12/23 - afternoon update

It appears that hopefulness breeds extreme hunger as I just devoured everything I found when I got home. This whole experience also has a tendency to cause sudden onset exhaustion, so I foresee a nap in my immediate future.  We are taking care of ourselves as best possible, and each day changes how we handle our own needs.

Prior to leaving the hospital earlier, I did not receive a whole lot of outright good news, and I only received a little bit of bad, which was anticipated anyway.  I will start with the not so positive.  Cristin stopped by to check on Sam, although he's not officially on her patient list today.  That boy has wiggled his way into everyone's hearts and minds, and people keep checking on him even though he's not officially in their charge.  I asked her about what she saw on his scan from this morning.  She said there was not too much change other than an area that suffered an infarction.  Essentially, that tissue is dead.  We do not know what functions that part of the brain controlled, and there is still possibility of recovering those functions using other areas of the brain. We knew there would be damage, but we have to wait until he comes out of the coma to see exactly what's going on. While this is not great news, it was expected.  The good news from the scan is that the brain stem still has space around it, which is where their primary concern lies.  There were no other changes except that the swelling is not increasing, and may very well be receding.  I did not receive any official word that that is happening, but things are definitely pointing in that direction.

Now for tidbits that are an indication of good things happening.  I already mentioned the area around the brain stem, and each time they check his eyes, they are react more quickly than while he was on the pentobarb. All of his other systems seem to be working fine.  As for the EEG monitor, it is one more thing we don't get to obsess over anymore. They monitored him through the night, took the machine away in the morning to read it, and it never came back.  That made me nervous because in my mind, they were giving up on him.  As it turns out, I was completely wrong, and this is a good thing.  It did not return because they saw enough registered brain activity and do not need to monitor that any further. Additionally, as he comes off meds, the skin mottling is resolving itself, even if he's still a little puffy. (Actually, he's huge, especially his arms.  He's got Baymax hands, currently.  For more info, search Google for Big Hero 6.)  Finally, they had taken off the head wrapping to do some things, and we went in to see him.  TO BE CLEAR:  This is not at all from official medical personnel, but I could have sworn that the area of swelling looked smaller.  I was not the only non-medical person to note this. I don't want to grasp at imaginary straws at all through any of this. (Remember Ann = realist)  I do think we are finally seeing some things we've been waiting to see since this all began. Our hope is kind of getting out of control.

Looking to the future--as in tomorrow--we believe that they will be putting in a tracheostomy and feeding tube.  That is somewhat unnerving, but it is also pretty standard procedure. This will get all of the tubing out of his throat and lower risk of infection.  It may be unsettling for us, but in reality is a step in a positive direction.  We also need to keep steady control on his temp and blood pressure.  We're all over those since they're really the only numbers left we have to watch.  It could still potentially be several days or longer until he wakes up, but at each check, he is showing more and more evidence that this is happening.  It is almost like when after a computer is rebooted, the systems slowly come back online.  We are ever so slowly watching his systems come back up.  We are incredibly anxious for the moment he comes out of this, but as has become the new normal, we'll just have to wait.  

As is also the new normal, we thank you for continuing this journey with us.  This #TeamSam thing is getting kind of big, and we are sustained by you all traveling right alongside us. Prayer concerns for today are:

• temperature and blood pressure control
• that Sam continues to come out of the coma with as little collateral damage as possible
• for brain swelling to decrease
• for continued hope and peace for all of us as we go through this

Additionally, since this is being read by so many people in so many different parts of the world, if you live in the Moline, IL area, we have friends who are hoping to borrow a wheelchair (short term) for their son who is having a medical procedure at the beginning of the new year.  If you might be able to help, please message me.  Thanks so much!

This photo was taken the night before the accident when the choir was caroling at the nursing home. Sam is in the back row, 2nd from the left.