Day 25 - We are going home today!

Monday, 5/27/13 at 9:45 am (Day 25)

We are going home today!!! Samuel just passed his physical therapy test so they are signing off on his release now. They are getting him a different walker. The doctor just pulled his feeding tube. He ate all his breakfast. They still have some IV lines to pull and then we should be set to head home! He is so exhausted that he is sleeping sitting up in his chair. He looks so different. He has a full beard from spending the last 25 days here. He is very thin, but is so happy to be going home! Jacob will be here to pick us up soon. God is good!!!!

Day 24 - We have a plan to go home! :)

Saturday, 5/26/13 at 4:20 pm

I put the spinal brace on Samuel and he ate all of his lunch.  Physical therapy came by and we worked with Samuel for about an hour.  She asked if he had been doing his exercises in bed.  He has not been doing them because no one had ever talked to him about doing exercises.  We took him for a walk of about maybe 40 feet and then back to his room.  He sat in a chair for a couple of hours.  Then he said his pelvis was hurting from the brace, so we put him back in the bed and removed the brace.   They came by and did another x-ray of his abdomen to see if there were any changes from yesterday.   There still is one area that they are concerned about, but we aren’t going to do anything about it now.  Dr. Kozar came by and explained what she thinks is going on.  All of his counts are within the normal range again, Praise the Lord!  I asked Dr. Kozar if we can PLEASE just go home.  She said that she knows how to reach me and I know how to reach her (we exchanged cell phone numbers) so she doesn’t see why that would not be possible.   They are doing another dye test on Samuel tonight.  He will have to drink some contrast and they will take pictures every four hours and then they are releasing Samuel to go home tomorrow morning!!!!  I am so excited!   They went over everything with me.  I really think Samuel will gain his strength much quicker at home.  We spend so much time sitting and waiting here.  I will need to have another adult at home to help me, but with our large crew of mostly grown kiddos now, that should not be a problem at all.  Samuel is ready to go home.  It will take more than a year for him to recover from this, but every month will get him a little closer.  His goal will be to not have additional setbacks and to get strong enough to have more surgeries in November or December.   This has been a long road and he has come a long way, but has a lot ahead of him.  All the doctors say it’s a miracle he is alive.  The Lord definitely has a plan for Samuel.  I can’t wait to see what that is.  Blessings!

Sunday, Day 24

Sunday, 5/26/13 at 12:30 pm

Day 24 - I am so tired of being here. I want to be home with my family. Nothing more has happened here. They still aren't sure what is going on with Samuel. His whole body is such a mess and sometimes it seems like things are working right and sometimes it doesn't. Today one of his drains is not working properly. He has slept the whole day which is probably best. PT still has not come by yet. He isn't in his spine brace yet. I am going to put him in it myself so he can eat sitting up. It is very frustrating. Please pray for strength and patience for both of us.

Samuel Update (Day 23)

Saturday, 5/25/13 at 4:30 pm

Samuel came back from surgery at about 3:15 pm. He is tired and is sleeping again. He missed PT coming by....maybe tomorrow. They have been teaching me how to do everything. It's a lot to learn. One of the trauma doctors came by to remove one of the drains, but he wasn't back yet. She said she will be back later today. Even though we've had a setback, I would count today as a day of progress. Thanks for praying!

A little setback.....

Saturday, 5/25/13 at 2:00 pm

I thought raising teenagers was filled with ups and downs.....
Samuel is now back in surgery having a procedure done. They are putting a new tube into his right kidney because it hasn't been draining properly. He ate a whole hamburger right before they walked in and said he needed to be NPO for surgery. Apparently they came up with a different plan because they still came to get him even though he had eaten lunch. We are really hoping this won't set him back much and that we can stick to the plan of going home sometime soon.

Saturday at 11:45 am

Saturday, 5/25/13 at 11:45 am

Dr. Kozar came by to see Samuel. She's the best! We have been waiting all morning to get someone to help him into the spine brace. When Dr. Kozar saw that he was having to eat laying down, she got a little upset. Physical therapy told us that they wouldn't be by for three days because of the holiday. Dr. Kozar said that can't happen because he needs to be building strength each day. It has been kind of frustrating on the 6th floor because things just don't get taken care of like they did before. He has so many drains and they have to be emptied often to work properly. The good news is that Dr. Kozar said that she is going to push PT and try to get us home!!! She said she thinks he will do much better at home. That's the best news we've heard in a long time!!!! They are sending someone up here to start teaching me how to use the feeding tube and work all the equipment. Dr. Kozar said we are going to aim for Monday if PT can do their part. She is having an x-ray done of his tummy first because it looks really swollen and tight today. Please pray for a day of nothing but good news! I really think Samuel will do well at home.

Saturday Morning - Day 23

Saturday, 5/26/13 at 7:45 am (Day 23)

Samuel is still in Jones-6 and is sleeping now. We aren't quite sure what's going on, but the nurse told the doctors and they said it is just part of the process and we shouldn't be alarmed. They said the doctor would be by to explain more during the night, but he never came. I'm sure someone will be by today. Samuel also had a high heart rate all night, in the 120's. His pain is controlled well and he seems fairly comfortable.

Friday Evening (Day 22)

Friday, 5/24/13 at 7:45 pm (Day 22)

Samuel is having some complications and they are calling the trauma team for some answers. It is nice to have stepped down from ICU, but when things don't go quite right, it takes forever to get some answers. Please keep Samuel in your prayers. It looks like he's having another step backwards, but we are praying it is just a minor setback and that they will not have to take him back to STICU or the operating room.

Samuel Update - Day 22

Friday, 2/24/13 at 1:00 pm

Samuel was moved to the Jones Pavilion on the 6th floor, room 51. Hopefully this is where he will remain until he gets to leave the hospital. He is having a good day. He ate breakfast and lunch. We are waiting for physical therapy to come by and help him into his spine brace and hopefully try to walk a little. I am really glad that he is out of the ICU unit, especially since it's Memorial Day weekend. I'm sure it will be very busy this weekend. Thank you to everyone who has kept Samuel and our family covered in prayer.

Thursday, 5/23/13 @ 12:30 pm

Thursday, 5/23/13 @ 12:30 pm

Samuel is doing well today. Every day seems to bring a little progress right now. He looks good and he actually smiles some. The nights are kind of loud in SIMU and about the time he falls asleep, it is time for the nurse to check his vitals or prick his finger for a blood sugar test. They do the blood test every four hours. Naomi is spending the day with him. I am home with the little kids for the day. God's Blessings.

Day 20

Wednesday, 5/22/13 @ 7:30 (Day 20)

Samuel continues to do well. He sat in the chair for a long time. Intermediate ICU takes a bit of an adjustment. The nurses are still learning what all is required in caring for Samuel. The Physical Therapy team came and explained that his spinal brace was put on wrong and showed the nurses how to do it right. He is so thin now, but today he was able to eat two small bowls of broth at lunch. It made him smile. Tomorrow he may get to try creamy liquids if he handles the clear liquids well tonight. He has an infection in his abdomen, but it is being treated with IV antibiotics. Tomorrow the PT team will try to help him walk around his bed with the walker. He gets very dizzy sitting up and it will take some time to build his strength to walk again.

When I spoke to the social worker today, I expressed to her that I really didn't want to put him in a nursing home environment because I am worried that the atmosphere would crush what fight he still has in him. She understood my concerns and said that we would work on a plan to try to work towards bringing him home with PT and nurses coming to the house. She said that is what she would want for her son. It sounds like we are a ways from going home, but I have peace about that being the plan for Samuel. I am sure we will have our hands full, but at least we would be at home. Blessings!

Wednesday, 5/22/13 at 6:00 am (Day 20)

Wednesday, 5/22/13 at 6:00 am (Day 20)

During the night they moved Samuel to SIMU (Intermediate ICU).  He is now in bed 25.  They told me that they really didn’t want to move him to SIMU because it is loud and not really the best place for him, but last night they got three new STICU patients in and they needed to move three out of STICU to make room for them.   I am hoping they will move him to Jones Pavilion – 6^th Floor, which is the trauma floor.   They still haven’t removed his central line, but I’m sure it will be removed soon because it has to be removed or replaced every seven days and today is day 7. 

I put a call into the social worker yesterday, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to her yet.  I have some questions about what options we have when it is time for Samuel to leave the hospital.  I know we are a long way from that point, but I want to have somewhat of a plan.  Yesterday they told me that Samuel will not be allowed to go straight home.  He will need to go to rehab or some sort of skilled nursing facility when that time comes.  Samuel has a sound mind and no brain trauma (Praise God), so he is not eligible to go to TIRR, which is where most of the patients here go.  This is all unfamiliar ground for us, so we are not even aware of what is available in Brenham or the surrounding area.  I’m sure the social worker will have some answers for us.  I really wish we could avoid this, but it sounds like he is just too weak.  They said that once he is able to move around, he will start intense physical therapy here at the hospital.  A week ago, he was very critical and not doing well at all, so today I am so very thankful that we are even discussing plans for when he is able to leave the hospital.  Thank you Jesus for the progress we are seeing.  God is good!    

Tuesday, 5/21/13 at 3:00 pm (Day 19 in STICU)

Tuesday, 5/21/13 at 3:00 pm   (Day 19 in STICU)

Samuel is having a really good day.  He wore his brace for the first time since his last two surgeries.  We basically just padded out all the tubes and then strapped it tight to his body.  It takes 2-3 people to get him into the brace.  He had a goal of being able to tolerate sitting in the neuro-chair for 1-2 hours, but he sat in it for almost 4 hours.   He tolerated the ice chips and they even gave him a little bit of apple juice.  He was so happy to have something to drink.  He was kind of worried about being unable to speak, but the doctors came and explained to him that it is due to the tubes being placed through his vocal cords when he was intubated four times.  They said he will get his voice back as all that begins to heal.   They took his NG tube out.  They are going to start two more IVs in his arms so they can use them when they pull his central line today.  I am really proud of the progress Samuel is making today.  While he was in his chair today, he started writing his speech for the Autobahn Show.  He hasn’t read much more in his book because he said it was making him really dizzy when he was lying on his back.  I think sitting in the chair is really helping his frame of mind.   He is sleeping now.  I am sure he is pretty worn out.  Slow and steady progress today!  What an answer to prayer!

Tuesday, 5/21/13 at 8:45 am (Day 19 in STICU)

Tuesday, 5/21/13 at 8:45 am (Day 19 in STICU)

Samuel was the first one when the doctors rounded today.  He remains steady and is making some progress.  His phosphorus and hemoglobin levels are a little low, but they are treating him for that.  His spinal brace has arrived and we will be putting him in it in a few minutes.  He is ready!  He will remain on TPN lipids for the rest of the day and then they will discontinue it pull his central line. 

At some point today, they are going to let him have some ice chips by mouth.  I’m sure he is super happy about that.  It has been 19 days since he has eaten anything.   Ice chips are the first step towards getting real food.  When Samuel’s youth group did a 30 hour famine last month, we talked about how we entertain ourselves with food.  Fasting for 30 hours was so hard because almost everything we do involves food.  I think that has been even more obvious watching TV.  I feel so bad for him when all the commercials for restaurants come on, and almost every intermission has food advertisements.  If Samuel meets his milestones, they are talking about stepping him down to the Intermediate ICU and then eventually moving him out of ICU. 

My heart aches this morning for victims and families in Moore, Oklahoma and other areas affected by the tornados.  I can’t imagine how devastated those families must be.  Those communities need our prayers as it will take a lot of strength to pull through such a catastrophe.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Monday, 5/20/13 at 10:10 pm

Monday, 5/20/13 at 10:10 pm

Samuel had a quiet day.  The spinal team never showed up with the new brace.  He is asking for it because he is tired of being flat on his back.  He has lost a lot of muscle tone in the last few days and his arms and legs are pretty boney now.  He is half way through his book, which is encouraging.  He said it’s a great book.  No new tubes and no less tubes today.  I am fine with just holding steady where he is.  It is much better than stepping back!  They are changing his bandages now and then he is having another x-ray of his lungs.  They do x-rays every night to make sure the pneumonia is not coming back or getting any worse. 

Today the kids were telling me how so many people have brought dinner to them.  Thank you to our friends who have done that.  I had to laugh when I thought about how many times people have asked me, “How do you cook for such a big family?”  Well, now you’ve got to experience it yourself!  It’s not as hard as it seems.  In our household, Jay loves to cook, so he enjoys cooking the evening meal for our big family. 

Each day we don’t have setback is a day we are still heading in the right direction.  Jay worked today and we are going to try to find somewhat of a routine again.  I know Jay felt bad because every time he went back to work, Samuel has had a setback.  I think Samuel is on the right track again though and we have to take care of the rest of our family.  We are trusting in the Lord that Samuel will pull through this and make a full recovery.  Blessings!

Monday - Day 18 in STICU

Monday, 5/20/13 @ 12:30 pm (Day 18)

There has really not been any significant changes with Samuel in the last 24 hours. He is still in Shock-Trauma ICU. There was a little problem with one kidney not draining, but they have that worked out now. We had a little scare yesterday when his NG tube started putting out blood again, but it turned out to be just an irritated area on the side of the stomach wall. He is sleeping a lot today. When they come with the new spinal brace, they are planning to try to get him more upright again. He is slowly making improvements. Praise God!

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday, 5/19/13 at 2:30 pm (Day 17)

Samuel is having a good day. He is a lot more alert than he has been. He is still on oxygen and being fed through TPN lipids. He tries to talk more today, but it is more like a whisper from being intubated for the majority of the time during the last 17 days. He told me that Julie Pack came to see him and they talked about vet school. I brought him a book called "Unstoppable" by Nick Vujicic. He said, "Awesome, I can't wait to read it," when I pulled it out of the bag. Samuel had posted a video that was about Nick Vujicic a while back. The nurse told me the spinal team probably won't bring the new brace until tomorrow. I think Samuel wants to get off his back for a while. They changed his bandages when I was in the room. The wounds look clean and seem to be healing. Bobby just came out of STICU from seeing his brother. He said that when he walked past Samuel's room, he saw him reading the book.

Blessed!!!

Sunday, 5/19/13 @ 12:30 am (Day 17)

Samuel had a pretty good day considering where he is. He slept most of the day. Nothing really changed, no new tubes and no less tubes. They did cut back on his pain meds though, which is a sign he is improving. He has lost a lot of weight and he was skinny before the accident. Nutrition is going to become more of a focus when his insides are functioning better. He is still on the TPN lipids in his central line and has a feeding tube past his stomach. Today, Jay and I opened cards with him. Thank you to everyone who sent one. We hung them in his room so he could enjoy them when he was feeling a little better.

This evening, Melissa, Naomi, Julia and Sarah came and sat with Samuel and in the waiting room while we took Joshua and our three youngest (Gabriella, Sophia, and Caleb) for a walk to the zoo. It is so nice that it is so close. It gives the babies a place to run and play without the constraints of a hospital waiting room. After we got back, we had dinner in the cafeteria and then told Melissa and the kiddos good-bye. Gabriella had a very hard time with it and kept crying, "Mommy, please come home with us." It was heart-breaking. After a little discussion we came up with a plan for tonight...Julia and Sarah stayed the night at the hospital and we went to our little hotel room 3 miles away and took Gabriella with us for the night. I wish we could have taken them all, but I don't think Sophia or Caleb could handle sitting in the waiting room tomorrow. I sure have enjoyed all the hugs and kisses I got tonight.

Melissa has been wonderful and has gone way out of her way to be there for our family, even taking time away from her own family so that we could see our other children. Don't know what we would do without her.

Tonight I am snuggled up with a precious three year old sleeping beside me. She fell asleep singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." God is good!!

Saturday, 5/18/13 @ 10:00 am (Day 16)

Saturday, 5/18/13 @ 10:00 am (Day 16)

It is day 16 for Samuel in Shock-Trauma ICU.  Today we were unable to see him for a while because they had some procedures to complete this morning.  He passed his breathing test and has been taken off the ventilator again.  He is now wearing an oxygen mask.  He was a little more alert today than yesterday, but they are keeping him pretty sedated to help control his pain.  He has been very quiet the last few days.  His eyes seem so full of questions, but he is not really talking or writing.  He looks worried.  We’ve tried to explain things to him and we’ve asked him several times if he understands. 

Yesterday, the spine team came and picked up his brace.  They are going to try to adapt it and make changes that will allow them to put him in the brace even with all his new tubes.  He must be wearing the brace in order to sit up more than 30 degrees in the bed.  

Today, some of the younger kids will be riding in the Washington County Wrangler Rodeo.  They have really been looking forward to this and it will be good for them to get out and have some fun.  Hannah, Nathaniel and Lydia will be looking out for all the little ones.  This evening, Melissa, Naomi and Julia are bringing the babies to the hospital.  Melissa and the girls may stay here with Samuel and Jay and I may take the babies for a walk in Hermann Park.  We are really looking forward to seeing them.

Address

Below is the address where cards can be sent to Samuel. No flowers or balloon etc. are allowed in Shock-Trauma ICU.

Memorial Hermann Hospital
Texas Medical Center
Samuel Faske
3rd Floor - Shock/Trauma ICU, Bed 1
6411 Fannin Street
Houston, Texas 77030

Friday, 5/17/13 @ 2:20 pm (Day 15)

Friday, 5/17/13 @ 2:20 pm (Day 15)

Samuel is awake and resting comfortably.  They are turning down his pain meds to try to get him more alert so he can start working on the breathing treatments so he can get off the ventilator again.  John and Will Babler came by to visit and see Samuel.  Bill Stell from Chapelwood came by today too.  Samuel seems to be having a good day for the most part. 

Jay ran into one of the paramedics that flew with Samuel on life flight to Hermann Hospital.  He told Jay what a miracle it was that Samuel was here and fighting.  He told Jay that Samuel crashed on them in route to the hospital.  Praise God they were able to stabilize him and get him into surgery.

The waiting room is very emotional right now and it is hard to keep yourself from falling apart, especially when you remember exactly how low you felt when in the same place as some of the other families.  I just have to keep reminding myself of how far God has brought Samuel.  We have a long road ahead of us, but we aren’t starting at square one.  He is not in a ditch.  He is not in need of blood.  He is not in severe pain.  He is not hypothermic.  He does not have kidney failure.  He IS at the best level 1 trauma hospital in the nation and has thousands of people praying for him.  We have so much to be thankful for.     

Friday, 5/17/13 @ 9:20 am (Day 15)

Friday, 5/17/13 @ 9:20 am (Day 15)

Samuel is still in the operating room, but the surgery is complete.  Dr. Kozar said she was not able to close his muscles because he was way too swollen and it didn’t look like it was even close to being possible.  She decided to close the skin and leave the muscles open.  This will give him some protection from bacteria and forming another fistula.  They will try to fix the abdominal hernia in about six months or so when he has additional surgeries.  So, here’s what we need to be praying for:  pain control, that his body heals quickly, that there are no more setbacks.  Praising God for another day and for bringing Samuel safely through another surgery.

Friday, 5/17/13 @ 7:20 am (Day 15)

Friday, 5/17/13 @ 7:20 am (Day 15)

Samuel is headed back to the operating room for his sixth surgery in 15 days.   He was awake, but comfortable.  He looks tired, but I’m sure a part of that is the medication he is on.  They have him pretty dopey right now.  I went back to see him around 1:00 am and he was sleeping peacefully.  I’m sure this rest will do him some good.  Dr. Kozar leaves today for her son’s college graduation, but she is doing Samuel’s surgery before she leaves.  She’s the best!!! 

I am really missing our babies today.  I can’t believe that I passed on an upcoming business trip with Jay because I didn’t think I could be away from them for four days.  Now I have only seen them twice in 15 days.  I miss their smiles and hugs!!!  Once Samuel is back on the right track, I am thinking of going home for a few hours and having one of the older girls stay with Samuel.  It might not be until next week though.  Jay just told me that Melissa may be bringing them up here on Saturday afternoon.

We will post an update on Samuel when we know more.  Praying for peace, complete healing, and for God to guide the hands of the doctors, in Jesus’ name.

Thursday, 5/16/13 @ 8:20 pm (Day 14)

Thursday, 5/16/13 @ 8:20 pm (Day 14)

 Samuel remains in STICU and has slept almost the entire day. The pain medications are definitely working and he seems to be resting peacefully. He is scheduled for surgery at 7:30 am. It will be his sixth major surgery in a fifteen day period. Dr. Kozar came to talk to us this evening and said that she did not think it would be possible to close the muscles... of Samuel’s abdomen tomorrow because he was still so swollen. Another surgeon came to get consent to place the feeding tube beyond his stomach again because it had worked its way back into his stomach. Due to his gastric ulcer that was bleeding so badly, he will not be able to be fed into his stomach until it has time to heal. He is still on TPN lipids through his central line to help support his nutrition. Placing the feeding tube will help also. It has been a quiet day for the most part. We enjoyed Antone’s sandwiches that Joe Assad brought by and a great visit with our pastor and his wife, Phil and Leslie Hassell. We are praying that tomorrow is a day filled with positive news and that it is a peaceful day blessed with healing.

PS – Please pray for Bobby’s brother, Ed. Also for a young man named Andrew who had an accident very similar to the one Samuel had. Pray for Carlos (15), who was life flighted with his brother after a car accident just a few days after we arrived. He’s from Hempstead and his 21 year old brother was able to go home, but he remains in STICU. This is our waiting room family and we lift each other up in prayer.

Thursday, 5/16/13 @ 10:45 am (Day 14)

Thursday, 5/16/13 @ 10:45 am (Day 14)

Samuel is sleeping. They are keeping him heavily sedated today to help control his pain and allow him to be well rested before his surgery tomorrow. He looks so tired. I think the ordeal he went through yesterday morning has really worn him out. I am really glad they are just letting him sleep today. His tummy is still putting out a lot of blood, but i...t looks like old blood and his hemoglobin levels have come back to being closer to normal. I feel so bad for him. He’s had to go through so much. I can’t say I would have the will to fight anymore, but he is obviously stronger than I am. I am learning that I have to trust even what I do not understand. Every time Samuel seems to be making such huge strides in progress, he seems to step back about five steps. Today, we are moving forward again and pressing on. Praise the Lord that Samuel is here today and is still fighting.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” --- Proverbs 3:5

Thursday, 5/16/13 @ 9:30 am

Thursday, 5/16/13 @ 9:30 am

We saw Samuel for a short time last night. They are trying to keep him calm and quiet. He is experiencing a lot of pain, mostly in his back where they put the tubes into his kidneys. I'm sure it will take him a few days to adjust to that. His abdomen remains open and has the wound vac. Today will be a day to rest and prepare for more surgery tomorrow. I will write more after we see him this morning. Thanks for praying for him.

Wednesday Evening @ 6:45 pm

Wednesday, 5/15/13 @ 6:45 pm (Day 13)

Samuel is out of surgery, but he is not back in STICU yet and the doctors have not spoken to us about how he is doing.   He was transferred to a different part of the hospital for the third phase of the surgery.  The trauma team will be taking him back to the operating room on Friday.  He is open again, and they will attempt to close the muscle part of his abdomen on Friday after they finish their other procedures.  I am anxious to see him.  This morning he seemed so weak and was actually asking them to put him to sleep for surgery so that he didn’t hurt anymore.  All of the new internal bleeding is going to change the process they were using to help him stay on the right track.  Please continue to pray for him. 

Two Phases of the Surgery Completed 5/15/13 @ 3:45 pm

Wednesday, 5/15/13 @ 3:45 pm (Day 13)

Dr. Kozar just came out and shared that Samuel has made it through the first two phases of his surgery today.  Before she went in this morning, she consulted with Dr. Red Duke to make sure she was thinking right in totally avoiding any surgery on the source of the leakage.  They both agreed that it would be too risky to work on that area a fifth time in 13 days.  They were able to make a diversion to minimize the amount of fluids and give that area the best chance at healing on its own.  When they looked at the area in his stomach that was bleeding, they saw a large clot that may have been either a vein or an ulcer, but they were able to clamp it closed.  That seemed to have brought his hemoglobin levels back closer to normal during the remainder of the surgery, which is an indication that they probably took care of the source of the bleeding.  Now they are working on the third phase of the surgery, putting those tubes into the kidneys.  God is in control in both the peaks and valleys.  When on a peak, it seems like you are so high that you can reach the sky, but when in a valley it seems so low.  The Great Physician is at work and He has given us an incredible team of doctors.  Praise God!!!

Back to the Operating Room - 5/15/13 @ 12:30 pm (Day 13)

Wednesday, 5/15/13 @ 12:30 pm (Day 13)

Samuel went back to surgery at noon today.  His CT scan showed which areas are leaking and that his stomach was filled with blood clots.  He has been receiving two shots in his stomach each day to keep his blood from clotting, but now that has to be discontinued due to his internal bleeding.  The NG tube is draining a large amount of blood and he has been throwing up large blood clots all morning.  He is a very sick young man and he is in very critical condition again.  He is actually having three different surgeries while in the operating room this morning.  The first will be to create a diversion of the intestines.  They do not feel it is safe to go back and try to repair the areas that keep reopening.  The second surgery will be to deal with the bleeding in his stomach.  They will do an endoscopy to identify the problem.  They are thinking it may be the lining of the stomach is bleeding due to severe stress, but they said that would be very rare with today’s medicine.  They also suspect an ulcer with a large vein in his stomach.  If that is the case, they will open his stomach up and try to repair it while he is still in the operating room.  The third procedure is that they will be doing a bilateral peruetaneous nephrortomies, which is basically placing these tiny tubes in his back to drain his kidneys so they can divert as much from his bladder as possible.  Samuel needs our prayers.  I am confident that God is not done with him and I refuse to believe that He would bring him this far and not pull him through this.  Praying for complete healing. 

I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.  Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath.     --- Psalm 116: 1-2

 

Another Update 5/15/13 @ 10:45 am (Day 13)

Wednesday, 5/15/13 @ 10:45 am (Day 13)

I’m not really even sure how to say what I need to say today.  Samuel has taken a swift turn for the worst.  His intestines and bladder are leaking into this abdomen and his stomach has filled with blood.  Thankfully, God gave us Dr. Kozar to do his surgery today.  She is the same doctor he had when he got off of life flight and the same one who took me to sleep in the trauma doctors sleeping room.  She has a heart of compassion and I can see in her eyes that she hurts that Samuel is back at this point again.  She explained that they have already given Samuel more blood this morning.  She said that this is a very dangerous surgery when doing it the first time and that this will be the fifth time they have been in his abdomen in 13 days.  She said that this is the worst time to have to open him back up because all the little adhesions are starting to heal and there is a tremendous amount of blood flow in that area at this point.  She said she is going to do her very best, but she cannot make us any promises and does not want to give us any false hope. 

Three Steps Back... 5/15/13 @ 5:45 am

Wednesday 5/15/13@ 5:45 am

Samuel is not doing well at all right now. His heart rate is in the 160 range and his breathing is very shallow, even on the oxygen. He is in a lot of pain, mainly in his left shoulder and chest. They think it is diverted pain from what is going on in his abdomen. They have asked me to leave the STICU until they have him stable and all the tubes are put back in. Once that is done, he will have another CT scan and then they will take him to surgery when they know what the problem is. He is now in STICU Bed 1. Praying!!!

It's a Roller Coaster Ride - Wednesday, 5/15/13 @ 2:45 am

Wednesday, 5/15/13 @ 2:45 am

This is an update I was hoping to never have to make again.  As quickly as it seems Samuel can make steps forward, he can take a wrong turn just as fast.  We need everyone praying again because he is back in a dangerous situation.  His abdomen is leaking again and his heart rate is high and breathing is very weak tonight.  They have just called the trauma doctors to come take a look at his tummy.  It looks like we will be heading back to the operating room again.  We are having an exact repeat of last Wednesday.  I feel so discouraged, but I know Samuel is in God’s Hands.

God is at work!!! Tuesday, 5/14/13 @ 4:45 pm

Tuesday, 5/14/13 @ 4:45 pm

Wow….wow!!!  What a day!!!  It is almost funny to think of what a whirlwind we’ve been on today.   Basically, you can take out every time the doctors and nurses said, “a few days” and plug in “a few hours” and then we are working in God’s speed!  Less than an hour before this, I was talking with a pastor from Chapel Wood that visits us every couple of days.  He was here last Friday when Samuel was heading back to surgery again.  We had explained what all had went wrong and what that meant for Samuel long term.  We prayed together as usual.  Today he came to see how Samuel was accepting things and how he was feeling.  When he asked me about all the procedures and I told him they didn’t do most of that after all, I thought he was going to fall over.  Last week he was here when the doctors were telling us that these procedures were his only option.  It hit me at that moment what all God had done to spare Samuel a lot of heartache and set him back on the right path to recovery.  That was a miracle in itself and no one has really ever been able to explain exactly what changed in that surgery process, but we know our Lord was at work.  

 While I was talking with Bill from Chapel Wood, Julia and TD Casey stopped by.  Then Chris Phillips came to see Samuel too.  While we were visiting, the receptionist came to tell us that they are requesting that Samuel’s mom come to the back.  My heart skipped a beat and I must have looked terrified.  She quickly  explained, “They are moving Samuel to a new room.”  The four of us were so happy, I think we screamed and jumped for joy!  Then I looked around and felt guilty seeing all the faces of those who are new to STICU and still in that critical place we were at just days ago.   I told our friends to wait for me because we were just moving to SIMU (Intermediate ICU) and it was basically just moving us to a different pod just down the hall from STICU.  You can’t imagine how shocked I was when the team of nurses said he was headed to the floor instead of SIMU.   I went with Samuel upstairs with the biggest smile on my face!!!  I’m sure everyone was thinking, “Why is that lady so happy?  This is a hospital!”  They have no idea that we’ve spent almost two weeks here in STICU and just a few days ago we weren’t sure he would even pull through this…..but God had a BIGGER plan!

Chris, Julia, TD and I packed up everything in our little “nest” in the waiting room and we headed back up to Samuel’s new room.  A few wrong turns, but we made it!  Samuel is tired now and he is sleeping.  I think he is worn out from the move.  Tonight I get to sleep in a chair that converts into a bed in a private room with just Samuel.  I can hardly wait to hear this kiddos testimony!  Surely God has something amazing planned for him.  Thank you for lifting him and our family in prayer.  God is at work!

PS – Bobby’s brother (my dear prayer partner in the STICU waiting room) was also moved to SIMU today and Lani’s husband, Clyde, was discharged to TEAR Rehab after more than a month here.  We all have so much to be thankful for!!!  It was a day of healing miracles and many praises!!!  All three of the longest term patients in STICU/SIMU were moved out.  Amazing day!  Trusting in Jesus!

It's Been an Amazing Day

What an amazing day!!!! We are skipping SIMU and going straight to a room. We are headed to 639!!!!! God is sooooooo GOOD!!!!

A little bit of good news! :) 5/14/13 @ 11:00 am

Tuesday, 5/14/13 @ 11:00 am

We have some good news!  Today when the trauma team came by to see Samuel, they said he was starting to look too good to remain in Shock-Trauma ICU!!!  He has a lot of thing that have to happen before they will move him, so they said it probably won’t be today, but soon.  They are going to continue his TPN lipids until tonight and then they will remove his central line.  They already removed two of his IVs this morning.  They are going to start cutting back his oxygen today.   He is making a lot of progress, praise the Lord!!!  He is even starting to get a little testy when you ask him questions.  They tell me that is a good sign…men get cranky and women have a Revlon recovery and start caring what they look like.  So, it sounds like we are on track.

The social worker said she would come by last week to talk about what we would be looking at long term.  That was the day Samuel went back to surgery, so she never came back to talk to me.  I am not sure how all this works, but it doesn’t sound like he will leave the hospital and come straight home.   They said it will take a lot of therapy and rehab to get him strong and healthy again.  The physical therapy team already works with him each day, but it is mainly moving his legs in the bed and helping him use the walker to transfer from the bed to a chair.  They are also the people who put him in the spine brace each day. 

X-ray took pictures of his leg today to put him in a real cast now that the swelling is going down.  As long as nothing has shifted, he won’t need any surgery on his leg.  It’s not even noon yet and we have already received a lot of good news today.  God is answering our prayers and we are so thankful He has!  Blessings!

Early Tuesday Morning, 5/14/13 @ 1:10 am

Early Tuesday 5/14/13 @ 1:10am

Another loud scary night in the shock-trauma ICU. The crowds that come for stabbing and shooting patients can be pretty frightening at times. Everyone thanks me for the updates, but sometimes it's the journaling that is what keeps me somewhat sane here. At times I feel like a homeless person trying to protect my cart.....only it's my chair and foot stool! Bobby a...nd us are the only two families who sleep here that have been here this long now. There is one other lady, Lonnie, whose husband has been here for a month. Most of the families come and go....some are moved to a room and some don't make it. There's only chairs to sleep in and a few foot stools. Sometimes the people here turn their music up loud at night, get into arguments and scream profanity at each other. Sometimes I think the security guards are even scared of them. It's is really a sad and scary place to be at some nights.

Samuel seems to be having a good night though! He is sleeping fairly well and his pain seems managed better than usual. Today I ventured out and asked how long it usually takes someone at this point to get to go home IF nothing else goes wrong. They told me about ten days, but it can vary. I know to go home we need a lot less tubes, so lets pray that we can start getting rid of some of the tubes. I counted them today and with the six IV lines, NG tube, feeding tube and all, he has 12 tubes still. We will need do lose most of those to go home.

Hopefully losing a few more tubes will get him out of STICU and into SIMU (Intermediate ICU). When that happens, one of us can sleep in the room with him, but we have to sleep in plastic gloves and a plastic gown. That should be fun when you are claustrophobic! Getting sleepy now. Good night!

Monday Evening, 5/13/13 at 4:55 pm

Monday, 5/13/13 @ 4:55 pm
I’ve spent most of the day in Samuel’s room. We washed him, clipped his nails and learned how to get him in the spine brace. It is very important that his back does not arch at all. We have to sort of roll him to one side, place the brace under his back and gently roll him back into the back of the brace. Then we put the front half of the brace on. He also has a bin...der to help support the muscles in his abdomen. His incision is about 14 inches long so any movement is really painful for him. They said that typically they encourage patients who have a broken back to use their abdomen and legs to help support them when they are trying to move him, but in Samuel’s case his abdomen is in bad shape and he has a broken leg.

Today has been a tough day for him emotionally. They explained that he will need to be in a wheelchair or walker (to get to his chair) for eight to twelve weeks. Immediately his mind turned to the upcoming Autobahn show which was his last time to show. He asked me if he could show with just the walker. I told him that it was too big of a risk and that it would be irresponsible of us or anyone else to allow that. He broke down and started telling me that Joker would stand perfect and would never do anything to cause him to fall. I told him that it didn’t matter and that it wasn’t even a possibility. In some ways it is good that he is thinking about all that he wants to do, but in other ways it is really making him feel down. We talked about what a miracle it was that we were having this conversation after 11 days in shock-trauma ICU and what a blessing it was that they were saying the word, “When you go home.” He agreed, but brought up the subject of showing his steer a few more times. He is very emotional when he talks about this. It is hard to see your baby hurting. I am praising God though, that we can even have this conversation!

We also talked about not being able to return to college in the fall. He will need a lot of surgery and it will take about six months for his body to heal enough to have that surgery. Samuel wants to be a large animal veterinarian and he only needs a few more classes to get his Associate’s Degree and transfer to Texas A&M University. We discussed maybe taking some online classes as an alternative. I am not sure how all that works, but I am hoping it is something he can work around his surgeries or do in advance so he can stay caught up. Sarah said she will find out more about what classes are available and how it works at Blinn College. After 11 days here, it is amazing that we are even talking about school! God is good!!!

Monday, 5/13/13 @ 10:45 am (Day 11 in STICU)

Monday, 5/13/13 @ 10:45 am (Day 11 in STICU)

I had a much needed Mother’s Day break from the hospital for a few hours yesterday.  Steven Zunker and Louis Christa came and sat with Samuel while my family and I walked to the zoo.  It was great to spend a little time with the babies and all the other kids.  They had a lot of fun and I think the big kids enjoyed it just as much as the younger ones.  Caleb has grown so much in ten days that he doesn’t fit in any of his clothes or shoes anymore.  He’s also walking at more of a “running” pace!  They told me he is really hard to keep up with at home now because he is into everything!  Miriam Grace and Joy really wanted to see Samuel, but they can’t because all visitors must be 14 or older.  I think that will change when he is out of ICU and in a regular room.

Samuel had a good night.  Yesterday evening they removed him from the ventilator and he is now just on oxygen.  He is very happy about being off the vent.   Today they will be making some changes to his spinal brace and adding a piece to it.  The ortho doctors came by and said they will be casting his leg in the hard cast when we get closer to discharge.  His tummy looks much better.  The wound is only about an inch wide and it has the wound vac in it, which will really help it to heal quickly.  He looks really good today.  I am hoping that they will move him to SIMU (Intermediate ICU) sometime soon.  He seems to really be making some progress again.  Thank you to everyone who continues to lift Samuel up in prayer. 

Mother's Day - Day 10 in STICU @ 9:45 am

Sunday, 5/12/13 @ 9:45 am

Day 10 in STICU – It was a loud night in the waiting room.  This morning there has been helicopter after helicopter coming in since about 5:45 am.  They’ve probably brought in 15+ patients this morning.  I’m sure that prom night is super busy for them here.  My heart aches for all the mothers (and fathers) that will hear tragic news todays on Mother’s Day.  Please say a prayer for them today.  Mother’s Day will always be difficult for them from now on.  This is such a sad place to be.

The trauma team just made their rounds.  Samuel is sleeping better, but he is still having some issues.  He will be having a minor surgery within the hour to place a feeding tube past his stomach in his small intestines.  They want to give his stomach time to heal and rest, which will take pressure off the rest of his abdomen.  He will continue being fed TPN lipids through his central line.  He did not pass his respiratory test again this morning, so he cannot be removed from the ventilator.  They will test him again this afternoon.  We are praying he will pass.   He really wants to be off the vent, but he just isn’t strong enough.   I will write more later, when we have more news.  Blessings!

Samuel Update 5/11/13 @ 3:15 pm

Saturday. 5/11/13 @ 3:15 pm

Samuel seems to be having a pretty good day considering where we are. He is relaxed and his pain meds are keeping him fairly comfortable. He is watching tv and sleeping. Haley has been visiting with him. He says his abdomen feels very stretched. He wants to sit more upright so it isn't stretching so far, but they can't put the bed at more than a 30 degree angle because of his spinal injury. Today is the first day he has complained about his spine hurting. It is hard to find a comfortable position with so much going on.

I spoke with the charge nurse and gave him Samuel's note. I would think they would make sure he doesn't have her again. Samuel is a very compliant patient and all the other nurses love him. He doesn't ask for much and we just want him treated with dignity and compassion, like all patients should be. I feel like I have to be his voice right now because he can't speak for himself. I am sure that is a vulnerable feeling itself. Thank you for praying for Samuel.

Day 9 - Saturday morning update

Saturday, 5/11/13 @ 9:00 am

Day 9 and he is still in Shock-Trauma ICU. He is more awake today. He had a mean nurse last night and wrote a note to me asking if we can please make sure he doesn't have her again. Everyone here as been wonderful until this nurse. We are meeting with the charge nurse today. Before I left his room last night, he wrote me a note about her and he said that he was just going to keep his eyes closed and pray when he couldn't sleep. The other families in the waiting room told me to check on him during the night, but she wouldn't let me come back. She said, "He's sleeping, let him sleep!" The other nurses always said, "He's sleeping, but feel free to take a peek and see that he is okay." Bobby, a man who sleeps three chairs down from me and has a brother in the bed near Samuel had a different nurse that allowed him back there. He would go back just to check on Samuel.

This morning we have a good nurse again. It's amazing what a difference that makes! Samuel failed the breathing test this morning. His doctor prescribed something for respiratory failure. They will retest him again tomorrow. He will not be taken off the ventilator today. Pray he can pass the breathing test tomorrow so they can extubate him. He continues on TPN lipids for nutrition and they will be adding tube feeds to his diet today and try to let his tummy do its job.

I talked with the STICU doctor that gives the reports each morning and asked why they didn't do the procedures they told me they would be doing during surgery. He said his insides looked so much better in just the two days between surgeries that they felt we had another option, at least for now. They also said that it would just be more tubes etc that would complicate wearing the brace for his fractured spine. His tummy pain is rough because those muscles are so stretched to try to close the fascia. Today they are getting him a "binder" to support his abdomen so that he will try to take some deep breaths and cough.

He's still fighting pneumonia. Getting him off the vent should help with all that. He is making progress, but it is coming slower than we had hoped. Having Haley here has really boosted his spirit. I even saw him smile once this morning.

Friday, 5/10/13 @ 10:50 pm - Update

Friday, 5/10/13 @ 10:50 pm

 We never had a chance to meet with the doctors after his surgery. There were a lot of new patients in STICU today. It is such a sad place to be. Samuel slowly woke up and is having a hard time with the pain. They have tripled his pain meds to try to get it under control. It is such a fine balance of managing the pain and yet keeping his heart rate and pressures up. ... I am guessing he will have a tough night. Please pray that he gets a good night sleep and that he is refreshed and ready to fight the battle tomorrow. They have told him that if he meets some milestones tomorrow that they may take him off the vent again. He really, really, really wants that. I don’t want to say too much about his surgery because according to the resident doctor in STICU tonight, they did something totally different than what they had prepared us for yesterday. I am really looking forward to meeting with the trauma team in the morning and getting some answers. He has a high fever tonight, which probably just has to do with the surgery and possibly the pneumonia. He is also complaining that his chest hurts, which he hasn’t ever mentioned before now. Lord, wrap your arms around Samuel and protect him through the night and until he makes a complete recovery.

Friday, 5/10/13 @ 4:00 pm - Update

Friday, 5/10/13 @ 4:00 pm

 It has been a good day! God is good!!' Samuel came out of the operating around 12:20 today. He is starting to wake up a little and already wants to write little messages. We have not talked with the doctors yet because they had another emergency. The nurse told me that there was more openings leaking in the abdomen when they put more of the dye in. They were able to re...pair those spots and they closed the fascia, but left the skin and outer layer open. They will just let that area granulate in over time because closing it would be a big risk of infection. So.....we are heading in the right direction again. Now he will have to pass his breathing tests to try to get off the vent again. We are going to set goals and work until be accomplished each of them. Praise the Lord for this positive news.

Day 8 - Headed to Surgery

Friday, 5/10/13 @ 7:30 am
Day 8 - The nurses thought Samuel was going to have a rough night because they couldn't get his pain managed without his blood pressure dropping too low, but he did have a good night after all. They said he slept more than he has been and that should help him go into surgery well rested. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him so fervently.

The waiting room was crazier than usual last night with new patients coming in and one family saying good-bye to their loved one. Around midnight, Jay and I went to a hotel just 3 miles away. It felt good to get a shower and sleep in a bed.

Samuel is in the operating room now. I think he is ready because he knows this is the next step to getting better. Please pray that the dye test comes back clear. Pray that God guides the hands of his surgeons and that he recovers quickly.

Samuel Update 5/9/13 @ 10/00 pm

Thursday, 5/9/13 @ 10:00 pm

I think the move to STICU bed 19 was a good a good thing for Samuel or will be when he gets a little better. It has a window that lets in some natural light and a tv that is positioned where he can see it even laying flat. His bed cannot be moved over 30 degrees because of the spinal injury. I'm sure staring at the ceiling is pretty boring.

While I was in a trauma meeting, Marcus Lawhon came to see Samuel. I didn't even know he was in there, but the nurses told me that it was very good for Samuel. They said he even smiled once when they peaked in the room. Marcus, you should be proud! They said, "Perhaps it was because you were a younger man!" Thank you for visiting with him today.

Teresa and I went and printed the pictures, but brought them back when he was having a really rough time. We will give them to him tomorrow or when he is feeling a little better. He really just needs to rest right now.

He is scheduled for surgery at 7:15 in the morning. Please keep Samuel in your prayers. Trusting in Jesus!

Update 5/9/13 @ 9:20 am

Thursday - 5/9/13 @ 9:20 am
The waiting room was crazy last night. It was loud because there was several new patients coming in and they allow their family to stay until they know what the plan is for the patient. Sometimes the waiting room is a pretty scary place, but last night I got a little break from it all. The trauma surgeon who did Samuel's first surgery, when he was unloaded from life flight, came to the waiting room at midnight and motioned for me to come with her. She took me to the 5th floor where the doctors have some little rooms to sleep in during the night. I never dreamed a recliner could feel so good! It was the first time I slept five hours straight in a week. She told me that I might hear her leaving for surgeries during the night, but I never heard her at all. She also gave her cell phone and pager number and told me to reach Samuel's doctor at Johns Hopkins and have him call her so they can go over everything and see if there is anything more they can do now to help Samuel in the long term. She is wonderful! I know God placed her on Samuel's case for a reason. Not only is she one of the best trauma surgeons in the country, but she also has a heart of compassion and she can relate to this because she has a son about the same age as Samuel.

Samuel had a very rough night. They had a hard time getting his pressures up and keeping him stable. His body sometimes seems to get out of sync with the vent. This causes him to jerk and try to cough which really makes his belly hurt. Today he looks worn out. They are not doing any procedures to him today other than the breathing treatments and x-rays etc. They are giving his body a day of rest to prepare for surgery tomorrow morning. I have a meeting with the patient liaison this afternoon and we are going to go and print some pictures of our family to hang by Samuel's bed. They think that may give him a little encouragement.

I will write a little more when I get a chance.

Tough Day.... 5/8/13 @ 6:00 pm

Wednesday - 5/8/13 @ 6:00 pm
Well....what a rough day! We met with the surgeons and we have taken about five steps back today. We have all the same tubes we had on day one, plus a couple of additional ones. They will keep him heavily sedated through the night. While in the operating room, they injected dye into several parts of his system to check for wound leaks. Samuel has a so so so so much scar tissue from surgeries when he was four years old. The surgeons said it is very difficult to even know what you are looking at inside of him because of the scar tissue and the trauma caused by the accident. They said, "It looks like a bomb went off inside of him." Basically it was like he was almost cut in two by the seatbelt, but he would have had no chance of surviving without a seatbelt. I am so thankful he was wearing his seatbelt! Everything in his middle is damaged. The trauma surgeons said, "Working on Samuel is like taking a piece of wet toilet paper and putting it inside a block of concrete and having to chisel away at the concrete to do surgery on the wet toilet paper inside." He just has that much scar tissue. They said, "This is a difficult surgery on someone with no scar tissue, so it makes it extremely challenging to work on Samuel." They also said that he had lost blood flow to some organs and that the damage done makes it more limiting on what they can do to help him now. On Friday, he will head back the operating room. They have left him open again with a sponge type thing inside of him. The goal of his surgery on Friday is to get him back on the right track again and to get him healthy enough that he is moving forward again. We are focusing on surgeries needed to survive. Then in six months, when he is healthy again, they will go back in and finish fixing him back up. It has been a long day. This will probably be my last update for today. I know our Heavenly Father loves Samuel even more than we do, which seems impossible, but it is true. He will take care of Samuel and I know He is not done with him. Thanks for praying for Samuel.

Coming out of Surgery

Wednesday - 5/8/13 - 4:30 pm
Just met the the first two surgeons. He will be out of the operating room soon. He has a wound that formed inside of his abdomen which was filling his tummy with fluids. They have the would repaired and they have moved some tubes to the opposite side. His abdomen will remain open again and he will be going back to surgery in another day or two. They have decided to keep him on the ventilator. The trauma surgeons will come out and explain more when they are done. Wf

Samuel Update

Wednesday - 5/8/13 - 3:45 pm
I guess you've figured out that I've got my days all mixed up! This mornings posts should have read Wednesday instead of Tuesday. Samuel went into surgery at 11:15 am. It has been 4 1/2 hours now. The nurses have called a few times and say that he is stable, but they don't have any news yet. I am sure the trauma surgeons will explain more when he is out of the operating room. Please keep praying.

Headed back to the Operating Room

Tuesday - 9:00 am
This will be a short update because I need to get back to his room. Samuel has had a major setback. He is about to go back to the operating room. He is having some major problems in his abdomen and the trauma team has to go back in ASAP. We are waiting for an operating room to open. He will be incubated and put back on the ventilator. He will also have a central line to his heart put back in. They are starting him on TPN to try to get him some nutrition since it has been many days since he has has anything other than an IV. He needs our prayers. He has been moved to the Shock-Trauma ICU - Bed 19.

Update - Tuesday, 11:30 pm

Tuesday - 11:30 pm
As we end day five in STICU, I am at peace with all the progress Samuel made today. He is strong, he is fighting and he has thousands of prayer warriors on his side! Even this late in the day, he is still making headway. Tonight they removed his NG tube and he had his first sip of water in almost a week. They are letting him only have half a cup this first 12 hours to make sure his system is working. I am not sure why, but he seems very down tonight. He isn't saying much and he seems to be thinking about a lot. I think he is experiencing some depression. I asked the doctors if I could bring in the cards that friends and family made for him. We opened each card and he read every line and looked at the sweet pictures. In spite of how hard I tried to make him smile, he never did. At one point I saw a single tear come out of each of his eyes. He should be so proud of the progress he made today, but he doesn't seem encouraged by it at all. I've told him that thousands of people are praying for him and love him. Tomorrow morning I plan to talk to the trauma team to see if this is a normal part of being through such an ordeal. Please pray that The Lord gives Samuel peace and that he finds comfort in Jesus.

Happy!! Happy!!! :)

Tuesday - 5:30 pm
The results of the x-rays of his spine came back and he will not need surgery at this time. The brace should stabilize his t-spine. He will not need the collar anymore for his c-spine. He will need to wear the brace for at least eight weeks. We are so thankful that surgery is not needed on his spine. The spine doctors will be making more adjustments to his brace tomorrow and that should help make it more comfortable. If we keep getting good news like this, we will be moved to intermediate ICU in the next day or so!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!!!

Update on Samuel - Tuesday 4:15 pm

Tuesday - 4:15 pm
We have not be able to see Samuel much today because he has been busy with procedures, treatments and tests. We just came from his room though. He now has his spinal brace and he had just returned from x-rays etc. We don't have the results yet. Please pray they are good. Samuel was sitting up in a bed/mechanical chair. He said wearing the brace really hurts.

Samuel Update - Tuesday, 10:00 am

Monday - 10:00 am
Day 5 in STICU.... Samuel slept most of the morning. The trauma team said they are making a custom brace to support his fractured spine. He will need to wear it for eight weeks. At this time, they do not feel that the vertebrae are displaced and that it probably won't require surgery, but we won't know that for sure until they have the brace and can have him upright for the scan. He also still has some blockage that they are concerned about. He continues with his breathing treatments and they are helping him, but it's also painful. He has a fever still, but it has not spiked since yesterday. He has some milestones he will have to make before he can leave STICU, but he is heading in the right direction.

Update on Samuel - Monday 11:15 pm

Monday - 11:15 pm
What a determined young man we just left the room of!!! His words to us were, "By this time tomorrow night, I don't plan to be in STICU." I don't know if that is possible or not, but it is a great goal and I love his positive attitude! The spine team came by and measured him to make a custom brace for his spine. At some point tomorrow they will bring the brace and take him for... more scans of the fractures in his t-spine. He is wearing the collar on his neck again because of the trauma to his c-spine, but we aren't sure why because we were told yesterday that it was clear. Maybe tomorrow will bring some answers on what all is going on with his spine. He remains on the strong IV antibiotics and will be for seven days. There's a lot of junk in his lungs, but the breathing treatments are helping him. We are making progress! This is a hard place to be, but at night it is just us few families that have someone in STICU. We pray together and share how each of our loved ones are doing. It is great to see some families getting to move to Intermediate ICU. We are praying that Samuel will be moving there soon too.

Pune, India 1998 -  We are going home!

Update on Samuel - Monday 4:30 pm

Monday - 4:30 pm
The nurses explained that we need to be prepared for Samuel to sometimes take three steps forward and two steps back. Today he seemed to be doing really well around 2:00 pm, but is pretty discouraged now. His fever spiked again and they increased his dose of vancomycin. He was put back in the neck brace. I am not really sure why though because yesterday they said that part of his spine was fine when they did further scans. Maybe they found something new. We will ask more questions when the spine team comes by. He is nauseous, but the GI tube keeps him from throwing up. He is pretty down right now and says stuff like, "Why did I fall asleep?" He said he left for the ranch house at about 9:45 pm. He said he was tired from studying for finals all week and that he planned to stop at the store at the end of 1948 because he was thirsty, but he never made it that far. Jacob said he saw Samuel pass by the house on his way to the ranch house where he lives, but at that point everything was fine. Julia talked to him before he left for the ranch house and sent him a text at 2:00 am because she realized he wasn't there. When he didn't respond, she thought he must have decided to study and sleep at the house. That would not have been unusual for him because their math lab class works much better with the internet at the house than at the ranch. His sisters thought he stayed at our house and we thought he was safely at home at the ranch house. Several friends drove past his truck that night, but you could not see it at all. Someone who went to the scene and looked at the truck said it looks like he flipped end over end and then rolled sideways down the steep ditch. It is a miracle that Samuel is here. He missed a culvert by about 6 inches. Had he hit that he would have landed in a deep dry creek. There's so many things that we realize were blessings. We will probably never totally understand why something like this would happen, but I know that God held Samuel in His arms all night and He is holding him in His arms now. I know without a doubt that God is not finished with Samuel. I've seen how He pulled Samuel through when he was four years old against all odds. When I see Samuel leading the youth at church and see how God is using him, I know He had a plan for him years ago when he was so ill in Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Update on Samuel - Monday Morning

Monday - 9:30 am
Samuel is still in shock-trauma ICU. We just met with the trauma team and they answered many of our questions. Samuel is improving, but we are running into a few bumps in the road to recovery. He has two infections now. One of them is pneumonia. He has been started on the strongest of antibiotics to fight this. Today they will develop a plan for his spinal injury. They need to get him more upright. His thoracic spine has several fractures. A friend who works here (that we have not seen in many years) asked his partner who is Samuel's spinal doctor what the plan was for his spine. He said that they think they will use braces to support it and that it will not require surgery. Lets pray that's the case. We should know more by the end of the day. They have also increased his oxygen and pain meds to try to help him get more comfortable.

Update - Monday 3:30 am

Monday - 3:30 am
I just realized that sometime during the day yesterday, I got my days mixed up and started posting as Saturday instead of Sunday. Sorry about that. I just came from seeing Samuel. The respiratory doctor was working with him on trying to get his breathing to improve. They really want to keep him off the ventilator if possible because there is some sort of infection going on and less tubes means less risks. He is in a lot of pain when he breathes. They have him on a new morphine pump and that is helping manage his pain a little better. His fever has spiked twice during the night so his little cubical is kept very cold and they have fans on him. He is shaking, but he understands that they have to do this to help him. Please continue to pray for answers, for pain management, for peace and comfort, and for complete healing.

Samuel Updates

Sunday - 9:30 pm
I know it's been a while since I've sent an update, but we had several visitors. We got to see Samuel more this late afternoon and evening. He had a lot of procedures today and we couldn't be in there. Samuel has a few less tubes than he did before. He had some trouble passing the tests to get off the ventilator, but he has a fever that spikes and they are concerned about possible infection. They really need to remove as many tubes as possible to try to prevent sources of infection. His central line to his heart was also removed. He is on oxygen and having a hard time breathing. He also has some blockage that they cannot explain yet. It is causing him to throw up quite a bit, so they had to hook him back up to the GI tubes. He is awake for short periods of time, but even when his eyes are closed I think he can hear everything going on in the room. He is a little depressed and discouraged because he wants to make progress and it is coming slow. So.....please pray that they identify the source of the infection and that it is easy treated. Pray that they are able to deal with the blockage. The spine is still an issue, but not an immediate need. We are just addressing the most life threatening issues now and we will deal with the others as he begins to heal. Thank you for your prayers. I was pretty down this morning and I could feel the presence of people lifting our family up in prayer and it was comforting.

Sunday - 1:45 pm
I wish we had an update to share, but they are not letting us see him very much today. They said they are doing procedures and things that we can't be in the room for. Please keep praying. Rough day!

Sunday - 10:00 am
They didn't let us see Samuel for a while this morning. We did get to see him for about 30 minutes a little bit ago though. He was somewhat awake. The respiratory team would really like to take him off the ventilator to let him start breathing on his own, but so far he has failed the test three times. They will continue to try throughout the day. An oxygen mask would be so much better and would allow him to cough, which would help prevent pneumonia. He still has the fever today and he doesn't seem to have the fight in him that he had yesterday. They gave him a clip board to write to the nurses. Today he wrote, "I'm scared." His nurse explained that he is in the best place for trauma that he could be. I tried to tease him about not being there to teach his Sunday School class this morning and be motioned to write. On the pad he wrote, "No Miracle Farm boys are there today." I was surprised that he remembered that, and I think he may be right. His nurse told us that we should not worry about what he can't remember. She said that he will probably not even remember being in STICU when this is over.
Sunday - 7:30 am
We haven't seem Samuel yet this morning, but here is what I would like to ask everyone to specifically pray for: Pray that Samuel continues to improve and that today is a day of answers and progress. Pray that he gets stronger, remains calm and finds clarity in his thinking. Pray that we get good news about his spine. Pray that he is free of fever and the God puts a hedge of protection around his body so that he remains free from infection. Pray Samuel can get out of STICU. Hearing life-flight come in over and over again and the code blues during the night and watching the waiting room to see who it may be is really getting hard. Please pray we can leave this part of the hospital soon. Pray for peace. I feel so anxious today. Heading in to see him.....

Saturday - 10:30 pm
We don't have much to report at this time. Samuel had a few visitors. They will only allow two people in the room at one time and for very brief periods of time. Marcus and Ben Lawhon came to see Samuel and he was leaving for surgery so he was asleep. Chris Welch and Ricky Scurlock came by and

Saturday - 5:25 pm
Samuel is out of surgery and stable. He will remain in the shock-trauma ICU. He has not woke up yet and they will take it slow. We have a lot to be thankful for! There was no additional injuries in his abdomen and it looks much better than yesterday. They were able to close his abdomen. He will have drains for a while, but that is to be expected. His blood pressure is almost up in the normal range. The enzymes being made when breaking down muscle tissue have reduced to half of what it was yesterday. This will help the kidneys tremendously. Dialysis will not be needed. They removed the neck brace after more extensive scans showed it was safe. He does have significant injuries to his t-spine. They are calling the spine surgeons to see what they want to do about that. God is good and He has already answered many prayers. Samuel is on the road to recovery! It may be a long bumpy road, but he is headed in the right direction!!! Thanks for praying for him.

Update on Samuel - Saturday 3:00 pm

Saturday - 3:00 pm
Samuel has been in surgery for about 2 1/2 hours now. We have not heard any news yet. However, Jay had some time with Samuel that was very encouraging. While Jay was in the room with him, he was somewhat awake at times. He moved his hands in the motion of writing and Jay got a pen and paper. They allowed him to take his right arm out of the restraint and try to write. He wrote,... "what happened?" Jay was able to talk to him about what happened and you could tell Samuel understood. He is flat on his back because of the fractured vertebrate, so writing is very difficult, but at least he is trying to communicate and his mind is working. This is a very good sign!!! Keep the prayers coming. We are seeing miracles.

Prayer Needed for Samuel

Saturday -  9:45 am  I just came from seeing Samuel and meeting with all the teams of doctors that have done an amazing job of helping Samuel. At this point Samuel is stable and remains in the Shock-Trauma ICU. As you can imagine, he has many tubes. They are keeping him sedated. He never woke while I was in the room. I was able to stay for almost two hours this time. He had a third CT scan during the ...night. They casted his right leg this morning. He also has a cracked vertebrate in the t-spine. Today the bruises are starting to show up, but for what he has been through he actually looks pretty good. Most of his injuries are internal. He will have surgery today to look for additional injuries and to possibly try to close his abdomen. He still has low blood pressure. They are giving him more blood products now. They said it will also help with some clotting support. His blood pressure is better than it was, not dangerously low, but still of a concern. He has a long road to recovery ahead of him. They said today he may develop some skin issues that sometimes happen after being so chilled and being in the ditch for so long before be was found. They said we will address those issues as they come. His kidneys have improved some, so that is encouraging. He will need additional surgeries in the next few months after we get through this, but we are focusing on today......just today. Some of you have asked about donating blood. I asked about that and they said it would be great. They said that anyone interested can go to any blood bank and donate in Samuel's name and that a portion of any blood donated is credited to his account. They said for me to google how it works. I will do that and let those interested know more details. Thank you so much for all the prayers, verses and touching messages and texts. I am sorry that I am unable to respond to each of them. They are truly appreciated though.

Friday - 12:30 am

Samuel remains stable. They took him for a second CT scan, but we don't have the results back yet. He is scheduled for the first available surgery time in the morning. The goal will be more exploratory than anything. Yesterday they worked until they had him stable and today they will go back in and determine what is living tissue and what is not and try to see if there is any additiona...l bleeding. There was extensive damage internally to areas of previous surgeries. We are limited on how much we can see him. In two hours, we will be able to see him again. As bad as the hypothermia was, it may have been what saved his life. The area where he went off the road when he fell asleep was impossible to see at night. Earlier, when he could say a few words, he said he saw the lights from cars driving by, but he could not move. It breaks my heart to think of him like that, but I am soooooooo thankful he is alive. We are going to take this one day at a time, one hour at a time if that's what it takes. He is in good hands and we have great friends and family praying for him.

 

Friday - 7:05 pm

Samuel came out of surgery around 5:00 pm. He is in critical condition, but is stable. He is in the Shock-Trauma ICU and we are only able to see him for brief periods of time. They are keeping him heavily sedated. During the night he will be going back for another CT scan of his head and neck. Due to the severe swelling and possibly unseen injuries, they were unable to close his abdome...n. They will take him back to surgery tomorrow to check further and close him up if things have improved. They are still concerned about his low blood pressure. His temperature has stabilized. They think he may have some broken bones in his arm, neck and ankle, but that is of little concern at this point. Tonight, they will just try to keep him asleep and resting. I want to thank everyone who has been there for our family through this. Thank you for all your prayers and support. So many of you have been there for us through thick and thin, and we truly cherish your friendship. We will post an update when we know more.
 

Friday - 4:00 pm

He is in critical condition and has been in surgery for four hours now, but we were told they are finishing up. He will need additional surgery later, but right now the goal is to stop the internal bleeding. His blood pressure is very low even after several units of blood and he is having kidney failure. Managing those problems will be the second priority. When he comes out of surgery, he will be in STICU (Shock -Trauma ICU). Please keep praying.

 

Friday - 2:30 pm

Samuel is still in surgery, but we have some news. His body temperature is now 96 degrees. They have found where they think the internal bleeding is coming from. Once they have that under control and he is more stable, he will need some additional surgery. The biggest concern now is that his blood pressure is still very low even after several blood transfusions. He is also having kidney failure and at this time they don't know if he is going to go into full kidney failure or if it is something that may improve in time and as they get control of the bleeding. From where we started this morning, I feel like this is all good news. We serve a mighty God and He is still in control.

 

Friday Noon -

We are still in route to Hermann Hospital. Life flight called and Samuel did not handle the flight very well and they had to do some additional procedures on the way. He went immediately into surgery. More blood transfusions. He is in very critical condition. They are trying to find out what is going on. He has the head of the shock/trauma team working on him and is in good hands. Please keep him in your prayers!!!!! This is sooo hard.

 

Friday  Morning -

This is an update as to what is happening. I cannot accept all the phone calls, but I greatly appreciate your prayers for Samuel. At about 10:15 pm Samuel fell asleep while heading to the ranch after trimming a cow's hooves for a friend. No one knew he had been in an accident until 6:20 this morning when the young man who found him called my cell phone. It looks like his truck flipped at least twi...ce down a steep ditch. It was only one mile from our house. I arrived at the scene before the ambulance. He was incoherent, awake, but unable to speak. There was a lot of blood everywhere which could not be explained. He has hypothermia from laying in the ditch all night. They did a CT scan at the hospital and he has contusions to his heart, severely bruised lungs, internal bleeding, and they don't know the extent of damage done to his liver and kidneys. He is in critical condition. His body temperature is 84 degrees at this point. He is now in route by life flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. They are giving him a blood transfusion in flight. They cannot give him any pain medication until his blood pressure is up. He needs your prayers. We are in route to meet the surgeons at Hermann. I will send another update when I can. Thanks for praying.