The beginning!

THE NEWS
So today is Tuesday the 30th. Brian is still on the ventilator, sedated because he goes into tonic clonic movements when they take him off (they have done this twice). They are playing a happy medium, but as of this morning he is on the lowest amount of sedation since he has been here. He is over breathing the ventilator the vent breathes 10 times, he breathes on his own 6 times in one minute as of last night. This morning we believe he might just be breathing on his own with 80% of oxygen going in and oxygen level of 100%, this is good! We still knew the neurologist's tests at bed side weren't on our side and he had a EEG at bedside and an MRI, that we are expecting to hear about today at noon. Mom and I had a little break down because they didn't want to do an MRI because they didn't know what exactly is in his head from prior surgeries. And mom and I were like what you don't have the tests he gets them every six months and trust us you are going to need them to compare. So, now they have his records.

I had a little spark of faith last night, Gail and I spent the night so Mama could sleep at home. It was the same nurse as the night before. I was rubbing his belly, saying how he looked so fat since he has gained 20 pounds since admission, and he opened his eyes. He doesn't track, but the hope it gave me was huge. Then there is this reflex (Babinski sign) that the night before last there was no response and last night his toes fanned beautifully. So I'm pretty sure something is there, even the night nurse was like, yes that is great.

This morning when we say his name he opens his eyes. He tracks but doesn't look directly in your eyes. But this is huge in comparison to yesterday. He is also very hypersensitive, every touch on his skin he jumps. But he isn't thrashing like yesterday. So these are good signs but we are still not out of the weather. I wish they would just pull the vent because he gags when he gets stimulated and he uses his tongue to try and get the tube out. It looks very uncomfortable but they still are saying that we don't know if he can swallow and cough up secretions if he has to because if that was the case they would have to put the vent back in. I just really hope they pull it soon.

Other than that we are all here just waiting for results. We are hoping we get Brian back 100% not 50% because in that case we are going to make some big decisions. We have gotten so many emails and love and support. Please feel welcome to forward this to friends and family, since I don't have every one's email. Everyone is welcome to update friends and family you have our permission.

Hopefully we will hear from the doctor at noon today with result from the tests!

Thanks again for all the love, support, and prayers. We love you all!

Nat

Update as of 12/29/08 on our Brian! Things aren't looking great but it's not over until it's over. Heart is still beating on own and he is still on a ventilator. I wasn't a fan of the night nurses bedside manner (we need good vibes and positive thinking) but we were reassured that he was a great nurse. He has lots of negative signs (not good) in relation to brain damage such as tonic clonic movement that arises when he is taken off sedation. Dr. Bright a neurologist is now taking his case. In the best case scenario, he will have brain damage because the simple tests that they have done at bed side are not on our side. They are doing a MRI and an EEG today and these tests will tell us more. We are barely hanging in and need as many prayers as we can get. His organs are still plugging along and we wouldn't be here if they didn't think he still had a chance. We are in the ICU waiting room and calls are welcome 360-377-3911 (just ask for ICU waiting room). Visitors are welcome. Please forward to other friends and family because I know that I don't have every one's email. And please cross your fingers and pray for a miracle. I am so sad for mom, she needs it the most. Thanks for all the emails, visitors, and calls so far.


Today is Sunday December 28th, 2008. Yesterday my mom was woken up by Brian (my step dad) having a seizure. With her quick thinking she called 911. (I think I'd like to say I had something to do with this, last time she called me? And I scolded her that with a seizure condition like Brian's you need to call 911 and not me.) Especially with his because his Dilantin (anti-seizure drug) has been very hard to get at therapeutic level. He has been way low and way high since his seizures came again about a year ago. She repositioned him and did everything the lady told her to do, along with CPR since she couldn't tell if he was breathing and his color looked bad. The EMT's arrived and got a pulse after three shocks. (He was in V-fib and wasn't flat lined so this is a good thing.) From the time mom called 911 and the time he was revived and on the road to the hospital was a half an hour, this is astronomical. (We wont mention that they got stuck in the snow and still made it to the house in no time.) But in my opinion mom saved his life by keeping blood circulating and the EMT's were very fast with getting to the house. Yesterday they decided to do this new protocol that actually puts the body in a hypothermic state, it cools the body to 90 degrees. This helps the body rest and recuperate after trauma to the heart and other vitals organs (since during shock the body shunts blood to the brain and heart in return shuts down other organs). He is also on a medication that paralyzes the body so he can rest as well. They have him on many other medications; feeding tube, banana bag (lots of vitamins), insulin, saline, cardiac meds so his heart can rest. The good sign is that he is peeing like a race horse. When the body shuts down, kidneys are usually the first things to go so the nurses keep telling us, "He is critically stable." His heart is beating on his own but he is on a ventilator because of this protocol. The other thing that gave us a little more hope is the fact that last night around midnight, I went to check on Brian and the nurse said his vitals were rising and they start a fentanyl drip (pain med) and they have returned to baseline. She smiled and said it's a really good sign that he showed pain. He has age on his side (he's 48) along with the fact that he is for the most part aside from his brain injury healthy, he is not overweight, not diabetic, he had no underlying medical problems. He does smoke and drink, that we are reminded by the health professional daily but we are staying positive. Dr. Baldwin came in to the waiting room about a half an hour ago and told us what we needed to hear, every little ray of hope helps. Pretty much hope for the best and expect the worst. So now it's the waiting game. The nurses are dealing with our crazy family asking thousands of questions in and out of Brian's room. Gail is taking care of Grandma at the house, Leslie and Dwight were here all yesterday with mom. I came as soon as I heard which was at 11 yesterday when I got off work. (No one called me, they didn't want to scare me?!) I was like no, call me, have me paged, do what you have to do to get a hold of me. Seth and Jake have also been very supportive. Brian's parents were also here yesterday along with their Pasteur who said a prayer for Brian at the bedside. Brian's brother Brad is flying up from CA today. Mom and I slept here at the hospital. I have my laptop to stay in touch. We just ask that you think of us and be hopeful that Brian will come out of this. Our main concern is that his brain wasn't without oxygen for too long and hoping he will come out of it. Please forward to other family members. Calling everyone is hard for us and were are in ICU in the basement and cell phones only work sometimes. You are welcome to call 377-3911 and ask for the ICU waiting room. It a little easier to write an email. And feedback, laughter and jokes really help. So thanks for listening and I will try and keep everyone posted. Love, Natalie and family