2020 08 18

2020 08 18

Day 13

Status

Mondays mri showed progress. The mri is showing reduction in the swollen area of the brain and no sign of new inflammation. This is a great sign!!!.  We understand that we still need time for the inflammation to reduce completely, but that takes time. Alex has been very deeply sedated for 13 days between surgery, the issues that arose, the swelling go down and his brain recover. Now that the mri allows us to see reduction in the swelling, doctors believe that it may be safe to began reducing the sedation medications. In reducing the sedation medications Alex should began to slowly wake, open his eyes, and begin to move a little more.   Yesterday Alex began to slowly move his right hand, lift his right arm and wiggle his right toe when poked. He still has a breathing tube down his throat and appears pretty annoyed by it. He lifts his right arm to grab for it. They are closely monitoring his breathing (respirator needs) and taking steps toward removing it. Tuesday and Wednesday doctors want to restart the bedside neurological exams where they make attempts at seeing what reactions he will have when they annoy him, but the respirator may be keeping the doctors from doing what they need to do and Alex from reacting the way that he should.

There are a few drains in him that were placed from the emergency surgery, today they make steps toward removing them.

He is currently on iv nutrition through a major iv line. He is getting lips through an iv line.  Today they will take a step toward introducing formula (that he is accustomed to having at home) into his stomach at a very very slow rate.

Our Status:

We watch. We listen. It truly is an emotional roller coaster. When Alex opens his eyes or slightly squeezes our finger, Our hearts rejoice, a tear in our eye and deep breadth can be taken.  We regain the strength to eat can tolerate what we eat, and can sometimes even taste it.

Several days ago there was no tolerating the food, there was no taste. We know we need the fuel. We intake whatever but remember that it had no taste, we went through the motion of chew. Swallow. Repeat....and most importantly..hold it down.

Today Alex opened his eyes. He squeezed my finger. He has great news for me today,  so i can somewhat smell and taste my coffee and I can taste the ketchup on my eggs......hey Alex i can taste the ketchup on my eggs!!!

Prayer:

Mary Mother of Jesus,

Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima. Intercede for us.

There is a connection between Mary and the number 13.

Seeing that this is Alexs' 13th day in Intensive care, I pray toward Mary.  Mary,  Mother of Jesus forgive us our sins. As we pray to our God, for the healing and recovery please intercede for us. 

Hail Mary:

Hail Mary, full if grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Hail Holy Queen, 

Hail Holy Queen Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, to you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb,

Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary

Cycling Analogy:

We are pedaling. For the last couple of miles the gears on the rear derailer were skipping. Every time we drop down to get a little distance they skip and we go back up. We spin...we dont get the distance we want....we make that little adjustment on the gear cable at the handle bars. We pedal and get ready to try changing the gears again with hopes for more distance.