Author: hannah

The Dr rounded earlier and did a pain response on Seth. He’s been gone on vacation for 10 days and was hoping he would have made more progress while he was gone. That was a little heavy on my heart. I’m going to use this as a “challenge accepted” moment though to dig into more research how we can help with Seth’s progress. Feel free to share any ideas with us!

If you’d like to share a short message to Seth, have any fun videos that show great memories such as him being goofy, laughing, dancing, or just being himself we would love to play them on the TV in his room. You can upload your videos to this Google photo album or send them to any of the Meyers and they will upload them for you. Let’s surround him with joy and familiar faces!

Pray for more responsiveness, pain to cease and billions of neurons to reconnect.

Fun fact: See video for a great example of a neuron connection.

If you come to an intersection in the hospital hallways and look up, you’ll see a reflective dome which allows you to see what’s around corner. Most of the time I forget it’s there, but those that are pushing a patient in a bed or wheelchair especially need to look up otherwise there may be a collision. Our pastor shared Psalm 121:1 with us this week. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth”. We remind Seth everyday that he is safe and this is only temporary and that God’s got him. May we be reminded to look up to God for protection and guidance, in whatever circumstance we face.

-Darcy

Seth had a more restful night last night! His BP and HR were good most likely due to the Fentanyl patch to control the pain. Seth’s trach was downgraded and capped so he’s breathing out of his nose and mouth now. We are thankful for this progress!

Pray for another healing, restful night for all of us!

-Darcy

Seth had a really rough night again with high BP and HR. He was up ALL night storming alot. All thru the shift, they tried the oral and IV Dilated, Metoprolol, Hydralazine. Dr was called and he added Ativan, for anxiety (which nurse said lasted about 10 min) and a bolus of fluid.

10am Dr just rounded. He will increase muscle relaxers and will try a Fentanyl patch for prolonged pain relief.

Speech therapist was here to do an evaluation. He opened is mouth slightly for a small piece of ice and he initiated a swallow.

Today is day 50.

We’ve given out 400 bracelets so far. (Pix is of new Perry the Platypus color-if you know, you know). Let us know if you want one! If you already have one, please send the Meyers a picture of you wearing it or upload it to our Google photo album.

Over 500 people have looked at the PrayersforSeth.com and Caring Bridge websites.

Over 40,000 visits on these sites of reading or checking for new updates. (Wow!)

Countless prayer chains Seth is on around the world.

A gazillion prayers from all of you, our prayer warriors, who hold us up especially when we are exhausted from praying ourselves.

Congrats to all his friends graduating high school today! I know he’d be there celebrating with you if he could.

-Darcy

Seth’s friend, Paul graduated from ALA today. Prayer warriors, you will know his mom, Ranjini, who we are also praying for.

We are asking for big prayers today. Seth’s neurostorming seems to be getting more aggressive with his BP 195/112 this morning and now his HR is 150. Meds are given but this cycle of continued stress on his body concerns us. It’s a no stimulation day for him.

Lord have mercy on his body.

The other day I got an Amazon package. I thought the envelope said it all. (I added the God part)

-Darcy

Seth did ok during the night, at 10pm and 5am is BP and HR were high again, but those and his pain continue to be controlled by meds.

He was taken off the ventilator again. Maybe tomorrow the machine can be removed from the room.

Please pray today for relief from the pain and neurostorming that are causing the BP and HR issues. Please pray for any responsiveness, no matter how small it is.

I came across Seth’s Confirmation essay from Apr 2020. This is just an excerpt, but little did he know at the time, how much these words comfort us right now.

“My relationship with Jesus is very great. I trust in him as my Lord and Savior. I believe that He was the one who saved all of humanity by living a perfect life, being mocked, dying on the cross, and rising from the dead. I also believe that the Holy Spirit brought me to faith using people around me to keep me going and not falling away from God. The Holy Spirit influenced people to write the Holy Bible. David wrote in Psalm 50:15, And call me on the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. That passage means so much to me because it reminds me that my relationship with God will never end because He has a plan for us no matter what happens. It also reminds me that God is almighty and that he is omnipresent (He is everywhere). For example: He helps me with my fear of getting sick because He gives people talents to know how to take care of people and if it doesn’t end well, I know that He is with me on earth and some day in Heaven.”

-Darcy

Today was another day of seemingly small improvements, but mountains for Seth.

Due to some heavy neuro-storming over the weekend, the doctors kept him on the pain meds today which helped the neuro storm impacts. Thus reduced the rapid changes & extremes with vitals (BP, Heart rate, and sweats) that resulted from neuro storms.

He is also more attentive with his eyes. Such as looking toward the door when someone comes in and tracking them as they walk.

He was cleared for small spoon-sips of water today. So now he can have both water & small chunks of ice.

Today’s progress reminds me of a rest-step for mountain climbers. Tiny, slow steps still take the climber down the path to their destination in their own time.

Likewise, we trust God that, through these seemingly tiny improvements each day, Seth will also go down the path to recovery – in God’s time.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10

-David

Seth completed Stage 12 and was off the ventilator. He still has a trach collar and the speaking valve was on for awhile. This evening, he started neurostorming pretty bad with his BP and HR jumping way up. They have given him some extra pain meds but it’s not helping so they are putting him back on the ventilator and doing an ultrasound of his heart right now.

Specific prayer for tonight:

Rest from the neurostorms and relief from the pain. Please let it be a good night, Lord.

The highschool where Seth graduated asked students to paint prayer rocks to be buried in the foundation of a new classroom addition. Each rock represents trust and confidence in our Savior to bless their building process. I asked if we could include rocks on Seth’s behalf and so we did arts and crafts at the hospital. 🙂

-Darcy

May 13 This is the day the Lord has made…. let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Seth has been at the LTAC unit for almost a week now. He progressed to stage 8 on his ventilator weaning this morning (out of 12). So this is great news! The Dr rounded recently and said that it’s good seeing Seth use both his chest and diaphragm muscles! Stage 8 means that he’s off the ventilator for 8 hrs, then on pressure support (where Seth is still doing most of the work) for 8 hrs, and then full support for 8 hrs.

The RT just came in and said he’s practically passed stage 8! Will move to stage 9 tomorrow. PT didn’t get him up out of bed to a chair today because his BP was a little high. The nurse had to give him some extra IV BP this afternoon to help bring it down (on top of oral meds).

Speech came, gave him his first ice chips and said he did good with swallowing them! He is cleared for 1/2 cup of ice chips every 4 hrs while he is off the ventilator. Hannah said she also got to give him ice chips. The left side of his mouth was doing better than the right side, but it just needs practice! The family got the ok that we are allowed to brush his teeth too!

When the dr rounded this afternoon, they also decided to increase his muscle relaxant medication per PTs recommendation to help with his tight muscles. They are also going to make his pain medicine as needed instead of scheduled. Temp this afternoon is 99.3, down from 100 this morning. His bowels are working good, and hopefully improve even more after getting him off narcotics (that can slow things down).

We are so proud of all the hard work Seth is doing! We know that God has big plans for him and it is evident in all the little miracles and praise reports we see in him every day.

Please pray for:

-Praise that cousin Ellis has had no recent seizures!

-Seth’s continued weaning off the ventilator

-Less “neuro storming”

-Praise that Seth did well with his first ice chips today!

-Lower BP so they are able to get Seth out of bed

– Less tight muscles

– A little more responsive each and every day.

Amen

Kerry