What a whirlwind afternoon on October 24th! While Janie was taking Alison to the airport she received a call from Pauletta that a bed was ready and the flight was being arranged at that very moment! Earlier when we left for the airport a nurse whispered that she had heard a bed was available in Oklahoma. I assumed it would take a day or so to coordinate the flight, but I was definitely wrong. I called Leonard, who was on his way to see Deedy and help with the return, and told him we would be gone before he could get here. He turned around and is now driving to Oklahoma City to see her. By the time I got back to the hospital Sharolyn, our case manager, was at Deedy's room and told me the ambulance would be here at 6pm to take her to the airport and the flight was scheduled for around 7pm. We barely had time to get all the pictures off the wall, pack up her personal things, and get her ready to fly. A group of nurses and the nurse manager from the MSCC unit came to say goodbye and brought a card signed by all of them and a small gift: a coin the size of a silver dollar with an angel and the word NURSE engraved above it. The inscription on the back read: "Here is a Guardian Angel to protect and to guide, to keep you safe and stay forever by your side." In the card they wrote what an honor is was to care for Beverly. We were all in tears. Sharolyn also gave her a small token to hold in her hand for her return to Oklahoma with the word HOPE engraved in a cross. More tears. The nurses wanted Deedy to have a bath before her exciting travel by plane and they finished just in time. I had to hurry and pack up all my things to leave with the nurses station since I was told there would be no room for luggage on the flight. At the last minute I was allowed to bring one small suitcase and my laptop. The other bag will be shipped UPS (thanks Patti and Melba!).
We left the hospital around 6:30pm in the ambulance and when we arrived at the airport, drove out onto the tarmac and next to the Lear Jet 35A. I watched as they somehow were able to get the gurney through the small door and turned. S he was strapped into position parallel with the right side of the plane, the two flight nurses were right beside her on the left of the plane and I was in the back bench seat. Some how all of the equipment, monitors, ventilator also fit around her, and the nurses consulted them for the entire trip. We hade two very nice pilots. and we took off immediately (these flights get priority taking off and landing) and quickly climbed to 43,000 feet. It was the smoothest plane ride either of us remember. We arrived at the Will Rogers Airport right before 9pm, and when we entered the ICU Chris was there waiting. Deedy repeated a few times that she was very glad to be back in Oklahoma and she was settled into her new room by around 10:30pm. Even thought she didn't sleep much she seems to be rested and happy with her care here at the OU Medical Center. She is in West ICU room 2049.
We're amazed all this happened so fast and was so coordinated, thanks to Our Lady of the Lake case manager, Sharolyn. She will continue to work on Deedy's case for her transfer to Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Facility (hopefully). Yesterday morning, Deedy's temperature was 105.6 and we certainly didn't expect to be able to leave that day. By 2pm (when we were getting the word about the transfer) her temp was normal again and the fever hasn't returned.
Many of you had said how you hope to visit Beverly as soon as she's back in Oklahoma. Please remember that she is still on a ventilator, can only whisper when she communicates, is on a feeding tube, IVs and antibiotics. She would still like to see you, but please keep in mind the she tires easily. Visitors are limited as along as she is in the ICU but she will be able to see visitors from 1-3pm, two people at a time for about 10-15 minutes. Let us know if you wish to come,
I think she's finally able to relax. She napping now.
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