Here's an email I sent my friends today:
Hi friends, here's a brief update on Ralph:
* his head swelling has come down enough for the doctors to take out the tubes in his head (they were gauging brain pressure and monitoring swelling); this is definitely good news!
* the doctors have determined that Ralph did not damage his spine in the accident; last weekend the doctors lowered his sedation enough to do some simple "pinching" tests: nurses pinched his hands and toes, to see if he responded to pain: he did, his body jolted abruptly; this is also very good news .. perhaps this is one of the only legitimate times to rejoice in someone else's pain...
* Ralph still needs to have his neck operated on: the surgery was supposed to take place last weekend, but his neck area got infected from the ventilator (Ralph was at that point not breathing on his own, the machine was doing all the work; today, he initiates each breath, but the ventilator takes over after that and does the rest of the work) so the doctors postponed the surgery; the plan is to undergo neck surgery sometime this weekend (most likely tomorrow, Saturday)
* his right ear lobe is not growing back properly; it will have to be removed and plastic surgery performed; for the time being this is not a high priority; we do not know if/how hearing is affected
* Ralph is still heavily sedated: he has been "asleep" for all 19 days; after the neck surgery is performed, the doctors will gradually lower sedation levels and hope he wakes up. Then, we can begin to see the status of his brain.
A quick story: earlier this week (Tuesday, I think - all days are but a blur at the moment) the nurses lowered his sedation levels somewhat. I was in Ralph's room with Melanie, and her two youngest sons, Terence and Derek. Melanie and I were talking quietly in a corner, while Derek and Terence were telling Ralph how much they missed him. Derek was stroking Ralph's finger. All of the sudden, Terence said "Hey, his eyes are open." Melanie and I jumped up and ran to the bed. Sure enough, his eyes were open, and he was staring straight up at the ceiling. We all told him that we love him. Then, seeing what was happening, the nurse came into the room, went right close to his ear, and said loudly: "If you can hear us, please blink once." And to our astonishment, he blinked. Our hearts lept for joy. Then, she asked him to blink again. This time he didn't respond. His eyes stayed open for about another 30 seconds - still staring at the ceiling - and then they closed. We're not certain how to interpret the events (did he hear us or not?), but personally, I believe he mustered up all his energies to open his eyes. Asking him to blink several times was asking too much, for the time being. I pray that this is the correct interpretation.
I leave you with Psalm 62:1-2, a verse I've been reading with Ralph daily, and reciting on my own about a thousand times a day: "Truly, my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."
Hi friends, here's a brief update on Ralph:
* his head swelling has come down enough for the doctors to take out the tubes in his head (they were gauging brain pressure and monitoring swelling); this is definitely good news!
* the doctors have determined that Ralph did not damage his spine in the accident; last weekend the doctors lowered his sedation enough to do some simple "pinching" tests: nurses pinched his hands and toes, to see if he responded to pain: he did, his body jolted abruptly; this is also very good news .. perhaps this is one of the only legitimate times to rejoice in someone else's pain...
* Ralph still needs to have his neck operated on: the surgery was supposed to take place last weekend, but his neck area got infected from the ventilator (Ralph was at that point not breathing on his own, the machine was doing all the work; today, he initiates each breath, but the ventilator takes over after that and does the rest of the work) so the doctors postponed the surgery; the plan is to undergo neck surgery sometime this weekend (most likely tomorrow, Saturday)
* his right ear lobe is not growing back properly; it will have to be removed and plastic surgery performed; for the time being this is not a high priority; we do not know if/how hearing is affected
* Ralph is still heavily sedated: he has been "asleep" for all 19 days; after the neck surgery is performed, the doctors will gradually lower sedation levels and hope he wakes up. Then, we can begin to see the status of his brain.
A quick story: earlier this week (Tuesday, I think - all days are but a blur at the moment) the nurses lowered his sedation levels somewhat. I was in Ralph's room with Melanie, and her two youngest sons, Terence and Derek. Melanie and I were talking quietly in a corner, while Derek and Terence were telling Ralph how much they missed him. Derek was stroking Ralph's finger. All of the sudden, Terence said "Hey, his eyes are open." Melanie and I jumped up and ran to the bed. Sure enough, his eyes were open, and he was staring straight up at the ceiling. We all told him that we love him. Then, seeing what was happening, the nurse came into the room, went right close to his ear, and said loudly: "If you can hear us, please blink once." And to our astonishment, he blinked. Our hearts lept for joy. Then, she asked him to blink again. This time he didn't respond. His eyes stayed open for about another 30 seconds - still staring at the ceiling - and then they closed. We're not certain how to interpret the events (did he hear us or not?), but personally, I believe he mustered up all his energies to open his eyes. Asking him to blink several times was asking too much, for the time being. I pray that this is the correct interpretation.
I leave you with Psalm 62:1-2, a verse I've been reading with Ralph daily, and reciting on my own about a thousand times a day: "Truly, my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."
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