Friday, August 29th

Shabbat Shalom! This is the third (and final) Shabbat for our dad in the hospital. We are very excited to announce that he will be coming home next week. He will have all of the medical services and supplies he needs at home, including 24 hour care. Rather than having him go to a full-time rehabilitation center, we decided to have him do his rehabilitation at home. We know that this is what he prefers and as long as he works really hard with our support and encouragement, then we can make it work. He is incredibly happy about this decision and can't wait to be out of the hospital and settled back at home.

Thursday, August 28th

Our dad is steadily improving each day. He is now starting to have a lot of burning pain in his legs that is very uncomfortable for him and makes him easily irritable. It is actually a good sign because it shows that his nerves are beginning to fire up again. However, as he becomes more mentally aware of the situation, he is realizing the severity of what he has been through and keeps saying that it all feels like a movie to him. It is emotionally difficult for him as he begins to truly realize the challenges he faces regarding his inability to move his legs. While he has gained more movement through his right foot, he has a long way to go, and that is a very scary thing for him to confront. He says it is not a matter of "if" he gets stronger, but "when" he gets stronger, so that attitude is very encouraging. We know that we have a roller coaster of a journey ahead, but we are grateful for the progress he has made over the last few days and we feel confident that each day will only be better than the last.

The West Nile Virus has obviously had a great impact on our family. Since learning that our dad was infected, we have been finding out a lot more about it. This week alone, there have been 9 new cases of the virus in California! To read more about the statistics, visit: http://www.westnile.ca.gov

It had been estimated that this summer would be an epidemic year for the virus, and it certainly has been. Sadly, there has even been one fatality: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-seal-beach-woman-dies-west-nile-virus-20140828-story.html

Please take precautions - wear insect repellant, limit outdoor activity at dusk and dawn, and empty all standing water around property to prevent mosquitos from breeding. 

Wednesday, August 27th

Last night, Ava and I went to Color Me Mine to make something special for Papa. Ava chose a Football Cup because in her words, "Papa loves football and it will help him feel better and bring him home to Mimi." 

We were really excited that he was able to get in a wheelchair today and go down to the Plaza Level so that Ava and Giuliana could come visit. It has been weeks since they have gotten to see their Papa and they couldn't wait. It was a very happy reunion. 

Overall, he is talking a lot more and maintaining conversations. Being stuck in the hospital is not easy for someone like our dad who likes to be in control at all times, so he is easily frustrated and can't wait to get out. It is important to note that he has overstimulation precautions, so this flyer is posted on his door. Just please be aware if you are visiting him that it can be overwhelming and we want to keep it as calm as possible.

Thank you to everyone for the ongoing support!

Tuesday, August 26th

Today, our dad had some of a Factor's potato pancake with apple sauce and sour cream. We are happy he is starting to eat, even if just a little bit. He also got in a wheelchair today and sat up on his own without being strapped in, which shows that his abdominal muscles are getting stronger. His legs are also getting a little bit stronger each day, but it is just going to take time to get him back to standing and eventually walking. But, we are accepting each small improvement as a gift. The improvements may be slow and seem small, but they are major feats for him and each one is a step in the right direction. We are grateful that he is getting better, as slow as it may be. We have all the time in the world to be by his side and support him through this process.

Last night, we spoke with our new friend, Marci Thiessen. As we mentioned in a previous blog post, her dad, Tim, is going through the same thing our dad is going through right now. The similarity of their cases truly is remarkable. It is so wonderful that we are able to speak with her and be a support network for each other. It is very helpful in getting us through this difficult time. Her dad is a couple of weeks ahead of our dad in regards to recovery, so she really understands more than anyone what we are facing each step of the way. Her dad has made a lot of improvement, so she is incredibly encouraging regarding our own dad's prognosis. We feel so lucky to have met Marci and we know it is a very special relationship that will continue for years to come.

Monday, August 25th

Our dad has now been in the hospital for exactly 2 weeks. A lot has happened during his time here. It has been quite a roller coaster and we know it will continue to be a journey for quite some time. He is pretty much the same as he was yesterday. Even though he is talking a little bit, he is still very tired. He needs a lot of rest so that his body can continue to heal. The physical therapists came to check in on him today as well as the speech therapists. He definitely has his work cut out for him, but he knows he has to remain strong and be willing to put in the work. We understand it is just easier said than done sometimes. He has a strong support network and lots of positive people cheering him on, which helps a lot.

Sunday, August 24th

Today we saw improvement, which made us VERY happy. He is talking and understanding a lot more, and he is even eating a little bit more finally (including his favorite - a chocolate milkshake). We feel this is the beginning of a very strong journey back to recovery!

Saturday, August 23rd

Shabbat Shalom! Today we feel as though he took a step forward in the right direction. He is talking more (especially when my mom annoys him) and he even enjoyed a chocolate milkshake from Factor's. He is still sleeping a lot throughout the day and we know it is a long journey ahead. However, progress is all relative and we got some glimpses of his former self today that make us feel a little more reassured.

Friday, August 22nd

The doctors were concerned that his condition hasn't improved over the past couple of days, so this morning, they decided to give him another Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap), an EEG and he will be getting another CT Scan in the afternoon. I will provide an update once we get all the results back.

Lauren also got in touch with the family of another man, Tim Thiessen, who had the same complications from West Nile Virus earlier this month. He is now doing much better and we are hoping the same will happen for our dad. It definitely gives us a lot of hope. To read more about Tim's case, visit: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/znf5/coach-thiessen-s-road-back-home

This afternoon, we got the results from all the testing done today. They were reassuring - no pneumonia on his chest x-ray, no evidence of any seizure activity on the EEG, and no evidence of stroke or significant brain swelling on the CT Scan. From the Spinal Tap, the doctors think that the infection is clearing. So the results were good, but his clinical status has not changed. We are hoping that these tests are indicative of a positive prognosis, but only time will tell.

We all enjoyed a visit by Rick, a volunteer, who played the guitar for us and sang a variety of songs by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Cat Stevens and Simon & Garfunkel....and our dad seemed to respond well by nodding his head to the beat. He also liked looking at some old photos and videos from the past few years.

Thursday, August 21st

Not much has changed today. He's very tired and weak, so we are encouraging him to work hard and stay strong. It is going to take time, but we have plenty of time for him. I wish I could give everyone more information, but there simply isn't much to give. I know it is frustrating for you - trust me, it is frustrating on our end as well. But I assure you that as we learn more, I will be providing updates.

Today, he had some visitors, but we are limiting visitors to give him as much rest as possible. We don't want to overstimulate him. One of his visitors told me today that instead of saying "I think I can, I think I can," we have to say "I know I can, I know I can." We know he can get through this.

Purely by coincidence, when I left to get myself some dinner to bring back to the hospital, I was given this Diet Coke can from the restaurant. The best can I could have gotten. How did they know?

Wednesday, August 20th

Today, Marvin had various visitors - including a special canine visitor. Honey was very happy to spend some time cheering him up.

Not much has changed otherwise. The rehabilitation team came to his room today to evaluate him. He is wiggling his toes a little bit on both feet, which is a good sign.

What is happening?

On August 11, 2014, Marvin was admitted to Cedars Sinai Hospital for a fever and weakness. The next few days were spent trying to figure out exactly what it was he had. He went through the whole process - MRI, CT Scan, Lumbar Puncture, Blood Tests and multiple consultations from different medical specialists. After a week, they believe they may have finally determined that the initial cause of his infection is the West Nile Virus, which then resulted in neuroinvasive disease.

West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND), which occurs in less than 1 percent of cases, is when the virus infects the central nervous system resulting in meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis or a poliomyelitis-like syndrome. It causes a serious neurological infection, including infection and inflammation of the brain and/or spinal cord. This can lead to acute flaccid paralysis.

Currently, he has lost mobility from his belly button down and is unable to walk. We are hoping that with rehabilitation and ongoing treatment, he will regain function. There are multiple doctors working on his case and he is getting the best care possible. It will take a lot of hard work and positive thinking, but if anyone can do it, he can! To support Marvin, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers to help him reach full recovery. He needs a lot of rest right now as he gets through the most difficult time over the next few weeks.

Despite his condition, he is already happy to be on his iPad. He loves listening to Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and many more of his favorites to keep his spirits up. He has said that he has no room for negative energy, only positive energy. It is that way of thinking that will help him reach full recovery. 

The Power of Positive Thinking

Pictures are all around his hospital room to motivate him and keep him positive. And there's also a special mandala to bring him lots of good luck :)

Thank You

We want to thank everyone for your ongoing support. We know how much you love our dad. He is incredibly special and we are very hopeful that he will pull through this. We have created this blog to keep everyone updated on his condition as we move forward. We felt this was the easiest way to provide information. The best thing for him right now is to rest so he can get stronger and the best thing for all of you to do is remain positive through this challenging time.