December 13

It has been almost 2 months since I have updated.  Tom continues to improve.  His therapy at the current facility ends in the next week, and he will continue with some more outpatient therapy at another facility closer to home. 

He has been meeting with his primary care doctor now, and that has been a blessing for Tom and Nancy.  He brings another perspective to the situation, and has known Tom and the family for years.

A few weeks before Thanksgiving, Tom (and Bryan and Nancy) met with the neuro doctors from Loyola.  Again, everyone was amazed as to how far he has come since he was last at Loyola.  The doctors said it could take up to a year for him to get back to "normal," with his cognition issues, but again they were hopeful.

We had a great time at Thanksgiving with the whole family.  It was amazing to have the whole family together and have Tom pray for the meal for all of us.  It was the best time we have had together as a family for a long time.  A wonderful new memory as we move forward, and Tom continues to improve.

Please continue to pray for Tom and Nancy.  Progress continues, but it is slow, and some days are better than others.  Please pray for both of them as they transition to a new facility, and a new schedule for therapy.  Please continue to pray for hope and encouragement for Tom, as some days are very frustrating for him. 

Thanks for your continued prayers,

Brenna

October 28

Thanks for praying!  Tom did not have issues with the clots in his arm the past 24 hours!  He went to see the eye doctor this morning, and everything seems to be healing as it should.  Nancy was able to get the medications Tom needs, because the eye doctor was able to talk to the doctor at Loyola.  I believe Tom is not able to get into Loyola for an appointment until December or later now, but at least the doctors were able to talk and figure things out for the time being.

Please continue to pray for a smooth recovery for his eye and continued progress in his therapies.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

October 27

Thank you for praying!  The surgery went very well.  Please pray for sleep tonight, as he is in some pain.

Please pray for the next 24 hours that the blood clots that have been in his left arm would not cause any issue.  One of the nurses did not read his chart carefully, and took his blood pressure from his left arm the WHOLE TIME. He has had strict instructions NOT to draw blood or do blood pressure on his left arm since late August, when they found a blood clot.  There were signs all over each hospital room he was in.

Bryan got there when she was checking his blood pressure.  They were  concerned that it was high.  Bryan asked if they had been checking on his left arm, and the nurse went white, switched to the other arm, and apologized and apologized.  Obviously, it could be very dangerous if the clot moved. 

The doctor put him on 24 hour watch, and Nancy will closely monitor him tonight.  Please pray that it will be an uneventful night over there!

We are SO thankful that Bryan got there at the right time to notice the error, and that the eye surgery went well.

Thanks for your prayers,

Brenna



October 26

Tom continues to make slow progress with his outpatient therapy.  Thank you for your continued prayers for him and the family.

I am writing tonight to ask you to pray for Tom tomorrow at 9 AM.  He had a recheck at the eye clinic today, and they found that he has a detached retina.  Bryan heard that it is 1/4 detached, which may be why he has not mentioned it as a problem.  We are so thankful it was caught early.  He will have surgery to repair it tomorrow at 9 AM.  Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, and for a smooth repair and recovery.

Tomorrow Tom was supposed to meet with his doctor from Loyola, whom he has not seen since he left there, still in a coma.  We were all looking forward to this appointment I think, since this was the one doctor who gave us a glimmer of hope in August when Tom was not responding well.  We were also hoping for further direction on all the medications that he has been taking this past month that may no longer be necessary.  Please pray that another appointment with this doctor will open up soon -- it was hard to schedule it in the first place!

Thanks again for your prayers,

Brenna

October 9

Tom started therapy last Tuesday with an evaluation by the therapists at the new facility.  Apparently, the speech therapist from Marianjoy (the rehab hospital he just left) had such detailed information about Tom, that the new therapist was excited to work with him.  His therapy schedule was adjusted so he could meet regularly with this new speech therapist!  We are so thankful for the amazing care he has received in each place he has been in the past (almost) 3 months.  Thank you for your prayers for his therapy.

He will have therapy 3 days a week for the next 3 months.  Please continue to pray for improvement in his cognition.  He is doing well, but does get confused when he is tired.  He does get frustrated that he gets confused sometimes too.

This past Saturday,  Tom, Bryan and Max went out to breakfast for a belated celebration of Max's birthday.  (Max's birthday was July 16th, the day of the aneursym, but we were out of town, so they were planning on celebrating later anyway).  They had a nice time at breakfast.  They did a few errands at Walmart and Petsmart as well.  It was just like a normal Saturday breakfast date with Grandpa, though Bryan is now a part of their visit.

Tom spent most of the day at our house, playing chess and uno, sitting in the backyard watching the boys rake leaves, and just visiting.  We all took a walk down the new bike path that was just put in down the block.  Watching Bryan and his dad walk down the bike path in front of me was amazing, knowing that 2 months before he was in a hospital bed at Loyola, not responding well enough for the doctors to give him much hope. 

Please continue to pray for the transition home, especially for Nancy.  She has the new role of 24/7 caregiver at this point, and it can get exhausting, especially when Tom is tired and does not have a good day.  He has had more good days than bad since he has been home, but of course it will take time for things to get back to "normal," whatever that will be at the end of 3 months of therapy.  We are hopeful, but we all do appreciate your prayers.

Tom  has wanted to express his thanks to all of you who have been praying for him.  Someday, I hope to have him write something to all of you.  For now, know he is very grateful for all of your prayers for him.

Thanks again for caring enough to check the blog or ask personally how Tom is doing.  It means a lot to us.

Grateful for your continued prayers for complete healing,

Brenna

September 28

Tom is home.  10 1/2 weeks in 3 different hospitals, and he is HOME!

Bryan showed him the private blog that he started in July, to keep a log of what was going on while Tom was in a coma.  He thought someday Tom would like to be caught up on what he missed.  Bryan stopped writing the day that we had news that Tom might not ever wake up.  (Close to the day that he had me start this blog to send out prayer requests).

Bryan showed Tom a few entries this afternoon, and Tom seemed to understand how sick he really was.  Please pray for him as he becomes more aware of the past 10 weeks, and the time it will take for him to get back to who he was.

Please pray for the transition to being home, for Tom and Nancy.  Please pray for his day therapy that starts next week.  Please pray for peace, joy, and patience.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Praising God for miracles,

Brenna

September 25

Tom had a great visit at home today.  Bryan and his mom picked him up this morning, and they spent the day together at home.  Tom understood he needed to go back to the rehab hospital for a few more days, and there was no trouble when they brought him back this evening.

They had a nice time together, going over old estimates for their company (Tom knew all the customers), playing with Tom's birds, watching football, and eating meals together.  Tom went up and down the stairs a few times!  I am sure he will be tired tonight, but Bryan said he did very well.

Thank you for your prayers.  Bryan actually said it was a restful day for him personally, which in itself is amazing.

I  will update later in the week when Tom is home for good!

Please continue to pray for the transition home, and for the transition to the  new 3 days a week therapy plan.

And again -- thank you for praying and helping this day go so smoothly!

Brenna

September 23

Tom will go home for a few hours this weekend.  Please pray for a good visit for him, and for him to understand that he needs to go back to the hospital for a few days until he can come home for good.  Please also pray for clarity about what he will need when he comes home next week, so that we will be able to communicate that to the doctors and therapists, and get the assistance we need before he is home.

Please pray for the transition into home and to his new 3 day a week therapy at another rehab facility.  We have a few options at this point, but would like to start up as soon as possible. 

Please continue to pray for progress in his cognition.  Somedays are better than others.  Progress will be slow.  We are really hoping it only gets better and better as he gets home.

Please especially pray for Nancy, since she will be his primary caregiver.  Please give her extra strength and patience for this long road ahead.  And pray for the rest of us to know how we can best help her and Tom right now.

I will probably only update weekly or even monthly, once Tom moves home.  Thank you for all your prayers for Tom and our family.  We have truly seen God do miracles in his life these past 2 months.  Thank you for helping us through this season with your prayers and encouragement.

Eternally grateful for all of you,

Brenna and the Kozor family

September 20

We met with the doctor today for the family meeting.  He said that Tom is very strong physically, but still weak cognitively.  The doctor said that they believe that he will do best now in a structured home environment where he is familiar. Tom will get a short visit home this weekend, to get used to being home again, and to get ready for his return home next week!  The staff do these "day pass" visits so that they will know what he will need when he is home, and they can help prepare us a few days before he is home for good.

The doctor also tried some medication for Tom's anxiety in the evenings today, and it seemed to work well tonight.  Thanks for praying for this issue!

I had the pleasure of meeting the speech therapist today.  She was very impressed with his progress from last week, and was quite positive about his recovery.  It will take time, but he is definitely making progress. 

Please pray for the visit home this weekend, and for continued progress over this next week.  Please also pray for wisdom for the next phase of therapy for Tom.  He will need outpatient therapy to continue the progress that he has been making at this rehab facility.

The doctor mentioned Tom being alive as a miracle a few times during the meeting today, even hinting Someone was looking out for him.  Thanks so much for praying!

AND -- please all of you who live close by --- please do not come and visit Tom this weekend, or right when he returns home.  He will need time to adjust to being home again.  Though we all know it will be great for him to be at home, we also know he will need lots of rest.  Too many visitors will not be good for him or the family.  Please honor Tom and the family in this way, by giving them some time to just be together.

Thanks so much for praying with us,

Brenna

September 19

Tom continues to improve physically.  He walked quite a bit this weekend with the family, and he had a good day of therapy today.  Cognitively, he is making slow progress.  When he is tired, he is confused and sometimes irritated.  He  just wants to go home. 

There is a family meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 1 with the case manager and doctor (I think).  Please pray for clear communication at this meeting.  We have some concerns and questions.

Please also pray for Tom in the evenings.  He had a really good day today, but he starts getting more homesick, tired, confused, and sometimes angry in the evenings when the family is not there.  Please pray for Tom's peace and patience as he gets better, and pray for the nursing staff as they figure out the best way to care for him, give him independence, and keep him safe.

I will update after the meeting tomorrow. 

Please pray for more improvement in his cognition, and for him to get the rest he needs to continue to make progress.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

September 16

Bryan's mom sent this simple text this morning:  Dad can see.

Praise God for healing!
Thank you for praying,

Brenna

September 15

Tom's surgery went well this morning.  The blood was drained from his eye, and fluid was added.  He was back at the rehab hospital a few hours later for his full day of therapy!

He has still been doing very well with his physical therapy.  He was able to walk up 15 steps, which will be necessary when he goes home.  He gets to have a "day out" next week, where he gets to go home (or somewhere else) for the day, to better see what assistance he may need when he does go home in a few weeks.

Thank you for praying for his eye surgery.  Please continue to pray for complete healing without complications with his eye.  Please continue to pray for improvement with his therapies, especially his cognition.

All of the brothers may be in town this weekend, so we may have a little family reunion at Tom's rehab place.  Please pray for good family time for us all.

Thanks so much for praying,

Brenna

September 14

The family meeting was rescheduled yesterday.  Tom went to an eye appointment instead because the doctor found bleeding in his retina.  The eye specialist scheduled Tom for surgery to relieve the pressure on the eye (causing the retinal bleed I guess), and causing the loss of sight in his left eye.  It is "twilight" surgery, so he will be sedated, but not completely out.  If all goes well, he may be SEEING in a few days out of both eyes!

We are so thankful that the doctors found the source of the problem. Please pray for the surgery tomorrow (Thursday) at 8:45 AM.  Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, and for peace for Tom. 

Thank you for praying for his eye!  What an answer to prayer!
And thanks for continuing to pray for him,

Brenna

September 12

Tom continues to make good progress.  He visited with some old friends from Oak Forest on Sunday afternoon, as well as Bryan and me and 3 of our boys.  It was a nice time.  Tom seemed to enjoy the company,  but he was definitely tired later.

 

Tom "showed off" on Sunday and walked away from the walker and gave his wife a big hug.  Pray that he is careful and does not try to show off too much before his body is ready for it!  It was a memorable moment for sure.

Please continue to pray for his therapy and for his peace.  Tuesday is the next family meeting with the doctor and case manager.  Please pray for good communication and clarity at that meeting. 

Please continue to pray for progress in his cognition.  He knows he says things wrong sometimes, and though he joked about it on Sunday, I know it has got to be very frustrating.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna



September 9, 2011

Tom continues to make good progress.  He is using the walker more and more.  He was going on and on with Bryan about his speech therapist, how smart she is, and how "she really wants me to get better."  He also mentioned to Bryan that he heard that his former neighbor had an aneurysm the same day as him, a fact that Nancy had mentioned days before, but he did not seem to understand at the time.  His short term memory seems to be improving slowly.

Bryan visited in the evening and was greeted with a big hug.  Tom was watching football, eating pound cake in his bed,  and in good spirits.

Please pray for Tom's left eye.  They still have not figured out what is wrong yet, which is a little frustrating.  A few days ago, they said he had just a scratch on his eye, possibly from his contact being in there to long after the aneurysm.  But Tom has said he cannot see out of it at all.  Yesterday, they said he could see light and dark, but nothing else.  This issue would effect his balance, which seemed to be the main issue with his physical therapy.  Please pray for wisdom for the doctors, and for healing of his eye.

Please continue to pray for progress in his cognition and for hope and peace.

Thanks for your prayers,

Brenna

September 7th evening

Tom had a good day.  He took a swallow test this morning, because when he came to the new place last week, they noticed that his swallowing reflex was 3 seconds slow.  He has been on thickened liquids and finely chopped foods since last week.  This morning, he passed the swallow test, so I assume that means very soon, if not now, he is on regular food!

Bryan's brother sent us a picture of Tom walking in a walker today!

Continue to pray for improvement in his cognition, and for peace and joy.

Thanks as always for praying,

Brenna

September 7

I wanted to write a quick update about the family meeting yesterday.  The meeting went well.  Tom was given a tentative discharge date as September 28th, 4 weeks from when he was admitted.  He has a team of therapists that meet on Tuesday mornings and discuss his progress from the week before, and discuss his goals for the week.

Here is a quick summary;

For physical therapy, he is doing very well.  His body is strong, and the main issue is his balance at this point.  He gets tired during physical therapy because he has to concentrate on keeping his balance, sometimes he cannot understand what they ask him to do.  They will break up his physical therapy into 2 sessions to help with the mental fatigue.

As for occupational therapy, he is doing better, but does not always initiate what he needs to do.  They said his issues with cognition play a part of that as well.

As for speech therapy, he has been a very interesting case for the speech therapists.  He is not like anyone they have seen or read about at this point.  His issues are intermittent.  One moment he understands completely what is being asked to say or do, and the next moment he is confused.  So that would be the biggest prayer request right now.  The therapist is wonderful, but her job seems the hardest at this point, since his cognition effects all the other areas.

I think this area is obviously the one that effects his spirit as well.  He knows that sometimes he understands and sometimes says things the wrong thing, or gets focused on something and cannot shake it, even if it is not true. 

From my short visit yesterday, he was tired and a little crabby, but he was Tom. His awareness amazes me at times.  Bryan visited later and showed him a video of his house.  Tom narrated as they watched.  He showed him some wedding pictures, which he enjoyed.  (Tom called his son Michael and congratulated him on his wedding the other day.)

Please pray for continued strength in his physical therapy and continued healing in the areas of cognition that are not consistent at this point.  And continue to pray for hope and peace.  As he becomes more aware, he could easily become more sad and frustrated with all that has happened to him.  He has read some of this blog I was told, and he knows there are a lot of people praying for him.  Maybe next time I visit, I will ask for prayer requests that he has personally.  Right now I think that would be that he just wants to go home.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

September 5

Thank you for praying.  Tom had a good day of therapy, and was noticeably happier than yesterday, according to Bryan's brother who talked with him for a few hours this afternoon.  His brother said he was remembering who visited him this weekend, and was asking some questions about the aneurysm, and the day it happened.  Bryan's brother even saw him sneak out of his bed himself to use the bathroom, after he had left to tell a nurse to help him!

Last night he got out of his bed and was found confused, looking for the bathroom.  They moved him to a new more secure room today, because he does not realize he does not have all of his strength back yet, and they don't want him to get hurt.  It is a good sign that he is trying to get up himself, but also a concern.  He had intense therapy today, so he should be good and tired tonight, and not try to escape again.  (He does not recall escaping either).

Tomorrow we have a family meeting at 12:30 PM to discuss how he is a doing now, the therapy plan, and the plan for discharge.  I will be meeting Bryan's mom there. Bryan needs to work and keep up the family business, so he is sending me with his questions.

I am excited to hear the plan.  Please pray for clarity at the meeting and that we would be able to communicate our questions well.

And keep praying for good days of therapy, and peace and joy for Tom.

I forgot to mention yesterday that for a least 2 meals Tom ate enough to not need a supplemental feeding from the feeding tube!  I would assume that it will be taken out soon, but I guess that is another question for tomorrow's meeting.

Thanks for praying with us,

Brenna

September 4

Tom greeted Bryan by singing "Happy Birthday" to him when we walked into his room today.  (It is in fact Bryan's birthday today).  From the last time I saw him, he looks great.  It was just amazing.

We had a good visit.  Zach played WAR with him.  Max made paper airplanes with some of the "paper-airplane-a-day" calendar pages that Tom had been given a few years ago. Grandpa did not skip a beat.  He got tired after a little while, but he kept up with the WAR game, and even gave the boys tips on how to make the airplanes better.  If you had walked in the room at that moment, you would have had no idea what he had been through in the past two months.  It would have been a typical day playing with Grandpa.

Max was a little hesitant to come visit today.  As we were leaving he said it was good and Grandpa looked normal.  Max had started putting together what was going on last month.  He straight out asked me if Grandpa had a stroke a few weeks ago.  I was shocked by the question, because we were being vague about Grandpa being sick.  He must have overheard some conversation.  It turns out that Max had read a book called Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie dePaola in his 2nd grade class last year.  It tells the story of a little boy who deals with his grandpa who had a stroke.  I had no idea he read this book in class.  I was shocked, and then so grateful that God had put that little detail into place last year, so that we would be able to explain a little better what was going on now.

We got the book from the library a few weeks ago.  It is a wonderful story.  It helped Zach understand a little what was going on before we visited today.  Grandpa is improving much quicker than in the grandpa in the story, which was good for them to see.  The story also shows how the grandson helps the grandpa do things again.  I am hoping the boys were able to grasp a little of how good it was for them to visit him today.

I did not know what to ask Tom.  My questions were too confusing.  Bryan has spent a lot of time with him and knows how to ask things without confusing or frustrating him.  I have a lot to learn.  He did talk to me about how his right arm is a little shaky, and his right leg a little shaky as well.  He told me himself that he does not understand it, because usually people with "this" can't move one whole side of their body.  He has much more moments of awareness of what happened, which I think is a hard thing for him.

Tom has intense therapy starting at 8:30 A.M. tomorrow.  Speech, physical, and occupational therapy are scheduled throughout the morning and afternoon, with a break for lunch.  Bryan said when they explained the program to him and his mom and brothers, they mentioned that they don't encourage much visiting of the patient.  They need to keep him focused on his therapy, and then give him time to just rest.  Though having people visit can be encouraging to him, I think that it may also be overwhelming for him at times, and confusing for people who are not used to him right now.  I experienced that firsthand today.  I wanted to lift his spirits in some way, but I had no idea what to say, or what he would really understand.  Though I saw him be normal Grandpa Tom, and play with the boys, joke about the food, and even talk business with Bryan, he had moments when he was tired and not himself.  Obviously the common behavior of someone who is recovering from a traumatic brain  aneurysm just seven weeks ago.  I think with more awareness comes more anxiety and frustration, along the way to recovery.

The doctor at the previous hospital said that the more he makes physical progress, the better his spirits will be, which is why he recommended a hospital that does intensive therapy like this one.  Please pray for his therapy tomorrow, for the strength and the will to do it, and for the rest he needs when it is done.  Please pray for wisdom for the therapists, because my understanding was that his particular speech issues are different than anyone they have seen.  Help them make a good plan for him.

Please also pray for the family as they visit, that it would be an encouraging, restful time with his wife and sons this week.  Help us know how to balance our visits with him with what he needs to recover.  Help us to trust God as he continues to do miracles in Tom's life, even if we cannot be with him as much right now.

And lastly, please pray for joy,peace, and hope for Tom, as he recovers.  I definitely felt sadness in him today, and understandably so.

Thanks again for praying, even if you could not read through this long blog post!

Brenna

September 2

Tom was not able to do all his physical therapy today, due to some pain in his chest.  Bryan thought it may have been that he was sore from the therapy the day before, or starting to be more aware of pain, or something NOT heart related.  They did an EEG test and did not find anything wrong with his heart.  They put him on something stronger for pain than tylenol to help.

One of the speech therapists today found that Tom can understand things that are written, but may have some auditory processing issues.  She was helping him with the concept of time, and how much time has passed since July 16th, and he realized that he missed Michael's wedding.  Somehow reading it on paper gave him much more understanding of what has happened.  Tears welled up in his eyes when he figured out what he had missed, and Nancy encouraged him that there are pictures and videos, and another party is planned when he is feeling better.  Fortunately, he did not dwell on it (perhaps forgot it for the moment because of his short term memory issues). We will see if he talks about it tomorrow.

Bryan put signs all over his room that remind people to write down things for Tom since that is his best way of understanding things right now.

He was going on and on about his boys today, sharing information and stories, and just pride in his sons.  But he also had moments of anger that were hard to take.  Bryan says it is like he does not have a "filter" yet, but he believes it should come as he progresses in his cognition and short term memory.

Please pray for his therapy on Saturday.  He has half therapy on Saturday and no therapy on Sunday to rest.  Please pray for his strength, focus, and will to complete his therapy tomorrow.

Please also pray for his peace as he understands more and more, through reading.  Please pray for wisdom for the therapists.  He is a tough case because his speech and cognition issues are not like anyone they have seen before.  He seems to remember and understand a lot at times.

Please also pray for the family, especially Bryan's mom.  His anger/frustration is hard to take sometimes.  Please pray for all of us not to take things he says in anger personally, and to have extra grace, patience, and encouragement for Tom right now.

Thanks for praying.  It was a tough day for all.

Brenna

September 1

Tom had a good day of therapy and evaluations.  Bryan and Nancy were with him all day.  They are impressed with the facility and the staff.  They took Tom outside in the wheelchair for awhile, and got him nice and tired for bed tonight.  Please pray that he sleeps well tonight, and gets on to a normal sleep schedule again.

Please continue to pray for his strength and endurance with the physical therapy as well as the speech and occupational therapy.  It seems they are figuring out the areas that he is "lacking," due to the damage caused by the aneurysm.  They said he has a lot of potential for recovery.  Only time will tell what that actually means for him.

His sense of humor is still there.  In fact one of the staff evaluating Tom thought he was joking when he could not answer his question, because every once in a while Tom throws in a sarcastic comment.  Having Nancy and Bryan there today was very helpful to clarify when he being silly, and when he was actually confused.

Please continue to pray for strength for Nancy and the family.  It is a long road ahead, but they are hopeful.

Thanks for praying with us,

Brenna

August 31

Tom was moved to his new acute rehab facility in Wheaton today.  Bryan and his mom spent most of the afternoon and evening with him.  He actually had real food tonight for dinner, though he will be on the feeding tube longer to make sure he gets the calories he needs to get stronger. 

He seems to have a lot of his long term memories.  He asked Bryan yesterday how the last basement at the H's house turned out.  Bryan was finishing this basement in July, right before the aneursym.  He also recognized places and people in old photos. 

However, his short term memory is not very good at this point.  He remembers some things from past visits, but still gets confused.  Bryan tried to explain the aneursym, and why he was in the hospital a few times.  He was remembering a few of the things he said today, but still does not quite understand what is going on.  The 3 week thing that I mentioned a few days ago, may have been just a number he heard someone say, and he repeated.  It just happened to coincide with actual time.  He has not mentioned it since.

He definitely has his wit and sense of humor!  It surprises Bryan all the time.

He gets evaluated tomorrow, and will start therapy shortly thereafter, I assume.

Thanks for the prayers for this new facility.  Please pray for his protection and continued health.  There are not as many nurses on his floor, as the other places he has been.  Even though he does not really need any more medical care, it was comforting to know he was very closely monitored.  Please pray for his intensive therapy, for strength and patience.

We hope to visit with some of our boys soon.  Please pray for that visit as well.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Brenna

August 30

Tom  sat in a normal chair yesterday when Bryan visited.  He no longer needs the cardiac rehab chair  because he can stand and walk a bit!  He also played a computer game on his laptop that he and some of his sons used to play.

He continues to remember more and more.  He even made a comment about being in the hospital for 3 weeks, which is almost how long he has been awake and at the new place.  He also said the wedding was tomorrow, which goes with the "three weeks time frame,"  only in that his son got married 3 weeks after the aneursym. His last memory would have been the Friday 3 weeks before the wedding.  At this point, he still does not realize he missed the wedding, even though he can see the date on the board on his wall.  Please pray for him and the family when he makes that connection.  He is making such good progress, we don't want to make him sad :(

Please also pray for his eyes.  One of them seems to be giving him trouble.  An eye doctor will be visiting him today I believe.

The trache comes out today!  He will be transferred somewhere tomorrow.  He was accepted at both facilities.  Please pray for Bryan's mom as she makes that decision today.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

August 28

Bryan, his brother Michael, and his Mom visited the rehab place in Wheaton.  Bryan was very impressed with their program, but the drive would be tough for Bryan's mom.  It is also an intensive therapy program and they are particular who they "let in."  The other facility in downtown is well-known, and Bryan's mom could take the train.  As Bryan's mom said, "God knows where he should be, so we will see what happens."  (Or something to that effect).  I think sometime this week we will know where he can go and have to make a decision if he gets into both places.

They visited on Saturday afternoon.  He asked for Bryan's other brother who has not been able to visit for a while.  Another name that he said without prompting!  Bryan's brother Michael (who was visiting) was returning to Iowa the next day, so as he was leaving Tom raised his arms for a hug, and wished him a safe trip.  He also said "The wedding is coming up soon."  No one said anything.  He is putting more and more memories together, but fortunately does not quite have a grasp of the time that he missed, and that the wedding was three weeks ago.  Please pray for him when/if that awareness comes together soon.  Knowing he missed his son's wedding may be hard for him.

Please continue to pray for wisdom this week as we find out where he will be going next.  Please continue to pray for strength and perserverance for him, and for the family, as we walk this long, slow journey with him. 

Praise God for all of the miracles and healing so far.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

August 26

Bryan, his mom, and 2 brothers visited Tom tonight.  They brought his briefcase, and he looked through all the things that he had with him every day for work.  He remembered a lot and shared some stories.  He also looked through all the pictures he took on his cell phone.  He asked Bryan where the boys were, and Bryan said, we are here, referring to Tom's boys, Bryan and his brothers.  But Tom wanted to see the little boys, his grandsons. :)

Bryan showed him some videos of his grandsons.  During one video he said, "That's Zach!"  Bryan showed him a noisy video of the two youngest boys jumping and running around.  Bryan explained that this is why we cannot bring them to visit him yet.

For over a year, Tom had been taking one of the 3 older grandsons out every Saturday for breakfast  and a trip to Walmart or Staples, to get office supplies for work.  The boys always knew when it was their Saturday with Grandpa.  They even had me write it on the calendar so we kept it straight.  Each week the boys would eat huge breakfasts and amaze Grandpa, and  then come home with something special, ranging from notecards, to whoopie cushions, to pomegranates and coconuts.  He really spent time with each of them, and it has been hard for them not to see him since mid July.

A huge prayer has been answered for me that he remembers them, and that they may get some "Grandpa time" again, no matter what that time will be going forward.

Bryan was very encouraged by their visit tonight.  They will visit the first of the two acute rehab places tomorrow. 

Tom is doing well breathing on his own.  He still likes to pull out his tubes though.

Please pray for continued progress and for wisdom with the visit to the new place tomorrow.

Thanks for your prayers and for checking in,

Brenna

August 25

Tom did not have to do the cardiac chair today.  Instead, Nancy was able to bring him outside and in the gym area for his "therapy."  I think it was probably good for both of them to be out of the hospital room.

Tom met with a neurologist when one of Brendan (Bryan's youngest brother) was visiting.  It was a good visit in the sense that it is helping make sense of some of things Tom says, and the things he remembers.  It was suggested that they bring his laptop in, and see what he can do.

He was getting restless and pulled out his trache tube today (and yesterday too).  As far as I know, he had no trouble without the ventilator last night.

Please pray for his restlessness and anxiety.  Pray for guidance and comforting words for the nurses and Nancy since she spends a lot of time with Tom during the day. 

Continue to pray for the next rehab place and the visits this weekend.

Thank for praying,

Brenna

August 24

The meeting went well.  The doctor was very helpful, and also very hopeful in Tom's recovery.  Tom has made good progress in the past week, and the doctor said he sees it as just getting better.  He did not guarantee that Tom would be the same he was on July 15th, the day before the aneursym, but he was encouraged by his progress so far.  What a difference from the meeting we had 3 weeks ago at Loyola, where the doctor did not know if Tom would ever be conscious because of the severity of the aneurysm.  Praise God for miracles!!!

The doctor suggested that we look at 2 places where Tom could go next since he is almost completely breathing on his own.  These places are acute rehab facilities where he would get 3 hours of therapy a day, 7 days a week.  He would stay there 3 weeks or so, and then we would see if he is ready to come home.  He will need constant care when he comes home, but the doctor was still encouraged by the progress he has made in the last week.

We will be looking into these two places this weekend.  One is located in Wheaton.  The other is downtown Chicago.  The one in Wheaton seems to be more particular on who they take, but would be much more convenient for all of us.

Please pray for these visits, and for the possibility that he would be accepted at the facility in Wheaton!  He may move there as early as next week.

Please also pray for Tom as he continues to regain his memory, both of family and friends, as well as how to do things.  Every day he makes progress, but it is still hard when he realizes what he can't do.  He took 5 steps with a walker today.  He also asked Bryan when he walked in his room,  "How are the boys?"  That is basically how he used to greet Bryan everyday, asking about the grandsons, so it was amazing to hear.  He had not asked a question like that yet.  He also knew Max (his oldest grandson) by name when some of his friends visited tonight and were looking at pictures. 

Please also pray for Tom to continue to be free from complications from the aneurysm and the recovery.   The doctor reminded us of those risks today, which they are constantly monitoring for patients like Tom.  Please pray for continued protection from blood clots and infections.

Thanks for praying for the meeting today and for your continued prayers for Tom,

Brenna

P.S. 

Tom gets to go outside in a wheelchair tomorrow for therapy.  Hopefully he won't try to make a break for it! :)

 

August 23

Tom stood with a walker again today.  He is also breathing on his own during the day, and only put on oxygen with the trache at night.

I am looking forward to the meeting tomorrow and where he will go in the next few weeks since he is almost off the trache completely.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

August 22

Tom was switched to a smaller trache collar today, which means he is closer to not needing it at all.  It was capped today so he was breathing on his own.  He also was able to stand with a walker, and knew his last name.  These are all little things to most people, but HUGE for where he has been.

Bryan got to watch him in the cardiac chair late this afternoon.  Apparently, he was supposed to have time in the chair in the morning, but it did not happen.  If Bryan (or one of us) was not there to watch him this afternoon, they would have skipped this part of his therapy today altogether.  We are all completely frustrated after a rough day with unprofessional nurses, and  we are confused as to why an important part of therapy would have been skipped.  Bryan usually visits anyway, but our visits have never been a necessary part of his physical therapy!

Please pray for Nancy and Bryan  as they have more conversations with the staff tomorrow about today's issues.  We have had excellent care up until this point, and this was a major frustration and disappointment.  We are also very tired, so please pray for clear communication tomorrow.

Please continue to pray for the doctor meeting on Wednesday.  Some of these issues will be brought up then as well, but most of it should deal with Tom's progress and plan for the future.

Tom said my name when he saw a picture tonight.  Each day he uses more of our names, which is exciting.  He was trying to get Bryan to take him home tonight, so please pray for his patience, especially now that he can stand.  He still needs to get stronger or he may hurt himself.

Thanks again for praying for us and with us,

Brenna

August 21

Tom is still doing well.  The family had a good weekend visiting.  He has moments when he is very engaged and "talkative," and other moments when he is awake, watching TV, but does not want to talk.  He is definitely putting things together.  He even asked for Bryan and his computer today.  As far as I know, he has recognized people, smiled and laughed at stories and memories, but only called Nancy by name.  He also told one of the therapists where he lived a few days ago.  There seems to be progress each day.

There are glimmers of Tom each day in the little things he says.   He asked Friday if he should paint his room, after seeing a stain on the ceiling that obviously would drive a painter, like himself, crazy.  He also has his sense of humor.  When the nurse asked if he had pulled out his IV today, he said "Not yet!"

We are so thankful to see him talking, laughing, and moving around in his bed --  an absolute miracle from where he was when he was airlifted to Loyola just 36 days ago.  Just amazing! 

We are so thankful for all of your prayers.  It is still a long road ahead.  The meeting with the doctor is Wednesday afternoon. 

Please pray for that meeting and for clear communication and direction as to what to do next.  Please continue to pray for peace, perseverance, and joy for Tom.  And please pray for continued strength for Nancy and the rest of the family.

And if you think of it, please pray for a friend who lost her father to a sudden illness this weekend.  He was one year younger than Tom, and had been in the hospital the past few weeks as well.  Please keep this friend and her family in your prayers this week especially.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

August 19

Tom had to be restrained this morning.  He was confused and combative, so the nurse called to let Nancy know that they would be restraining him.  The nurses said he is really strong.  Bryan was waiting for this day. 

He knew that once Tom started figuring out what was happening he would try and get out of there! 

During their afternoon visit, Bryan's brother and mom asked Tom where to get Nancy's car's oil changed, since he was the one who would do that for her.  After first answering 'bacon,' (which is hilarious to me if you know how much Kozors like bacon), he answered 'Sears,' which was correct.  It just amazes me how many details he knows.

Please continue to pray for strength for his physical therapy, and for his peace of mind as he gains more understanding every day.  And for wisdom for the family for the next step.  His time at this rehab facility is halfway done already!  Since he is almost completely breathing on his own, he will have accomplished what he needed here, and he will be moved somewhere else.  The meeting with the doctors is next week.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna



August 18

Tom spoke today.  A cap was put on the trache collar during the day (as he transitions off the trache) and he was able to speak.  Some of his first words: "Give me that, Nancy,"  referring to the remote for the TV!  He was also asking for scissors to cut the mittens off his hands (used to keep him from pulling out his trache).  He mentioned something about the car to Nancy as well.  She thinks he was trying to get her to take him home.  Tom is definitely more himself everyday!  ;)

It is truly amazing how much he progresses each day, despite this very long process.  He did not talk to Bryan during his visit tonight, but they did watch some TV and Tom laughed a bit.

Please continue to pray for Tom's patience and perseverance, physically and mentally. His second oldest son and new daughter-in-law are visiting this weekend.  It will be interesting if/when he figures out he missed their wedding 2 weeks ago. Please pray for a good visit for the family.

Thanks again for checking in and praying for Tom and the family.

Amazed at the miracles God has done so far,

Brenna

August 17

Tom had a good day.  He is still making progress on many things that will get him back to doing everything on his own soon.  He did well on some kind of oxygen gas test which means the trache will be removed soon.  He will be doing the cardiac chair twice a day now.  He was put on an anti-depressant to help him cope.  (I guess this is common thing to do for patients dealing with aneurysm/stroke recovery).

Bryan visited this evening and was greeted with a smile, but Tom slept through all of their TV time tonight.  He was just exhausted.

Tom is getting his strength back for sure.  Last night he somehow "kicked off" the rehab boots that have been strapped on his legs most of the past month.  That is no small feat.   He pulled out his IV today as well. 

The family meeting will be some time next week.  The doctors wanted more time to evaluate him.

Please pray for patience for Tom and continued strength for his therapy.  And please pray he does not pull the trache out in his frustration, because that would be a big set back for the progress he has made so far.



Please pray for the family as we support and encourage him.

Thanks again for praying,

Brenna

August 16

Tom was in the cardiac chair for 2 hours today.  He will be weaned from his trach and feeding tube over the next week or so.  He is making amazing progress.

However, he now is understanding what is going on.  And it is obviously very hard for him.  And frustrating, as he communicated to Bryan tonight.

By the end of Bryan's visit tonight, they were all watching TV together, like a normal night with the family.  And Tom was changing channels!

Please continue to pray for strength, peace, and patience for Tom.  Pray for wisdom on how to encourage and support him.

God is doing miracles!

Brenna

August 15

Tom was in the cardiac chair for one hour today.  It is progress, but it was hard.  Hard for Nancy to watch, and hard for Tom.  This chair helps patients use muscles they have not used at all since they have been in bed for weeks.  Tom did not like it.

He seems to be realizing what is going on more and more.  He had some smiles and nods (yes and no) today, but he also looked away intentionally, and he actually looked sad.  This is also progress, but is very hard.

Tom has been breathing on his own for 48 hours now.  Once he reaches 72 hours, they re-evaluate and go to the next step towards removing the trach.  They fever he had last week set him back a little.  Please pray for protection from any more infections or complications so he can continue to move forward.

Please pray for Tom to be able to cope as he realizes what he has gone through, and how much therapy it will take to get back to "normal,"  whatever that will be from now on.  Pray for his peace, strength, and perseverance for his therapy.

Please also pray for Nancy and the family as we watch and wait.  Recovery will be very slow.  Help us all know how to encourage Tom and each other in this season.

Please pray for the meeting with the doctors this week, that the plan for his recovery will be communicated well.

Thanks again for praying,

Brenna

August 14

Tom was asleep for most of our visit.  I guess he watched the Bears game last night on TV, so maybe he was tired.  He was moving his legs around a lot today, and was as turning his head both ways (the back of his head seemed to have an itch).

He opened his eyes for a moment when we were there, enough to acknowledge us by raising his eyebrows, and nodding yes when Bryan asked if he had a good nap.  Then he fell back asleep.  He was alert later in the afternoon for Nancy.

His temperature was better.  He was off the trach again for 16 hours (and counting).

The nurse said in the next day or so, they were going to put him in a special "cardiac chair" for a little while.  The chair is the next step forward in therapy.  Pray that  he tolerates the chair and is able to grow stronger through it.

Please continue to pray for the family meeting that will come this week sometime.

It is hard to believe it is DAY 29 tonight!  Praise God for hope and progress!

Thanks again for your prayers,

Brenna



August 13

Today was a much better day for Tom.  Nancy visited him for a long time this afternoon.  He greeted her with a smile.  She texted us "Praise the Lord."

He was alert and responsive for about 2 1/2 hours today.  That is the longest he has been alert in the past 28 days!  She said his arm looked better as well. 

Thank you for your continued prayers.  We hope to see him tomorrow.  More updates after that visit!

Brenna

August 12 Later in the evening

Tom's fever is responding to tylenol and it is gone!

However, tonight they noticed his left arm looked larger than the right.  They did a doppler (not sure if I used that term correctly) and found a blood clot in his hand or arm: "deep vein thrombosis."  They ordered an anti-coagulant and are putting the IV in the other hand.

Praising God for the fever responding to tylenol, and that they found the blood clot.

Please pray for the medicine to work on the clot, for the fever to stay down, and for the infection to be taken care of by the antibiotics.  Please pray for healing and protection from any more complications.

It was a very hard day for the family.

BUT -- Tom did wake up for a moment this afternoon to give Nancy a smile.  :)

Thanks for praying with us,

Brenna

August 12 Evening

Bryan came home from work and asked me to post this to add to the earlier blog:

Today was a sad day.  It was a bit of a set back... Tom had a fever of 103, was put back on the ventilator, and was put on reverse isolation with no therapy today.  Bryan is sad, so very sad.  And so is him mom.  Pray for complete healing, the curing of the cause of the fever, and for him to heal completely and fully.  Thank you

Praying for more miracles,
Brenna

August 12th afternoon

Tom has a fever again.  They have started antibiotics and believe he has an infection.  Please pray for wisdom for the doctors.

He has been sleeping all day so far.  No open eyes or smiles.  :(

Please pray for healing from the infection and continued progress in his recovery.  They did not do any therapy today so he could rest.

Please also pray for continued hope and strength for Nancy and the family.  It has been a roller coaster ride these past 27 days and counting.

Thanks for your prayers,

Brenna

August 11

Tom was animated again today when Nancy visited.  He was smiling as she told stories of their grandsons. 

Bryan visited later in the afternoon.  Tom was sleeping, so they did not have a lot of interaction.  Bryan did mention that Tom had been off the ventilator for 24 hours and was doing well breathing on his own! 

Please pray for the next few days for assessments by the doctors, for wisdom and good communication with us.  Pray for us as we wait for the family meeting next week to see where he is at, and what happens next.  We are very encouraged that he is responding to us, but we don't know what that all means yet.  Or how much he really understands.  And it is hard to wait until next week!!

We are very thankful that he has "woken up" though.  Thanks for praying for Tom and for us!

Thankful for miracles and praying for more,

Brenna

Wed 3:40 pm

I sent a text to my mom and my brother ... "dad just said hi to me"

Brenna and I came into his room today and he looked up right at the both of us, and said "HI."  We had heard that he said "hi" on Saturday, but he has been doing kind of poorly mentally since then, and to tell you the truth I had really abandoned hope.  Not the hope I had in healing, or God at work, or miracles; but when you have experienced so much suffering, and you just assume God won't answer your prayers the way you want them, well I have just been preparing for the worst since the day dad got sick.  And the Internet is not filled with the most hopeful information.

For about an hour I talked with dad as he kind of faded in and out of sleep.  I called all my brothers, Brenna, Mom, and Calvin and put them on speaker and was amazed by his alertness and his mouthing of words.  He smiled several times through that hour, and shook his head yes a few times as well.  When I called my brother Mike, he perked up tons.  When Mike said, "I love you dad," He very obviously mouthed the words back "I love you."

The staff here at his rehab facility is fantastic!  They are compassionate, aggressive in their treatment, and very hopeful.  It was a rocky start here, but today renewed my faith and hope in full recovery.

Thank you all for your constant prayers.  Today was a good day.

Bryan

August 9

Tom had a lot of tests done today since he is a new patient at the new hospital.  They are also weaning him from his trach (i.e. he is breathing on his own), and that is going very well.  All of the therapists and doctors will assess him this week, and sometime next week we will have a family meeting to discuss his condition now, and the plan for the future.

Please continue to pray for his recovery and for wisdom for the doctors and therapists. 

Update on Mary,  the former neighbor who had an aneursym the same day:

She was home for a week, then back at Loyola last weekend for pain in her head again.  I believe she is home now, but if you think of it, pray for her as well as they figure out exactly what is going on.

Thanks for checking in!

Praying for miracles,

Brenna

August 8

Tom is moved in to the "specialty hospital" closer to home.  From what I understand, he will do a lot of therapy, as well as have medical care here.  They will work on weaning him off of the trache and to breathing completely on his own.  At Loyola, he was already breathing along with the ventilator, so I don't think this progress is far off.

He was not moved in until the afternoon.  Bryan and his mom spent hours doing paperwork.  It was a long, hard day.  He was not as alert when they finally got to see him, which was disheartening.  We are hoping he was just tired from his big move.  The evening nurse said he was more alert later in the evening.

Please pray for continued progress at this new facility.  Please pray for Bryan's mom to feel comfortable and peaceful about this new place.  Please pray for Tom to really "wake up" and recognize people.  His body is healing wonderfully, we are just pleading that his mind will be restored.  At this point, we do not know the extent of the damage from the aneurysm, but it is the worst kind you can have from what I understand.  It is a miracle that his wife found him when she did.

Thanks for praying for miracles with me,

Brenna

August 7

Thank you all for praying for this weekend and the wedding.  The wedding was a great time for our family.  It could not have gone better despite the circumstances.

Tom was surprising the nurses on Saturday.  He was more alert than he has been.  He was able to wiggle his toes on command, and also may have said "hi."  His nurse called in other nurses because she could not believe it.  We are going to call it the "wedding day miracle."

Some friends stayed with Tom during the wedding  and they confirmed he was more responsive than the day before.  Considering the news we received last week about this type of aneurysm, these little things are HUGE and give us a lot of hope. 

Bryan and his mom visited tonight.  Tom was not as alert as the day before, but he did move his arms and legs around more.  He also squeezed Bryan's hand.

Tomorrow morning around 9:30 he will be transported to the specialty hospital.  Please pray for a smooth transition for him, and for continued little steps toward recovery.

Again -- thank you SO much for your prayers and concern this weekend.  We all had a great celebration.

Still praying for miracles over here,

Brenna

Wednesday August 3

We met with the doctors today for some kind of plan for the future.  They are letting us keep him at the hospital while we are gone for the wedding this weekend, though he is stable enough to move to the specialty hospital.  He will move into the new place on Monday.

His numbers are good.  He still has a small fever.  Praying for the fever to go down.

Praying that he will have a nice stable weekend in the hospital, so we can enjoy the wedding and not be concerned.  At this point, he is looking good, so this should be a reality.  The nursing staff have been wonderful in making Bryan's mom comfortable with leaving for the weekend.  We are so thankful for them!

Still praying for miracles,

Brenna

Tuesday August 2

We had an encouraging visit this afternoon!  All of his numbers look good.  They took him off the insulin line, but will continue to monitor him.  The shunt surgery went well.  He still has a fever, but it is not high. 

He responded better today to his daily "pokes" from the nurses than he has in weeks.  We were all encouraged by his responses.

All in all, a very encouraging day 17 of this journey. 



Please pray for the fever to go down.

Please pray for the next step.  He may be ready to be moved to the specialty hospital very soon.   The family will be in Iowa for Bryan's brother Michael's wedding this weekend.  Some of us are uncomfortable moving him somewhere new before we leave for the weekend. Please pray for wisdom.

Thanks again for your prayers,

Brenna

Update #2 August 1

The second surgery went well and the shunt is in place.  Thank you for your prayers.  He is not "out of the woods" yet, but so far so good.

Thanks,

Brenna

Update for August 1

The doctors are doing the surgery again.  Please pray for the drain to work correctly this time, and for no other complications.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

Monday August 1

Please pray for the shunt surgery.  It is done, but it is not draining properly.  The doctors are doing a CAT Scan right now to see the problem.  They may have to go back in and re-adjust the tube.

Please pray for wisdom for the doctors.

Thank you,

Brenna

July 31

We visited Tom today.  He looks good.  We all think he looks like he fell asleep in front of the TV, just like on the couch at home after a long day of work.

His numbers look good.  He still had a little fever, but I believe it was not high enough to postpone the surgery for tomorrow.  His blood sugar is still not quite right, so he has been insulin. The nurses seem to think he will be off of that soon.

Please pray for the 8 AM shunt surgery.  Pray that it will go smoothly and help to permanently relieve the pressure in his head.

And continue to pray for peace, patience, and wisdom for the next step in his care.

Thanks for praying,

Brenna

Saturday July 30

Tom was running a fever of 101.4 tonight.  They are doing more blood cultures to see if it is an infection. 

He still does not tolerate clamping the drain in his head, so they have stopped trying, because it is causing to much stress on him.  Tomorrow they will do a CT scan to map the path for the shunt. 

The shunt will be placed on Monday at 8 AM.

Nancy and two of her sons visited the specialty hospital that Tom will move to when he is stable enough to move.  It was a nice place, with great care, but it is a very hard realization that he would be moved there next, and not just wake up one of these days and come home.

Please continue to pray for healing!  Please pray that he would respond better each day.

Please continue to pray for wisdom for the doctors and family as to the next step. Please pray for peace with this decision.

Please pray for the fever to be taken care of, and for the shunt placement on Monday to go well.

Thanks again for lifting us up in prayer,

Brenna

Friday evening July 29th

The blood transfusion went well. All of his numbers (heart rate, blood pressure,etc.) are looking really good.  He has been getting insulin for blood sugar issues, but that was getting better today as well. 

Bryan and I visited this evening and he was starting to open his eyes.  It was a "good sign" according to the nurse, but it was also a hard time for both of us.  He has been weaned from his sedatives and he is still not responding that well.  The doctors have not been able to remove the drain because he does not tolerate it (his head pressure rises).  The plan is still to place the drain/shunt internally (draining to his abdomen) at 8 AM Monday morning.

Bryan's mom has been given information about rehab facilities that he may be able to move to as early as next week.

Please pray for the pressures in his head to return to normal. 

Please pray that he will start responding better.

Please pray for the transition to this new place.

Please pray for the family.  Bryan and Calvin picked up their suits for the wedding today.  The Bryan's brother's wedding is next Saturday.

Please pray for healing.

Thanks for your prayers!

Brenna

Friday July 29

Tom was looking better and more comfortable yesterday.  One of his doctors was more optimistic concerning his recovery, which was encouraging to the family.

He had a blood gas test yesterday afternoon to check oxygen levels.  This morning we got a text that he is getting a blood transfusion right now because his hemoglobin levels were dropping.

Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and for Tom to tolerate this procedure well.

Thanks for praying,
Brenna

Thurs July 28th

The meeting with the doctor was hard news.

 

Please pray for the family

 

Please pray for the pressures to go down so the drain can be removed. They plan to try another type of drain (under the skin) on Monday at 8AM to help. He is not tolerating the drain being clamped so they are trying a "semi-permanent drain" with this procedure.  Please pray for the pressures to go down to normal.

 

Please pray as they continue to wean him from his 2 IV medications and trache in the next week.

 

Please pray that he starts to respond better.

 

Please pray for miracles.

 

Thanks,

 

Brenna