Rough Day......

Paula's had a rough day...she's been fighting a fever since 9:00 A.M. and has really been struggling with restlessness....she's been a handful! The fever subsided around 6:40 P.M. and she's been resting well since about 7-7:15

Good news....I think! Scott went to Argentina to see his girlfriend Luchi for 3 weeks. They had not seen each other for a year, they've been communicating via e-mail/web cam. I got a text from Luchi a few minutes ago that said "I have another ring....and the answer was yes!" So I think that means engagement......I think?!?!

Have a safe and happy new years eve night, and a blessed new year!!

Moving day postponed

Paula is running a fever, so they won't try to put a feeding tube in until Friday.....so we will move after that.

Moving Day

Paula had a good night.....she looks very peaceful without the respirator tube down her throat. They'll be moving Paula today to Select Specialty Hospital on Walton Way. From Riverwatch, turn onto 15th St, then right on Walton Way....it's about a block up on the right. Before she moves, they are going to put a feeding tube in her side.

Negative Excitement

Paula's trach came out and they had to redo it around 4:00 this afternoon. It scared me pretty bad.....but MCG staff acted very quickly and got another one in....one that was a little longer. Also, I've added some pictures below.

Tracheotomy

Paula's trach went well, she looks much more peaceful. They will put a feeding tube in her side this afternoon, so she won't have any tubes in her mouth or throat

Tracheotomy

11:39 A.M. They will be starting on Paula's trach in a few minutes.

Tracheotomy

The will do a tracheotomy on Paula at MCG or Select Specialty Hospital as soon as they can schedule it......probably tomorrow. The same people do trachs for both places.

Lessons.......

I don't know how God talks to you....but to me....He has never blinded me with a great light and put scales on my eyes, He's never put me in a fish's belly, He's never knocked on my head and said "Hey Tommy, this is God, listen up...." So far its been thru answering prayers and small still voices.....but the small still voice is a problem......I'm hard of hearing!!! Early on the 20th, I got up and starting walking around MCG. I told God that I didn't understand......why Paula, of all people.....why not me? These words came to me...."Ya'll have got some things that I need to teach you." Ya'll meaning all of us that have prayed, cried, and have been touched by Paula in a special way......and there are many that she has touched. The main message for me was "Yes, you love and cherish Paula, and you do put her on a pedestal.....but the problem is, is that over the years, you have placed importance on things around you, that are REALLY not that important, thereby.....raising them up to Paula's level....it's not that you've lowered her status in your life....it's just that NOW.....you have made all those less than important things....important, so that you've elevated them to the same level as Paula." The words came to me that we do the same thing with God....we love Him, we cherish Him, we put Him high on a pedestal far above all other things in our life, but as time goes by......we elevate all the less important things in our life so that after a while.......those things have been elevated up to His level, so that now, He is just in the mix with everything else in our life. Paula's healing will be dependent on how quickly we learn what God has for us thru this situation!"

I told Lanis this later that morning, then I felt like sharing it with Ed and Virginia Turner that night.....Leigh and Chuck had come in, and Leigh was in their with us talking and listening to my story.....when I got thru telling Ed and Virginia......Leigh said "Daddy, you're not going to believe this.....but this afternoon at about 1:30, Chuck was at the house praying about this situation, and God told him that this thing wasn't about Paula......that God had a lesson that He needed to teach the rest of us......"

This was the confirmation to me of His small, still voice........

Walmart

12.28.08, 9:00 P.M.
I've told several people that while coming to the hospital in the ambulance, that I think it's the first time Paula has ever been to Augusta, and did not stop at Walmart. Paula said Walmart has a $35.00 minimum cover charge!

When Paula wakes up, I'm going to tell her that...."I don't know if this is true, but some of the EMT's said that as the ambulance went by Walmart, that Paula raised up her head to look as they went by!

Paula's Blog

I have started this "blog," so that we can give you more and better information about Paula's journey during her recovery. I will continue to send text messages also.



Many, many,......MANY prayers have been spoken in Paula's behalf, many tears have been shed in your petitions to God for her.



THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!

You have touched the very bottom of our hearts.......but honestly.....I expected no less from our friends, loved ones, and church family(s)......I knew that all of you would do this....THANKS!

Recap:

• Paula had the accident on her bicyle on 12.16.08, at appx. 1:30, on Sunrise Drive


• she had broken ribs, broken facial bones, and a severe brain injury. They described the trauma as "severe shear injury" (www.tbilaw.com/AboutMildBrain7.html) Pretty serious stuff
• They had to operate on her brain to stop the bleeding and remove a clot. The bleeding and clot were between the brain and the skull, which was good.
• The area that was damaged is the area of speech and speech recognition....her brain has a bruise on it in this area
• They told us on the night of 16th, after surgery, that it appears they got everything fixed.....she had a bruise on her brain, but that would heal.
• The night of the 17th, they moved her to her ICU room, Dr. Vender came in and said they had done a different scan, and "it showed she had severe sheer injury...it may take her a year to wake up....or she may NEVER......wake up."
• Dr. Vender walked out the door, and I ask the kids to gather round Paula's bed, we held hands, and layed hands on Paula.....my prayer was....."Dear Father, we praise you and glorify you....for who you are....maker of heaven and earth. Dear God, in Jesus name, we reject this negative report, and in Jesus name, we accept the healing that you are already doing in Paula.....Amen."
• My prayer over her the last few days has been "God, I know that You're healing her, but please show us one small sign today of that healing...." After I prayed that prayer the first day, I went to breakfast and when I came back, I started talking to her and ask her to open her eyes for me and she "cracked" one of her eyes twice in a row when I ask her
• several times on Christmas eve, she opened her eyes widely for the nurse, the doctor, then for April when she heard their voices......her eyes were not focused, but when April talked to her, she looked like she was trying to focus.
• She likes to put her leg off the side of the bed, and she tried on the 26th, but her knee got caught on the guard rail, so her foot was dangling about 8" below the bed.....she slowly lifted her leg and put her foot back on the bed.......this took a very good thinking process for her to accomplish.
• Paula has been sedated except for a 36 hr period....she still has the ventilator in.....her lungs and breathing are fine, but they don't want to take the ventilator out until she is more concious and can readily "manage" any breathing problems that might arise.
• So, right now (12.28.08) , it's kind of a catch 22 situation....they will keep her sedated because she has the respirator in, the sedation hampers her communication, they want her to communicate so they can take the respirator out.......
• They will probably move her to Select Specialty Hospital on Walton Way either Monday P.M. or Tuesday A.M. (from Riverwatch, turn onto 15th St, right on Walton Way, and it's about a block up on the right) They specialized in getting people off the respirator, and all types of therapy). I won't know the rules on visitation until we get there. I've been spending the night at the hospital since the accident, but will not be able to at Select.

12.28.08, 7:50 P.M.

• They will probably do a trach on Paula tomorrow P.M. or Tuesday A.M. It looks like they will do it at MCG, prior to moving her to Select.

Paula and Tommy