I thought Mandy was going to update today with more technical info, but she has been here pretty much night and day since Thursday and is taking a very needed and deserved rest. What a blessing to have her walk us through everything. Having been an ICU nurse. she was so helpful to us and David in explaining everything and being a liason between us and the staff. Speaking of the staff, I just have to say it's been an added benefit to get to know all the nurses. You begin to feel like they're family, and every one that we've had has just been the best. When you sit here for hours and days and watch all the numbers and lines flashing and hear all the beeps and alarms, you find out it's a lot more interesting if you know what they all mean - or rather, just an inkling.
David began to open his eyes early this morning and was immediately wanting the breathing tube out. When he saw Nathan, his dad, and I he got pretty distressed and started having tears roll down his eyes. We quickly realized we needed to calm him and Mandy reminded him to let the breathing tube do the work and not fight it. By 10:00 they had it out and he was a MUCH happier camper. He was thirsty and hungry, so he had a bit of apple juice and apple sauce. Just a bit later he had a whole cup of ice cream (anyone that knows him knows he would rarely turn that down) and shortly after that they brought a meal. He had a few little bites of several things and ended up with some pudding, so we were ecstatic that he felt like he could eat.
His throat is sore from the tube, he says he hurts all over, but they're doing a good job of trying to manage the pain. We had a little misunderstanding this evening with the staff about being in the room at the wrong time. They made us leave, and he completely lost it. That set his emotional state soaring in the wrong direction right at bedtime, when he hurts the worst. So we've had a bit of a hard time calming him, getting the pain down, and helping him see that I'm not going to have to leave him tonight.
He had to be given more blood today, his blood pressure is better, but pray that his kidney test comes back with a good result. Also, that with all he's been through and in spite of the meds that affect his emotions, that he would be able to keep his emotions controlled. Because it's so difficult to move him or change his position, it's important he keep calm.
All in all, we are thrilled with his progress, hope that he will be moved out of ICU tomorrow, and will be on the road to recovery soon.
Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. We see God's hand in so many circumstances and are thankful we can trust him in the good times and the bad.
David has probably asked me 20 times today when he can go home!
Mary Jane
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Mom at his bedside
Well, we took some very wise advice and Mike and I went home last night leaving David in very good hands - the nurses, his sister, and of course the "One who giveth his beloved sleep".
We feel extremely rested having had a night's sleep longer than we can remember in years!
I'm back up here at David's bedside. When we stood by his bedside and spoke, we could see his eyes trying to open and his mouth struggle a bit with the breathing tube. He was already trying to communicate something to me. I told him to be calm, that I would stay right at the foot of his bed, but for him to relax and just sleep.
They have to move him from side to side a bit to get him off his back and that's the hardest time for me. I know at home how painful it was for him, and it's hard for me to watch them do it, wondering if he's okay. He seems to settle very quickly afterwards, so I think the meds are adequate.
Can't say enough about how great the nursing staff is!
We feel extremely rested having had a night's sleep longer than we can remember in years!
I'm back up here at David's bedside. When we stood by his bedside and spoke, we could see his eyes trying to open and his mouth struggle a bit with the breathing tube. He was already trying to communicate something to me. I told him to be calm, that I would stay right at the foot of his bed, but for him to relax and just sleep.
They have to move him from side to side a bit to get him off his back and that's the hardest time for me. I know at home how painful it was for him, and it's hard for me to watch them do it, wondering if he's okay. He seems to settle very quickly afterwards, so I think the meds are adequate.
Can't say enough about how great the nursing staff is!
Sleeping restfully
Sorry I haven't been able to update, it was a bit of a busy unsteady emotional night to be quite honest. He came out of surgery very cold, still loosing a lot of blood out of his drain, he had myoglobin (which could cause damage into the kidneys) in his urine and he wasn't making very much urine, and he hadn't woken up at all.
I sent Mom and Dad home to finally get a good nights sleep and I stayed here with David. The nurse was great last night and let me ask her a ton of questions. The doctors that were there with him were great as well and let me ask them questions and they explained to me their thinking and their plan for getting all the above issues fixed.
Last night around 8/9 the drain from his back slowed down and they were able to stop infusing it back to him. He also started to warm up from the warming blanket and that also helped with the bleeding.
They were making his body alkalitic to help counteract the myoglobin from settling into his kidneys which would cause kidney damage. They said that could have been from a blood reaction, but we will never know because he got about 5 pints of blood from the hospital and then on top of that they re infused his own blood. This morning his urine is MUCH MUCH clearer and the amount is picking up.
His blood counts are pretty much steady, still low, but they said that they are going to wait to see if it increases because his blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, urine output are all good. Sometimes when a patient gets a lot of IV fluid it can make the blood get diluted and therefore make the labs look low.
Early this morning he woke up and looked at me and I was able to easily calm him down and he went back to sleep. We are trying not to stimulate him much because of course when he wakes up he coughs because of the tube which can also be kind-of scary. We just want him to rest and that is what he is doing.
The plan is to keep him intubated at this point at least till late this afternoon for several reasons. First, pain control because he can be given more medicine at a safe rate. We are hoping that they will keep him intubated overnight just so he can rest and get the pain meds he needs.
Second, they are just waiting to make sure that he doesn't have what is called 3rd spacing go into his lungs(from all the fluid he's gotten), but I really don't anticipate that because he was very dehydrated before surgery so he needed the fluid.
He is doing better this morning, but please keep praying that he will continue to improve and that the removal of the breathing tube will be at the right time and he will tolerate it well. We also are concerned about pain control after surgery and we know it will be hard on him, especially with the hip.
By the way, if any of you want to visit, please give us a call on one of our cell phones and we can meet you at the front entrance.
Mom-919-862-6906
Dad-919-302-6637
Amanda- 919-791-8080
By HIS grace,
The Bradley Family
I sent Mom and Dad home to finally get a good nights sleep and I stayed here with David. The nurse was great last night and let me ask her a ton of questions. The doctors that were there with him were great as well and let me ask them questions and they explained to me their thinking and their plan for getting all the above issues fixed.
Last night around 8/9 the drain from his back slowed down and they were able to stop infusing it back to him. He also started to warm up from the warming blanket and that also helped with the bleeding.
They were making his body alkalitic to help counteract the myoglobin from settling into his kidneys which would cause kidney damage. They said that could have been from a blood reaction, but we will never know because he got about 5 pints of blood from the hospital and then on top of that they re infused his own blood. This morning his urine is MUCH MUCH clearer and the amount is picking up.
His blood counts are pretty much steady, still low, but they said that they are going to wait to see if it increases because his blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, urine output are all good. Sometimes when a patient gets a lot of IV fluid it can make the blood get diluted and therefore make the labs look low.
Early this morning he woke up and looked at me and I was able to easily calm him down and he went back to sleep. We are trying not to stimulate him much because of course when he wakes up he coughs because of the tube which can also be kind-of scary. We just want him to rest and that is what he is doing.
The plan is to keep him intubated at this point at least till late this afternoon for several reasons. First, pain control because he can be given more medicine at a safe rate. We are hoping that they will keep him intubated overnight just so he can rest and get the pain meds he needs.
Second, they are just waiting to make sure that he doesn't have what is called 3rd spacing go into his lungs(from all the fluid he's gotten), but I really don't anticipate that because he was very dehydrated before surgery so he needed the fluid.
He is doing better this morning, but please keep praying that he will continue to improve and that the removal of the breathing tube will be at the right time and he will tolerate it well. We also are concerned about pain control after surgery and we know it will be hard on him, especially with the hip.
By the way, if any of you want to visit, please give us a call on one of our cell phones and we can meet you at the front entrance.
Mom-919-862-6906
Dad-919-302-6637
Amanda- 919-791-8080
By HIS grace,
The Bradley Family
Friday, May 29, 2009
We saw him
We got to see him for a brief minute. He looks so much taller!! ;0) He was very pale and sound asleep with the breathing tube. The nurse was so gracious to let us see him to quickly for just a few minutes.
We will hope to see him a little longer in a little while.
We will hope to see him a little longer in a little while.
OUT OF SURGERY!!!
Well, he is finally out after about 7 hours! HALLELUJAH!!!!
Ok, so we talked with Dr. Fitch. He said that it was as difficult as he expected, but nothing occur ed that he didn't expect.
I saw the anesthesiologist in the hallway and he was looking for me to talk to me about the case. He said that it was a LONG case and David lost A LOT of blood. But a lot of his own was given back to him(which is good) BUT he also required a lot of blood as well from the hospital blood bank. He said that his breathing/lungs and heart did great and that his vital signs did great all throughout the surgery.
He said that at the end of the surgery, he looked down and saw that his urine had become very dark/brown. His vital signs were stable and good, but they weren't sure why his urine became dark. He mentioned that the urine changing color could be from a blood transfusion reaction--so PLEASE keep that in your prayers
He still has the breathing tube in and is asleep from all the medications. They are getting him settled in the pediatric ICU--so we have to wait for that. We hope to be able to get to see him around 5:30/6.
I will update again after I see him....This is from the passage that I was reading this morning and meditating on all day.....
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
ROm 8:26, 32
Ok, so we talked with Dr. Fitch. He said that it was as difficult as he expected, but nothing occur ed that he didn't expect.
I saw the anesthesiologist in the hallway and he was looking for me to talk to me about the case. He said that it was a LONG case and David lost A LOT of blood. But a lot of his own was given back to him(which is good) BUT he also required a lot of blood as well from the hospital blood bank. He said that his breathing/lungs and heart did great and that his vital signs did great all throughout the surgery.
He said that at the end of the surgery, he looked down and saw that his urine had become very dark/brown. His vital signs were stable and good, but they weren't sure why his urine became dark. He mentioned that the urine changing color could be from a blood transfusion reaction--so PLEASE keep that in your prayers
He still has the breathing tube in and is asleep from all the medications. They are getting him settled in the pediatric ICU--so we have to wait for that. We hope to be able to get to see him around 5:30/6.
I will update again after I see him....This is from the passage that I was reading this morning and meditating on all day.....
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
ROm 8:26, 32
Waiting time...
Hello all!
This is Amanda (Mandy), David's sister, giving the update....
We first want to tell you all how much we appreciate the prayer, phone calls and emails that we have received so far--the pouring out of your love and concern has been so appreciated!!
We got to the hospital this morning at 6am ready to get this thing started. We waited for them to call us back to pre-op; we walked in the door and the nurses started to sing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to David and he just busted out crying. OHHHH, it was so hard-I think it just all hit him that it was his 16th birthday and this is not what we had planned. Anyway, he quickly "recovered" and to be honest was in the best spirits I have seen him in quite a while. He was actually smiling and laughing a little at each person that came in--everyone was going on and on about how cute and handsome he was, so of coarse he loooved that, and we didn't mind it either ;0)
They had a little bit of a hard time getting his IV started, but a pediatric anesthesiologist(MD who puts kids to sleep) was able to get it in--David was such a trooper getting stuck 3times!
It was soo funny to see mom put on the white paper jumpsuit, blue hat, blue paper slippers and surgical mask to go back to the Operating Room with David--David, Dad and I had a great laugh at that!
We all prayed together and Mom and David headed off to the Operating Room with the anesthesia team.
So far everyone that has been part of the "team" for David has been great--and there has been a lot of people! An Orthopaedic Resident came in and is going to try to put a steroid injection into David left/dislocated hip to help reduce some of the inflammation that is not helping the excruciating pain.
We are now just playing the waiting game. They have been calling every hour and giving us updates. We have a bed already for us in ICU(answer to prayer)! The nurses name that David will have until 7pm is Gretchen and she is a seasoned nurse! Praise the Lord for a ready bed and an experienced nurse.
I will let you know when he is out of surgery and in his room!!
Love,
The Bradley Family
This is Amanda (Mandy), David's sister, giving the update....
We first want to tell you all how much we appreciate the prayer, phone calls and emails that we have received so far--the pouring out of your love and concern has been so appreciated!!
We got to the hospital this morning at 6am ready to get this thing started. We waited for them to call us back to pre-op; we walked in the door and the nurses started to sing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to David and he just busted out crying. OHHHH, it was so hard-I think it just all hit him that it was his 16th birthday and this is not what we had planned. Anyway, he quickly "recovered" and to be honest was in the best spirits I have seen him in quite a while. He was actually smiling and laughing a little at each person that came in--everyone was going on and on about how cute and handsome he was, so of coarse he loooved that, and we didn't mind it either ;0)
They had a little bit of a hard time getting his IV started, but a pediatric anesthesiologist(MD who puts kids to sleep) was able to get it in--David was such a trooper getting stuck 3times!
It was soo funny to see mom put on the white paper jumpsuit, blue hat, blue paper slippers and surgical mask to go back to the Operating Room with David--David, Dad and I had a great laugh at that!
We all prayed together and Mom and David headed off to the Operating Room with the anesthesia team.
So far everyone that has been part of the "team" for David has been great--and there has been a lot of people! An Orthopaedic Resident came in and is going to try to put a steroid injection into David left/dislocated hip to help reduce some of the inflammation that is not helping the excruciating pain.
We are now just playing the waiting game. They have been calling every hour and giving us updates. We have a bed already for us in ICU(answer to prayer)! The nurses name that David will have until 7pm is Gretchen and she is a seasoned nurse! Praise the Lord for a ready bed and an experienced nurse.
I will let you know when he is out of surgery and in his room!!
Love,
The Bradley Family
Thursday, May 28, 2009
5/28/09
Here we are, the day prior to surgery, just getting home from having several pre-op tests at Duke and my mind is spinning with all that we have to remember and do before tomorrow.
But before anything else, I wanted to take the time to create this blog and thank all of you who are thinking and praying for our little guy and what he's about to go through, and to update you on the process and his progress. Your thoughts, prayers and friendship mean so much to us.
As you may or may not know we discovered the later part of last year that after months and months (and probably years) of pain in his leg, that it was probably the result of the movement of his spine, hip and everything connected to that. It was around November/December that his hip actually dislocated, leaving him in excrutiating pain. We were given several options, the most appealing to all of us was letting the hip settle without doing any surgery. At the time it sounded like the pain would eventually subside, possibly within 6 weeks. That didn't happen. The pain has actually increased exponentially to this day.
Shortly after the hip dislocated, we realized that his scoliosis was so bad he needed surgery. By the time we made these decisions and were ready to schedule the surgery, August was the date we were given. Within a very short time we realized his pain was increasing at such a rate that August was going to be a very long time away.
So we were so happy to learn YESTERDAY that a cancellation had come about and we were asked if we were willing to go ahead with surgery for Friday. We believe it came from the Lord, as we very much were at the end of our rope dealing with his pain and sleepless nights.
So that brings us to this morning when we had to tell our precious little guy that not only would he not be having the amazing birthday party Elise, Alex and Nate were planning for him, but his surgery date had been moved up and he was scheduled for surgery tomorrow! Needless to say, there were some tears shed and a very disappointed looking face in our rear-view mirror on the way to the hospital.
For those of you who haven't seen the little verbal dance he and I do to spell out words - it's a trip, but it works! It's pretty drawn out and tedious, but he's able to get his questions asked and points made. We run through the alphabet in a specific way with him stopping me with a sound or nod at each letter as we make his way through a sentence. And let me tell you, it's not easy twisting around backwards to watch his face as we run through the alphabet for the 30 minute ride out to Duke! So he asked a lot of questions, but we were so touched when he told us that he agreed that God was in control and that it was the right thing to do - such a great attitude!
Most of the morning was spent hooked up to some electrodes that monitored his pulse and heart rate to get sort of a fingerprint for tomorrow's surgery. That was grueling as he was so very uncomfortable and hurting in his chair, which the nurse was nice enough to accommodate us in by not making him lay in the bed. Every move in and out of the chair is so painful - the less the better. But they often had to move his legs, hips, etc. to get everything attached and then he was to lay there relaxed. After 2 doses of morphine he finally relaxed and dozed just a few minutes.
Then it was off to draw blood, get the pre-op tour of the hospital, talk to more people. By the time we left he was one very tired, uncomfortable and miserable fellow. We couldn't wait to get him home and comfortable until we start the whole process again tomorrow. At least he has had a couple hours of restful sleep since we returned and we're hoping to get some food in him before the end of the day. He has had only a bit of apple juice.
To end this for today, I would just add that he is one very skinny little boy going into this. He is probably at his all time worst physical condition. Not only has he endured so much pain for so long, he has lost nearly 15 pounds, weighing in at only 77 pounds this morning! Surgery is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, 5/29/09 at Duke University Children's Health Center. We so appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we begin this new journey.
But before anything else, I wanted to take the time to create this blog and thank all of you who are thinking and praying for our little guy and what he's about to go through, and to update you on the process and his progress. Your thoughts, prayers and friendship mean so much to us.
As you may or may not know we discovered the later part of last year that after months and months (and probably years) of pain in his leg, that it was probably the result of the movement of his spine, hip and everything connected to that. It was around November/December that his hip actually dislocated, leaving him in excrutiating pain. We were given several options, the most appealing to all of us was letting the hip settle without doing any surgery. At the time it sounded like the pain would eventually subside, possibly within 6 weeks. That didn't happen. The pain has actually increased exponentially to this day.
Shortly after the hip dislocated, we realized that his scoliosis was so bad he needed surgery. By the time we made these decisions and were ready to schedule the surgery, August was the date we were given. Within a very short time we realized his pain was increasing at such a rate that August was going to be a very long time away.
So we were so happy to learn YESTERDAY that a cancellation had come about and we were asked if we were willing to go ahead with surgery for Friday. We believe it came from the Lord, as we very much were at the end of our rope dealing with his pain and sleepless nights.
So that brings us to this morning when we had to tell our precious little guy that not only would he not be having the amazing birthday party Elise, Alex and Nate were planning for him, but his surgery date had been moved up and he was scheduled for surgery tomorrow! Needless to say, there were some tears shed and a very disappointed looking face in our rear-view mirror on the way to the hospital.
For those of you who haven't seen the little verbal dance he and I do to spell out words - it's a trip, but it works! It's pretty drawn out and tedious, but he's able to get his questions asked and points made. We run through the alphabet in a specific way with him stopping me with a sound or nod at each letter as we make his way through a sentence. And let me tell you, it's not easy twisting around backwards to watch his face as we run through the alphabet for the 30 minute ride out to Duke! So he asked a lot of questions, but we were so touched when he told us that he agreed that God was in control and that it was the right thing to do - such a great attitude!
Most of the morning was spent hooked up to some electrodes that monitored his pulse and heart rate to get sort of a fingerprint for tomorrow's surgery. That was grueling as he was so very uncomfortable and hurting in his chair, which the nurse was nice enough to accommodate us in by not making him lay in the bed. Every move in and out of the chair is so painful - the less the better. But they often had to move his legs, hips, etc. to get everything attached and then he was to lay there relaxed. After 2 doses of morphine he finally relaxed and dozed just a few minutes.
Then it was off to draw blood, get the pre-op tour of the hospital, talk to more people. By the time we left he was one very tired, uncomfortable and miserable fellow. We couldn't wait to get him home and comfortable until we start the whole process again tomorrow. At least he has had a couple hours of restful sleep since we returned and we're hoping to get some food in him before the end of the day. He has had only a bit of apple juice.
To end this for today, I would just add that he is one very skinny little boy going into this. He is probably at his all time worst physical condition. Not only has he endured so much pain for so long, he has lost nearly 15 pounds, weighing in at only 77 pounds this morning! Surgery is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, 5/29/09 at Duke University Children's Health Center. We so appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we begin this new journey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
