Day Nine - Monday - Part Two

November 29, 2010:  I forgot to mention earlier today that we awoke to 10.5" of snow outside the motor home.  Our poor car was plowing snow whenever we attempted to drive.  I thought we had moved to Hurricane to avoid this cold white rain.  At least it was what Utah is best known for, light, fluffy powder. It almost made me want to be a skier.

I think our roller coaster has officially gone from unknown to frustration.  Brandon continues to have great lucid moments of incoherency, much like his sleep starved father.  It is hard to see him go from calm and following commands to agitated and rambling. We are so grateful for the progress he has made.  We need to continue reminding ourselves that patience is a virtue and apparently we need more of it. 

Brandon had a couple of tests this morning.  He had a swallow test.  I don't think he studied for it hard enough.  Actually, I think it would have been difficult for any of us to pass it.  The physical therapist had him sitting up for his first time in eight days.  The oxygen had dried out his nose and it was bleeding.  He was holding a towel to his nose, pinching it and the speech therapist was asking him to swallow and suck on a straw, all at the same time.  Pretty tough for anyone, let alone someone who has been sedated and unresponsive for a week.  Needless to say he was able to negotiate the ice chips but failed the water and pudding test.  I talked to the physical therapist and nurse and they are going to do a repeat tomorrow before the decision is made about retuning the feeding tube. 

His physical therapy session this morning did not have much promise.  Of course he was given Haldol and Morphine prior to the session.  He was able to stand several times with assistance.    He told the therapist he wanted to go home.  She told him if he went home she couldn't help him. He replied, "You can go home with me."  He would not look to his left and stood giving his best impression of a question mark.  It is obvious that stimulation needs to be kept to a minimum.  Today we even limited visits by family.  I think we will need to keep those limits in place for some time.  A great byproduct of the therapy was a decrease in agitation and better breathing. His stridor was gone and he rested more comfortably after the session, at least for awhile.

Rounds were a bit late today.  By this afternoon when they made rounds, Brandon was in another physical therapy session.  He was able to stand again, put lotion on his hands and with some encouragement, look to his left and sit in a chair with varying degrees of assistance.  The trauma doctor looked in his window and was excited.  Brandon had a prolonged period of lucidness.  The doctor kept saying, "Are you seeing this." "You need to get this on video."  "Look at that."  The doctor looked at me with a big grin on his face and said how great Brandon was doing.  This was the same doctor who heard me tell Brandon that a lot of people were praying and fasting for him, turned to me and said, that the fasting and prayers were responsible for all the progress made by Brandon.  His progress and how far he has come can only be explained by prayer, fasting and priesthood blessings.  We just need to keep stringing those moments together, moment by moment to eventually arrive back at Brandon.  The small victories we see are a far cry from where anyone expected him to be months from now.  

Based on his progress, they are holding off on his feeding tube, looking at the potential of removing his urine catheter, and moving him to neuro rehab tomorrow for a prolonged stay.  He continues to sustain his oxygen sats on room air and when lucid, complain that he wants to be free of all restraints and tubes. It is the chicken and egg dilemma.  Is he agitated because of the restraints or restrained because he is agitated?  When I told him I went to see the gym and that he would be able to start working out tomorrow, he said "Sweet!"  I am hoping the rehab will help with his agitation.  If he can increase his alertness and rid himself of all tubes and workout, perhaps the agitation will decrease. 

I am having a hard time convincing myself I can leave his side tomorrow and return to work and family life in Hurricane.  It has been hard enough to leave his side for shift change for the last nine days.  Leaving him for a few hours today to decrease the stimulus in his room was heart breaking.   Leaving him for five days may be unbearable.  It is tough to see your little boy struggle and not be able to reach out with a magical cure.  It will be even tougher not to be there to catch him when he struggles and falls. 

Kassi on the other hand has been pushing herself.  I think it is starting to wear on her.  She went to the doctor today to confirm that yes it is a broken collar bone and no she should not have been discharged from the hospital without treatment and care instructions.   She was also admonished to pace herself. 

It is hard for her to not be here with Brandon every moment of every day.  She keeps being reminded that she too must heal.  The change to neuro rehab will give us some definite scheduling and limited visiting hours.  It will be fun and frustrating to watch Brandon's progress.  We all pray that he will continue to amaze us and keep his spirits up to override his almost unbearable frustration for one who days ago was very mobile and healthy.

Photos & videos posted to this entry tomorrow.