December 3, 2005 - Mid-Morning

Big news today - the princess was finally moved out of critical care and has been given the all clear for travel! She has been moved to room 530 and has the room all to herself. She was doing some talking this morning. She told the nurse that she had a headache (of course, they gave her some meds to help her feel better) and she told Kurt and Kevin that "she fell outside" and "it hurts behind her eye". [The left eye has been much slower to heal]. Her voice is still barely a whisper so the room must be quiet and you have to strain to hear her. She also showed some signs of her feisty self, by trying to pull the trach out yesterday. Kurt had to try and reason her out of that one. [The trach will be left in at least until she gets through the air ambulance ride.] During the visit, Kurt also noticed that she winces when he does PT on her left leg (although she tells him it's o.k.) and less mobility in that foot. They're going to have the doctors looks at it just in case she might have done some soft tissue damage to that foot.

We've decided on sending her to Baylor in Dallas. They believe she is borderline in terms of being ready for rehab vs acute care, but would like to start her in the rehab program. She's been moving fairly quickly for a head injury (after the initial 2 weeks) and they'd like to keep her on that track. If she can't handle it, Baylor has an acute care facility that they can move her to. We expect the paperwork to be completed and a bed to be ready early next week. We hope to be putting Mr. and Mrs. Bethke on a plane bound for Dallas on either Tuesday or Wednesday. [We weren't sure they'd do it, but her insurance carrier even agreed to pay for that plane - yeah Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas!!] Get ready Dallas, the princess is coming home soon!