Update

Duchie · Global Moderator

Update

Snoopy19 · Senior Member

Dutchie, I'm so gald to read that your nephew will be able to come home. Hopefully they can figure out what is going on with his progress. I'm sure the Dr.-care here will probably be a bit better than the care down there, especially if they will be working with him for the long-term. Let us know how he's doing! I'll continue to pray!

Trina Marie · Part of a MOD squad!!

Some better news..hope he continues to get well.

Duchie · Global Moderator

Okay - received yet another update from my mom who received an e-mail from my other nephews wife (also in Cozumel). My nephew is having trouble eating due to the paralysis and is in alot of pain (not sure if or what they gave him down there). My sister here has talked with the doctors here and they're ready for him and may admit him in the hospital when he arrives. The doctor (our family has known him for years) also offered to go down to Cozumel and fly back with him - LOL.

Unfortunately I found out that my nephew has no medical insurance. I guess the contractor that he works for didn't offer it and my nephew does think that he's invincible. My sister who works for a cardiologists has gotten all the paperwork together for MediCal (which will cover his medical costs) and the doctor already said that if they need to admit him they WILL admit him no matter what. We've pulled together as a family and are ready for anything. I think the doctor was a little concerned about the broken bone and bleeding in his ear and my nephew says that his arm feels out of joint (which may be case and just pinching a nerve). Just in case we've arranged for my nephew to have someone with him to help out at ALL times until he's mended. We figure he probably won't be able to work for awhile (so he can receive disability through the state - hopefully even though he was hurt outside of the country) and we're offering for him to stay with my parents who are retired and can be with him 24/7 if needed. This way he has options and can relax while he mends.

You know that's one thing I love about my family. We all pull together instead of freaking out when a crisis hits our family. I'm so grateful that we're close knit (although I still think that some are certifiably NUTTY - LOL).

Okay - enough for now. I'll post more when I hear anything.

Annie · Senior Member

(((((hugs))))) I hope he will be fine. I'm sure everyone will feel better when he is closer to home too.

No medical -- yikes!

Snoopy19 · Senior Member

That's great that you have such a close-knit family that pulls together in a time of crisis. I'm sure all of the support will help him heal faster. That's too bad that he didn't have insurance. He sounds like my brother...he use to think he didn't need insurance, and the little dare-devil also thinks he is invincible. But he has it now, thank goodness. Hopefully when your nephew goes back to work he can get some health insurance! I'll continue to pray for a full recovery for him!

Andrea · Member

I'm glad that he is going to be able to come home. At least, whatever you have to face, he will be close to that family! It's great that your family has pulled together for him!

Duchie · Global Moderator

Here's the latest.

They arrived safely on Thursday. He did well during the flight. My brother said that the plane was a nice 757.

I was talking with my boss and he was telling me that it sounded like my nephew was experiencing the same thing he did 20 years prior... Bells Palsey!!

Well, to make a long story short that's exactly what the doctor said. But they're still not sure and he's having an MRI this morning to determine if it is indeed Bells Palsey or a blood clot.

I'll update more later when I know something.

Thanks again everyone for all your prayers and thoughts. You are all the BEST!!

Trina Marie · Part of a MOD squad!!

I'll say a prayer for him tonight. :)

tami · Member

so glad he is back in the states. I will keep my prays up for him and your family

Duchie · Global Moderator

MRI report....

MRI showed that he does have a blood clot that is dissolving. This is causing the Bell's Palsey. What we didn't know is that the doctor told my sister that if they would have known about this while he was in Mexico they would NOT have given him the okay to fly because of the clot. They said the pressurization could have made the clot move into the lungs or heart. And to make matters worse it was not a direct flight so he was more at risk - UGH.

Anyway - they finally gave him pain meds for his shoulder now that they know what's going on with the head injury. Tomorrow he has an appointment with the orthopedic doctor. Although there's a fracture they think he may have torn his rotator cuff as well (poor kid).

He's still in alot of pain but can now blink his left eye which is a great sign. I talked to him this morning and he's in jury duty today but really wanted to go back to work because he's BORED!!! All I could say was "are you CRAZY?"

My sister said that you can barely see the stitches and they had to basically re-attach his ear (I had not idea of the extent).

Well - that's all the news for now. I'll update once the ortho appt is done.

StarryNight · Celestial Moderator

Thank heavens he is doing better! Had he been gone over by a good doctor he would have easily recognized the clot. What a moron letting him travel like that. I am so glad he didn't have anything bad happen to him on the trip back. Sheesh

Bell's palsy is a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. It's caused by trauma to the 7th cranial nerve, and is not permanent. Very quickly.

Most people either wake up to find they have Bell's palsy, or have symptoms such as a dry eye or tingling around their lips that progress to classic Bell's palsy during that same day. Occasionally symptoms may take a few days to be recognizable as Bell's palsy. The degree of paralysis should peak within several days of onset - never in longer than 2 weeks (3 weeks maximum for Ramsey Hunt syndrome). A warning sign may be neck pain, or pain in or behind the ear prior to palsy, but it is not usually recognized in first-time cases.

Approximately 50% of Bell's palsy patients will have essentially complete recoveries in a short time. Another 35% will have good recoveries in less than a year.

Duchie · Global Moderator

Lyn - I don't think they did an MRI on him in Cozumel. Just regular type x-rays. I've been reading up on Bell's Palsey. It's a strange thing. He's already able to open and close his left eye which is a great sign. My boss still shows little signs of Bell's Palsey and it he had it almost 20 years ago. He has a half grin and his eyes tear alot. My nephew is so self conscious right now but like I've explained to him it's something that will get better in time. Some say that Bell's Palsey is a virus and that it recur's about 20% of the time.

And Tami remember what you said about the cruise people telling you those scooters are dangerous? Well, my brother was telling me that's the #1 cause of deaths down there. Also while they were in the Emergency Room 2 more cases just like my nephew's came in with severe injuries. But this is their ways of life I guess because parking is so bad and it's easy to get around on them. My brother also said that they were driving down a road (in a 4 wheel drive) and a couple ahead of them on a scooter almost lost it. It's a scary scary thing.

StarryNight · Celestial Moderator

What morons, any doctor worth his degree would know to do an MRI with his symptoms and the type of accident he incurred. Sheesh A concussion can be one of the issues not to mention bleeding in the brain.

Snoopy19 · Senior Member

I'm glad he's getting the help and medical attention he SHOULD have gotten earlier. At least he is home, safe and sound, and the Dr.'s have a better idea of what is going on and what needs to be done. I'll keep praying for a quick recovery.