Another 24 Hours

Yaya made an entrance today. If you did not know, our smaller children (Dylan, Addy, Faith) call Alex by her sibling-given name, Yaya. (It means Alex in 2-year-old garble.)

As we were waiting on the first floor, they called the "Ray D." family. It was Nurse Yaya. "Imagine that," Mom whispered silently. "Yaya's here."

We went up to the Trauma Unit to see Dad race by in his 2008 Four-Wheel Explorer Bed. Dr. Trauma came out to talk to us.

The Good News:
The surgery this morning was complete. The areas were stitched, the areas were cleaned, the areas were looking good. His chest cavity was closed with a wire. (I am sure it was something other than chicken wire...this is Vandy, you know.) Although placed on blood pressure medication momentarily, he was taken off totally and his heart beats on its own.

The Areas for Growth: (I guess I don't like hearing Bad News)
Dr. Trauma was not able to repair or rebuild the chest cavity wall. A titanium plate is the recommended path to rebuild the cavity wall, but that is a couple of weeks down the road. There remains bleeding in the cranium, and the risk of infection increases 2-5 days post-op.

Now, here's where we really get to test this man's will. The Trauma Team will begin to reduce the paralytic medication that has Dad paralyzed. They do so in order to perform neurological exams to test for injury to the brain. This process will take about 4-6 hours. Dad will remain sedated (as he has been intubated), but the goal is to "unparalyze" him.

What can you do? Pray. (Matthew 21:21)

How can you pray? Without ceasing. (1 Thess. 5:17)

What can you pray for?

1. Reduced swelling, bleeding and pressure in the brain.
2. Normal neurological responses to the testing after paralytic drugs are eliminated.
3. Free from infection. (They say 50-50% chance of getting an infection...we say 100% of not getting an infection.)
4. Continued progress and development in his lungs.

We made it another 24 hours. It won't be easy, but we were never promised an easy trip. Thank you again for all the calls and emails and prayers.