Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the tissues and return carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. The primary function of carrying oxygen is made possible by a chemically complex protein called hemoglobin. During circulation of blood through the lungs, hemoglobin becomes almost fully saturated with oxygen, making the blood bright red. As red cells perfuse the capillary beds of tissues and organs, oxygen is released from the hemoglobin into the tissues.
Because the main function of hemoglobin is the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, the concentration of this substance in a patient is a matter of concern. Almost all body functions depend on the oxygen transport capability of the blood. When the hemoglobin concentration is low, tissues, may not receive an adequate amount of oxygen and, over time, this presents problems. Inadequate oxygen supply to tissues results in poor healing of tissue and can cause complications such as an increased workload on the heart.So, it looks like we can be grateful that his body is healing his tissues as effectively as possible and that he is not having other complications, including an extra workload on his heart.
In OT, AJ continued to work on grasping objects by playing Scrabble with the therapist (btw, he won by 5 points, with some help from Aunt Mary :). He keeps tying, but it's still really hard to successfully pick things up. Here is an example of the hand splints that we wrote about on Sept 10:
Next, they had him work on strengthening his shoulders by using weights and resistance bands. AJ would probably call himself a "light-weight" since his right wrist pounded out 6 ounces and his left one raised the bar to10 oz - haha! The craziness of this injury continues! The effort to repeatedly lift these weight was incredible. With this injury, AJ is going to have to redefine success (since he used to lift 50 lbs with his wrists). In the 1st picture he's being a jokester with his 6 & 10 oz, but in the next one...you can see the real effort. He's working hard!
We still appreciate and feel strengthened by the prayers and support being sent our way!
Thank You!
Thank You!
I guess I don't understand the nervous system. I don't get how he can move his fingers and bend his elbow and we can't just expect him to have full range of ... everything. I guess it's a highly complex, microscopic, highly mortal system. I've had friends who have had injuries which gave them partial use that strengthened and got to a plateau eventually so I guess there's millions of connections and when only hundreds of thousands keep in tact bla bla bla I dunno what I'm talking about?
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about stem cell injections and all that. Did that become illegal and is there any traction there?
I find myself thinking about this situation from time to time and can't help but calibrate my reality based on such events. Some say it's sad when people are hurt and even killed "at a young age" but what is young and what is old and what is expected of a person and what is tragic and what is selfish? All I know is that one day I will die and the line between life and death is razor thin in this mortality. I used to expect to be married and have kids and make money and on and on my expectations went. Now, having no kids and never been married, I'm grateful for the life I've had and realize if my motorcycle doesn't get me then age will. I feel grateful I've never been married and grateful I never had kids because marrying the wrong person and having kids with the wrong person makes your life and the life of the kids a hellish existence .. and to me imperfect relationships are far worse than perfect single-hood. Perfect or close to perfect relationships are rare. I've actually never seen one.
So, mixing Buddhism with Mormonism, I believe squelching desires as remain grateful for what we have and what we are is the secret to being happy. Hope for the best and expect the worst? No! Hope for the future and be grateful for what you've already been given... I like that more. Anyway, bla bla bla... just thinking aloud ;)
Actually, there is current research into whether stem cells could help paralyzed patients. As it turns out, research in Brazil has been successful in restoring 'some feeling' in patients that have been paralyzed for years. I remember reading the article a few months back, and I told Becca about it. The Doctor that is in charge of A.J. seemed quite open to this possible therapy. I can't find the original article (which had MUCH more detail), but here's a URL to the story from a UK source:
Deletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-202207/Stem-cells-offer-cure-paralysis.html