Updates from my hospital visit this morning:

Dad is leaking spinal fluid from his nose. They are going to monitor it until tomorrow.  If it has not stopped by then they will perform another CT scan and will take action to stop it - by either a spinal drain or surgical repair.    They are concerned about that. 

Dad is still on the ventilator.  His breathing progress has plateaued.  He is breathing on his own, they just need him to take deeper breaths and be able to cough on command.  They think that he isn't coughing because he doesn't want to (broken rib pain), not because he actually can't.  They are going to keep checking his progress and once he hits those milestones they will take the breathing tube out. We really hope this will happen soon for his own comfort and because it will reduce the risk of lung infection to get it out sooner rather than later. Also, he may be able to talk to us a bit if he can get that out.

Dad has been running a low grade fever, so they are checking for infections in his blood / urine.  They started him on antibiotics.  Another source of infection may be his arterial line. They are going to take that out and replace it with a thinner pic line that will run up his arm to his main artery. 

They are running an MRI on Dad's neck today to make sure there is not any ligament damage.  If his neck is fine, they are going to take off his neck brace so that he can be a bit more comfortable. 

They are still getting good responses from Dad on command, but would like him to be a little more alert in between, so they have lowered his pain meds a bit.

When I was there this morning, Dad was the most responsive he has been.  He opened his eye (one eye is too swollen) several times and definitely seemed to know that I was there.  When I asked him to wiggle his toes and lift his arm for me, he did both.  He did not give me a thumbs up, but his hands are casted/ splinted, so it may have been too hard.  I told him that I was here and that I loved him and he raised his eyebrows at me in response.  At one point he was making noises and it seemed like he was trying to talk to me.  When I asked him if he was in pain he shook his head no.  When I asked him if he knows what is going on he shrugged his shoulders. 

When Kelsey told him that she was there she got the same lifted eyebrow response.  She told him to get better quickly so that we can play this summer and he again raised his eyebrows in response. He is definitely still in there and he was obviously aware that we are with him.  He also kept lifting his arm to me today as if he were trying to grab my hand or something. 

Dad's arms and legs are tied down and restrained because otherwise he tries to pull things off.  It is hard seeing him so obviously uncomfortable.

Last night when Josh was at the hospital, the nurse told Josh that she was really encouraged because Dad was moving his own body for her when she was changing the sheets.  He was helping her out by turning his own body when he could tell that she wanted him to and scooting himself over.   Today when they changed his sheets while I was there, he fought them on it. But that is also a good sign because it showed that he associated his pain with turning on his ribs. 

So the hope for the remainder of today is that the spinal fluid leakage will stop, that he can pass the breathing tests and get off of the ventilator, that they can find the source of his fever and be able to reduce it, and that the MRI will be fine so that they can remove his neck brace and make him more comfortable.   

I personally was encouraged by how he seemed today.  But I know there are still some serious risks of complications and many hurdles to cross.  When I asked the Dr. what the biggest risk/concern is right now he told me that there are about 10, all of them very serious.    So he continues to need lots of prayers.

Thanks again for all of the love and support.