Support for Brandon #220 (pisco)

[Adam]

Friday morning update from Walt:
"Not much has changed. His numbers, for the most part, are staying stable or trending positive. They have taken him off one of the blood pressure medications and have reduced another one, and his pressure is holding steady in a range they are comfortable with.

He is still taking in more than is coming out, so he's the Pillsbury dough boy. They are trying to reduce the amount that's going in, but they can only do so much right now.

He's still too sick and critical for them to do some tests, either because they can't take him to the places for the tests/procedures (because he has too many things hooked up to him, e.g., ventilator, dialysis machine, swan catheter for his heart, and all of the IV bags), or mainly because he's too weak/sick/critical and his body can't handle it.

They are trying to wean him off some of the sedatives so they can do a neurological exam. We don't know if there is any damage to his brain yet.

He looks better, even though he's puffy, and we have hope."

 

[Rttoys]

Wow. Thanks for the update.

 

[KSLunsfo]

Hang in there Brandon...

 

[Adam]

Late night update from Walt:
"The good news is that Brandon became responsive today. Squeezing our hands-on command and even briefly opening his eyes.

This is what we have been waiting for there is still a long road ahead of him."

Also, if you'd like to chip in to help Brandon and his family, their neighbor has started a GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/f1cd39e11

 

[Adam]

Update from Walt:
"He's been moved to the cardiovascular ICU, which is better for him.

He's still in critical condition, but he has improved, and it's evident that his brain is functioning. He has been "responding" to commands. Those responses consist of squeezing a hand, nodding "yes," shaking "no," or shrugging his shoulders. He's still sedated, so his eyes are closed; he's still intubated, so he can't talk; and he's too weak to do much, but it's clear that it's Brandon in there and he's responding to commands, answering yes/no questions, and acknowledging people.

He's also fighting his nurses and making it clear he doesn't like certain things Even sedated and restrained, he is trying to remove the breathing tube. His nurse today gave a funny story. She said normally when he's "fighting" them, he makes some noise, but today he got ornery. She said she was doing some charting across the hall and he was really quiet, until she heard the alarm. He had evidently scooted silently down in the bed to try to remove the breathing tube. Again, this is all with him partially sedated with his eyes closed.

He's hearing things and feeling things.

They increased the sedatives this afternoon to try to get him stronger for the possibility of extubating him tomorrow, so he was out all afternoon/evening. We weren't getting any responses because of that.

Fingers crossed that they can take the breathing tube out tomorrow"

 

[Adam]

Huge news from Brandon himself (posted with permission from Brandon):

 

[Rttoys]

Wow. That’s awesome.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

This is the best news to hear Brandon sitting up and talking, since we were all very worried this mystery illness could have had a much worse outcome. Sounds like he still has a way to go before getting back home and away from green jello and bed pans, but thankful that our prayers have been answered.

 

[Samanthajc]

So thankful to see and hear this Brandon! Continuing to pray your recovery.

 

[Brenda]

Huge news from Brandon himself (posted with permission from Brandon):

I visited Brandon this morning and he was very talkative. Lol. I'm not complaining it was great to see him awake and communicating, unlike our visit with him last Friday.

 

[Captain Dave]

Great progress!!! So glad to see this.

 

[Wes]

Get better dude! You got a whole year before the next one. I hope to see you there again, maybe we can finally get your alignment dialed in lol.

 

[Jmar1622]

Great news!

 

[ah.b.normal]

A prodigal friend has returned to us from the edge. Rejoicing is in order now!
Get Well Soon, Brandon!

{In that picture he looks all too much like my oldest son, that kinda hits a Dad hard! But makes the Joy all the more Joyful.}
It can't be said too much: Get Well Soon, Brandon!

 

[Adam]

Brandon was flown via fixed wing to UNMC in Omaha last night. This puts him closer to home and family but he remains in the hospital.

If you'd like to send anything Brandon's way: Clarkson UNMC Omaha, room 3848

 

[Scott #321]

Wonderful to see him recovered enough for the travel and to get closer to family. Praying the recovery continues at an accelerated pace.

 

[LaunchPad]

Brandon was flown via fixed wing to UNMC in Omaha last night. This puts him closer to home and family but he remains in the hospital.

If you'd like to send anything Brandon's way: Clarkson UNMC Omaha, room 3848

I am pretty local to him now. I wonder if they are taking visitors?

 

[LaunchPad]

Any new words? the wife, daughter and I stopped by back on the 10th (??), I dropped off a Lego Bugatti kit so he might have something to do along the car building thing. lol. sorry no Goblin models out as of yet. maybe we should request they make one??? he was locked out of his phone and laptop at that point so while he has my number he may not have gotten that sorted as of yet and we don't want to bother the family directly too much.

Our man was in good sprits considering what he is dealing with. they were talking about moving him again to a lower level facility but we have not heard. He was very glad to have been able to brush his teeth and expressed a deep desire for a proper shower- likely a long way off.

I don't feel it is my place to give medical details or photos of him in the condition he is in and will leave those to his family; but a very large part Pisco will have to deal with is the boredom of having to be on his back and sitting still. hospitals are also not any place for real rest and that was his main complaint that he expressed to us while we were there.

Lego has several more neat car models. if it turns out that it helps with his boredom and he is ready for another I will certainly run him some more up that direction.

Meanwhile, ya'll get on the letter writing campaign to have Lego make a Goblin kit!! lol.

 

[Adam]

Walt provided another update. I'll summarize here:

Brandon has been moved from the ICU, to the cardiac floor, and now to a regular room: 7801 Carson Tower of UNMC.

He's able to get out of bed and sit in the reclining chair but he's still not out of the woods. The doctors are still looking into problems related to the original infection, potential side effects of the treatments, and possibly from being laid up for so long.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]