texascavers Digest 26 Jul 2013 11:45:11 -0000 Issue 1808
Topics (messages 22231 through 22236):
Update on Mallory
22231 by: Emily McGowan
22233 by: Linda Palit
Re: Gruta del Mamut
22232 by: Mark Minton
Bill Stone on NPR
22234 by: speleosteele.aol.com
a concept light device
22235 by: David
Thursday night report
22236 by: Emily McGowan
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--- Begin Message ---
Thanks to Krista Keen for this update, posted on Facebook this morning:
Update from Steve (her Daddy): "As of 8:30 this morning, Mallory is showing
signs of life. She responds to poking and prodding, and has opened her eyes,
moved her fingers and hands, and moves her tongue in an attempt to get the
feeding tube out of her throat. She's not awake, but her brain is operating
and now that the paralytics are gone, she can move a little. She is still on
a strong dose of sedative, as they do not want her coming around too fast.
(The stuff she's on is propofol, same as what killed Michael Jackson. It's
one of those "do not try this at home" deals.) On the negative side, she has
a slight case of pneumonia, and that's being treated with antibiotics.
There's also a few other problems, but nothing spectacular. All in all, it's
an improvement. The doctors don't want us getting too optimistic, but Vickie
and I are celebrating. It's been a long ten days, and we need this."
Emily
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--- Begin Message ---
Thanks.Em
On Wednesday, July 24, 2013, Emily McGowan wrote:
> **
>
> Thanks to Krista Keen for this update, posted on Facebook this morning:
>
> Update from Steve (her Daddy): "As of 8:30 this morning, Mallory is
> showing signs of life. She responds to poking and prodding, and has opened
> her eyes, moved her fingers and hands, and moves her tongue in an attempt
> to get the feeding tube out of her throat. She’s not awake, but her brain
> is operating and now that the paralytics are gone, she can move a little.
> She is still on a strong dose of sedative, as they do not want her coming
> around too fast. (The stuff she’s on is propofol, same as what killed
> Michael Jackson. It’s one of those “do not try this at home” deals.) On the
> negative side, she has a slight case of pneumonia, and that’s being treated
> with antibiotics. There’s also a few other problems, but nothing
> spectacular. All in all, it’s an improvement. The doctors don’t want us
> getting too optimistic, but Vickie and I are celebrating. It’s been a long
> ten days, and we need this."
>
> Emily
>
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--- Begin Message ---
I hadn't heard of this cave, but if you Google Gruta del
Mamut there are several articles about it (in Spanish). There's also
a YouTube video at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghe-r_2ozVA>. I
wonder if this is a cave that cavers already knew about that has
recently been commercialized, or whether it is new to cavers.
Mark
At 09:36 PM 7/23/2013, Preston Forsythe wrote:
Reading an adventure magazine at the library last week I spotted an
ad for his cave in Chiapas on the road between San Cristobal and
Ocosingo and on to Palenque. We have driven that road a couple of
times, but not recently.
"Mammoth Cave," anyone been to this cave in Chiapas?
Preston in KY
Please reply to mmin...@caver.net
Permanent email address is mmin...@illinoisalumni.org
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--- Begin Message ---
Bill Stone will be featured on tomorrow's episode of the TED Radio Hour onNPR,
titled "To The Edge".
Here's a preview of the program:
http://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/
Bill Steele
Bill Steele
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--- Begin Message ---
Imagine a scenario where you are in a cave and you need light.
You have all seen the plastic crank-lights that put out dim light for a few
seconds.
What if a very creative caver could make a much bigger one with heavy-duty
gears
that required a great deal of energy to pull a cord that turned the
charging pulley ?
The idea is to put a sack of rocks at the end of the cord and drop the sack.
I doubt you could make a head-lamp do this, but you could install such a
device
deep in a cave in a big room, for a variety of reasons. The light would
shine down
on a particular spot for up to 30 minutes.
See articles on gravity powered light.
http://images.bwbx.io/cms/2013-03-14/tech_innovator1213__01__630x420.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kQxh5N9jvM
The trick would be to find a cave that is dark and that has rocks in it,
and has a
ceiling to hang the light, all at the same time.
David Locklear
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--- Begin Message ---
Hi all,
This was posted by Harley Thornton on Mal's Facebook page, and was written
by Mal's mother, Vickie:
Thursday night update:
Today was a quiet day for Mallory. She is doing a little better. No brain
pressure spikes last night and today until 4 p.m. They were thinking about
removing the tube that drains her brain that has a sensor in it to tell
brain pressure, but the spike changed that feeling. I was a little alarmed
at that because I wondered how you could tell I she had a spike. But if you
go 24 hours without a spike, that means your brain is toning down on the
swelling. You don't want to keep tubes in any longer than necessary because
of the chance of infection. But after watching that number for so many days,
I feel like I just really need to know. It is something concrete for me. Now
granted they had told us the swelling is worst the first 48-72 hours and
then diminishes. We are almost 12 days and still fighting the swelling. I
definitely want it where they are not worried about brain pressure. The
nurses are going to start moving her around such as putting her on her side
and see how she fares with the brain pressure. They will know more from
that. The doctors are still giving the antibiotics for the infection and
pneumonia. These two are complicating things but they are managing this.
They have her on a cooling blanket that is 44 degrees for her fever. This is
a different type of cooling than she did before. They assure me that when
she shivers, it's OK, it's not affecting her brain pressure and I can see
the numbers, but the momma in me wants to cover her. I feel like she is
miserable. She does have the ventilator but she is breathing on her own,
too. They set the machine for 20 breaths per minute. yesterday she was doing
40 because she wanted to breath fast for various reasons. Today, she was
down to 26-30 breaths so that is good. Her fever was down a little. But they
had given her some morphine and as he nurse said, she liked that. It helped
all her numbers.
So Ok I have learned about the Michael Jackson drug. Now I learned about
another drug they are giving her, It is also a sedative, commonly known out
on the street as "Super K". It's real name is ketamine. Before he found out
I taught Pre-K, the doctor told me my students would know about it. Anyway,
I am getting an education in drugs.
Mallory's friend who was in the accident with her had to have a second
surgery. They fixed his leg in Houston, and said his shoulder would heal on
his own. When he saw the doctor in Baton Rouge, they said he needed to get
his shoulder operated on. He had his surgery yesterday. It went well and he
definitely wants to go home.
Little Ashami, Mal's hamster and I are becoming friends. She is very
grateful I cleaned her cage last night. Never did that before. I continue my
quest of learning new things. Definitely, have not wanted to learn most of
the things I have, but hey, maybe this is stretching my brain, and I will
have more brain cells when I am older. One can only hope. Have a good night
or day if you read this in the daytime. Patience, patience, patience is the
motto.
Love you all, Vickie
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