firefighter’s son « Journals of Journeys

13May/09Off

Two for the Price of One Prayer – Updates on Sean

It was nice to come home from a grueling day at Costco to find two messages from Terri about Sean's progress. In the order they were posted, here you are:

Trying on patience

Posted at approximately 11:45 am PT
Sean is doing about the same, still fighting a temp but his ICP is at about 18 which is fine. They upped a couple of his meds so they seem to be having some success lowering the pentabarb.

Today on my way to the hospital for my 6am visit I was praying again for patience. I asked God to help me be patient and kind and loving to all people that I came in contact with. Well I got to the hospital and they said I had to wait 15 minutes to see Sean and you guessed it, I felt very inpatient. I recognized it right away though and resumed my prayer for patience. Today Sean has a new nurse and I don't think that she is entirely comfortable with me hanging out in Sean's room, so I am trying to give her space and also pop in from time to time to be with Sean. We have been here for so long now that for the most part Sean gets repeat nurses and we have established a rapport with them so they don't seem to mind us hanging around. But you know what? This is the Sean show and as long as Sean is getting the best care possible the nurse doesn't have to handle us. I think that today God intends for me to get my money's worth out of that prayer for patience! As long as God is in charge (always) how can I question it.

As for us, we are taking good care of ourselves as well as all of you taking care of us. Yesterday my wonderful friend Kelly gave Kiersten and I much needed massages. Vince and I went for a walk with [our friends] and Kiersten went to our health club to work out. So no more worrying about us. Just pray for Sean. Thank you all as always.

Thought for the day:

Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever greivances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Love,
Terri, Vince, Sean & Kiersten

I'm listening God

Posted at approximately 12:15 pm PT
Just peeked in to see Sean and his temp, blood pressure, heart rate and ICP are all down. Okay God I'm listening. By being patient and doing things the nurses way Sean is resting well. Oh and when she suctioned him earlier he opened his left eye! I didn't talk to him when I went in because he is resting and doing so well. [These] nurses rock!

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12May/09Off

Patience In Healing – Update On Sean

As I read this update from Terri, I envisioned a wound healing and getting to that itchy stage where you just want to itch and peel off that scab but know you just have to be patient and let the wound finish healing. The news Terri has to share today is exciting at so many levels! Time to rejoice!

Posted at approximately 10 pm PT
Kiersten and I just returned from the hospital. We said goodnight to Sean. Vince will stay with him until 2 and I will return at 6 as is our routine. Sean's day started out really good and then he had a rough afternoon. It was the usual stuff, a fever and his ICP. Not horrible but a little rough. When we left he seemed to be starting to trend back in the right direction. He is in a lighter sedation as I said earlier and today whenever we talked to him he kept trying to blink and sometimes it looked like he was struggling to open his eyes. We explained to him a few times that he was in an accident and that he is safe but he needs to rest to get a little better before he can wake up. We told him to relax and not fight the sedation. This is exciting because it is signs of good brain activity, but it is hard because he wants to wake up and we miss him so bad we want him to wake up also. Kiersten and I were talking about it and we realized that it has been quite a few days since we last had a melt down so maybe we are overdue. We just miss him. For those of you who don't know him, he has the best smile and he is so funny. He makes us laugh all the time. He is also intelligent and a good conversationalist. He is just such an important part of our family. Did I say we miss him? I know in my heart that God is healing Sean. It is so evident. It is amazing how many people care about him and are praying for him, not only outside the hospital but in the ICU. His nurses have become very fond of him and I can't prove it but I suspect that there is a little competition to see who gets to take care of him each shift. Several nurses are praying for him which is such a comfort to us to know that not only are these highly skilled professionals caring for our son but they get who is really in charge.

Thank you beautiful people in and outside of the hospital for loving our Sean. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Love,
Terri, Vince, Sean & Kiersten

Kyle and Kayla are in Redding for a few days taking care of their mama who had carpel tunnel surgery on both wrists today. Please pray for speedy healing for Kim. (She's not very patient )

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12May/09Off

Good Signs: Update on Sean

Sorry, this was a sleep in and then jump to work on edits for upcoming conference morning.

Posted this morning.
Yesterday was so hectic that it was difficult to find a moment to update so I am updating before I go back to the hospital. I went to see Sean at 6 and he was doing well. His night was okay, not great, but okay. He had a CT at 4 and tolerated it well. While I was there he was taking spontaneous breaths and biting his breathing tube. All good signs but as I said last night they want him more sedated. While I was there Dr. Lobosky came in to check on Sean. He showed me Sean's CT and he said that it looks like maybe the swelling is starting to decrease. In the new CT you can see squiggly lines and a place where there is cerebral fluid. He showed me an earlier CT where this wasn't visible. God is holding on to Sean and He will see him through this.

As for the rest of us, we are working on trying to get more sleep and exercise. My friend Sue comes by the hospital and walks me everyday which is greatly needed and appreciated. We are eating well. Thanks to all who are feeding us. The dinners have been above and beyond. I don't think that I will want to go back to cooking. Thank you to all of you who are supporting us in so many ways. You are all examples of God's love. It is no accident that you have found yourselves in this place at this time. I know that God has placed each and every one of you in our path because He loves all of us so much.

I haven't given an assignment in awhile so here it goes. Eat something healthy today, get a little exercise and a little rest. Thank God that He has given you these simple gifts that we take for granted. When crisis strikes these simple everyday activities are hard to come by, so enjoy them and appreciate them, really appreciate them, when they are easy to come by.
As always please pray for Sean, and remember God is great and He is present.

Love,
Terri, VInce, Sean, & Kiersten

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11May/09Off

Elevated Temps and ICP, Surgery, Recovery: Sean’s Updates

Earlier today Terri put out a brief update I just happened to catch and emailed out to those on the list. Here, in the order they came through (which was fast and furious) are the updates from this evening:

Posted at approximately 8:30 pm PT
Sean is having swan catheter(a catheter that measures cardiac output) replaced right now. It was supposed to have happened at 4:30 but it's been a busy day around here so the cardiologist wasn't free until later. He has to have the swan catheter as long as they have him on the pentabarb. He had one but it is 13 days old and was no longer working correctly and they fear infection when it gets that old. Sean had a rough day today. He had a fever and he was coughing a lot earlier which made his ICP go up. He also had a rapid heart rate because of the fever. Earlier when the Dr. was in with the nurses I got a chance to listen in. He really wants Sean off the pentabarb so they are going to throw everything else at him to achieve that goal. Sean's sedation level was lighter earlier so that is why he was coughing so much. He was also shivering and biting the breathing tube. The Dr. wants him to be more heavily sedated, just not with the pentabarb. When Vince and I left at 5:30 things were beginning to turn around. His ICP, fever and temp were all coming down. When we left we thought that we would be able to come back in at 8 after the shift change but unfortunately the surgery was pushed back. So here we sit waiting, anxious because we haven't seen him in 3 hours. But, God is in that room with him and the surgeon and everyone else so we know that he is in good hands. Pray for him as always. I will update after I see him and go home.
Love,
Terri, Vince, Sean & Kiersten

quick update..

Posted at approximately 10:00 pm PT

hi guys,
the catheter was just put it...and all is going fairly smoothly.
Sean is still shivering, and still has a fever. His ICP's are
basically the same as before. No new news for you all, but have a
good night:).
Love,
The [Terri, Vince, Sean & Kiersten]

Posted at approximately 10:20 pm PT

Just back from the hospital. Sean's ICP was 16 when I left. All
indications are that he should have a good night. Please pray with
us that he does. Thank you all for your prayers and support.
Love,
Sean and family

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10May/09Off

Mother’s Day – Updates On Sean

This morning before I was able to post any updates about Sean (because there hadn't been any), I saw his mother, Terri, after church and was able to speak with her briefly. She said she was tired and discouraged after a rough day yesterday (Saturday) and had posted just before service, reassuring me she had been reading all of the notes I have left, as well as the notes you have offered to be relayed, and thanked us all for them. Here are the updates from today, Mother's Day:

Mother's Day

Posted at approximately 10:30 am PT

Sorry I didn't update last night. Sean had a little bit of a rough day, not horrible but a little rough and I was tired and discouraged so I went to sleep. Today Sean is having a good day. I spoke with the neuro surgeon and he seems satisfied with Sean's condition. It's a long slow process and Sean is holding his own.

The last two mornings I have come in at 6 to check on Sean, then gone back home at 7 to shower, then back again at 8 or 9. When I leave his room at 7 I stop by the chapel and spend some time praying. I hope to keep this routine because it really centers me for the day. It is such a small chapel and it's quiet and peaceful at that hour of the morning. This morning when I was praying for Sean's healing as well as others in the ICU and a dear friend who has cancer it struck me that God's timing is perfect. I was discouraged yesterday because Sean wasn't healing fast enough. But God is healing Sean in His time and so I prayed for patience. No doubt God is at work here and we don't have to understand it or question it, we just have to have faith and watch God work in His perfect way and time.

I am going to end here because I am going to church to worship because God is great. Happy Mother's day to all the Mom's. We love and appreciate all of you.

The inner circle of greatness (Thank Dave M. for that one, he renamed us yesterday, and we kinda like it.)

Terri, Vince, Sean, Kiersten, Kyle, & Kayla

A Happy Mother's Day

Posted at approximately 8:15 pm PT
Sean had such a good day today. Everything just stayed steady. No huge change for the better, but no real rough spots to speak of. He is coughing now and it looks like he is gagging some as well. It's not enjoyable to watch but all good signs of brain activity. Also his eyes are much more reactive. I have been told that the fact that all of this is happening when he is still very sedated is good news. I told Kiersten and Vince that they were off the hook for Mother's day,(Kiersten made me a beautiful card anyway) all I wanted was for Sean to have a good day and I received my Mother's day wish.

Earlier I said that I was going to church which I did and it was such a nice service, very upbeat and motivational. It was just what I needed to hear, thanks Steve! After church I got to say hi to a few people and then I walked back to the hospital. It was so pleasant and quiet and God gave me such a sense of peace. What an amazing gift it was to enjoy a little stroll that much. The whole day just went that way for all of us including Sean, slow paced and peaceful. Vince and I even got an hour nap at home!

We are all going back to the hospital now to say goodnight to Sean. Vince will stay until 2 and I will return at 6. I hope that everyone reading this had as nice a day as we did. Sleep well dear friends and as always pray for Sean because God hears our prayers and He loves us so much. One more thing. In all of this I keep thinking about the sacrifice that God made for us in his Son Jesus. In watching our son suffer and fight for his life I can't help but think what it must of been like for God to witness His son's suffering and death. God could have stopped it but He didn't because he loved us that much. It brings tears to my eyes even now because I can't fathom the depth of that love, that He would give His Son for us. God is amazing and He is present.

Love,
Sean and family