October 31, 2005 - Evening

Our girl has given us a little bit of encouragement tonight. Although the neurosurgeon has not yet been able to evaluate the CAT scan, one of the trauma docs shared with us that it shows "slight improvement". In addition, they've confirmed that her brain did not herniate. (Her brain did not overswell onto the brain stem causing brain death) The rest of her body appears to remain strong. She is attempting to "overbreathe" the respirator. This is a good sign as it means that her brain has sufficient function to try and breathe on its own. She has slight pneumonia, which is common and they are treating.

It will take days if not more than a week plus for the phenobarbital to work its way out of her system. Until then, she is under a powerful chemical paralytic. Once that works its way out, we'll be hoping that our girl regains some level of conciousness and any potential brain damage is minimal. There is no set time table for coma periods in head trauma. We just have to be patient and let our girl heal as she is able. We are discovering that this is a long term marathon, but we believe our girl can win it and we are all with her the entire distance.

October 31, 2005 - Mid-Morning

We don't have a lot to add this morning. Our girl made it safely through the night. Her pupils are still not reactive. Her EEG showed some minimal activity, but not enough to give any meaningful measurement. The EEG is utilized only while the phenobarbital is being administered (to determine if they are using the proper dosages) and is being removed this morning. She is scheduled for a CAT scan this morning. The neurogsurgeon and neurologist will take a look at the results and let us know their thoughts this afternoon re: extent of brain damage and what the next few days may bring. We draw on everyone's faith, courage, and strength. Hold steadfast.

October 30, 2005 - Mid-Day

We wish we had good news to share. Our princess' fever continues to spike. Her lungs have begun to struggle. Her EEG has ceased showing activity. Since this can be caused by the the drugs in her system, they are turning down the phenobarbital to determine if our girl is still in there. From what we're being told, the outward signs are that her brain may be gradually shutting down on her tired little body. They anticipate knowing tomorrow morning whether she's still in there struggling or has given up the fight. We hope for the miracle, but face whatever comes with the courage we ask of her. Stay strong.

October 30, 2005 - Mid-Morning

Our girl gave us a scare last night. We received a phone call during the night that her ICP had creeped up into the 30's and her pupil was not as responsive as it had been previously. Her team responded with re-increased medication (they had been attempting to bring the meds down) and it brought her ICP's back down into the 20's. However, she's running a slight fever and we'd like to see that come back down. Otherwise, she's holding steady this morning and we're hoping that she's able to keep those numbers down going forward. It's all just a reminder that she's in intensive care for a reason. Keep up the good thoughts and prayers.

October 29, 2005 - Mid-day

Princess continues to maintain those low ICP numbers. We also had the opportunity to speak with her trauma doctor and he confirmed that the low ICPs are exactly what we were hoping for (he actually used the word "good"!). Now that her brain appears to be somewhat more stabilized, they're going to give her a hard catheter to better monitor her heart and ensure that it's not working too hard given all the drugs that her little body has needed. Our girl appears to be holding her own in this round and hopefully turning a corner.

October 29, 2005 - Morning

Just a quick post to let everyone know that Mandy held onto those low ICP numbers overnight. (Can I get a hoo-rah?) She's holding steady just like we want her to. As long as those numbers stay low through the weekend, we'll get another CAT scan Sunday or Monday and confirm what we hope we're seeing as the turn of the tide. That light is continuing to grow.

October 28, 2005 - Late Evening

The neurosurgeon has confirmed that it is indeed a spark of light that we're seeing in the tunnel. Her right pupil has begun to react more (it is losing the sluggishness). The left pupil is still not reacting, but he's not discouraged by this yet. He'd like to keep her in the chemical coma for 2 more days and ensure that her condition remains somewhat stable. He'll then send her for a CAT scan (on Sunday or Monday) to confirm that the swelling and bruising is indeed on the mend. Should the CAT scan confirm the her brain is on the mend, they'll slowly begin to bring her back out of the chemical coma. The light at the end of tunnel appears a bit brighter tonight. Keep the faith. We'll post again tomorrow.

October 28, 2005 - Evening

Our girl's ICP (internal cranial pressure numbers) began dropping at 3:30 this afternoon into a more acceptable range. The quick drop is unusual and wasn't expected. (These drops are normally more cyclical and gradual - our girl dropped her ICPs very quickly). We do not know what caused it. We are cautiously optimistic about the reduced numbers, but won't feel entirely sure that it doesn't indicate something worse until the neurosurgeon has the opportunity to examine her and look at her statistics. Numbers that go down so quickly, can also rise just as rapidly. We hope to speak with him this evening and we hope to see this trend continue. In the meantime, everyone keep doing what you're doing, because we're hoping like heck that we are seeing the tiniest pinprick of light in this dark tunnel.

October 28, 2005 - Mid-Morning

Our princess made it through the night. Her condition is virtually unchanged from last night. We take strength from the wishes flowing in and are trying to wait patiently for our girl to win this round. (We know she always does things in her own damn time anyway). No matter what we're in her corner and we know she can hear you all cheering in the background.

October 27, 2005 - Evening

The neurosurgeon gave us the conversation that we all hoped we'd never have. He is preparing us for the worst. They have not given up hope and they are still working on reducing the swelling and bringing her through this, but she continues to deteriorate. We are keeping up on our Amandatudes and encouraging her, but the odds are going against her. We carry your thoughts and prayers to her - courage for all of us.

October 27, 2005 - Mid-Morning

The fight continues. We're still waiting for the swelling to decrease. Her numbers have remained essentially unchanged since late yesterday. The left pupil is still non-reactive and the right pupil is sluggish. We're all tired and we just want to take our girl home, but we've got the faith. Thank you for your continued words of encouragement..keep sending out that love!

October 26, 2005 - Evening

Our girl's struggle has gotten harder. Her left pupil did not improve and a chemical coma has been induced. The hope is that the chemical coma will reduce the requirements on her brain and hence pressure. We have been told that more than half of the people placed in this type of chemical coma do not wake up. But our girl is young and she's a fighter, so that improves her odds. The best case for the next few days is that the swelling holds steady to reduces and her left pupil begins to react again. The wait is excrutiating, but we won't give up on her. We'll continue to post as changes warrant.

October 26, 2005 - Mid-morning

Good news and bad news all in one this morning. Our girl maintained good numbers yesterday. The medical team had decided that her numbers were good enough to forego the cold catheter for the time being. We all left the hospital feeling more hopeful last night. As the medical team told us and has warned us, it's up and down as she struggles for life. Her left pupil was not reacting to the level that they would prefer this morning and they sent her to get another CAT scan. After reading the results, the neurologist told us that the bruising/swelling has remained unchanged and they had decided to move ahead with the cold catheter. In addition, they are reconsidering the deeper chemical coma depending on what the next few days bring.

We're waiting and encouraging her. We're reading her the messages, reminding her of good times and promising her a huge ass party when she comes out of this. There is no option but optimism. Keep the good wishes and love coming our way. Our little engine needs all the help she can get.

October 25, 2005 - Midday

The roller coaster appears to be swinging up again and we're all cautiously optimistic. Our princess' numbers have improved and the swelling appears to be well under control. The saline appears to be doing its' job. They have begun feeding her again through the tube. The tracheotomy went very well and she appears to be breathing easier. Of course, the staff cautions us that brain injuries are very unpredictable and bad days sometimes follow good days, but we're keeping the faith.

October 24, 2005 - Mid-Day

The roll coaster ride continues. We spoke with both the neurosurgeon and trauma doctors today. The CAT scan done last night showed continued swelling. Per the neurosurgeon, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, our princess is about an 8-9. To counteract the swelling and pressure, they have started her on a pure saline drip. (She has been reponding well to saline treatments. The idea is to use elevated salt levels to "dry" out the swellings.) In addition, they've ordered a special catheter that they will use to cool her internal body temperatures and assist in also reducing the swelling. They expect the catheter to arrive in the next day or so. At this moment, the team is performing the tracheotomy which should allow her to breathe more efficiently. Should these items not work, they will need to induce a coma. (She has been chemically paralyzed and heavily sedated up to this point, but not comatized.) They would prefer not to do this as it reduces her reactions and makes it more difficult to measure brain activity, but will do so if the swelling cannot be controlled with the other procedures. Her medical team has been wonderful and they are doing everything they can to help our girl fight her battle.

We can't begin to tell you how much your comments have meant to us. We read them to her when we visit with her. In addition, we read them and draw strength from all of you. Sometimes, you even manage to make us smile and we thank you very much for that. Please continue to send your good thoughts and wishes are way, we are doing our best to put them to work.

October 24, 2005 - Mid-Day

The roll coaster ride continues. We spoke with both the neurosurgeon and trauma doctors today. The CAT scan done last night showed continued swelling. Per the neurosurgeon, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, our princess is about an 8-9. To counteract the swelling and pressure, they have started her on a pure saline drip. (She has been reponding well to saline treatments. The idea is to use elevated salt levels to "dry" out the swellings.) In addition, they've ordered a special catheter that they will use to cool her internal body temperatures and assist in also reducing the swelling. They expect the catheter to arrive in the next day or so. At this moment, the team is performing the tracheotomy which should allow her to breathe more efficiently. Should these items not work, they will need to induce a coma. (She has been chemically paralyzed and heavily sedated up to this point, but not comatized.) They would prefer not to do this as it reduces her reactions and makes it more difficult to measure brain activity, but will do so if the swelling cannot be controlled with the other procedures. Her medical team has been wonderful and they are doing everything they can to help our girl fight her battle.

We can't begin to tell you how much your comments have meant to us. We read them to her when we visit with her. In addition, we read them and draw strength from all of you. Sometimes, you even manage to make us smile and we thank you very much for that. Please continue to send your good thoughts and wishes are way, we are doing our best to put them to work.

October 24, 2005 - Mid-Day

The roll coaster ride continues. We spoke with both the neurosurgeon and trauma doctors today. The CAT scan done last night showed continued swelling. Per the neurosurgeon, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, our princess is about an 8-9. To counteract the swelling and pressure, they have started her on a pure saline drip. (She has been reponding well to saline treatments. The idea is to use elevated salt levels to "dry" out the swellings.) In addition, they've ordered a special catheter that they will use to cool her internal body temperatures and assist in also reducing the swelling. They expect the catheter to arrive in the next day or so. At this moment, the team is performing the tracheotomy which should allow her to breathe more efficiently. Should these items not work, they will need to induce a coma. (She has been chemically paralyzed and heavily sedated up to this point, but not comatized.) They would prefer not to do this as it reduces her reactions and makes it more difficult to measure brain activity, but will do so if the swelling cannot be controlled with the other procedures. Her medical team has been wonderful and they are doing everything they can to help our girl fight her battle.

We can't begin to tell you how much your comments have meant to us. We read them to her when we visit with her. In addition, we read them and draw strength from all of you. Sometimes, you even manage to make us smile and we thank you very much for that. Please continue to send your good thoughts and wishes are way, we are doing our best to put them to work.

October 24, 2005 - Morning

Our girl had a very rough night last night. Around 10 PM (approximately at the 72 hour mark), her right pupil was enlarged and she was immediately taken for a CAT scan. The medical team worked all night at reducing the pressure on her brain. She remains critical this morning. Although her numbers are currently on the lower side of the acceptable range, the staff is concerned and her neurosurgeon is expected soon. We do not know what he will say or what his recommendations will be. As soon as we know, we will post something here. In the meantime, her mother and good friend, Christine are headed to Savannah and will join the rest of Ron, Kurt and Brenda.

The rough night followed a relatively good day. She had been stable but critical for most of the weekend. They had begun a feeding tube yesterday morning and she had been tolerating the food. Late in the afternoon, she had even been able to respond to a voice command from her nurse to wiggle her toes (which she performed 3 times with Kurt and Brenda in the room and then a 4th time for Ron when he returned to the room). The trauma doctor felt positive enough about her condition to discuss replacing her intubation with a tracheotomy early this week. Long term intubations can lead to pneumonia, vocal chord damage, and infections. It is our understanding that a tracheotomy is better for recovery.

We are trying to remain upbeat and keep the "Amanda spirit" in the face of adversity. The thing we need most is just your continued best wishes, prayers and good karma. The Princess has to do the heavy lifting of healing her body. The medical team is supporting her as much as is possible and we are surrounding her with the love and messages that have been pouring in from around the world. We will post again as soon as we have more news from the neurosurgeon.

October 22nd, End of Day

We've been learning a lot about head trauma. According to the medical staff (her neurosurgeon, trauma doctor, her dedicated trauma nurses: Heather, Trixie and Jennifer), the first 72 hours following the trauma are critical. When the brain has been bruised (as Amanda's was when the skull fractured) it is likely to swell. The danger is that extreme swelling creates pressure on the brain and more critically, brain stem (which controls the basic organ functions).

The staff is working to keep any swelling and related pressure under control. They have inserted a sensor into her head to monitor the inner cranial pressure (ICP) and some drain lines to remove any excess fluids. As well, they are working to make sure that the requirements on her brain are minimized. One of the ways they accomplish this is chemically inducing a coma. She is heavily sedated and receiving significant pain medications. She is not concious of her surroundings. She does not appear to be in distress or pain.

We have made it through the first 48 hours since the trauma and she appears to be holding steady right now. Although there is swelling, the trauma team and her neurologist seem to be o.k. with her current stats. The trauma team commented today that her clinical exam (the physical exam where they temporarily suspend sedation in order to test responsiveness, i.e. pinch her and wait for to move away) is better than her numbers would indicate. Her trauma doctor took this as a good sign.

Sunday visits will take us through the remaining portion of the critical 3 day period. We are hopeful that her stats remain steady to even potentially improving.

Currently, her husband Kurt, her brother Ron and her good friend Brenda are with her during every permissable hour. Since she's technically only permitted to have 2 visitors at a time, we've been lucky so far that they've let us all in. The nurses have said that no one knows for sure what she might or might not be able to hear or ultimately remember, but we are talking to her and encouraging her. We will read her any comments left on this site.

Since she is in ICU, she cannot receive flowers, balloons etc. The best thing anyone can for her now is send good karma, pray to your chosen diety (or dieties for the pagans amongst you) and wait for things to improve.