Tired but grateful
Posted at 8:02 pm PT
Well today was another day of progress for Sean. Everyone is blown away by how quickly he is recovering. He didn’t get the J tube in yesterday so it was scheduled for tomorrow but they did a barium swallow test yesterday so he started getting a blended diet today and did so well that the J tube has been canceled. Also they clamped his G tube and he hasn’t had any problems. He gets clearer in his thinking every day but impulse control continues to be difficult. Imagine having a very mischievous rambunctious 4 year year old. Now imagine him with the above average intelligence of a 22 year old. Now put him in restraints in an enclosed bed. Now imagine him being 6’ tall. Get the picture?
The doc told me the other day that it was going to be brutal. Well that doesn’t begin to describe it. Today he noticed that his central line tubes were laying across his upper arm and almost got his teeth on them. They had to tape them down to stop him from tearing them out. When I am with him I have to be watching him and stopping him constantly and he gets frustrated by it. I told the doc tonight that this is so much better then watching his ICP monitor but I am wiped out.
When we talked about rehab people wrote and said that we had to find a place that would work for us as well and we thought that was ridiculous. That it was all about Sean and where he could receive the best care. Well they had a point. This will only work if we can do it as well. The good news is, is that he is exceeding all expectations so we might be able to go to [old hospital’s] rehab. Tomorrow I will discuss it with the docs. Of course we will keep Sean where he needs to be but it might be that [the old hospital] could meet his needs now. Then we would be back in the loving embrace of our amazing friends and family and I could get a much needed break. I’m tired and stressed beyond reason. Please pray for us that we can be still and follow the path that God is leading us on. Please pray that we have renewed strength and energy. [Editor’s note, emphasis added]
Yesterday an NTSICU that was with Sean on some of his most critical days and that we have formed a friendship with came to visit. Today one of Sean’s friends came. It is so nice to see familiar faces and I know that Sean as well as myself enjoyed the company. Please feel free to visit. The best days however are the weekend days as he doesn’t have much or any therapy and it helps to break up the monotony.
Got to go for now. As always please hold us in your prayers as we hold you in ours.
And know that Sean’s recovery is a miracle. I hear over and over again from medical personnel that this doesn’t happen. People do not ever recover like this from the kind of TBI that Sean had. The medical care he has received is nothing short of excellent but the divine intervention is nothing short of awesome.
Remember that God is great and He is So very present.
Love,
Terri, Vince, Sean & Kiersten