Wednesday, October 17, 2007

7:00am (DC time)

Before going to the hospital yesterday, we first prayed that God would show us a sign that He is at work by David lifting his legs. And lift his legs he did! Higher than before! So today we decided that we wanted the doctor's to work on his infections/fevers, and for David to open his beautiful eyes wider. And open his eyes he did!! When they took David off his sedatives this morning, he opened his eyes even bigger than he had yesterday. Still not completely open, but we could see the beautiful blue of his eyes! The nurse asked him to wiggle his right toes, and he did! She asked him to wiggle his left toes and he did, although you could tell it is much harder for him to move this side. She asked David to stick out his right thumb, and he did! She asked him to stick out his left thumb and we could tell he was trying, although it too is very hard for him. She asked David to push down on his thumb and he pushed so hard! Dad and him were almost able to play thumb wars! We told him about some of your comments, how his friends Daniel and Ray in Turkey and their entire families are praying for him; how Daniel’s mom came to visit him in Germany; his Commanding Officer, Michael Cote continues to pray for him and told us how they have allowed David’s website to be accessed on base; Emel promises to make him all the Turkish food he wants when he gets better and his wife continues to lift him up in prayer; Lauren Ross wants to read him Harry Potter to torture him out of his coma (did you know that he actually loves these books and even bought 2 of them on their opening day?!!). We told him how Jerra and Ashley are studying medicine terminology! We told him how its our fault that Kelli’s not here anymore, but that we made her go back to school to take midterms (you better be doing your homework Kelli so you can come back!). And of course we told him how he has thousands of people praying all over the world for him. We tried to encourage him and tell him how much progress he has made in the last week. We told him not to worry about anything, just to rest, let God heal him and the Dr's. will do their jobs to make him better too. Then we spent the remaining time with him in his wakeful state praying over him and asking that God would be ministering to him while he sleeps. When the Drs. made their rounds, the entire topic of the conversation was about David's fever and how to help with his infections. They are going to change the temperature in the cooling belt to a "warmer" 12 degree Celsius minimum instead of the 4 degree Celsius that has been making him shiver so much. It was amazing to see that our prayers were being answered, one at a time, just as we asked them. These are not coincidences, only our God showing us that He is faithful and answers prayers. Please continue to pray for the infections and fever so that he can get out of that freezing cold body wrap for good though. Thanks again for everything you all are doing for David. God is good!
Christa and Laura

Later in the day:
When we came back after his trache and peg surgery, the doctors wanted David off the sedatives to see first hand what he could do. Before the doctor came in, Dad was asking him to give him a thumbs up. It took him a little while, but he raised his thumb and lifted his arm up in the air as far as he could with his restraints on. The doctor came in as David had his hand in the air, and Dad explained that he had asked David to do that. David didn't respond as well to the Dr's commands, but that just tells us how much he loves his dad. They put David back on his pain medicine, but a different kind that wouldn't sedate him as much. They want him to move as much as he can (without pulling things out) and to get him on a normal sleep wake pattern. He was more active with his eyes open for most of the afternoon. His eyes aren't looking around, and we're not sure if he's looking at us. He did move them from the middle to the right, but it wasn't like he was following anything. The doctor's aren't worried about it, they say it's a progress that starts slowly, opening his eyes first, then tracking things. It was amazing nonetheless, but made it much harder to leave (hence this post getting posted so late-sorry!). Since he's awake and not sleeping all day, I think tomorrow we'll try two shifts so that David won't be alone and we won't be as exhausted.

Two guys from Occupational Therapy also came in and showed us how to help him move his joints. We got hand braces to put on him when we aren't holding them so that they stay open. They also explained some of the rehabilitation programs that they offered when David is ready- all of which sounded neat and gave us more hope that David will make a full recovery. For instance, we told them how David loves to snowboard and he said they take groups of other rehabilitation patients snow boarding in Pennsylvania. He said that they liked to use things that patients like while they help them to recover- like woodworking, video games etc. They are going to be doing sensory stimulation each day, so he'll be listening to music, smelling things, getting massaged and touched, and watching things. We're gonna find some CD's he likes for tomorrow. The men who we talked to were so nice and I know that David will like them and respect them. They prepared us for some of the stages David will go through as he begins getting more conscious, and how to help him through them. We still have a lot to learn, but the information we received today was very reassuring.


The nurses have talked about lowering the ventilator since David is taking so many breaths above it. He'll still need the trache, even when he's off the ventilator to help him when he coughs and for other medical reasons I don't get quite yet. But that's exciting news! He should begin using his peg-the feeding tube in his belly- tomorrow. It's scary to imagine a trache and the peg, but it's nice to know that both are temporary and will heal completely when he doesn't need them. His face is beautiful now that he doesn't have tubes in his mouth. I know he's more comfortable this way!

In an earlier message we told you about Brian's friend, Clif, who had a traumatic brain injury last December. I talked with his sister, Kara last night on the phone, getting information about his diagnosis and the progress he's made as he recovers. She had so much hope and faith and gave us lots of tips to help us get through this. Though the doctor's prognosis for Clif was similar to what David's was, he's proving them wrong at each step and Kara knows that God will heal Clif 100%. We have the same expectations for David, and will accept no less. Why limit our God? He made David, and he made the brain as complex and amazing as it is. The doctor's don't know how it works, but my God does. And my God can surely heal it. Please continue to pray for Clif's full recovery and also his family as they support him.

Thank you so much for ALL of your prayers, and comments. We really need you to know that you all are truly helping us get through this by lifting us up to God and offering your stories and words of encouragement. Please continue to pray for David, all of the things we mentioned, and more. Tomorrow's prayer is that his left side will move more than it did today. Ask and it will be given! His progress is amazing, and it will surely continue.

God bless,
Laura