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