February 2nd, 2011 by Conor

February 2nd, 2011 by MIchelle

Danny’s drain will be coming out tomorrow. The drain is a catheter, or a clear tubing, that is in Danny’s skull near the top of the head. At the end of the drain there is a plastic pouch that fills with the liquid from Danny’s head. They measure it and empty it regularly throughout the day. The doctor is happy with the progress post operation and said that as long as we can regulate Danny’s headaches with pills then he should be in the clear to leave the PCU soon. His head is in extreme pain so the doctor had one of those pain buttons added to Danny’s IV set up. On top of that he gets pain pills every six hours. Hopefully the pain will reduce as the CT scan already showed improvements and the decision to proceed with the last surgery also had something to do with the doctors presumptions that the liquid beneath the skull was adding to his headaches. I’ve hit my head a few times on counter tops or things around the hospital since this all happened and I find myself laughing as I wince in pain knowing that Danny is going through so much more.

-Michelle

February 2nd, 2011 by Conor

Michelle’s hat, we actually Ellen K’s hat of Glen New Hampshire, was just raffled off bedside. Danny has been a little groggy this evening but was more than happy to pull a name out of a hat. Sorry everyone that has a higher expectation of my video skills. This was shot with a hand held point and shoot camera and I mistakenly put my hand over the mic at one point. Just another whoops to add to the grand mix.

February 1st, 2011 by Conor

Everything finally caught up to me. This process is truly exhausting physically and mentally. I have been sleeping more and more lately. Last night, I got a monumental 17 hours of sleep- I guess you can only run on E for so long, and it all came crashing down over the last 36 hours. I don’t think I have ever slept that much in my whole life.

In the past month I have posted about Danny over and over again. Our whole family has been to hell and back in that time. We have been waiting and crossing our fingers for the time when Danny would wake up and we would be able to get excited about having him back in our lives. I have suggested to people to make sure to bring Danny up and that now is when he will need us the most. All of that is well and good. But I forgot one thing. And it’s something I should not have forgotten. It’s funny because there must have been 100 people, hell maybe even 200 that said “make sure you get some sleep” or “take care of yourself.”

And I have – for the most part. But as all of you that suggested that type of thing probably knew. It’s hard to do. The only place I have wanted to be for the last month is wherever Danny is. I didn’t want to be getting sleep at the hotel room. It wasn’t where my heart was. Well, now that things are looking up I am catching up on some much needed R & R time I have begun to understand what you all were warning me about. The crash. You become useless and frustrated when you are that exhausted.

It’s funny because for people that know me well at this point in my life they know that one of the only things I don’t do a lot of is sleep. I enjoy being alive far too much to waste it on sleeping. I guess I just don’t see the point really. I know that sleeping is a recharge but I also feel like it is an escape from reality. Most of the time I am far too excited by being alive and can’t even imagine what I would miss if I were to sleep.

My biggest problem is that often times I don’t listen to my body enough. I don’t force myself to sleep and relax and think about what has happened. It’s the part about thinking about what has happened that is finally catching up to me.

The part that is getting difficult for me is that I have just begun to realize how much this is going to change Danny’s life AND mine. Danny and I do all kinds of stuff together and that includes work and play. This instance is going to greatly effect my life in a lot more ways than the last month that I have lost at his bedside. It has been hard to think about work or the future at a time like this, but it finally feels fair to consider these ideas and how they play into MY life. It seems hard to imagine them without Danny as a key role in either of them. Danny has been the star of all snowboarding edits and was going to be of the snowboarding movie we were making this year. I find it hard to push through and imagine doing the project without him. Sure, I could do it anyway and say that I am going to do it in his honor, but it doesn’t feel right. Danny and I started Shreddy Times together and it has always been about the adventures that we have had together on and off the slopes.

So earlier today, when I began to think about what’s next, I had a mixture of excitement and terror when I imagined that once again I have the whole world as an option. I can go anywhere and do anything. It’s crazy because this is the first time anything even close to this has ever happened to me. I need to come up with some career like decisions as a result of what happened to Danny. I’m not about to leave him high and dry by any means, but I have to find things that will work for me while he is going through the recovery process. When there is a point that we can resume working on things together or plan some sort of trip, I’m there, but in the meantime I have to think about what is going to work for me. It’s a strange feeling after all the time we have spent progressing things together. And I definitely look forward to the point that things can start proceeding forward once again.

It’s not like I hadn’t thought oh wow this is really going to change the winter, or damn I wonder what Ill be doing a year from now. But I hadn’t really thought much about how they were actually going to change. I am beginning to have these thoughts and am trying to make plans and act on them. I know that above all else I need to continue to be there for Danny but I especially need to detox from what I have just been through. So, I am going to spend the next day or two coming up with some possible ideas. I might even throw a poll up and see what people think. In the meantime I am off to bed imagining how fun it would be to get my dive master in the Caribbean. That sounds like a nice break from all this. Hope your head drains well tonight Danny. I think we are on the 10 day countdown. I sure hope that’s the case.

Love you all!
Conor

February 1st, 2011 by MIchelle

In two days we will have been here for a month. Looking back on everything that happened in that month gives me the chills when I look over at Danny and watch him crack a smile or make a joke. It’s all become a blur. I’m glad that we have documented everything as I’m going to need to read what Conor and I wrote again when this is all said and done. Did this really just happen? How did we get so lucky, if luck is what it was? I still catch myself tearing up, but now it’s because of happiness more than tears of pain and sadness.

It’s been a wild journey and it’s only just begun. I’d like to think that the hard part for us is in the past and that we get to look forward to improvements in the future. I’ve come to know Danny’s family all too well now and can’t wait to continue the relationships after we leave Great Falls. I can’t wait to learn pottery from David and laugh hysterically with Ellen when we don’t have to worry about surgeries, pain meds, insurance, and rehab. I met Danny’s aunt, Ellen’s sister Julie, who has experienced the finest of Great Falls just down the street from the hospital at the Hi-Ho Tavern. Ellen says Hi-Hos is just not the same without you Julie. It was a pleasure to meet you and Turny Burny the Ugly doll has a special place in Danny’s bed. Thanks for coming!

Conor is like a brother now. I thought he was like a brother before this happened, but now I feel like I’ve known him my whole life. Sharing a hotel room with two beds and spending nearly 24 hours a day with Conor brought our relationship to a whole new level. Maybe I’ll even start to fight over the first BIG Cheez-It with him…on second thought, I’ll leave that for Danny.

It seems like things are starting to slow down over here in Great Falls. Less tubes connected, no more babysitters, and fewer updates make the light seem closer at the end of the tunnel. Leaving Great Falls will be strange. Going home to Tahoe won’t be the same without Danny there. Planning a trip to New Hampshire will be another adventure in itself. I’ve never been there, but I can’t wait to eat at Glen Junction and maybe even make some turns at Cranmore. I am also looking forward to meeting more of Danny’s friends from home. Until then I will still take this one day at a time.

-Michelle

February 1st, 2011 by Conor

Some of you may have noticed that Michelle’s hats have been off the radar for a little bit now. The truth is that since Danny has been snapping out of things they haven’t been quite the same priority. She has 2 that are half done that we should hopefully have up in the next few days or so. In the meantime, Ellen K from Glen, NH wants to raffle off the hat that she purchased from Michelle. For those of you that don’t remember here are the pictures of Michelle wearing the hat included with a picture that Ellen took of it.That you very much to Ellen for your your generosity!

****Tickets for this auction will be sold until 7PM EST tomorrow (February 2nd). We are hoping that Danny will be picking the winning hat if his “massive head ache” goes down.”****

I have a feeling that we are down to our last 3 or 4 official Montana made Michelle hats. Get ’em while you can!

Ellen described it as dark turquoisey blue with cocoa and other shades mixed in.

Auction Under Way

February 1st, 2011 by Conor

Maura Garrity did this hand made drawing of Danny. It came in a little earlier this evening. She wants to donate it to the fund raising process but wants to make sure it’s 100% perfect before someone gets it. What do you think everyone?

February 1st, 2011 by Conor

So, I don’t know Danny, Conor or Michelle – any of you or your families, but that is besides the point. I am a good friend of Annie Perley who grew up in the Conway area. Recently she told me about the site after my inquiry. I read through the blog/website and I was frozen in time. Annie has done so much for me in the past year, that I couldn’t help but want to give back and pay it forward, ya know.. I wanted to contribute/donate and not just quickly browse the blog and move on.

Flashing back to this past year with my family. We struggled with family and friends in the hospital. This blog has struck a chord with my heart. This fall my brother spent countless days and nights by his best bud’s bedside in the hospital. I know that, not only did our childhood friend & his family need our love, prayers and support – but so did my brother. He needed my silly texts, phone calls and emails….and for me to listen and to be supportive. (Especially since I am 3,000 miles away from home on the west coast) And that support needed to continue for everyone long after the release from the hospital. Long after.

I know for a fact that love and support are needed from the beginning, deep into the middle and long into the future. It sounds like there is an amazing support group of family, friends and communities rallying behind Danny’s recovery. The power of the internet and social networking to spread the word and to make fundraising a success so that Danny can focus on healing and not finances is amazing.

I’m reminded once again how precious life is and how important family and friends are. I’m sending all sorts of love, support and healing energy from the east coast. Here’s to healing, moving forward and the future that lies ahead. As well – here’s to the support for ALL of you – long into the future.

Mary Behrens

February 1st, 2011 by MIchelle

Danny just rolled into room 4105 of the PCU. He is in a ton of pain, but dealing with it as best as can be expected. He has the white wrap that looks like a beanie on his head with the drain coming out the top. It makes his head really hot so an ice pack is on its way. They’ve checked his vitals and all is well. Danny’s been through so much. Let’s hope this is the last of the surgeries!

-Michelle

February 1st, 2011 by MIchelle

Danny is out of surgery! It went well and we will be back in the PCU shortly. Not much else to say. We haven’t seen him yet, but will keep you in the loop as to how things play out.

-Michelle