Day 44

Not a lot went on today! They have identified another bug in Britt's lungs. They think the antibiotics should take care of the infections in his lungs, they still aren't too sure if the antibiotic for the bacteria in his blood is working, it will take a few days to know. Britt was a little bit more responsive today, so that was good! He's just been resting and taking it easy:) And we are still in our crime scene forensic investigation clothes haha. Thank you for the prayers! We feel they are working wonders for our boy!

This was britt's signature face when he was younger. 

A Good Reminder

I've been saying this to my brother for 6 weeks now, but I think today it is especially fitting. I think as his family, we also have to remember this. All we can do is look ahead and hope for brighter days to come. You have to take it one battle at a time, that is something that i have learned. You cant win the war all at once. It's one battle at a time. And sometimes you might come up a little short, but you keep moving forward and keep putting up your best fight regardless. I have really made an effort today to keep my heart in the right place, never letting my faith and trust in the lord and his plan waver. No matter how fearful i might be, or how unsure things may seem...I have to remember that "it will all be alright in the end". Britt isn't a quitter, never has been, never will be. He has made it this far, and he wont be stopping anytime soon. Sure, he may backtrack a little bit. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going...and my sweet brother is the perfect example of tough. I KNOW that through he faith of our family, and all of you who so strongly believe in our Britt, that through the millions of prayers that are offered up every minute of every day...that my brother, will not give up, will not quit, he will keep walking, he will keep trying, because he knows that there is help and happiness ahead, that it will all be all right in the end, he trusts in God and believes in good things to come.

Under the Weather

Sweet Britt has contracted a bacterial infection that targets his brain and heart. It's called enterococcus, and it's in his blood. They are still unsure of how he might have gotten it, it could be from just being here for a long period of time, or from someone who has been in contact with him, or through needles and lines that enter the blood. So now we have to wear sterile gowns, gloves and masks while we are in his room. I feel like i'm in a bio hazard zone, or in a crime scene investigation. My poor brother. He also has an infection in his lungs, and pneumonia from aspirating when he threw up the last couple of days. The bug in his lungs will be much more treatable than the infection he has in his blood. They say it is a super bug and hard to target because it is immune to most antibiotics, but we are confident that given a couple of weeks, our great doctors and nurses will do everything they can for Britt to get him healthy again! They are having to keep a close watch on his fevers, and keep them under control. He has lots of antibiotics running through him right now, so we are praying that they work to fight off the infections. The doctors said it could take a couple of weeks for it to clear from his system. We are lucky they found it so early. I used to make fun of my mom for always wiping everything off with disinfectant wipes, and being a hand sanitizer nazi...SHE'S ALWAYS RIGHT.

I found this out while i was sitting in church this morning, and I'll be honest, it really scared me. I didn't think it would be this bad. I couldn't hold back my tears. I just had to keep telling myself that it was just a little hiccup, a little bump in the road, and that it would all be okay. They have told us hundreds of times that there will be obstacles. But it doesn't make it any easier when they do arise. At first, it was easy ...well not easy, but easier...to deal with the bad stuff, because it really couldn't get any worse. But Britt has been doing so well the last couple of weeks, things have been so good and our spirits have been high. It's hard when things like this arise because you don't want him to go backwards, he has already been there, gone through that, and you don't want him to have to endure anymore than he already has. I don't want his little body to have to go through any more pain or difficulties. Luckily my little brother is young, strong and has a healthy immune system. I pray that he will get through this with ease and strength.

Britt is very fragile right now and in need of your prayers! Thank you for all the concern you show and support you so kindly offer us. We are so grateful, and our sweet boy wouldn't be able to conquer half the battles he has without you all, and neither would we.

6 Weeks

Today marks the 6th week that our boy has been in a coma. The last couple of days have been difficult, but he continues to fight and push through all that comes his way. After getting some of the test results and scans back, they think they have figured out a couple things!

The CT scan looked great. PHEW. that was what we were most worried about. We didn't want there to be any problems in that little brain of his. So that was such a relief.

However, they did get back the results from the samples they took and they think that from the throwing up he has been doing, he may have aspirating, so he probably has an infection in his lungs, most likely a form of pneumonia. They also said he could have a bug/virus as well. So they are going to start him on some antibiotics, and try to control his fevers. They put him on a machine, like a ventilator, to help him breath a little bit, because his respiratory rate has been very high. He has been really weak today, hardly moving at all. They decided to change his tube feed, because his stomach wasn't absorbing the other one, causing him to be bloated and nauseous. They are still trying to figure out what is happening for sure, but they now have a much better idea. Thank goodness for great doctors and nurses!! Hopefully Britt can recover from this as quickly as possible. Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers:)

Go Support!

Hey everyone! You know how I told you awhile back about the AMAZING dinner, silent auction and benefit concert Kalamity and a few amazing ladies put on for my brother?! Well they are back at it again for another very good cause!

"This time it is for a woman named Luci. A wife and mother of two beautiful children, and the definition of true beauty inside and out. For 7 years Luci has been suffering from a rare form of pelagic migraines that disables her to hold a job or any long term commitments. Due to this rare disease that has not been fully diagnosed, or has any cure yet. Her symptoms paralyze her for days, weeks, and even months at a time. She is a light in our lives, always serving anyone that comes her way. Regardless of her disorder and these life altering episodes, Luci still pushes through and makes the most of each day she has. Any help or donation is appreciated to help Luci through her fight!"

Tonight Kalamity, Kaos, and the Vault family will be putting on a benefit concert for sweet Luci! If you are able, it would be a great cause to go and support someone very deserving in our community like Luci!:)

AND it helps that the dancing is UNREAL. Definitely a show you are going to want to see!!

TONGHT AT DIXIE HIGH SCHOOL:
5pm: Dinner, Silent Auction and Bake Sale
6pm: Vault performs
7pm: Kalamity and Kaos performs

Say a Little Prayer

It was a rough night for our sweet Britt. The doctors are concerned about why he is throwing up, why his white blood count is so high and why his food isn't processing. They are running a bunch of tests this morning, and some more x-rays as well as a CT scan. Please say your prayers for our boy that they will get this figured out as quickly as possible, and that he will get feeling better!

Britt won't be able to have any visitors for awhile until this gets cleared up, we just want to keep him safe from germs and sickness.

Bring the Pepto Bismol

Today was not the best day for our boy! During physical therapy we had a little incident, and he threw up quite a bit, and got really pale. It took him a while to recover from that. He has been coughing up a lot of nasty stuff today too, so they have had to suction him quite a bit. I won't lie. It was a hard day, for all of us I think. Even though it wasn't something significant that happened, those little things...like him throwing up and turning pale....those getcha.

It's just the hardest thing in the world to see someone you love so much have to go through something like this. Seeing him, unable to control almost all functions of his body. Seeing him in such pain, and discomfort. It just seems like it hasn't gotten any easier, sometimes. It brings me back down to reality anytime something big, or small, happens. I am always quickly reminded that this really stinks. I just wish so badly that he could get better already. I guess it has just been an off day, a crazy one too. One of those days where you are just on edge every second, and it seems like there is too many things going on. Just a giant headache.

BUT. that comes with the job description, i guess. All of it. The bad moments, the tears, the reality checks, the headaches, the anxiety, the waiting and waiting and waiting around. So, what do we do? We just keep on keepin on...thats what joe dirt would say anyway. and Britt loved that movie. So I'm rollin with it.

Tomorrow will be lots better.

They did some taste tests on him today, to see if he would show some type of reaction. He did! he swallowed voluntarily to the taste of things and showed facial reactions. So that was kind of cool:)

He has probably burped 30 times today. Typical Britt, but not so typical. He hasn't done that yet while being here so we thought it was kind of strange.

Also! We are staying here in the hospital for another 7 days! The insurance cleared it, and will re-evaluate and decide where to go from there in a week from now. We would really like to keep britt here in St. George. Best case scenario, would be for him to wake up this week, and we could move him to the Acute Care here in St. George, which is a great facility, where he would be able to start his recovery!

I can't wait to have my brother back. Cross your fingers it is someday soon.