Hello Family and Friends,

Hal was a bit sleepy today. He had a fever; they think it is due to the fluid in his lungs.
He also has a femoral clot close to his groin, but they are not worried about that, because of the filter they put in to prevent clots being thrown to his heart or brain....I am learning new things everyday.
The nurses in ICU are wonderful, and they tell me not to worry about these things, that they are very common in trauma patients.
I am still very hopeful for a full recovery, and ask they everyone continue the prayers and good thoughts. I cannot tell you how much that means to me and to our daughters, who by the way, will be back this coming weekend.
With love and appreciation to all you,
Linda

Hi everyone,

This will be a short report tonight.
Hal is about the same as yesterday, BUT the good news is they are trying to keep him off the ventilator and on the "windsprints" all day, today. That means he would be breathing on his own for the entire day, and that would be fabulous.
I will find out tomorrow if he made it, and of course, will let you know.
Keep up the good thoughts and prayers.
Love, Linda

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.
I did not post yesterday, because after spending the afternoon with Hal, I went to good friends to share in a Thanksgiving celebration.
I spent all afternoon with Hal today and he was alert, but frustrated because he wanted to tell me something, but of course cannot talk as yet. He still does not have the motion of fingers on his left hand so he could not write either. But, I still felt that this was a good sign that the mind was telling him to try to do something.
The respiratory therapist was giving him 4 hours off of the ventilator. 4 on then 4 off to see how he does. When he is able to breathe on his own without the help of the ventilator or the windsprints, he will be able to talk soon after, and that will reveal his cognitive awareness. So needless to say, this process is very important, but no telling how long this might take. But, I am very hopeful with the recent improvements.
He still has the drain in his head, but the doctor said they would probably be able to remove that in the next few days. So I feel hopeful and thankful.
Please continue the good thoughts, vibes, and prayers. Obviously, it is all working.
With love, Linda

Dear Family and Friends,
This might be the first time I am actually able to give some really good news.
I think the surgery on Monday to remove the clot that was still situated on the brain, and the drain they placed there that is still in place has really made a difference.
When I visited Hal today, he was more alert than I have seen him. He had been off the ventilator for 3 hours, and he stayed awake for the full 4 hours that I was there.
He is lifting his left arm and his left leg, which he had not been able to do before.
I feel really positive about what I saw today.
The good thoughts, prayers and good Karma are working. Keep up the good work all of you.
From the bottom of my heart I thank all of you for everything you do. My daughters, Carrie and Tracy join me in these thoughts.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families.
With love to you all, Linda

This is my dad eating birthday ice cream cake. He and I always had a thing for Carvel ice cream. When I was a kid I remember how he always asked Carrie and I if we wanted to get ice cream after dinner; although we rarely said no, I now know he was the one who wanted it the most!!! He always loved sweets so much!! This is definitely where I got my sweet tooth from. I heard he is doing well today, which makes me so happy. I wish I could be there with him right now so I could tell him how much I love him and what a wonderful father he is, but I know he knows how I feel even though I am not there. He knows it because there is always a connection between us, even when we are miles apart. I love you dad with all my heart. You are on my mind every moment of the day and I keep you close to my heart as I go through my daily routine. Everything I do I have you in mind. You are the best.
You are so special to me and I love you.
Tracy

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Hi dear family and friends,

Today, one day after Hal's second surgery, he is showing improvement.
When I came to ICU today, they had Hal in a reclining chair/bed. Something new, to give him a more upright position.
He recognized me the moment I came into the room, and immediately wanted to start talking to me. Of course, still on the ventilator and with the tracheotomy, there was no way I could understand the whispering, guttural sounds, but to me this was a breakthrough that he wanted to say something.
The CT scan they did early this morning showed an improvement in the amount of blood in the brain. The drain they put in his skull is still draining blood, and the nurse said that today it looked very dark, indicating old blood, so it is very good that they are getting this out.
I am trying not to get too excited, but all of this is very GOOD NEWS.
Please keep the prayers and good thoughts going. They are occurring from East Coast to West Coast, and I cannot thank all of you enough.
All the nurses and doctors today were praising our daughters for the devotion they have shown to their Dad and to me during this trying ordeal. I am very grateful for them. They have given me strength I am not sure I would have had without them.
Hopefully, I will have more good news tomorrow.

Love to you all, Linda

Hi dear friends,

I just dropped Carrie and Tracy off at the airport. They had evening flights to get back to their responsibilities. I don't know what I would have done without them this weekend, or throughout this whole ordeal, for that matter.
Hal had the surgery today, a little after 12 noon. We were able to see him about 3pm. His neurosurgeon removed what was described as a sizeable clot, after drilling a "bore hole" through his skull above his forehead on the right side. They evacuated the clot, and put in a drain to remove the spinal fluid and the blood remaining. As I understand it, this was blood that accumulated after the first surgery, most likely still due to the residual blood thinner that was in his system. His neurosurgeon thought this was possibly the reason he was having the atrophy on his left side, so felt it was definitely worth the risk the surgery would bring.
We were very pleased when we saw Hal after the surgery, and are hopeful that this will be helpful
I am going back to the hospital tonight for the 1 hour of ICU visitation to see if he has improved since we left at 4pm today.
As always, thankyou for your prayers, thoughts, and notes.
Special thanks to the "Patriot Saint of the Garage Refrigerator"...You know who YOU are!!!!

With special appreciation, Linda

Weekend update

Well, we have had a stressful weekend in that the neurosurgeon wanted to perform another surgical procedure on dad in which he would make a "burr hole" and drain the fluid and blood that still remains on the brain. He reported that he is concerned about this for a few reasons; one being that he believes it may be why dad does not have as much mobility in his left side as his right, the other is that the blood is thin and he worries about it becoming thinner and spreading in his brain again. So we prepared for this procedure to be done today, however they cannot anticipate what trauma emergencies might arise during the day, and that is exactly what happened. Dad's surgery was pushed back until later in the day and then it was cancelled due to lack of time. The neurosurgeon said he would consult with other attending neurosurgeon tomorrow and a decision would be made as to whether or not the procedure will be done and when. Carrie and I changed our flights because we wanted to be with dad before and after the surgery, so we are both flying out tomorrow evening if all goes as planned. Dad is doing as well as can be expected right now. He is still lethargic and confused at times; other times his personality shines through and we know he is understanding what is going on. Again, we will update the blog when we know more about the procedure and thanks again to those of you who continually show your love and support.
- Tracy

Carrie and I are back in Florida to spend the weekend with dad. Carrie was able to get here this morning and I came in the evening. When we visited dad tonight, he was rather awake, yet yawning at the same time because he had a big day. He is experiencing some type of infection that the staff is unsure of its origin; possibly from the prostate, or the lungs, or from the central line, which they have now changed locations for. So today he was rather tired because his body is fighting this infection, so he was not off the ventilator today so that he could conserve energy. Even though this is a minor setback, the neurosurgeon still feels he is making progress and looks pretty good, all things considering. There is also the possibility of draining some more fluid from the brain, which may entail a small procedure. One neurosurgeon seems to think that the fluid may be why we have not seen too much mobility in his left arm. However, some tests need to be done before this procedure can be considered.

While we were there this evening, dad was quite animated, as well as affectionate. I got somewhat of a hug from him! He put one arm around my waist and rubbed my back a little, which made me feel really good. Carrie and I said we missed him a few times, and he was able to mouth back "I miss you." There is still some question about his memory at this point; it is unclear how much he remembers about this experience and why he is in the hospital. The nurses and doctors both say that a patient rarely remembers their time spent in the ICU due to the trauma. Overall, the visit was good and I think he was looking a bit better since the last time I saw him. Well, we will be back tomorrow for some more visiting and updates afterward. Thanks again to those of you who have reached out to us and let us know how my father has made an impact on you, whether it be his quiet strength or his direct and honest communication style; Hal Pollack is certainly one of a kind!

Dear Friends and Family,

Hal was very sleepy this afternoon, but it was because he was off the ventilator for 4 hours, which is the longest he has ever been able to breathe on his own through the trach of course, so far.

All his tennis buddies signed a card this morning, and Harvey Yaffee brought it to me. When I read it to Hal, he actually got a smile on his face (even with the tubes in his mouth) so he is understanding what he is hearing. Thanks guys, it was his first smile!!!

As I have said all along, it will be "baby steps" but as long as it is in the right direction I can have patience.

The results of the EEG he had yesterday indicated there is no seizure activity in the brain, so the doctors were pleased about that.

I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the staff in the ICU at St. Mary's. They are absolutely wonderful. Both, with the patients and the over-concerned families.

Again, I thank everyone for their prayers and thoughts, it means a great deal to me and to our daughters, who by the way will be back this weekend so the blog updates will be much more interesting than mine are. They are from the more creative side of the family.

Please keep praying.

Love, Linda

Hi Everyone,

I spent 4 hours with Hal this afternoon, after he had a bath, a breathing session and a physical
therapy session, so he was very tired.
He spent 2 hours off of the ventilator while I was there, so he was very tired when they put him back on the oxygen.

I must remind everyone, as well as myself, that it will be "baby steps" for a long time.
Everytime I sit with him, I tell him how many people have asked, and called, and sent cards, to ask how he is. He joins me in thanking all of you for your thoughts and pryers, and I ask that you please keeps the prayers going.

With Love, Linda & his daughters, Carrie and Tracy

Sunday, Nov. 16 8:30 pm

This Afternoons visit: The three of us were there. Hal was very tired from a bath and a ct scan (we will find out the results tomorrow) so he was sleeping most of the afternoon. They are taking him off of the ventilator for one and two hours at a time, since having the tracheotomy, and he is doing pretty well.

My daughters left tonight and will be back again next weekend.

Again, thanks to all of you for your prayers and thoughts. Greatly appreciated by Carrie, Tracy and me.

With love, Linda

Carrie and I were at the hospital in the afternoon and evening. Mom stayed home for the day to get things done around the house, take a break, and allow us girls to spend some time with our father. The main thing we noticed about him was that he was restless and fidgety. As he becomes more conscious of the situation, he becomes more aware of his limitations, such as not being able to get out of the bed. He wanted to peel the tape off holding the feeding tube in place, as well as some of the tape holding in the IVs. Also as he become cognizant, he tries to communicate more through nonverbal gestures, as well as mouthing words because he is still unable to speak with the trach tube. A few times we were able to figure out what he was saying, but at other times Carrie and felt really frustrated because we could not figure out what he was saying, therefore unable to be of help to him. We tried to have him write something down, but since he cannot use his left hand, and his right hand does not have adequate strength, that proved to be fruitless. We did bring some more photos in of us and the dogs so that he could begin to recognize and remember who we are.

I think it is way too soon to know just how much he understands, comprehends, as well as remembers. Yesterday I felt myself wanting to assess his level of cognition, functioning and mental status, and I had to step out of the professional role and into the daugther role and just let my dad be himself and accept where he is at the moment. Maybe it is best if we don't respond to attempts to communicate so that he does not get upset with our inability to understand; instead maybe we should just encourage him to rest and save his energy for healing. This is the most frustrating and difficult process I have ever experienced and I want to make sense of it but I don't know how. I just still can't believe this is really happening.

When Carrie and I went back for evening visiting hours, we noticed how exhausted he is, which is due to several reasons. The respiratory therapist has him on a cycle of using the vent for an hour and then having him breathe on his own for an hour. This is an exhausting process, not to mention the amount of futzing they do with him around the clock. There is also the possibility of dad having sleep apnea, so he is waking up constantly and never getting restful sleep. His level of discomfort keeps him up, as well as the ICU being a really noisy and busy place, therefore the circadian rhythms get totally screwed up. Last night they provided him with a sleeping medication, Ambien, so let's hope he finally got some rest. We want to be able to give his body ample time to heal, and that can't happen if he is awake and uncomfortable all the time. So we will all go back today for the afternoon visiting hours, and then Carrie and I head home until next weekend, when we both come back to spend more time with dad. As we left the room last night when visiting hour were over, we said to him "you have to stay here; we will be back tomorrow." Without the ability to use words, the look on his face conveyed just how confusing and unfair this situation is, and I could not agree more.

- Tracy

Here is a picture of my dad going up a ladder, putting my mom's curtains up in our living room. When I saw this picture it made me think of the up hill battle my dad must be going through right now, but there is also a metaphor of rising up and accomplishing a goal....
My dad had the trach put in today and what seemed like a scary thing at first for me and my family ended up being the right thing. My dad was awake all day and seemed to have more energy and was more alert. The nurses all say that this is easier on the patient and in the end they will get off of the ventilator faster and today I believed them! He just seems more present and has his eyes open wider and is aware of everything around him. When a particularly loud nurse came in and asked how he was doing today, he looked at her and promptly stuck his tongue out at her...we were quiet for a second and then burst out laughing. The nurse then stuck her tongue out at him! That seemed like my dad; taking no bullshit and feeling fearless when it comes to letting people know what is on his mind. He is moving his left arm better and actually tried to write something on a piece of paper tonight after he became frustrated trying to tell us something. He wasn't able to write with his right hand since he is a lefty but we figured out what he was asking for and we were able to help him.

My sister had a great idea tonight. Since this afternoon he seemed confused after we asked him who we were, I printed out some big pictures of us and took them in tonight for him to look at. When he saw the picture he lit up and really looked at them. I told him who everyone was and he asked for me to tape them to the wall (although he cannot speak with the trach in, he motioned to the wall). He grabbed my hand a lot for me to hold him and pulled me down to his face because he wanted to kiss my cheek. I know he is just foggy and waking up slowly. Today and tonight was the most awake and aware he has been since the accident. After being away for 4 days and then coming back I was really nervous as to what he would be like but after today I feel a sense of relief in seeing him more awake and responsive. They are already talking about when he will get out of the ICU and that also is really hopeful! Tracy just got in tonight so tomorrow we will be back again !

Hi everyone. Hal was not able to pass the test to remove the ventilator, so they are doing a tracheotomy this morning. They feel this will improve his breathing and get him off of it faster.

He is still following commands, opening his eyes, moving his right side, and squeezing my hand.

When I think of all the things I am used to him accomplishing in a day, now just squeezing my hand and opening his eyes seems monumental me.

Carrie arrived last night, and Tracy comes today. I don't know what I would do without my daughters, they are being a huge help and keep me going.

We still have lots of hope, and please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Linda

Wed. Nov 12,

Hal actually gave me a "hands up" wave when I walked in today and he heard my voice.
The physical therapist was with him trying to get him to move his left hand.
They gave him another test this morning to see if they could get him off the ventilator, but unfortunately he failed, but we have hope he will be able to pass it before the deadline.

He is starting to show signs of annoyance, which those of you who know Hal will know that this is a good sign.
Please continue all the good thoughts and prayers.....I know that they are helping.

With Love,
Linda, Carrie & Tracy

So, I see my sister Tracy already posted today...my mom had just asked me to post something but I guess she got there first. I thought I would put up another picture of dad and agree with my sister on how hard it is to be away right now. Somehow it doesn't seem right going on with my daily routine knowing that he is lying in the hospital. I know he is getting better slowly and that the nurses and doctors are taking great care of him but it is very hard to get through the day without getting really emotional. My students here at the Univ. of Tenn have all been really understanding, I think they can tell I am in 2 places in my mind since I have been back. I will be flying back this thursday night for the weekend and will be doing that until christmas break.

When I spoke to my mom tonight to get the update on my dad after her visit today she told me that some people have been asking when is he coming home, or if they could visit. This is going to be a long process everyone, months, we are all going to have to be patient in this recovery process, I am telling myself this too as I write this. I hope that he recovers sooner rather than later but this is going to take some time.

I was talking to my sister online last night and we were sharing our thoughts about how it felt to be with him in the hospital and see him in the condition he is in. This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, I can only imagine what is going through his head everyday. He is an amazing man, father and friend and I love him very much. I know you all love him too and I appreciate everything that everyone has done for my family.
-Carrie

So Carrie and I are at our respective homes now and have been keeping in touch with the nurses at the hospital and mom to get the updates on how dad is doing. The nurse today reported that they will try the ventilation test again tomorrow. They wanted to give dad a rest in between days so that he could regain his strength. The nurse also said he moved his left arm a bit, which is exciting if it was more than a reflex. He is also more awake and giving more nonverbal cues about his level of comfort.

It is very difficult to be away from him right now. I am back at work and the patients are keeping me busy, but at the same time my heart is not here. It is with my dad. I can't wait to get back there this Friday to spend time with him and be by his bedside. I will let everyone know how he is doing from my perspective. As you all can see, we are each having a very different experience with what is happening, but one thing remains consistent: our love for Hal.
Tracy

No significant changes today.
For tomorrow:
They will be doing another test to see if he can get off the ventilator.
They will also be doing another CT Scan to make sure of no additional bleeding.
He is still running a temperature.
He squeezed my hand and opened his eyes breifly.
He shook his head in response to a question.

We have to be patient and appreciate the "baby steps".

We want to thank all of you for your concern, your thoughts and your prayers......
We need them all.

With love, Linda, Carrie & Tracy

Yesterday dad seemed more awake and alert. We knew because every time he opened his eyes, his blood pressure and heart rate would increase, and of course he reached for the ventilation tube. He wants that tube out, and who can blame him?! The nurse said that they would be checking his oxygen levels in his blood, and if they were within normal range, they would perform a test to see if he can control his own breathing, enough so that they could remove the ventilation tube. There is the possibility of a tracheotomy depending on how labored his breathing still is, but that would not be permanent either. Today they are turning off the morphine and sedation to perform the ventilation trial. Keep your fingers crossed that they can take it out. We know he would be so much more comfortable and calm once that is removed.

Carrie and I are going home tonight to get back to work, although it is extremely difficult to leave dad. We are also concerned about our mom, so those of you that are close by, please be sure to check in on her and offer your support. She needs all the help she can get right now, and we all know that asking for help is not her strength. Carrie is leaving Hiro with mom so that Dexter has a buddy to keep him company. The dogs also help us because they are such a source of happiness, and a much needed distraction at times. Carrie and I will come back on the weekends to be with dad and track his progress. One of us will update the blog on a daily basis so that everyone will remain in the loop of how Hal is doing. Again, thanks to all of you for showing such love and support to all of us!

Another day at the hospital. Things are progressing on a positive avenue. We are hopeful, and are learning new and different ways of looking at everything. We feel he knows we are there when in response to our voices he opens his eyes. He is still on a ventilator, but they have begun the process of weening him off of it.

Our daughters are still here and have been amazingly helpful and are my inspiration for a good outcome. They have taught me new things on the computer, and have even brought me into the 21st century by teaching me to pay all the bills on-line.

So this is my first attempt at updating the "BLOG" since it is so important to us to keep everyone informed.
I am afraid this is going to be a long haul, longer than it will take Hal's hair to grow back in. In 44 years I have never seen my husband with a bald head.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support, it is much appreciated.
With love, Linda

November 6, 2008

We are so thankful to all of you who have shown your love and support for our family. It really is comforting to know that dad is loved by so many people. Mom, Carrie and I are also so appreciative to those who have both already helped us with things like taking care of dogs, feeding us, and giving us hugs, as well as those who have offered to help because believe me, you will be called on soon!! My mother is not so good at asking for help, so some of you may just need to step in and force it upon her...i assure you, she will not turn you down as you are shoving a casserole in her hand!

My father is doing as good as can be expected right now. The scariest part of all of this is the look in his eyes when he awakens and has a moment of what I think is clarity. He has not been in the hospital since he was in his 20s for an appendectomy...we should all be so lucky to be as healthy and fit as my father. But I also find a sense of security with that look in his eyes because it means he is cognizant and aware of the experience.

The CT scan tomorrow should provide us with some more information about his status. We will certainly let everyone know the update when we come home from the hospital in the afternoon. Again, thanks for the care and concern that each and every one of you have shown. We are deeply moved at how much you all adore my father.

It was a long day at the hospital, but all was good. They have begun decreasing the ventilator which is great news. I was talking with Tracy tonight as we were visiting about how we were hearing different breathing sounds; I think we could hear the difference between dad's breaths and the machine and we just want to keep hearing more of dad's!

Tomorrow they will be doing another CT scan to see if there is any improvement with the bleeding; we will post the results when we find out. They did put a filter in his leg to prevent clots going from his legs to the upper part of his body. The nurses let us know this was routine for any trauma patient and it is comforting to me they are taking precautions for other things beside the head. The nurses have been so amazing at St. Mary's. All of them have been so understanding with all of our questions and anxieties, and boy do we have a lot of them right now.

Other things that are important to note are they are also slowly decreasing his sedative and morphine to be able to get him more responsive both for the weening off of the ventilator and to keep checking his mental status. I think today we saw more activity than any other day.

There is a long way to go though. I am not sure he knows exactly what happened and what is going on. Every time he seems to wake up he immediately tries to lift his right hand and becomes anxious. We keep telling him he is ok, the tube will be out soon and that he is making amazing progress. I am sure it is a lot for him to take in and probably a lot of it disappears each time he falls back to sleep.

Thank you to everyone who is calling and writing to send your love! We really appreciate all of your support!

Dad was really active today and tonight. We had great news last night; the nurses let us know that they will not be putting the pressure bolt in his head to check for swelling since they do not think there is any! He has been responsive to commands and is opening his eyes and shaking his head. They also let us know they slowly started decreasing the use of the ventilator!!! Every time he has opened his eyes and is responsive, he has tried to grab the tube and take it out; he sure does want to get that out to start talking and let us know he is getting better. His mouth has been moving and I know he has a lot to say right now.

The nurse tonight said they they will be checking the oxygen level later tonight and if it is still high then they will make another adjustment, getting closer and closer to taking the tube out.

They will be doing another CT scan on Friday morning to reassess the bleeding and check for swelling. We are of course hoping to see the blood draining and still no swelling. Keep your fingers crossed and we will keep you posted!

On Sat. Nov 1, 2008 Hal accidentally fell and hit his head. My mom, after seeing that something was wrong, called 911 and Hal was taken immediately to St. Mary's hospital. After receiving a CT scan, we found out that he was bleeding on the top right side of his brain, which was accumulating and shifting his brain to the side. The excessive bleeding was a result of a blood thinning medication, Coumadin, that he was taking for atrial fibrillation, which he had been experiencing for the past few months.

Upon arrival to the ER, he began to lose consciousness and was put on a ventilator. It was determined that he needed surgery to remove the blood that was accumulating on his brain. Dr. Zegehye, a neurosurgeon, performed the surgery and reported that it was successful and he felt that he had removed most of the blood, but some remained which would be reabsorbed on its own. After the surgery, Hal was admitted to the ICU. He has had several CT scans post-operatively which indicate no new bleeding or swelling. The nurse was able to remove the drain from his head, he remains on a ventilator and is slowly recuperating. He is currently able to follow commands (e.g., "wiggle your toes", "give thumbs up", "squeeze your hand"), is opening his eyes and indicating that the tube down his throat is uncomfortable, and the nurse said she could have sworn that he gave her a look of annoyance the other day when she was asking him to make some purposeful movements; now that is the Harold Pollack we all know and love! We of course want him to be more awake, indicating that forward progress is being made, but the more awake he becomes, the more aware he is of what is going on. We are sure of he could talk right now, he would say "Get me the f#!k out of here!"

Linda, Carrie and Tracy are visiting everyday when allowed and speaking with the nurses and doctors on a regular basis. We know he knows we are there, and we are letting him know that everyone is asking about him as well as sending love and prayers.

We are going to try and update this blog every day to let you know of his progress. My mom appreciates every one's calls and wants to let everyone know whats is happening without feeling overwhelmed with having to give updates to everyone individually. There is a lot going on and we are trying to figure out how to deal with everything while staying centered enough to go and see Hal and focus on him and his recovery.

You can post a response to each days post if you would like to share your thoughts or feelings.

I have so much confidence in my dad and his strength and love that I know he is doing everything he can to get better. We have a lot of hope and feel like things are going in a slow but steady rate towards making a recovery!