Lots of good news today!
Dwight had a great meeting with the weekend neurologist this morning! They got a complete report from last night's CT and it's showing that the damaged area on the brain from the stroke is actually allowing some blood flow! Apparently this is pretty rare. It also showed that the clot has completely dissolved.
So we're all rejoicing!
The doctor considered Nick "out of the woods" so to speak. He said now we're focusing on the long healing process. They will keep him in a coma until the brain's swelling and fluid are gone, at least a week, if not more.
Nick still has strong vitals. He's getting some bed sores on his feet so they're going to put him on one of those moving air beds.
He had some minor respiratory issues this morning, but they seem to of cleared up.
Sorry, I was wrong last night. (I need to watch "House" more.) The damage is not on his right cerebrum, but his right cerebellum. This is the area controlling motor ability/muscles, so they estimate a few months of intensive rehab to hopefully regain movement. And since the tongue is a muscle, he will probably have problems speaking. But his mental/thinking abilities should not be affected.
Obviously he has his youth, resiliency, and fighting spirit to help this process. (Look how well he's done already!)
Dwight and Lisa are very concerned about how he'll be when he wakes up - most likely very scared. So that's a point of prayer.
WHAT NICK HAD
Nick had Basilar Thrombosis. Here is some info, in case you're interested:
The doctors say this is caused when the neck is suddenly turned/jerked to one side and the artery tears, thus creating the clot. Considering how hard Nick plays, this could have happened while playing football or something else.
PHOTO
Some folks weren't able to get the photo of Nick I attached to last night's email (taken at this 13th birthday party last month). In that case you can go to this page to save the photo to your computer:
Craig had a great idea...to put this photo on your computer's desktop so you're reminded often to pray for him.
HOW TO HELP
Gina Vildibill is coordinating all the helpers. The Brinkerhoffs will need help driving kids to school, meals, watching Conner (2 yrs old), and cleaning the house, so they don't have to worry about it.
We don't want to heavily frontload the volunteers, since this will be a looooong process. They will most likely need our help for months.
In the immediate, we need a few people to do some light cleaning in their house tomorrow morning starting at 11a. If you can help please contact Gina - bng4him@cox.net
If you can't do that, but want to help with one of other needs or at other times, please email Gina and let her know your abilities and/or availabilities: bng4him@cox.net
If you don't hear from her within a few days, give her a call.
IN CLOSING
As Francine told Craig this morning, from her experience neurologists do not know much in the end. They take educated guesses, stabs in the dark really. One of Heather's neurologists was honest enough once to say that the brain is very complex. It'll do whatever it wants.
God will, too.
Thy will be done...
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