Blood Velocity (Warning: there will be math)
I should comment about the blood velocity in Mom's brain. The velocity is currently acceptable. Her blood velocity is measured every day via a Transcranial Doppler Scan, which is variously shorthanded as a "the TCD", or "the Doppler." If the TCD shows her blood velocity going faster, her vessels are constricting, which usually happens over a period of days.
Each TCD produces a range of numbers, each of which represents a different artery. According to the scale used, the best numbers would fall in a midrange between 0 - 100(maybe from 30 to 50, as a guess). If the numbers go past 100, she will be experiencing Vaso Spasm, and medication dosages to counteract Vaso Spasm will be increased. The medication usually works. If it does not work, Mom could suffer a stroke.
Mom is at especial risk of Vaso Spasm for 3-12 days post-incident(until 5/2). She is at somewhat raised risk of Vaso Spasm during the 13th-21st days post-incident(5/2-5/11). After 5/11, her prognosis brightens considerably.
Mom's grouping of TCD numbers have bumped up, but nurses say that is normal for anyone in her circumstance. A week ago, her numbers were in the upper 30's to the upper 40's. Her numbers have steadily ticked up, and now are mostly in the upper 50's to upper 60's, with a couple of arteries each day ticking into the 70's, and a different artery each of the last two days ticking into the low 80's. This is amongst a grouping of approx. 16-20 numbers. Maybe only three numbers a day have topped 70.
I've tried to become alarmed about these numbers, only to be shot down by nurses, sort of like this:
We're not going to worry about these numbers. We're not going to worry about anything until she gets above 100, and even then she will only have mild Vaso Spasm. If she moves beyond mild Vaso Spasm(a good distance past 100), then we'll think about if we are going to worry.
So, now you know everything I know. It's about 55 hours until Mom will be a full 12 days beyond the incident - at approximately 11:30 PM on Saturday.
Each TCD produces a range of numbers, each of which represents a different artery. According to the scale used, the best numbers would fall in a midrange between 0 - 100(maybe from 30 to 50, as a guess). If the numbers go past 100, she will be experiencing Vaso Spasm, and medication dosages to counteract Vaso Spasm will be increased. The medication usually works. If it does not work, Mom could suffer a stroke.
Mom is at especial risk of Vaso Spasm for 3-12 days post-incident(until 5/2). She is at somewhat raised risk of Vaso Spasm during the 13th-21st days post-incident(5/2-5/11). After 5/11, her prognosis brightens considerably.
Mom's grouping of TCD numbers have bumped up, but nurses say that is normal for anyone in her circumstance. A week ago, her numbers were in the upper 30's to the upper 40's. Her numbers have steadily ticked up, and now are mostly in the upper 50's to upper 60's, with a couple of arteries each day ticking into the 70's, and a different artery each of the last two days ticking into the low 80's. This is amongst a grouping of approx. 16-20 numbers. Maybe only three numbers a day have topped 70.
I've tried to become alarmed about these numbers, only to be shot down by nurses, sort of like this:
We're not going to worry about these numbers. We're not going to worry about anything until she gets above 100, and even then she will only have mild Vaso Spasm. If she moves beyond mild Vaso Spasm(a good distance past 100), then we'll think about if we are going to worry.
So, now you know everything I know. It's about 55 hours until Mom will be a full 12 days beyond the incident - at approximately 11:30 PM on Saturday.
posted by gcotharn at 5:49 PM
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