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The night nurse was concerned about the PO2 being 16 but the neurocritical team’s primary concern were the ICP & CPP #’s. Those numbers were stable throughout the night. He is currently on 4 different pain meds: Fentanyl & Oxycodone are given for pain management, Propofol for sedation (relaxation and sleepiness) and Versed for sedation (usually given before surgery or medical procedures). Interesting fact: Fentanyl is 100 x more potent than morphine and 50 x more potent than heroine.

Xray still showing fluid in lungs. Because of everything they are giving him, it’s hard for him to keep up. He will get 2 shots today of Lasix (yesterday he only got one). Interesting fact: Lasix got it’s name because it “lasts six hours.”

He’s still requiring a lot from the ventilator. They need to replace a part that was frozen. His pneumonia is pretty bad, but the mucus is thin and not sticky. They will increase the ventilator pressure.

Dr from neurology said pressures went well during the night and that no intervention needed to happen like yesterday. If things continue well for the 48-72 hours they can remove the bolt so they can do an MRI. The MRI will see what kind of damage there is.

They are adding milk of magnesium & suppository. The nurse just told us he did have a bowel movement so thank you all who were praying for poop! 🙂

ICU trauma team has decided to decrease the Propofol because his trigylcerides were getting too high (785). Yesterday it was in the 500 range. Ben thinks the level was already high because of the double cheeseburgers Seth loves. Versed has been increased. New range for CPP is now >55. Left chest tube will be taken out. The right chest tube will be water sealed (which what I understand is there is no draining of fluid or air happening). Every tube is a source of infection so having one and hopefully both be removed is good.

A friend shared with me that while it’s not apparent the healing that happens, it does happen cell by cell. Interesting fact: There are an estimated 37.2 trillion cells in the human body. If we can get 37.2 trillion people to pray for one cell each, that would be awesome!

-Darcy

PS, Update on Jesse Jr on our prayer board: Jesse Jr was on motorcycle and hit by a UPS truck. Today he was extubated and is breathing on his own. A neck collar was was put on as a disk is bulged out. He will need surgery for his knee for sure, he is awake and asks for water and to ask what happened. Praise the Lord for those improvements!

Every time it seems like Seth is on the highest dose of something, it’s raised again. The ICP was of concern and given 2 bolus of 23% saline today. Precedex was discontinued as it didn’t seem to be doing anything. He’s been started on a 7 day antibiotic for bacterial pneumonia.

Seth’s on/been given so many things I wonder how his body can handle it all. I’ve always been amazed at how God created all of our parts to work together as one well-balanced system. Now I’m even more amazed of the extreme and delicate care that is made to manage medications, fluids, oxygen, temperature and stimuli to protect the organs.

11:07 pm Neurocritical team paged as PO2 is 16. Their primary concern is that ICP and CPP #’s stay within range.

11:31 pm ICP 19 CPP 66 HR 97 PO2 20 BP 143/66

Specific prayer tonight:

1) Having a bowel movement (when he wakes up and reads this, he’s going to be so embarrassed)

2) Better ICP and PO2 numbers

Here is a beautiful song sent by Anika, one of his best friends since preschool.

Pictures are of the little corner of his room that we are allowed to put things up.

-Darcy

There was a concern within the last couple of hours in which the ICP spiked up to 28 (needs to be less than 20) At the same time his arterial line (ART), a tube inserted into an artery to monitor blood pressure, needed to be replaced. They tried to go up on Versed which didn’t help so they gave him a bolus of 23% sodium saline solution which helped bring the level down. You are all learning medical terms with me!

In the process they increased the ventilator 100%.

2:01 pm Dropping Precedex levels since it doesn’t seem to be working but giving Oxycodone instead.

ICP 12 PO2 30 HR 93 BP 125/59 CPP 63

Our prayer board has more names on it now. Please add these people in your prayers as they are doors down from Seth. They have families who also weren’t expecting to be here and although each situation is different and requires different complicated medical treatment, they need the same prayers of comfort, strength, hope and miracles just like you are making for Seth and our family.

It’s crazy to think this is day 5 already.

Last night around 11pm, ICP went up and sedation was increased. One step forward yesterday, one step back today.

3 am – 4 people here to put him on lift sheets for the CT scan.

3:30 am – Seth didn’t like having the CT done. His ICP went up to 32 (bad) so sedation, Versed was given. ICP settled down.

CT is unchanged. Not better but not worse.

6:50 am – ICP 16 CCP 57 PB has been fluctuating 92/60 PO2 32 HR 84. Given electrolytes, lung still being suctioned.

7:32 am – Drs from neurosurgery came in. Since last nights spike in pressure, they need to change some things to avoid surgical intervention. This would include adding a paralytic to paralyze him which would give the brain complete rest for the swelling to come down. Fentanyl and Propofal are at it’s highest. It’s reiterated to limit stimulation so some of the neurological checks are on hold.

8:19 am Dr used ultrasound to look at the big vessel that goes to his heart. Xray looks like lungs are holding a lot of fluid. Because he’s on so many drips, the fluid has accumulated around the lung. They will give diuretic to help draw it out.

8:39 am PO2 ICP 15 CPP 61

8:40 am Dr from Neurocritical team came in, this is max swelling time but he is meeting benchmarks and no sign of seizures. It is touch and go for the next few days. The CT scan shows generalized swelling and no specific area of injury. There are a few teams of doctors that need to consult with each other on the plan of the day.

9:27 am Neurocritical team has decided to NOT do a paralytic. Mostly because it stays in the system a long time and can’t be adjusted quickly.

9:39 am An order was put in to switch Propofol to continuous Versed. Propofol is made out of fat so it’s not helping his triglyceride level.

10:10 am ICP 23 CPP 64 PO2 24 HR 92 Vent 60%

Attached are some pictures of what Seth is hooked up to and the monitor that we are getting numbers off of. There is also a picture of the chair that I recline when I stay overnight. I’ve received some wonderful messages this morning. Thank you to those that are asking how they can help, or bring desserts from a ladies tea, or giving me a song, prayer or thoughtful message for the day. Please know that if I don’t respond right away or forget to respond, I have seen your messages and appreciate you reaching out. You all help us stay positive and uplifted. I’d like to share one this morning from a friend.

Continued thoughts and prayers for you all. At church we were reminded by Pastor Jeff…1 John 4:16: So we know and rely on the love of God for us. His love is so different than our human love which is inconsistent. His love is reliable, his love is fierce, his love is perfect. We can rely on his fierce, perfect and reliable love for Seth.

Today was a positive day!

For those following his numbers: ICP 11 CPP 64 BP 112/63 HR 88 (yay!) PO2 15 (yay!) ventilator 60% (he was at 100% this morning and 40% is the goal)

They were able to decrease his sedation while his cranial pressures stayed within range. They were able to suction and turn him which he tolerated on the lower sedation.

His left chest tube was taken out and is doing well. He still has the right chest tube in. No fever so he seems to be responding to breathing treatments and antibiotics.

CT scan is tomorrow at 4 am (prayers needed from those that are early risers!) This will be the first CT scan since the morning he came in.

Some awesome acts of love today was a prayer circle at Crosswalk and a prayer vigil put on by the ladies at Emmanuel and Lamb of God Lutheran Churches. The picture below shows some of us watching the live stream in the hospital courtyard. Note the many handprints of well wishes from 24 Crosswalk kids! We love the personal artistry of them and they are hanging in his room right now. It was truly touching and we constantly feel the wave of love pouring over us.

We again had friends and family support us by visiting the hospital bringing food, gift cards and other generous gifts, fun activities, a super soft blanket, and a book of poems written by friend, Emma Indahl who actually works here at this hospital.

Today we ask everyone to pray for a few specific things.

1) ICP numbers to go down

2) Sodium levels to go down

3) PO2 numbers to go up

4) A much improved CT Scan!

Love you all!

PS, Pix attached of his meal today.

These are the numbers that Seth’s doctors wants him to hit. You can keep these in mind when you read the updates.

ICP (intercranial pressure): <20

CPP (cerebral perfusion pressure): 60-70

P02 (oxygen to brain): >20

Heart rate: 60-70 bpm

Sodium: 145-155

The Neuro ICU DR came in and did an ultrasound of his heart. It’s pumping good.

He was however concerned about the CPP being low. They sat him up which helped drain fluid and the CPP changed a bit. Seth is still in the holding phase but has a bad pneumonia. Plan of the day is to back off on sedation to see how his numbers go. Currently ICP:4 CPP:59 HR:130 PO2:4

Yesterday, moments of silence and prayers were made at a kickball tournament and wrestling banquet. The outpouring of love is tremendous and keeps us staying positive. I know all of your fervent prayers are being heard.

I slept for 7 hours in Seth’s room and when I woke up I found out he had a bath during the night, sheets changed, and neurosurgeon and other doctors came in to see him. The neuro critical team will do their rounds later and asses what the plan of the day is.

Sodium level is 155 and they’ve increased water flushes again. X-ray of lung show about the same as yesterday but very slightly better. Prelims show bacterial growth so a broad range antibiotic is being given and when the lab results come back conclusive they will adjust as necessary. Because he’s not moving, they started him on a prophylaxis to prevent blood clots. For those that are keeping close eyes on numbers like we are: ICP 19, CPP 60, PO2 6, BP 120/55 HR 129. He’s being given more potassium and magnesium and increased tube feedings. Pupil reactions are good.

Nurse practitioner, Ashley, says the good news is that the oxygenation status is better so they just decreased the ventilator from 100% to 90% and hope to taper it down more.

Ive already received a couple prayers this morning and hearing of more prayer chains he’s on. Please also pray for 2 other people whose families we’ve met here. Trey came in with TBI after his horse fell on him and Danita has major internal injuries after a motorcycle accident.

Boots were ordered to keep him from getting “foot drop”- basically to keep his foot in a flexed position to keep his muscles stretched.

Yesterday we were given a devotion book and a “Giving Bag” by my sister’s church’s women’s group. Attached is a fitting devotion from the day before about the hope we have in all of this.

We made it through day 3! The neuro doctor said that his ICP: Intracranial Pressure numbers (fluctuating today between 10-17) were most important and those have been within range (less than 20), so that is comforting. His heart rate is still high 134, PO2: Partial Pressure of Oxygen is 4 (needs to be greater than 20). There are a lot of other numbers on the monitors that I’m glad the nurses and doctors are watching over. Sodium level was 158 at 4pm and unchanged at 10 pm, which are of concern. Water flushes have been increased to try and draw out the increased sodium in the blood. Potassium levels are low, so he’s being given more. He has high triglycerides due to the increase in pain meds, so balancing all of the meds is complicated. Lab results from the lung will come within 48 hours. He’s given a nebulizer every 6 hours to help break up the mucus in his lungs.

For those that are health professionals, I give you much respect in knowing all of this. For me, I’m just in awe of how God made the body to work the way it does. So amazing!

We have been sent so many personal and reply messages with prayers, songs and devotions and are so thankful for each and every one. They really do lift our hearts even more to the Lord when our thoughts are filled with monitor numbers and waiting for the next good (or bad) update.

I also wanted to thank those that have stopped by to give us hugs, snacks, pictures of Seth, money and gift cards for food and other items to make our time a little easier here. His friend Anika even went to his apartment on campus to bring some of his favorite items and decor. It fills our hearts to receive these from those we know and not even know! Just wow!

The attached picture is of Seth’s phone that was found buried in the dirt at the scene of the accident (Thank you, Jeff and Sarah). He has an app on his phone that gives a Bible Verse of the Day and today’s verse is Ex 33:14: The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

What an awesome verse to end Day 3 with!

-Darcy

PS, For those that noticed Duo Lingo on the screen, his cousin Aubrey is maintaining his streak 🙂

This morning, the nurses told us that they would be performing a procedure to remove the fluid that has collected in his lungs.

The nurse updated us that Seth’s lungs were holding a lot of mucus. They removed what they could, and are submitting to the lab to see what it grows.

The procedure carries a risk that O2 would go down, which it did, and so they had to stop. His periphoral gas finger monitor went down to 77 (Target is above 92).

They were able to clear the larger passage ways but not the smaller passage ways. This means they weren’t able to clear the parts that would make the most impact.

They are giving him Mucinex for him to break it up/cough up.

Please remember that Day 3 is critical for brain swelling, and we continue to ask for prayers. Visitation is still limited to family only.