OCTOBER 28
8:31 AM When I went into Nate's room early this morning, his nurse told me it looked like Nate had one seizure during the night. Unfortunately, at shift change this morning, Nate started having more seizures. They are back to the visable seizures. Nate's blood pressure and heart rate are up. They are turning up his seizure medicines. Keep praying.
In His Grip,
Pam
3:38 PM10:31 PM
In His Grip,
Pam
3:38 PM
There haven't been any visible seizures since this morning. His temp is a little high, so they're icing him down and re-inserting a temp probe so we can keep a closer eye on that. They have put "cucumbers" (gauze patches) on his eyes that lubricate that area. After further study of his chest xrays, they are thinking that what was labeled pneumonia is possibly a staph infection. So all of his meds have been bumped back up a notch and his oxygen has been bumped back up as well. He's got a rash (and we're possibly crossing into TMI here) on his upper chest, possibly from the steroids or another medication. I know -- possibly, possibly, possibly. Won't it be nice to get some real answers sometime?
Other than that, we're hanging out in the room, watching the Colts game and playing Catchphrase. (By the way, Mom was cheating for Dad, so don't play that game with her. :) It was an accident. I'm just teasing her because she's watching me type.) Keep praying. We need it, and, more importantly, so does Nate.
--Big Sister Deven
Other than that, we're hanging out in the room, watching the Colts game and playing Catchphrase. (By the way, Mom was cheating for Dad, so don't play that game with her. :) It was an accident. I'm just teasing her because she's watching me type.) Keep praying. We need it, and, more importantly, so does Nate.
--Big Sister Deven
Wow, what a day! There still have been no seizures that we could see since the big one this morning. Nate's blood pressure has still been on the high side. His heart rate has steadied.
Jon, the night nurse, was able to clean Nate's tongue and lips. Although they are very swollen still, he was able to clean a lot of the crusty, nasty junk off.
We had a wonderful blessing this evening. Wes and I were sitting in Nate's room watching tv when Wes looked up and saw people from our church family. What an uplift for us. We visited outside in the waiting room for awhile. Then, with permission from his nurse, we all went in the Nate's room. Pastor Brandon anointed Nate. I love to hear our pastor pray because you know it comes from his heart and his love for Jesus and his love for the person he is praying for is just so evident.
Thank you, church family, for coming down to lift us up. Thank you, also, for the love offering. Most of all, thank you for your prayers. Your support means so much to us.
Yesterday, a friend from Lafayette came to see us. I was snoozing in a recliner and she placed a quilt over me. As Wes said earlier, sometimes---well a lot of the time, I freeze here. Bethany is a quilter and she gave me a beautiful quilt. Not only can I wrap up and get physically warm, but I can feel her love and prayers as I wrap up in the quilt. Thank you, Bethany.
Thank you, Deven, for getting mom out for a bit today. It was nice to have some mother/daughter time. Thanks, Wes, for staying with Nate so that we could get out.
Thank you, Erin, for staying with Nate this evening so Wes and I could get out.
Thank you to my cousin, Linda, for asking her blogging friends to pray for Nate. If you get a chance, go to her blog and read it. She is a great writer. She is funny, witty, and writes about anything and everything. Her blog is www.2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com
Keep praying for NO seizures, blood pressure to stay normal, temperature to stay normal. We would also like the the trach to be done tomorrow. (Monday)
Time to get some rest while things are quiet.
In His Grip,
Pam
3:52 PM
Jon, the night nurse, was able to clean Nate's tongue and lips. Although they are very swollen still, he was able to clean a lot of the crusty, nasty junk off.
We had a wonderful blessing this evening. Wes and I were sitting in Nate's room watching tv when Wes looked up and saw people from our church family. What an uplift for us. We visited outside in the waiting room for awhile. Then, with permission from his nurse, we all went in the Nate's room. Pastor Brandon anointed Nate. I love to hear our pastor pray because you know it comes from his heart and his love for Jesus and his love for the person he is praying for is just so evident.
Thank you, church family, for coming down to lift us up. Thank you, also, for the love offering. Most of all, thank you for your prayers. Your support means so much to us.
Yesterday, a friend from Lafayette came to see us. I was snoozing in a recliner and she placed a quilt over me. As Wes said earlier, sometimes---well a lot of the time, I freeze here. Bethany is a quilter and she gave me a beautiful quilt. Not only can I wrap up and get physically warm, but I can feel her love and prayers as I wrap up in the quilt. Thank you, Bethany.
Thank you, Deven, for getting mom out for a bit today. It was nice to have some mother/daughter time. Thanks, Wes, for staying with Nate so that we could get out.
Thank you, Erin, for staying with Nate this evening so Wes and I could get out.
Thank you to my cousin, Linda, for asking her blogging friends to pray for Nate. If you get a chance, go to her blog and read it. She is a great writer. She is funny, witty, and writes about anything and everything. Her blog is www.2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com
Keep praying for NO seizures, blood pressure to stay normal, temperature to stay normal. We would also like the the trach to be done tomorrow. (Monday)
Time to get some rest while things are quiet.
In His Grip,
Pam
OCTOBER 29
10:26 AM Dad here again. Just wanted to let you know what's up as of right now. His nurse just informed us that they are going to begin cutting back the Propofol (one of the sedatives). They may have to increase one of the others a bit to compensate, but want to ween him off this one. Our past experience has been when this propofol even is allowed to stop for a short time, the EEG activity increases. So pray that his brain activity will remain steady during this change.
Secondly, we are now told he is scheduled for this tracheotomy tomorrow. We'd prefer today, but we'll take it.
Gotta run, doctors are calling.
F.R.O.G.
Wes
Secondly, we are now told he is scheduled for this tracheotomy tomorrow. We'd prefer today, but we'll take it.
Gotta run, doctors are calling.
F.R.O.G.
Wes
I wanted to finish what I started saying this morning, but I have BETTER NEWS!!!! Neurology has come to the room just now and said contrary to common belief yesterday's episode was NOT A SEIZURE!!!! Aparently sometimes a sedated person's body can be agitated by all the movement of cleaning, checking, etc. and can react accordingly. THERE WAS NO SEIZURE YESTERDAY!!! God knows what He is doing! We saw the monitors, we saw Nate, the doctors and nurses at the time saw the monitors, they saw Nate, they all agreed...it was a seizure, but today's experts say, No, it wasn't. Talk about exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask or think!!
My heart is overwhelmed with praise...I cannot think straight right now.
I can only say, "Thank you, God. Thank you for your working and undertaking in Nate's situation. Thank you for working in ways we cannot see or understand, but in ways that You know are best."
Rejoice with us and sing...
We'll give Him all the glory
We'll give Him all the glory
We'll give Him all the glory
Christ The Lord
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
Christ The Lord!
F.R.O.G.
Wes
4:05 PM
My heart is overwhelmed with praise...I cannot think straight right now.
I can only say, "Thank you, God. Thank you for your working and undertaking in Nate's situation. Thank you for working in ways we cannot see or understand, but in ways that You know are best."
Rejoice with us and sing...
We'll give Him all the glory
We'll give Him all the glory
We'll give Him all the glory
Christ The Lord
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
Christ The Lord!
F.R.O.G.
Wes
4:05 PM
For those of you who haven't read all the updates...when I use F.R.O.G. to sign off it means Fully Relying On God!!
Wes
10:24 PM
About 4:00pm this evening, Nate started having a fever. This in turn raised his heart rate and his BP. It was 199/101. The fever was 103. This has set all kinds of alarms and whistles. They had backed of his sedative and this is what happened. Right now they have him on a cooling blanket and "iced down". He has been given all kinds of meds. What this means for the trach tomorrow, I am not sure.
Once again, my prayer warriors, I am calling on you to pray for Nate. We need his temperature to come back to normal and his blood pressure to come down.
Thank you to my sister and sister-in-law for coming down today. It was great to have some of my family here. In Muncie, they could visit just about every day.
Thank you to nurse, Jon, again! He came on this evening and kicked it into high gear to try to get Nate back to where he needs to be.
Thank you to all of you who left a comment on my cousin's blog that you were praying. As I sat here reading the comments tonight, my heart was bursting with thanks just knowing that people who don't even know my family are praying on our behalf.
Thank you, God, for sustaining me through another day. My heart is heavy as I type this update. My son is fighting for his life right now but I refuse to give up in despair. I KNOW that nothing is out of God's control. I don't understand but I still trust.
This morning when I was having my devotions, God reminded me of the song "The Solid Rock"
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus blood and rightousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath His covenant His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.
In His Grip,
Pam
10:20 AM
Wes
10:24 PM
About 4:00pm this evening, Nate started having a fever. This in turn raised his heart rate and his BP. It was 199/101. The fever was 103. This has set all kinds of alarms and whistles. They had backed of his sedative and this is what happened. Right now they have him on a cooling blanket and "iced down". He has been given all kinds of meds. What this means for the trach tomorrow, I am not sure.
Once again, my prayer warriors, I am calling on you to pray for Nate. We need his temperature to come back to normal and his blood pressure to come down.
Thank you to my sister and sister-in-law for coming down today. It was great to have some of my family here. In Muncie, they could visit just about every day.
Thank you to nurse, Jon, again! He came on this evening and kicked it into high gear to try to get Nate back to where he needs to be.
Thank you to all of you who left a comment on my cousin's blog that you were praying. As I sat here reading the comments tonight, my heart was bursting with thanks just knowing that people who don't even know my family are praying on our behalf.
Thank you, God, for sustaining me through another day. My heart is heavy as I type this update. My son is fighting for his life right now but I refuse to give up in despair. I KNOW that nothing is out of God's control. I don't understand but I still trust.
This morning when I was having my devotions, God reminded me of the song "The Solid Rock"
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus blood and rightousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath His covenant His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.
In His Grip,
Pam
October 30
9:42 AM This morning Nate's vitals were still up high when I went into his room. His nurse for today, Emily, took over and got things rolling for Nate. When I left the room just a few minutes ago, his vitals were back down in a reasonable range. Emily is a great nurse and has worked with neuro patients a lot.
As far as we know know, the trach will probably be done sometime this afternoon. We also think that we are going to shave Nate's head so that the electrodes will stay on better. If any remembers back to Nate's freshman year, he shaved his head once to make weight for a wrestling match. I don't recall if I have any pictures of that time. Fortunately, Nate's hair grows quickly.
As we watched the EEG monitor this morning, it sure looked like seizure activity to us. We are waiting to hear from the experts and see what is and what is not happening. Of course, for us, answers don't seem to be coming fast enough. We are still holding on to God's unchanging hand.
We will update as we have more news. Pray that all goes well with the trach.
In His Grip,
Pam
As far as we know know, the trach will probably be done sometime this afternoon. We also think that we are going to shave Nate's head so that the electrodes will stay on better. If any remembers back to Nate's freshman year, he shaved his head once to make weight for a wrestling match. I don't recall if I have any pictures of that time. Fortunately, Nate's hair grows quickly.
As we watched the EEG monitor this morning, it sure looked like seizure activity to us. We are waiting to hear from the experts and see what is and what is not happening. Of course, for us, answers don't seem to be coming fast enough. We are still holding on to God's unchanging hand.
We will update as we have more news. Pray that all goes well with the trach.
In His Grip,
Pam
Just a few minutes ago I posted and update, and then walked back to Nate's room. When I got back there, I took a look at his vitals and his blood pressure is up. It seems like it is going to be "one of those days." Pray for us as we watch all that is happening. Once again, we KNOW that God knows what is going on and we are counting on Him to carry us through.
In His Grip,
Pam
7:49 PM
9:55 PM
In His Grip,
Pam
7:49 PM
I talked to Daddy, and so I thought I'd pass on a second-hand update.
Nate got his tracheostomy put in this afternoon. This will allow for his mouth and tongue to heal. (He has been biting it periodically because it is quite swollen.) It will also prevent his lungs from being so open to infection.
The neurologist confirmed that Nate has indeed been seizure-free since Wednesday. Can you believe almost a week without seizures????? So the next step is to reduce his sedation. They will restrain him again, just in case. The best projected scenario is that he will awaken within the next three or four days. The worst projected scenario is that he would not really wake at all. We are hopeful, though, because none of his MRIs have indicated brain damage.
Katy (my two-year-old daughter) wants to type a little note to everyone:
-p-;. / n/ //.,m bcxUIOPP;LO9OUIYGVV
(When translated, it reads "Thanks for praying for my Uncle Nay-Nay.")
Keep it up, pray-ers. Thank you.
Deven
Nate got his tracheostomy put in this afternoon. This will allow for his mouth and tongue to heal. (He has been biting it periodically because it is quite swollen.) It will also prevent his lungs from being so open to infection.
The neurologist confirmed that Nate has indeed been seizure-free since Wednesday. Can you believe almost a week without seizures????? So the next step is to reduce his sedation. They will restrain him again, just in case. The best projected scenario is that he will awaken within the next three or four days. The worst projected scenario is that he would not really wake at all. We are hopeful, though, because none of his MRIs have indicated brain damage.
Katy (my two-year-old daughter) wants to type a little note to everyone:
-p-;. / n/ //.,m bcxUIOPP;LO9OUIYGVV
(When translated, it reads "Thanks for praying for my Uncle Nay-Nay.")
Keep it up, pray-ers. Thank you.
Deven
9:55 PM
As you have probably read from earlier posts, today was a very big day for Nate. He pulled through it very well and just goes to show how strong he really is. He is now completely off of his Propofol (one of the sedatives) and is still doing awesome. We are all just so excited that he's doing this well. I know that we're all ready for this roller-coaster ride to end, and hopefully we're over that last hill. I've been very careful over the past few weeks about not getting my hopes up, but I really do think that this is almost beat. One of the neurologists was in today and said that his team is thinking that the original virus (or whatever it is!) is probably gone and that's why the seizures have been stopped for so long.
That was the best thing that I've heard a doctor say so far!
Thanks again to everyone who is praying for him, and keep it up because it's working! I'm more than ready to have my boy back!
-Erin "the girlfriend"
That was the best thing that I've heard a doctor say so far!
Thanks again to everyone who is praying for him, and keep it up because it's working! I'm more than ready to have my boy back!
-Erin "the girlfriend"
October 31
7:36 AM When I went into Nate's room this morning his blood pressure was up. I was a bit discouraged until the nurse showed me that all night he was fine. So either his blood pressure spikes in the morning or he senses that I am coming into the room. We tried it a second time with about 30 minutes inbetween when I left and when I returned. His pressure did go up a slight bit, but not a dramatically as the first time. Now it is time to go back to his room and try to catch the doctors. We will keep you updated as they let Nate wake up. This may be a three or four day process.
Thank you, over and over again, for your prayers. I can not even put into words the overwhelming feelings of gratitude that I have for our family, friends and even people that we do not know who have prayed on Nate's behalf and for us. We are blessed to be a part of the family of God. We are also blessed to have a heavenly Father who loves and cares for us so very much. I know how deeply I love my son and it just blows my mind at times to know and feel how much God loves me. Keep on praying for Nate. We know there is a long road ahead of us.
In His Grip,
Pam
8:42 AM
Thank you, over and over again, for your prayers. I can not even put into words the overwhelming feelings of gratitude that I have for our family, friends and even people that we do not know who have prayed on Nate's behalf and for us. We are blessed to be a part of the family of God. We are also blessed to have a heavenly Father who loves and cares for us so very much. I know how deeply I love my son and it just blows my mind at times to know and feel how much God loves me. Keep on praying for Nate. We know there is a long road ahead of us.
In His Grip,
Pam
8:42 AM
I know Pam just posted, but I wanted to let you know that the morning blood pressure rise has coincided with a temperature and heart rate rise. Nate's temp has gone to almost 101 just since 6 AM today.
This appears to be a repeat of what we went through Monday evening..everything then started about 4 PM and had the same rises.
The plan is to do a head, chest, and abdomen CT scan to make sure there are no infections going on that haven't been discovered.
According to Neuro this morning, they still plan to start cutting back the sedation...so the waking process can begin.
So today's prayer requests are these: Pray that the source of this fever/pressure/heart rate increase will be found. Pray that as Nate is weened from the sedatives, fear and confusion will be minimal. Pray that his waking moments won't find his room empty; that we will be at his bedside ready to greet him (we do have to step away now and again).
As always F.R.O.G.
Wes
11:37 AM
This appears to be a repeat of what we went through Monday evening..everything then started about 4 PM and had the same rises.
The plan is to do a head, chest, and abdomen CT scan to make sure there are no infections going on that haven't been discovered.
According to Neuro this morning, they still plan to start cutting back the sedation...so the waking process can begin.
So today's prayer requests are these: Pray that the source of this fever/pressure/heart rate increase will be found. Pray that as Nate is weened from the sedatives, fear and confusion will be minimal. Pray that his waking moments won't find his room empty; that we will be at his bedside ready to greet him (we do have to step away now and again).
As always F.R.O.G.
Wes
11:37 AM
Just a short follow-up to this morning's update.
The backoff of sedation will begin. We have 16 notches to drop and we will drop 1 notch every 6 hours. 12 - 6 - 12 - 6. You do the math. Wake up could happen anywhere along the way. We just have to continue our vigil, and we will.
We can't wait to see that bored Nathan antsy wiggle of his feet.
F.R.O.G.
Wes
The backoff of sedation will begin. We have 16 notches to drop and we will drop 1 notch every 6 hours. 12 - 6 - 12 - 6. You do the math. Wake up could happen anywhere along the way. We just have to continue our vigil, and we will.
We can't wait to see that bored Nathan antsy wiggle of his feet.
F.R.O.G.
Wes
No comments:
Post a Comment