To get you started....

Hello Everyone! Here is the way that we are going to keep people updated on what is going on with Helen. Please share this with anyone that you know that we might have missed! This will be an easier way for us to get the news out to everyone. Feel free to post questions, well wishes, etc here as the family will be able to get back to them!

Here is what has already happened in a short abbreviated version:

Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Helen's fabulous friends found her disconnected and not quite right when they showed up at her house to play some games about 1pm. They called Dave and Monica who called Betty, Helen's sister, and the ball got rolling to get Helen to St. Ann's Hospital ASAP! She was very quiet and reserved (which you all know is NOT the Helen Addis that we know!). Some testing was done to show that she is healthy and strong! She was admitted to St. Ann's to figure out what was making her language skills decreased and her short term memory gone.

Thursday, August 12, 2010
She has had a stroke.  The neurologist came through and let us know that she has damage to both sides of her frontal lobe. This is atypical for the normal stroke.  Normally a stroke affects one side of the body or the other. Hers has affected both sides of her body.  She is physically strong!  She can walk, got to the bathroom, wash her hands, feed herself, sit up, etc all on her own. She is however sketchy on information from the short term memory. She recognizes people that she has known in the past when they come to visit, but later doesn't remember that they were there. She can remember last names of friends, remember ice cream flavor names, and sing words to songs from a zillion years ago. Yet she doesn't show much emotion. She has no fear. And is VERY quiet. She mostly only talks when spoken to. When Drake, Asher, and Matty left today she showed the most emotion that we have seen. Tomorrow we are looking for more answers to help us understand what is going on in more detail as she is in store for tests: spinal tap, heart check (TE), etc. We will keep you posted as more develops.