Getting through the storm

First of all, how cute is this picture. Such a poser, that brother of mine. 

Here we are, another day with our boy! So thankful.

Falling asleep to the sound of the ventilator and constant beeps, is becoming manageable believe it or not, and these chair things they have in the rooms, might not be state of the art recliners but they do the trick. 

The doctor explained to us last night that these next few days were going to be very important and likely very difficult. He refereed to it as the storming stage. He said this is when we usually see the numbers rise and things like the pressure inside of his noggin increase, which we are trying to avoid. This happens because the brain is going a million miles an hour trying to heal, regroup, and figure out what has happened. Fevers will be common, which will increase things like his blood pressure which increases his ICP. So they will closely be monitoring that to prevent it from happening. They are going to put him on a cooling blanket to keep his temperature at a good spot. 

The doctor came in this morning and poked at him a little, he showed signs of purposeful reaction to painful stimulus. He also told us that we could start some passive rang of motion things with his arms and legs...which means, the nurses moving his arms and legs for him occasionally. They will also try and move him side to side a little bit. He is getting minimal reaction out of his pupils, they aren't as dilated as they have been in the past. They want to try and remove some fluids today, he's got a lot going on in that little body from pumping so many medications, and other fluids through him. I was joking with him, because he has been wanting to "bulk" or whatever, and i said, yep...you're bulking now big boy. the term "swollen" has taken on a completely different meaning hahaha

They can do these range of motion things as long as his ICP doesn't rise. ICP stands for inner cranial pressure, so the pressure in and around his brain. The doctors don't want it to get past 20, and right now he is fluctuation between 14-16. This number is crucial. 

As long as the ICP doesn't get too high, the pressure stays in a good spot, which keeps the brain from having to expand elsewhere, and as long as the brain stays where it needs to be, it steers clear from the brain stem and doesn't continue to droop down. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED. we need it to stay away from that bad boy!

So today, will consist mostly of monitoring and keeping everything under control, as we go through this so called "storm" 

He's been so tough. and he is only gonna get tougher.

i just want to share something really quick. Last night i finally got some time to look through my emails from my missionary friends, usually i read them every monday but i didn't have time to do that this week. But what a blessing. because last night at 12:45 was exactly when i needed to read and hear what they had to say. I probably had 18 emails, from missionaries all over the world, most of them my close friends, but some i didn't even know. Every, single, one, said the same thing.  I have been praying for your brother, and so have all the missionaries here, and i want you to know that he is going to be okay, we have all felt it. how powerful is that? i mean, missionaries are like a million times closer than us average joes to the spirit every day. So that brought such comfort and peace to my heart. 

Also, I had a sweet girl, whom i have never met, message me on facebook last night. Her brother had gone through a similar experience and i feel so honored that she would share such a personal story with me that was so near and dear to her heart. Me and my mom read her and her brothers story together out loud with Britt. Sobbing. Miracles happen everyday. We need not forget that. It is so strengthening to hear stories like hers and that they got through it fully and faithfully. 

I know my dad is very grateful for a visitor he had yesterday, Kyla. She had been in this exact spot in may and now is fully recovered and functioning. I know it strengthened his heart and testimony to hear and speak with her. miracles. 

our boy is going to get a miracle. today and every day.