One Step Forward - One Step Backward

Well today was a false start. Mike lasted about 3 1/2 hours before he started shivering again. He was unable to shiver when the paralytic was on because well, he was paralyzed. He is shivering due to the fact that they are keeping his core body temperature anywhere from 35*-36*C. For those who need the conversion (I did) that's 95* - 96.8* F. It is really cold. They like to keep neuro. patients at a cooler body temperature because when the brain is cooled it preserves brain cells. When the body heats up, like a fever then brain cells are destroyed. And with his brain injury we don't have any to spare. Mike had a fever for several days and there was a debate on whether it was from the pneumonia or from the brain being unable to regulate temperature due to the injury. So cooling him solved both problems. The doctors will attempt again tomorrow to have him go without the paralytic. I asked them if we could try and raise him body temp. to 98.6* (normal body temp.) before they remove the "Vec." so as he came around he wouldn't be cold. The nurse said she would ask the doctors in the morning.

I new there would be set backs, we are still so early in his recovery. We will continue to pray and not get discouraged by the set back. The nurse reminded me that we will probably do this several times before he's actually able to come off the Vec. without any problems.

The five older children came in tonight and saw Mike. It went smoothly. This was Jonny's first time seeing Dad in 11 days. He walked in holding his Papa Rogers hand and looked for the heart rate machine. He looked at it and said "yep, his heart is still beeping." and few minutes later he told me "Mom, it's not too bad, I thought I was going to freak out." You've gotta love this innocence and candor of a 5 year old. After visiting Mike for about 20 minutes, Mike's parents and I took the kids to the cafeteria for dinner. I think it went really good. As we left Alee asked "How soon can we come see him again?" With each visit they are reassured he's getting better.