Saturday, May 21, 2011
May 20-5 1215
Tyler continues to respond and react. Today there really seems to be someone at home. I was talking about our Lakota friend Larry Fiddler, and Tyler looked at me and squeezed my hand. The neurologist came in earlier, shook my hand, and with a Cheshire Cat grin said "we now know he's in there for sure, he's going to be alright". We all hope this is the definitive word. Time and patience will tell.
As I grow to understand life less and less,
I learn to love it more and more.
-Jules Renard
As I grow to understand life less and less,
I learn to love it more and more.
-Jules Renard
May 21-2 0550
Josh's biggest fan.....Tyler's biggest fan
Tyler continues to follow commands. At one point in the evening the nurse asked if he understood her, and he nodded his head, and seemed to follow her with his eyes. We are all elated. Ty's Grammy is so happy, I'm sure she didn't sleep a wink, and she's walking without touching the ground.
Last night was the senior prom for Josh and Jesse. They stopped by the house to change for an after party, and I had the opportunity to share the good news. It just made a good night great.
May 21-1 0537
Josh's biggest fan..........Tyler's biggest fan
Tyler continues to follow commands, and the nurse believes he's starting to follow with his eyes. At one point last night she asked if he understood what she was saying, and he nodded his head. We are all so very happy. Ty's Grammy is so relieved, she's walking without touching the ground.
Last night was the senior prom for Josh and Jesse, when they came to the house afterward to change, I was able to share the good news. It just made a good night great for all.
Friday, May 20, 2011
May 20-6 2250
News Flash-
Tyler opened his eyes,wiggled his toes and gave the nurses a thumbs up, all on command. From all preliminary indications, we've been knocking and finally Ty has answered the door.
"Perseverance is a great element of success;
if you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate
you are sure to wake up somebody."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We are elated!!!!!!!!! What a coincidence, this progress takes place on the same day we do the ceremony to alter Tyler's Hebrew name (an old tradition to facilitate healing and recovery). We are cautiously overjoyed (whatever that means). Ty's vital signs remain within limits, and stable. Perhaps we've begun putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.
Thank you for all the prayers
We all want to sing and dance, yet it's important to remember there is still a long way to go. But it sure feels like we got the car all gassed up and out of the driveway. We will be in early to see Ty, and keep everyone informed.
Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you:
I have called you by your name, you are mine.
Should you pass through the sea, I will be there with you;
or through rivers, they will not swallow you up.
Should you walk through fire, you will not be scorched
and the flames will not burn you...
Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
—Isaiah 43
Tyler opened his eyes,wiggled his toes and gave the nurses a thumbs up, all on command. From all preliminary indications, we've been knocking and finally Ty has answered the door.
"Perseverance is a great element of success;
if you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate
you are sure to wake up somebody."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We are elated!!!!!!!!! What a coincidence, this progress takes place on the same day we do the ceremony to alter Tyler's Hebrew name (an old tradition to facilitate healing and recovery). We are cautiously overjoyed (whatever that means). Ty's vital signs remain within limits, and stable. Perhaps we've begun putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.
Thank you for all the prayers
We all want to sing and dance, yet it's important to remember there is still a long way to go. But it sure feels like we got the car all gassed up and out of the driveway. We will be in early to see Ty, and keep everyone informed.
Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you:
I have called you by your name, you are mine.
Should you pass through the sea, I will be there with you;
or through rivers, they will not swallow you up.
Should you walk through fire, you will not be scorched
and the flames will not burn you...
Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
—Isaiah 43
May 20-5 1830
All the numbers remain stable for Ty. He's resting comfortably, and his big brother if off for his senior prom.
The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore to use it, not to misuse it.
-Plutarch
The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore to use it, not to misuse it.
-Plutarch
May 20-4 1345
The numbers remain good. Ty's heart and lungs sound clear and strong. He cotinues to open his eyes between naps, we just don't know how much cognition there is behind the peepers. So we patiently wait.
May 20-4 1345
The numbers remain good. Ty's heart and lungs sound clear and strong. He continues to open his eyes between naps.
May 20-2 1015
Currently Ty's vitals are very good. We are talking with the MDs about removing the breathing tube, and doing a tracheostomy to make Tyler more comfortable and still maintain the support he needs. The MD says this is all part of the lengthy process he's got to endure, but tiny steps forward none the less.
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
May 20-1 0230
Tyler is doing OK this evening. His blood pressure dipped lower than the staff wanted, so he was placed on meds for this, and currently he's resting.
Life is like a library owned by the author.
In it are a few books which he wrote himself,
but most of them were written for him.
-Harry Emerson Fosdick
Thursday, May 19, 2011
May 19-3 1155
Tyler's eyes seem wider and more alert, and he seemed to smile at our friend Bob. All this may just be wish full thinking, but it works for us. All vitals are good and stable.
The acts of this life are the destiny of the next.
-Eastern Proverb
The acts of this life are the destiny of the next.
-Eastern Proverb
May 19-2 0830
Tyler continues minor excursions from normal, but for the most part he is stable. His eyes opened the widest we've seen to date. He still isn't responsive, so we have no idea if anything is registering. We'd like to think so.
Thanks to and old friend ,Cheryl, we've been made aware of an ancient Jewish custom of adding to, or renaming a sick or injured loved one in order to facilitate healing. I spoke with Rabbi Atkins and he said it's traditional to add the name Chaim (a derivation of the word "LIFE") to a persons Hebrew name. I am going to minion (services) tomorrow AM to do just this.
Adversity is the first path to truth. ~Lord Byron
Thanks to and old friend ,Cheryl, we've been made aware of an ancient Jewish custom of adding to, or renaming a sick or injured loved one in order to facilitate healing. I spoke with Rabbi Atkins and he said it's traditional to add the name Chaim (a derivation of the word "LIFE") to a persons Hebrew name. I am going to minion (services) tomorrow AM to do just this.
Adversity is the first path to truth. ~Lord Byron
May 19-1 0515
Tyler's vitals remain within limits. He had a quiet restful night. We are currently reading to him, playing music, and conversing with him in an effort to continually stimulate his mind. He remains largely non-communicative, but we feel we are seeing some signs of recognition. Whether this is wishful thinking, or actual occurrence, only Tyler can tell us. Like all of us, we hope this happens soon.
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
May 18-5 2100
Feel like a broken record some times. The nurse says Ty is resting comfortably, and occasionally opening his eyes about 3/8 of an inch. There's periodic movement and a strong cough reflex to that type of stimulus. We are all just waiting for Tyler to someday tell us he's in there.
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgment difficult.
-Hypocrites
Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgment difficult.
-Hypocrites
May 18-4 1800
Ty is maintaining as before. We would like to believe Tyler's responses are voluntary, but only he can tell us. The wait continues.
Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly. ~Edward Albee
Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly. ~Edward Albee
May 18-3 1400
Tyler's vitals are as good as they've been as of late. He has been off sedation for over 30 hours, and the staff is lowering the pain meds gradually. Ty opens his eyes a bit and seems to respond, albeit on a minimal scale. Baby steps to the goal.
It is always darkest before the dawn.
-Unknown
It is always darkest before the dawn.
-Unknown
May 18-2 0650
Tyler remains unchanged from the last report. He is still off sedation, and the staff is progressively lowering the level of pain meds but still keeping him comfortable. We've found it easy to, on occasion, give in to fear or despair depending on the news. Understanding how long of a road this will be, and the fact there is nothing as of yet confirmed about His level of ability now, or in the future, hopefully gives some comfort.
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop. ~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop. ~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
May 12-1 1335
Quiet day. Tyler remains consistent with all the vitals except his BP. It's still not as consistent as they want it.
Just wanted to share this
One day while walking through the woods, a man found a cocoon. He decided to take the cocoon home to watch its transformation into a beautiful butterfly. He gently placed it on his table and watched it for several days.
One day a small opening appeared and the cocoon started to move. The old man sat and watched it for several hours as it struggled and struggled to force its body from the cocoon.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and was unable to go any farther. Finally, the old man feeling sorry for the cocooned butterfly, decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then easily emerged.
But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would only cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
And we could never fly.
~ Author Unknown ~
One day a small opening appeared and the cocoon started to move. The old man sat and watched it for several hours as it struggled and struggled to force its body from the cocoon.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and was unable to go any farther. Finally, the old man feeling sorry for the cocooned butterfly, decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then easily emerged.
But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would only cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
And we could never fly.
~ Author Unknown ~
May 18-1 0315
Grammy and Tyler.
Tyler remains unchanged from the last report. They've added a second cooling blanket to help further reduce his temp, and his Bp is still a bit high. The concern is still for his limited response with the sedation turned off. The staff wants to see much more movement than is happening (so would we). There is concern about this, but then again there's concern over everything regarding someone in ICU. The fact remains, we won't know anything for sure until Tyler can tell us and Unfortunately, that may be some time off yet.
"Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, `Grow, grow.'"
~ The Talmud
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
May 17-4 1848
Well the rollercoaster continues. Even though Tyler has been off of sedation for many hours with his vitals more or less stable, he still isn't moving or responding on any consistent level. The staff is encouraged about many things today, but would like to see a great deal more movement. Besides the potential extent of his injuries, there can be a great deal of other factors influencing Tyler's level of response. Only time will tell.
"A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure."
~ Unknown
"A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure."
~ Unknown
May 17-3 1550
Tyler on the prowl for fresh meat.
Earlier during our visit, the staff turned off the sedation. A while later Ty opened his eyes for us very slightly. We have no idea if he was registering anything, but it was heartening to witness. Tyler's vitals have been stable enough that the staff is keeping him off sedation as long as he can comfortably tolerate it in order to get a better neurological assessment. Little victories,are victories none the less.
May 17-2 1048
Tyler's vital signs look good, we're still fighting the BP battle, but all things in time. His O2 supply was reduced another 5% and his blood O2 level is maintaining at a good level. Another tiny victory.
The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer.
U.S. Armed Forces saying
The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer.
U.S. Armed Forces saying
May 11-6 2110
Final Wednesday notice...No results back from the chest x-ray taken earlier. He is resting comfortably, and his vitals are good. We pray this trend continues so we can begin taking real steps towards Tyler's recovery.
Please feel free to post thoughts, feelings, quotes, jokes, and especially questions.
Please feel free to post thoughts, feelings, quotes, jokes, and especially questions.
May 11-4 1424
Ty is resting comfortably all his vitals are settling down, but yet to be consistent. Today we had an Orthodox Rabbi,
May 17-1 0125
Ty and his big brothers arm
It pays to bring your particular hospital floor staff snacks and treats. They don't mind when you call to ask for updates (they are so great they don't mind anyway). Currently Tyler is relatively unchanged with the exception of a somewhat lower BP. Stabilizing Tyler will be a nice step towards healing.
We take a time out from our regular programing to thank all who have, and will continue to contributed to the eclectic decoration of Ty's room. Somewhere inside I know he's smiling from all the beautiful sentiment and artwork.
Keep those cards and letters coming.
Monday, May 16, 2011
May 15-3 1930
After a neurological test which tend to rile him, Tyler was given some meds to help stabilize his BP, otherwise today was fairly uneventfull. On the plus side, the respiratory staff was able to reduce his O2 supply from 55% to 45% and still maintain near 100% blood O2 saturation(for a while Tyler's supply had been on 90%-100%). If Ty maintains that rate or even continues to be weaned off the supplemental O2 all together, it will be a small win for the good guys, but a win none the less.
May 16-2 1505
Tyler continues to maintain. His BP is still elevated, but his O2 is good. I met with the MD and the upshot is patience. This is going to be a long road with no certain outcome as of yet. Progress is slow and sometimes imperceptible, but Ty has almost everything such as age, strength, and quality of care going in his favor. More to follow.
May 16-1 0430
Tyler works part time for Kessler Kennel Farms a wonderful animal care facility in East Granby. This is Bailey a criminally insane dog serving her time. (She's actually a sweet puppy who loves to play, she just looks insane).
Currently things are unchanged with Ty. His temp was up a bit, but that will come and go until we get rid of the infection in his lung. We are hoping the latest consistencies in Tyler's vitals mean no more grand numeric excursions from stability (Not a bad sounding sentence for 4:30 in the morning). Only time will tell.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
May 15-6 2102
Tyler continues to rest comfortably, with no new issues or problems. Things have remained consistent all day.
A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown
A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown
May 15-5 1630
Tyler's furry pals waiting for him to return. Capone left, Diva right.
Tyler is till stable. There is still this issue of lowering his BP, and weaning him completely off of O2, which will both take some time. It was tremendously heartening to hold the medicine wheel sent by Larry Fiddler from the Lakota Nation. Attached at the base of this beautiful multi-color 6 inch diameter wheel is a huge bear claw. This bear claw was given to Larry some time ago and is used in the sweat lodge ceremonies, one of which Tyler was honored to be part of. The claw has very special meaning, and is very strong medicine. Along with the medicine wheel, Larry included some sage, also for cleansing and healing. I will include more details tomorrow after we hang the wheel in the appropriate place in Ty's room. It was also very encouraging that the nurse has been far less "busy" with Tyler's condition and maintenance. All these things are good steps along this long road.
May 15-4 1440
Things continue to be relatively quiet for Tyler. A cardiologist came in and said his heart and lungs sound good. His room is getting decorated with cards, banners and t-shirts to the point we may have to open a Tyler annex. We spoke with Larry Fiddler, and the items he had sent arrived today, and will be with Ty tomorrow.
"You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!"
— Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You'll Go!)
May 15-3 1016
The nephrologist (kidney doctor, and probably spelled wrong...oh well) was in today and believes if they lower the level of fluids in his system, Ty's blood pressure will decrease and stabilize. Like everything, time will tell. We all need to keep our collective sense of humor, and stay focused on one step at a time.
The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief.
~William Shakespeare, Othello
The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief.
~William Shakespeare, Othello
Saturday Update-Continued
Saturday was a quiet day and Tyler remains in stable condition. They have determined that he does have a lung infection/pneumonia and may also have developed a sinus infection. Not welcome news but fairly common in these situations when someone is on a ventilator. They are treating him with heavy-duty antibiotics and will continue to keep him sedated until he is rid of the infection(s). Once he is strong enough, they will, once again, start to periodically reduce the sedation and challenge him during neurological exams to see about the status of brain functioning. The most recent CT scan (2 days ago) showed no additional bleeding/swelling. All other things are fairly stable (BP, heart rate, blood oxygen levels).
As far as the infection goes, it may take awhile to be rid of it (days/weeks) and we ask for continued prayers of healing for Tyler specifically directed towards his lungs and immune system and whatever else will help him to be able to fight off the infection. We all want nothing more for Tyler than to be healed, and healed quickly! The waiting sometimes seems unbearable…
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We feel the love and are humbled by the immense support from family, friends, and the entire community far and wide. Every day we hear of additional people (in multiples of hundreds!) that are praying for his recovery. Many of you have shared with us touching stories that illustrate how Tyler has impacted you with his deeply compassionate spirit. We also relish the stories about his sense of humor and are confident that he will be the first one to have something profoundly funny to say about this experience. We cannot wait to hear just what that is!
This may be a long road....and everything you send our way helps. Someday we hope to thank each and everyone one of you individually but for now please know how grateful we are for every ounce of support and the loving, healing thoughts & prayers coming our way.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” –Lao Tzu
As far as the infection goes, it may take awhile to be rid of it (days/weeks) and we ask for continued prayers of healing for Tyler specifically directed towards his lungs and immune system and whatever else will help him to be able to fight off the infection. We all want nothing more for Tyler than to be healed, and healed quickly! The waiting sometimes seems unbearable…
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. We feel the love and are humbled by the immense support from family, friends, and the entire community far and wide. Every day we hear of additional people (in multiples of hundreds!) that are praying for his recovery. Many of you have shared with us touching stories that illustrate how Tyler has impacted you with his deeply compassionate spirit. We also relish the stories about his sense of humor and are confident that he will be the first one to have something profoundly funny to say about this experience. We cannot wait to hear just what that is!
This may be a long road....and everything you send our way helps. Someday we hope to thank each and everyone one of you individually but for now please know how grateful we are for every ounce of support and the loving, healing thoughts & prayers coming our way.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” –Lao Tzu
May 15-2 0201
This is our rescue dog Capone (the middle one), Currently he misses Tyler terribly, but has seen fit to steal his bed with no indications of returning it.
It dawned on me, there are multitudes of well wishers who don't really know anything about Tyler and his relationship with all that's around him. These caring souls are just beautifully compelled to be part of Tyler's healing process, and we thank G-d for all. At the risk of seeming sentimental, or even a bit self indulgent (like I could really give a crap), I want to share the Bar Mitzvah speech I wrote for him almost 4 years ago.
From the moment you were born, I knew we were in for a unique experience. You are truly an elemental child. It is no secret how much the earth and our environment means to you. The earth, air, water, and fire…. Are all part of you and your concerns… especially fire. We will be keeping a special eye on that one.
I cant’ tell you how proud we are of your wonderful humor, and gentle caring heart. The effort and discipline that has seen you to this day, however not always voluntary, is none the less impressive. You have honored your family and friends with your determination to see this part of your spiritual education through. The most impressive part of all this, to me at least, is that “you get it”. You understand the reason you’re here is not merely for the joyous celebration, but for your ancestors, your faith, and for the countless numbers that came before you that never got the opportunity to see this day. You understand the concept of mitzvah, selfless deeds. You are a peacemaker and a genuine good and caring soul.
We always go to the outdoors on Thanksgiving to appreciate nature and instill some reality to what should be a thought-inspiring holiday. One early morning sitting on the rocks near a waterfall in Enders State Forrest, I told Tyler and Josh of the Native American belief that all objects had a soul, and if you listened carefully, you could hear the earth singing. I looked at Tyler who had his ear to the rocks and he said, “Daddy, I can hear the earth singing… and it’s a sad song”.
Not everyone knows the day in your high chair when you ate almost a full lb. of pasta or the unbelievable way you have of turning a phrase, there has never been a dull moment around the Moogy. Tyler gained that nickname after we read Jungle Book. Tyler waddling around in his diaper reminded us of the character Mogli. Thus the nickname was born, and stuck.
Tyler was generally fearless growing up, which was both a blessing and a terror. One year his brother Josh got a Big Jake motorized riding truck. Josh was a bit leery of hopping on, and the noise the motor made. While I was talking to Josh about it, we hear the motor fire up, and there’s Tyler, having hot-wired the truck, he was taking off for the family room.
I get the feeling you sometimes surprise yourself with the amount of discipline and sticktoitiveness you posses. You learned to play the saxophone, you are on the verge of achieving your black belt in karate, and you’re a master video fiend. Your abilities come as no surprise to those of us closest to you though. We can see your potential in all you do or desire.
We pray that you maintain your distinct and occasionally bizarre sense of humor, and never lose touch with that wonderful, sensitive, and caring soul you are so lucky to posses. Always know how deeply you are loved, and how rich our lives are for you being here. Maybe someday it will be you that helps our earth finally sing a happy song.
May 15-1 0102
Currently the nurse says Tyler's BP still goes up when he's moved or maneuvered, however all other stats are consistent and OK like yesterday.
We feel confident enough in Ty's condition that my classes start tomorrow AM, and Linda is returning to work as well. Linda will be with Tyler in the AM and I will arrive after class at 1 o'clock.
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant. ~Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), Satires
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