The first 4 days are the most critical.
Freddie is making rapid improvement with a good prognosis within 3 months. These first 4 days are critical.
For verbal updates you may call Amit Barson: 831-426-7116. The hospital suggested that we have a spokesperson so they don’t get deluged.
Thank you for your kind, supportive and loving e-mails and phones calls. I can’t answer all of you right now because I almost live at the hospital. I am passing your love on to F. You are in my heart and your support is a major support to me. Thank you.
Some of you don’t know that Freddie had a major stroke on Friday, was lucky enough to get TPA miracle drug, and is making a wonderful recovery.
He can now talk, but of course can’t remember many words and can’t always be understood. He can now move both left and right sides (his right was completely paralyzed at first). He is a Dominican ICU and should be moved tomorrow if there is a bed. I have asked all to notify those not on this list (many got erased without my awareness, so I meant to send this to more of you) or without e-mail. The hospital suggested that we have a spokesperson so they don’t get deluged. In Santa Cruz, Amit Barson is the person to call for verbal updates: 831-426-7116; cell: 831-234-0340. In Southern CA, Freddie’s sister Dorothy has offered to be a spokesperson - 626-797-7945.
Freddie is making rapid improvement with a good prognosis within 3 months. These first 4 days are critical.
Thank you for your kind, supportive and loving e-mails and phones calls. I can’t answer all of you right now because I almost live at the hospital. I am passing your love on to F. You are in my heart and your support is a major support to me. Thank you.
Love,
M
Dear wonderful friends and family,
Your continued calls and e-mails and messages are such a wonderful joy and support. Thank you.
Here is Sunday night’s update.
As of tonight, Sunday night, Freddie is much better - he can talk, read and write but still can’t find all his words or always be understood. He can raise both his right leg and arm (which were paralyzed at first) and move all the fingers on his left hand. He can wiggle all his toes (both feet)! He was able to sit in a chair today. He is ready to move up from intensive care when they have open beds. Soon he will be sent to a rehab center to work 4 hours/day at rehab! He brushed his own teeth tonight. Yesterday he brushed his hair. He was able to feed himself apple sauce today, the only food he is allowed to eat until the speech therapist returns Monday to check his swallow reflex, which seems to be there now. Then he’ll be able to drink liquids and eat a “stroke” diet of blended food.
This afternoon he forgot that I spent all day with him; when I left for 2 hours he told a friend I hadn’t been there. This forgetfulness seems to be common with stroke patients. His eyes light up when I come into the room. He holds my hand and strokes my hair. We even cried together today and he comforted me with his hand. I had a friend bring in a guest book and I now encourage all guests to write down that they were there so that he will remember.
His masseuse body worker energy worker magician angel Debra has been with him working on him every day, including the first day. She canceled a trip out of town for him. And today as I was working on his feet my Shamanic teacher took over and did some powerful healing through me. I have also been using essential oils on him. And the Drs are amazed at his rapid progress. It is amazing to see him heal hour from hour, even minute to minute, and day to night. The nurses can’t believe it - they are overjoyed.
He can do the OT exercises of interlacing his fingers and bring his arms up over his head and back down again.
His almost 87-year old mother has been staying with me and has seen him yesterday and today. And today he talked to her, then his daughter and then his son on the telephone. He was able to say their names and tell them he loved them. He can write his name and my name (he is left handed and his left side is much less affected by the stroke). He sometimes writes when he can’t get the word. Sometimes I write, as he can take in the written info at times better than the auditory info. Very interesting. Of course he still gets frustrated at not being able to communicate enough. Also of course, at being stuck in a hospital again. He says he want to go home! But today when he could move his right leg consciously he said, “I can walk now”. He will probably get to walk when the OT comes tomorrow.
The stroke happened around 12:30 noonish on Friday. His rapid progress gives me hope. I also did a healing hypnosis for him last night before I left. We keep telling him how well he is doing and that seems to give him inspiration to do his exercises, etc. His will seems really strong and shining.
Our friend Beth did a shamanic journey where she said that he needed to see red. Saturday I wore a red sweater with a red scarf. I covered him with the sweater for a while when he got cold. I put a red silk flower on the wall in front of the bed where he could see it. I left my red silk scarf with him.
Today he asked me if the bright red silk scarf was his. I said it was ours. Then he took it and used it to wipe his face, his mouth, his eyes, his hands. It seems to have become his “blanket”. I will bring another tomorrow and and then take this one home and wash it. He became very attached to it. He has it on top of the covers and is always holding it. When they sat him in a chair this PM he still had the red scarf in his hands. So thank you Beth and the spirits who came through your journey!
Love,
Marianna
Dear Friends and Family,
Please excuse any duplicates.
Freddie was able to take some steps today with the physical therapist. His speech continues to improve and he can often write what he cannot say. The healing continues.
There is a guest book now in his room so he will remember who has visited.
He is scheduled to be moved to the re-hab on Frederick street whenever they have an open bed. There he will get a minimum of 3 hours/day of rehab therapy - PT, OT, and speech therapy. Hopefully a bed will open up tomorrow!
He has been given clearance today to eat soft solids and thick liquids. --a welcome change from the thick apple sauce he was surviving on. He was starving! He can feed himself and he can brush his teeth. He can move all his toes and lift even his right arm now. But his right hand is swollen, we don’t know why. His swallow ability is coming back. Hopefully he will be able to drink normal liquids tomorrow.
His spirits are surprisingly good. He has hope and determination and has even asked for acupuncture, which he used to hate!
Please spread out your visits. He will need you in the following weeks when the newness has worn off and he is more aware, although he is plenty aware now.
I have printed out your e-mails (except for the most recent) which I will take to him tomorrow and leave with the guest book and of course read to Freddie. He can read some of them too, but I am not sure how much.
The nursing staff and docs are impressed with Freddie’s rapid recovery!
Remember you can call Amit for verbal updates.
Again, your support means so much to us. Thank you for your prayers, journeys, good thoughts, lit candles, phone calls, e-mails and visits. It all makes a difference.
I will be teaching class as usual so that I can keep my sanity and grounding. Our Spanish visitors will still stay with us (arriving Feb 1) —that way I will get to visit with them. I will bring them to visit Freddie!
As always, I ask you to pass the news to our non-e-mail friends. I am trying not to spend my time on the phone. I’d rather be with Freddie, putting oils on him, rubbing him, holding him, talking with him, letting him stroke my hair and comfort me!
Love,
Marianna
Dear Friends and Family,
Freddie was moved today to the Acute Rehabilitation Unit of Dominican Hospital (Santa Cruz). Room 103. I have misplaced the phone number, but I wanted to get the word out. He will have 3 hours/day (minimum) of therapy. He continues to improve.
His Mom Bea has been staying here with me and visiting too.
Tonight after dance class I visited F with Cerro Negro (Frank, John and Dusty) who are up from San Diego to do a show here tomorrow. Freddie interacted beautifully with them and was joking and even trying to do palmas when we played Flamenco on the DVD player I brought to him tonight! It was amazing. He was so animated. He is improving very rapidly still, and the voice therapist was amazed at his writing ability today. He has problems with word recognition and moving his right hand, but both are improving. He walked today (with a walker and with help). He is more alert and is remembering much more.
It inspired me with even more hope. I am exhausted and will go to bed now. But I wanted to get the word out. Hopefully I’ll have time to describe more later.
I just want to say that the support of our friends and family is incredible. Thank you all again, and keep sending your prayers, journeys, wishes, and light.
Love,
Marianna
Dear Friends and Family,
1) Freddie was moved to room 115 B today. The phone # is 831-457-7105 or 462-7700; address is Dominican Rehabilitation Center, 610 Frederick St., Santa Cruz, CA 95065
Mailing address:
Fred Mejia, Room 115 B,
c/o Dominican Rehabilitation Center
1555 Soquel Drive,
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
Visiting hours are 4:40-8:30 PM. During the day he has a lot of therapy and may not be available if you visit earlier.
He does better every day. He walked today with a 3 legged cane and help of the physical therapist. It exhausted him.
I am tired too, but I had a massage today and a yoga class. I do Pilates tomorrow after seeing my last client of the week and plan to spend the afternoon and evening with Freddie. Bea, his mother, is still here and visits him with me.
She will leave on Sunday and I will have a few days to myself to prepare for our Spanish guests who arrive on Wednesday Feb 1. I really want to see them and feel fortunate that they will be staying here so I will get to visit with them (and not have to go out to do it!).
We have borrowed a massage table as the final bed, but if any of you locals have a blow up single size airbed we could borrow through Friday night, that would be even better. (I have borrowed one double size but don’t have enough room for another double.)
It looks like Freddie may be able to get a pass to attend the show on February 3. I will wait until Monday to arrange it so that he will be even more recovered than now. He wants to go and is excited about their coming, even worrying about the bed situation and counting the days. He can write, so he wrote the days out and counted them tonight. Even in this state, he is very involved. He is incredible.
Saturday a stroke acupuncturist from San Jose (recommended by our friend Amy who is also an acupuncturist) will come to treat Freddie. If it goes well, I will be looking for a GOOD driver to take Freddie to San Jose to continue treatments, as the visit to Santa Cruz is extremely expensive. It will have to be someone equipped to deal with wheel chairs and knowledgeable about moving Freddie. I will update you after his treatment. However, if you know someone appropriate, please let me know.
Again, I appreciate your wonderful e-mail and concern and do not feel alone!
If you visit, be sure to sign the guest book. Freddie is now able to read more of it and showed me that Bill Raney visited today. He was disappointed to learn that he was asleep when my father Jack and Peggy visited.
Maggie, could you please read these e-mails (regularly) to Manolo.
Could someone please read these e-mails (regularly) to Richard Whelan and Ernesto.
I have not been good about notifying our non-emails friends. Please let me know whom you will notify so I won’t worry about getting to them.
Thank you all for helping.
Love,
Marianna
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