From: DiannaCox@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 12:30 AM
To: rwardlow@cortnet.com
Subject: Russ
Hi.  I don't know you & have never met Russ, but I heard about his story and read all the updates on the website.  I just want to say that my thoughts & prayers are with Russ, his family & friends.

As I read through the updates, it was like déjà vu.  My father has gone through a lot of the same things Russ is going through in his recovery.  My father had the pneumonia, the blood clots (luckily the filters saved his life), the tracheotomy, the coma state for many weeks.  It sounds like Russ is making great progress and although you are not seeing the mental responses you want to see right now, it looks like he's very close!  My father had the same reactions - starting w/responses in his foot, then his arm, responding to things you say.  He was unconscious for almost 4 weeks before he started to keep his eyes open, follow things in the room w/his eyes, respond to us.  All this happened w/my father 2 years ago & he spent many many months in the hospital.  But, he made it through all that & Russ is much younger, and in much better physical shape than my father was when he went through all of his problems.  I'm sure Russ will bounce back rather quickly considering all the trauma he's been through.

I do have some unsolicited advice for you...advice I wish someone would have given to me.  If you have not done so already, please keep a very detailed journal of everything you can think of regarding Russ's condition and his care.  Question the doctors when you do not understand something they are saying or doing.  If you have a gut feeling that something doesn't seem right, don't question your gut - speak up.   Doctors and Hospitals do so much good for many people, but doctors are not perfect and they can make mistakes.  My father went through so much (and will suffer for the rest of his life) because several mistakes were made.  We didn't question the doctors because we figured they knew what they were doing.  I'm not trying to worry you, most people don't have the problems he had.  When Russ wakes up, and he takes his first Barium swallow test - if he does NOT pass it, e-mail me!  I very likely can offer some information on any problems he has.  I've been studying all these things for over 2 years now.  If you have any questions on anything, I am no doctor, but I've been through it the hard way like you are right now & I might be able to help.

best wishes to all of you. 

Diane Cox