hospital visit

After 4 restless nights, Dan checked into our local hospital today. EVERYTHING is being checked by his SCI doctor, urologist, podiatrist, cardiologist, and internal doctor. He should be back at CU this week for final projects and exams.
we will keep you posted.

Happy Thanksgiving

Many things happen so slowly around here, then much happens in the blink of an eye.

Dan is home for a week of Thanksgiving break, and it is good to have him around here. We have been able to let Garrett off for a few days of much needed rest, and are quickly reminded of the care Dan needs on an hourly basis.

This was the first Thanksgiving in this home. And the final count was 15.(smallest Knudsen holiday on record!) Absent this year was Dan's cousin Cory, who went home to Heaven this past spring, after many years of battling Muscular Dystrophy. His quick whit and innocent smile were missed.

We had a quiet evening, but were awakened at 1 AM Friday, by Dan, who complained of a pounding headache. Within minutes, he was in the middle of his 2nd ever, Autonomic dysreflexia [AD] Episode. [For those who helped out with the first one in August, this was not as long lasting or intense.] Thus began a flurry of events including, a 911 call, nitro paste, 170+ BP, low oxygen level, holding up a non responsive son, ambulance ride, ER, informing Drs. and nurses of AD, and waiting. We got home about 5AM. and had a sleep-in day.

Dan's subra pubic was the probable cause, and it was replaced by the ER Dr. It was something a nurse was scheduled to do last week at CU, but the insurance cut all of Dan's nursing care, as he is considered "stable" and not in need of any skilled nursing care. Please pray with us that those denying this need, would reverse their decision and grant this crucial need in Dan's weekly care.

All seemed okay on Friday, except dizziness from a new med for his UTI, but at 1:30 AM, Dan woke us up again with the beginnings of a headache. This time we applied 2 applications of nitro paste, called his SCI dr., gave him a few extra meds, and put him in his chair, to keep him more upright. His BP dropped to under 130 and we breathed a slight sigh of relief. Dan slept in his chair the rest of the night.

We continue to search for answers, and fight for Dan's medical needs. We were glad this happened when Bill was around, but it's not a good event to see your child go through. It's definitely not good for Dan, or anything that he can control.

It's events like this that we realize our inability to control, or know everything there is to know about this complex injury. Continue to pray that doctors, medical people, care givers, insurance companies, IL & OH state aide agencies would be able to address and meet, Dan's physical care.

Bill, Deb * Dan

"Let It Snow .. Let It Snow .. Let It Snow .."

"Oh the weather at CU turned frightful"

Finally, the long awaited posting from Dan about his being back at Cedarville U. "now that the semester is a few weeks from being over ...

How's life at the ville? "It's been great being back at Cedarville, connecting with friends old and new. There are about 25 people, local nurses, students, and others, who help Garrett with my daily care. Not to mention the McKinney [dorm] girls who help out with my 3-4 loads of laundry each week. "

How many classes are you taking? "3: Christian Worldview Integration [classroom], US History II [online CU], and Managerial Accounting [online - community college]

How are they going? "Very good. It's been a lot of work, but being back and doing classes sort of make me feel somewhat back to normal"

How is it getting around campus? "not too bad as CU is intentionally wheel chair accessible. i put on about 2 miles a day, and charge my chair almost nightly. I am not looking forward to the cold weather. It takes more time to go anywhere outside"

How is the food at Chucks? "MEH" "It tastes like I never left" "i always eat breakfast in my room, and the dorm fridge is stocked with food, for when i can't get out.

How is dorm life? "CU has set up a "suite" for me to live in McChesney Hall. 2 bedrooms, a large handicap bathroom and direct outside access, for the nurses who help out daily." [Thank you again Class of '08]

If you want to ask a questions about life back at college, leave it below in the comments, and i will answer you. ~ Dan

Mini update

Dan was home last weekend for fall break. He looks great and is still enjoying school. As Dan and Garrett were planning to leave Monday morning, Dan's wheelchair broke. A very specialized part was needed, had to be ordered, and so they were not able to leave until Wednesday night.

Dan has made it through the first half of a semester! His work load is heavy, but he's plodding away. Doing assignments takes more than double the time as before his accident, so we are extremely proud of him for working so hard.

Dan has an amazing attitude. He shared some ministry ideas when he was home. I can never forget that Dan should not be alive, so we know that the Most High God has spared him for some purpose.

Please pray for him: lack of sleep, work load, all 3 wound sites cause pain (trach, pacer, supra pubic). I always tell him that it doesn't seem quite right that he can't move or "feel", yet he has pain.

Thank you, faithful ones, for continuing to check on Dan, especially since we don't update often enough.

Family News

We are happy to announce the engagement of Dan's twin brother Mike, to Liz (CU '08). So, I am going to "borrow" a family news item from Jen's blog site!!! (You have to love 'copy and paste'.) Here goes:


Mike and Liz are engaged!!!!!
Yay!!!! We are so excited for another wedding, but more so for Liz - for those of you who haven't met her, this girl is incredible! And for those of you who have met her, even for a minute, you see right away she is one of the sweetest, most genuine people out there...but she does have that little hint of "feistiness" that must be evident in all Knudsen girls. :-D
It's pretty surreal thinking of my little brother getting married! We have no doubts that he is going to be a great husband. Mike is probably the most easy-going out of any in our family (well, before Jeff came along!), although also has that passion and sometimes impulsiveness that most of us have! For those who don't know, he has just started his 2 year graduate program in Athletic Training at Western Michigan. That alone was pretty surreal - my little brother is in graduate school - wow! We are so proud of him for grabbing on to something he found out he loves and going after it with such hard work and excitement. And now even more excited that he found someone he loves and is grabbing onto her for life!
Mike and Liz: we know you are going to do so well in whatever you take on - just keep putting the Lord first in EVERYTHING! We're so excited for you!!!!

I was just thinking about how so many of you were "with us" as we were planning Jen's wedding at the time of Dan's accident. We were just looking at photos of her wedding and were amazed at how Dan was sitting up so straight, because he was not able to again for about a year. We know the Lord held him up for that special day. We're excited for another Knudsen wedding in the summer '09.

Dan said...

Hey everybody, I'm gonna post myself soon... The line about the Cubs is untrue. I am in mourning. It's all about the playoffs.

-Dan October 11, 2008 10:56:00 PM CDT

Welcome to Checkinondan!

It's been awhile, hasn't it?
We've struggled to put our thoughts together, so I just wanted to share a few things that have been special.
Although I spent several weeks with Dan when he was at Kennedy Krieger this summer, I didn't do much of his care. When he got home and I started to do his range of motion with him, I was in shock at how much muscle mass he had in his shoulders! His shoulders and upper arms felt so strong! I was so thankful for the therapies in Baltimore and really hope we are some day able to get the equipment he needs to continue the exercising.
Dan recently had a procedure to cut back his toenail to prevent in-grown toenails. He may have some severe spasms for awhile, but then greatly reduced spasms. In-grown toenails have been the cause of most of Dan's spasms. He really is trying to reduce his medication. (Exercising reduces spasms also.) He will have his other toe done soon.
I just asked Dan yesterday how classes were going, and he replied "good." (Same reply as before his accident -- hmmm, real answer or pat answer to appease mom!!! [he usually does well])
I guess my favorite incident was when we took Dan to college. When friends came up to him, welcoming him back, they only saw Dan, not a wheelchair. My heart was enriched.
Thanks for continuing to check for updates. How about if we update sooner next time?!!
(We are not in mourning over our Cubs. There's always next year . . . . ) The truth is they had a great season.
Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord Himself will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forget you.