 10/18/07

Mitch here. You have to see this picture -

Tym and me - playing ping-pong.

His hand/eye coordination is remarkable. He was even chatting (perseverating) while he was playing. I kept “changing it up”, hiting a few high, short, left, right - and he pretty much kept up the whole time.

He keeps talking about the “crash” and usually adds, “I almost died. REALLY!” This always seems to be accomanied by him tearing up. I truely believe he’s glad to be alive and the fact that he is making an emotional connection to a cognitive thought is good sign.

In his therapy session today, he was able to name all of the common objects that his therapist showed him. A week ago, he couldn’t name any of them. He even seemed surprised at himself when he’d get them right. When he remembered what year it was, he said, “That was a lucky guess.” Later, we were quizing him again about his birthday and he was having trouble with the year. So we started it for him - “January 29″ and he said, “1956 - Wow! where did that come from?” And he’s been giggling at just about everything. His case workers told us that everyone there loves Tym (no surprise to any of you, I’m sure).

Day 15 - Saturday 10/06/07

Tym is doing much better in the rehab center than he was in the hospital. He has not been aggressive or violent for the past two days. He continues to eat well. He eats completely on his own as well. He is impressing all of his therapists with his continual improvement. Tym is now suffering a bit of aphasia, in where he has an inability to name objects and persistent repetition of phrases. The speech therapist is working on these things with Tym and his family. It is now important to continue talking about the subject topic and ignore Tym’s catch phrases and inappropriate interjections.

Most of the family was able to visit Tym today, and we had the opportunity to bring him lunch instead of having more hospital food. Tym’s brother and wife, Mitch and Sandy, were kind enough to run to El Pollo Loco and pickup some food and drinks for the family to share with Tym. Thanks guys! Tym enjoyed a Pollo Bowl and half a chicken burrito. He was quite talkative, and we would have to remind him to finish his lunch. He also wanted to offer everyone else to share his food. I tried to give him some salsa to put in his bowl, but he ate it off of the fork instead. He said it was good, but I helped him dump some in his bowl rather than just continuing to chuckle.

Tym finished a nice lunch with his family, and even sat quiet and listened to other’s stories. He laughed and responded appropriately, so his comprehension is getting much better. Tym would often interject, but typically with nonsensical dialog. We think this is due to the aphasia. Later Tym enjoyed my Dirt Rider (dirt bike) magazine, and would point out the good pictures, and he could often read the names of the bikes and the engine sizes. He was doing very well, and flipped through the magazine at least three times. He kept on talking about his “race bike”, which I know he doesn’t really have, but I too was getting excited about it nonetheless.

The plan is still to get Tym to a local rehabilitation center. We will not be able to make any progress on this until Monday. Tym’s therapy consumes most of his day during the week and half of Saturday, thus visitors are encouraged to visit on Sundays. I don’t know that Tym will still be there next Sunday, when he might be ready to visit, so please continue to check here for updates. We had a nice time with Tym on Saturday, and we are so happy to see him relaxed and happy again. It is a big relief for the family.

Week One

This was our dad, brother and son. Very hard to take. We did not know if he would ever be able to understand us if we said, “I love you!” Could we ever communicate with him again?

Week Two

Things looking up. Tym woke up and started talking. He continued to talk and recognize people and things more and more. At first the talking was encouraging, soon we couldn’t get him to stop. The family began learning how to help Tym express himself and to identify genuine responses. We tested Tym’s writing ability (not bad). Found out he still had some songs memorized (still working on posting the video).

Week Three

We can say “I love you!” and get a genuine “I love you too!” back. Not every time, but we are grateful to be able to do this at all. The week has just begun. Everyday Tym continues to improve. He can walk, sing, dance and express himself (sometimes). He is truly a fighter, and he WILL get through this.

Day 13 - Thursday 10/04/07

Great news! We’ve passed our first major milestone and got Tym out of the hospital and into a rehabilitation center. In the rehab center he will get the special care he needs and will no longer have to be restrained with jackets and wrist straps. The restraints definitely hindered his ability to focus and this often prevented him from exercising his brain.

Tym’s morning started like previous mornings, he did very well with all of his therapists, but he started to get frustrated again. After he ate his breakfast, Tym fought and was restrained to the bed. He was determined on going out to dinner and he invited anyone who walked in the room to join us. We tried to figure out where he wanted to go, but he couldn’t think of any restaurants in the area. Tym did mention his new house and that he liked the Angels baseball team. We have been talking about this to him often. It’s still a good memory whether it is from prior to the accident or not. It shows that he’s making improvement, and accessing some memory short/long term. We let Tym eat his lunch on his own with the help of the therapists.

We are learning as a family to not over-stimulate him. Too many visitors, especially at once, will hinder his ability to focus on tasks and develop his cognitive skills. Tym is only allowed to see even his family members 2 at a time.

Most of the afternoon was consumed with the transportation of Tym to the rehab center and tying up loose ends at the hospital for the family. We got to put Tym in his new clothes before dinner, and he was much happier. He was singing and dancing around his new room. He did fall twice, but luckily onto the bed both times. Tym took some medication orally to calm down, but it wasn’t strong enough or didn’t act quickly enough. His frustration began to escalate, and he was trying to get going as he still wanted to go to dinner. He started grabbing and pulling equipment and utility carts and Mitch and I were not impressed by the staff’s ability to contain Tym. We did not want to leave until they proved to us they could handle him. We did not want to see him hurt himself or any of the staff. We know they are experts, and they probably deal with this all of the time, but it wasn’t apparent to us as being demonstrated.

Thank you for all of the support! Thank you to all of the experts who have always been professional and supportive. Thank you to the heroes that saved Tym’s life at the race! I cannot express our gratitude enough. We will be in contact with you. Thank you to all the readers, friends and family who have written such great messages, it has really kept the family (and the blog) going. Thank you for the cards, pictures, posters and flowers. You have all contributed, whether you realize it or not, in getting our father, brother, and son to be able to enjoy life again. It’s a long road ahead, but we know we can make it with your continued support.

I know it sounds as if I am saying goodbye, but I will continue to update the blog as appropriate, it just doesn’t need to be daily anymore. I will always post new pictures and successes when they happen. And I WILL definitely let you know when it is healthy for Tym to have visitors. I haven’t forgotten.

Tym sitting up in a special hospital chair. He only smiled for 1 second. We got lucky.

Day 10 - Monday 10/01/07

Tym finally got some well needed sleep. The nurses said he slept from 10pm to 4am. Also, Tym ate his own breakfast for the first time today. He was sitting up in a special chair and he fed himself some french toast and drank some Orange Juice. Tym kept grabbing for the coffee, so when it was cool enough I let him sip some. There was no sugar or cream in it, so he scrunched his face and said, “Yuck!”

Tym recognized all of the money that we showed him today. It is amazing that he can differentiate the money. We are getting a little progress on Tym’s recognition of other things as well. We are still trying to get him to recognize that he is in the Hospital. He won’t say it often, and has a hard time relating that response to the question, “Where are you?” I think his mind skips the answer because he will go straight to, “Well, I’m going to go home.” I asked him why he was going home, and he said “To get ready … for the race!”

Tym is going to be moved today from the Critical Care Unit (CCU) to a recovery room. I will update this post if he makes any more progress today.We have received your cards and flowers. We read them to Tym and post them in his room. Thank you!

UPDATE:

Tym ate most of his dinner today. He was being spoon fed some chicken and carrots. He did really well on this and may not need a feeding tube installed. Tym also did very well with his Physical Therapist (PT) and stood up and walked today. We walked to the bathroom, and around the room a little bit. The most amazing accomplishment today was when Tym wrote his name on a piece of paper. I tried to upload a picture of it, but my phone is not cooperating (sorry). He wrote “Stark”, and then I wrote a line “NAME ____________”, and on it he wrote “Tym Stark”, which kind of looked like “7y7 Stark”, but pretty amazing either way!

Tym started getting aggressive today, and was very motivated to leave. Unfortunately he has to be tied down for his own good. His body is progressing much faster than his mind, and he’s liable to hurt himself.

Day 1 - Saturday 09/22/07

Tym was running the La Purisima (Valley of Flowers) Half Marathon and was nearing the end when he collapsed due to an abnormal heart rhythm. Runners (three airmen) on scene administered CPR and a co-worker in the area went for help. The runners and an unknown fireman kept Tym alive with CPR until the EMTs arrived on scene with an ambulance (~13 minutes). The EMTs used the defibrillator (paddles) to shock Tym’s heart back into a regular beat. He was transferred to Lompoc Hospital. His family was notified shortly after.

At Lompoc Hospital Tym was put on an artificial respirator as he could not breathe on his own. They also performed a cat scan to check for brain bleed or hemorrhaging. Co-worker Jim Gin visited Tym at the Lompoc Hospital. Tym was shortly transfered to the Cardiac Care Unit at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. All of Tym’s family met with him there, and have been supporting him ever since.

Day 2 - Sunday 09/23/07

Tym was in a coma at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. He received a second cat scan. Both cat scans came back without any indications of bleeding or swelling. An MRI was requested as it gives the doctors a better physical picture of the brain than a cat scan. It was determined that Tym had ~4 broken ribs due to the CPR. This is a good sign that the CPR was being done well (Thank you!). Tym remained on artificial breathing. It appeared that Tym was making voluntary muscle motions. This is a good sign as his brain and body are communicating well.
A cardiac catheterization was performed to check for any blockages or damage in Tym’s arteries. This test provided positive results as no irregularities were detected.

Tym’s truck was recovered from the La Purisima mission and returned to his home in Santa Maria. His friends from church, life-long friends, and his co-workers were notified of his condition with the information from his cell-phone, which is now in his family’s possession.

Day 3 - Monday 09/24/07

Tym remained on the respirator. It was determined that he was running a fever ~104º. He also had pneumonia from vomit that made its way to his lungs when the CPR was performed. Tym was placed on an ice-blanket in an attempt to bring down his fever.

When the doctors lowered his medications to test for brain activity, Tym started having seizures. They immediately put him back on sedation and anti-seizure medications. This happened every time the medications were lowered.

Tym was still enough today to get an MRI done. The MRI showed no signs of brain damage.

To assist the administration of medications the doctors asked for a central line, which was authorized by the family. The doctors installed and x-rayed the line to make sure it was in correctly. Now all medications and blood tests were taken from this line.

Day 4 - Tuesday 09/25/07

Tym was finally fed today through a line in his nose. He was basically in a medicated coma until his fever and pneumonia was down. He brought his fever down to ~100º. They suctioned out much of the fluid in his lungs and the pneumonia was starting to clear. The breathing machine was changed to an assist mode, and Tym was initiating his own breaths. His brain began taking over more functions, little by little. The respirator was left in to assist his breaths with additional volume and to keep his airway clear.

An EEG (electroencephalogram) was performed and a camera was on Tym for 24 hours to determine if the shakes Tym was exhibiting were actually seizures. To many of the nurses and Tym’s family it appeared that he was shaking like he was freezing cold, but there was no arching, or loss of muscle control. The neurologist determined that the shakes were NOT seizures. Everyone was relieved.

Day 5 - Wednesday 09/26/07

Tym was now being nourished with some fiber based food, and starting to fight his fever naturally. The ice-blanket was removed because it very possibly could have been causing the shakes. Tym’s fever was coming down and the pneumonia almost gone. Now when medications were lowered, Tym could turn his head and open his eyes slightly. He would turn his head towards the side of the bed where nurses were calling his name. He could not obey commands, but it did appear that his other motions were still voluntary and his brain was continuing to take over more functions, again little by little.

Day 6 - Thursday 09/27/07

Tym was getting more awake and aware and therefore more frustrated with his breathing tube. Doctors had to constantly check his restraints as he tried to fight to take over control. When doctors evaluated Tym in the morning, he did not obey any of their commands, and doctors started to doubt his ability to obey commands. The family was very discouraged. However, when the family got to visit, Tym woke up, very groggy and started to communicate (non verbally). You could tell that Tym was having trouble focusing his eyes on subjects, but he would follow them around the room, and when he recognized his family members, his eyes lit up and he moved his head up off the pillow. This was a very good feeling. I asked Tym to wiggle his toes if he could hear me, and HE DID IT! The family broke out in tears! We knew Tym was a fighter, but perhaps just a shy one.

Day 7 - Friday 09/28/07

Tym was finally relieved of the breathing tube and looked 100% better as a result. He was breathing well on his own, but still wanted out of the bed. Nurses had to fight to keep him from escaping. His family was helping with his brain functions by telling Tym that they love him and they’ve missed being able to tell him that with his eyes focused on them. Tym started responding verbally and he would tell people “Hi!” and “I love you!”. He also started understanding commands, and would sit still, squeeze hands, wiggle toes, and say “Hi!” to people when asked. The most adorable part was when Tym grabbed his mother’s (Barbara) hand and brought it up to his lips for a kiss. He also did this when his daughter (Rebecca) held his hand.
Tym often raised his hands up for hugs. He also would often awake, look at both sides of his hands, then slam them down on his bed in frustration. I think he woke up without any short term memory, realized he was in the hospital, and was bummed out about it. Tym also looked confused or shrugged his shoulders when he didn’t understand our questions, or didn’t know something we asked. We asked who some random passers by were, to see if he wasn’t just saying “Hi” and “okay” to everyone, and he shrugged his shoulders instead. His responses are definitely genuine. I, Tym’s son (Jeremy) got sick on this day, probably because of the stress, and had to visit Tym with a mask on. Tym seemed confused about this as well.

I was able to describe Tym’s situation to him, as his brother has done many times. He seemed to remember that he was running, and understands that he had an accident. I explained to him that his ribs were broken because of the good CPR he received, which saved his life. I explained that his chest hurts because the ribs are broken. Then I asked, “Does this make sense?” Tym responded, “Yeah.” and frowned.

Editor’s Note

On behalf of the Stark family I would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to all of the wonderful people who have helped Tym and the family through this tough ordeal. Thank you to the airmen and other runners who administered CPR. Thank you to the co-workers who got immediate help for Tym, and to those who helped the police figure out Tym’s emergency contact information. Also, thank you to the co-workers who visited Tym in the Hospital. Thank you to the fireman who rushed back to the scene and administered CPR. Thank you to the EMTs who responded to Tym and got his heart beating again, and got him safely to the Hospital. Thank you to the police who responded, contacted the family, and got them to Tym’s truck. Thank you to anyone else who was on scene, or behind the scenes who helped in any way to save Tym’s life. Thank you to the wonderful staff at both hospitals. Thank you to the nurses and doctors who care for Tym and always have his best interests in mind. Thank you for involving the family in all of your plans, and keeping them constantly updated with information. Thank you to the social workers, spiritual care center workers, and case managers who have helped the family with everything from a place to stay, to making plans for Tym’s rehabilitation care. Thank you to the rest of Tym’s family who have really come together in this time of need. Unfortunately, you never really know how much your family loves each other until they are put in a very hard situation. Fortunately we have a very loving family. Thank you to all the friends and family who support us with favors, prayers, thoughts, and encouragement. Thank you for Tym’s church groups who have gotten the prayer chain going and have kept the updates out to everyone. Lastly thank you Dad for being so strong in mind and spirit and teaching me to be the same. You made this much easier on all of us by being such a fighter. We all believe in you and know you are doing everything you can to get better.