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Thoughts from the Family

Introduction

Written on Monday, March 16, 2009 by Tom Ordens, a traveling colleague of Sherin, who was with Sherin at the time of the accident, and who graciously postponed on his return to the US after the accident.

Monday March 16, 2009

Sherin fell from approximately 4 feet while descending the stairs at the house next door of the WNP Office. Sherin struck her head on the concrete floor causing a cut to the back of her head. Paramedics were called at approximately 2:30pm.   Sherin was awake but dazed, she responded to my voice when I asked her to squeeze my hand. Paramedics arrive quickly and placed Sherin on a back board and immobilized her for transport. The ambulance took her to Lenin Fonseca Hospital.

By the time Moises, Ken and I arrived, Sherin had not been seen by anyone. She was in the hospital admitting area for 1/2 hour. The paramedics, who still at the hospital, suggested we put her back in the ambulance and take her to the Metropolitano Hospital Vivian Pellas.  The ambulance arrived at Vivian Pellas at about 3:50 p.m. Sherin was seen immediately by Dr. Enrique Vega.  They did an emergency room evaluation and then took Sherin to radiology and did either an MRI or CAT scan, I am not sure which. Dr. Vega came back at 5:30 p.m. and reviewed all of the images with us. He explained that Sherin had a small fracture on the back of her head and a large hematoma in the left frontal lobe. There was also a small subdural ipselateral hematoma on the left side.  This was the more serious issue at that time. Dr. Vega said that they would wait 1 hour and observed her condition. No surgery was planned at this time.

At about 7:30 p.m. Dr. Vega indicated that there was swelling around Sherin’s right eye and that they would be performing surgery to reduce the swelling. At that point they began to prep Sherin for surgery. While on the phone with Bob Bowen, Sr., I signed surgery consent and anesthesiology upgrade consent due to the depth of the surgery. Dr.René Morales arrived at about 11:00pm and was admitted to the operating area. He returned and told us the surgery was going well and would be finished in a while.

Dr. Vega came out to talk to us at around 12:10 a.m. He indicated that they removed a portion of the skull bone to relieve the pressure on the brain. The bone piece was placed in Sherin’s abdomen. We left the hospital at about 1am and went to the hotel.  Dr. Vega said that ICU would call us if there was a changed in Sherin’s condition. We didn’t receive a call.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

We arrived back at the hospital at about 9:00 a.m. At about 9:05 a.m., we spoke by phone with Dr. Vega who indicated that he would be in to see Sherin at 9:30 a.m.

At 9:15 am we were allowed to see Sherin for a brief time. Mirna and I then talked with Dr. Ernesto Parajon, the anesthesiologist for Sherin’s surgery; he indicated that Sherin was in critical condition. She is connected to a ventilator and he’s been giving her medication to keep her stable. She is in an induced coma. Dr. Parajon spoke about an Interparakemotoso (not sure what that is).

During the surgery they drained between 50 -60 mml of liquid from her brain. Dr. Parajon told us about the Glasgow scale which goes from 3 to 15 with 15 being the best, Sherin is currently at a 4. Sherin’s vital signs are good and all bodily systems are functioning properly. At 10:05 a.m. we met with Dr. Vega.  He indicated that Sherin’s condition was very critical.

Sherin’s blood pressure is very high; there is a compression on the brain stem and a contusion on the brain stem.

She continues on the ventilator.  There is massive swelling in the brain and multiple small hematoma in the brain and on the brain stem.

Dr. Vega indicated about 20% success rate with Sherin’s condition.

We will return to the hospital at 4:30 for the 5p.m. visitation time.