Prayers for Andrew

[wondersofwine]

Along with prayers for Foodie and Connie, add Andrew to the list. He is an 18-year-old high school senior who goes to my church. He was on his motorcycle after school the Monday before Thanksgiving and was going about the speed limit (45 mph) on a busy street when a school bus turned left in his path. The 70-year old school bus driver hadn't seen him. The newspaper reported that the impact dented the side of the school bus and bent the frame of the motorcycle. He was helicopter-lifted to U of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill. His injuries included bruises to the face, two broken femurs, a crushed ankle, a couple broken ribs and pelvis injury, lacerated spleen, kidney, liver and adrenal gland and a collapsed lung. T he doctors had to stop internal bleeding and put him in an induced coma that first night to keep him quiet. They then operated over the next few days (including on Thanksgiving) on his many injuries. When he emerged from the coma he recognized his family and seemed to have no brain damage. He doesn't remember the accident but talks lucidly when he is not confused by the pain meds. He took himself off the respirator on Saturday and is feisty and wants to go home though he has a long road to recovery. Out of intensive care in intermediate care now. (His sister reports that he has been a gentleman with the nurses but quite cranky with his family when they can't give him the cup of water he wants, etc.) His father, mother, two sisters have all gathered around him. Oldest sister had to return to work yesterday but she is posting his progress online. He has prayers from many sources (our church, his school, his relatives in New Hampshire, his parents' and sisters' work sites, etc.) but more is good. His progress does seem miraculous.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 11-30-2010).]

[winoweenie]

He'll be included in mine. WW

[TheEngineer]

Same here WW. Sounds like he has the mental strength to pull though this tough part of the recovery too.

[wondersofwine]

Andrew's been moved again--this time from the intermediate care unit to the orthopaedic unit. They need to let the swelling go down on his left foot before they can operate on it but his right foot is done. He has already stated that when he gets to leave the hospital he wants to get a new motorcycle (NO!) and have a bowling party (he was on the high school bowling team and has rolled one 300 game.) I hope he will be able to catch up in his classes and graduate in June on schedule but it will be some time before he even leaves the hospital. I saw his mother and younger sister at church Wednesday evening on a brief visit back home. They are holding up.
God is good! (and so are the doctors)

[Innkeeper]

We got some good news last week. As most of you know our grandson Timmy has been fighting a brain tumor for three years. He received proton radiation in Boston last year, and has had four MRIs since then. On the third one they detected some shrikage, so they put him on growth homones, since he had not grown or matured in three years.

He had his fourth MRI this past Monday, and we were concerned because there was a possibility that the growth medicine could make the tumor grow too.

The MRI showed that the tumor and accompaning cist were gone!!!!!! Just a little scar tissue left. The doctors at Dartmouth-Hickcock thought he would have it at least nineteen years. Praise God! Good medicine and tons of prayers.

[winoweenie]

Great news IK. We go in today for another PET scan then to the Oncologist tomorrow to decide on the type of Chemo then hopefully CB can gwet rid of her visitor. WW

[wondersofwine]

Andrew has been moved from physical rehab ward to State Employees Credit Union family house near UNC Hospital to stay in a suite with his parents. Today he has another operation on his left foot (I've lost count of how many operations he's had.) If the operation goes well, he may get a few days at home for Christmas in Fayetteville and then return to Chapel Hill for further treatment and rehab. Initially, the doctors thought if he pulled through the accident, he would be hospitalized for three months. Yesterday was just four weeks after the accident and he was already in the SECU house for several days. Volunteers from my church are building a ramp at the home in Fayetteville so he can get into the home via wheelchair. Praise God, Andrew is on the mend. The family is reluctant to sue the school system for his injuries (he was hit by a school bus and the bus driver was found to be at fault) but his medical bill must be astronomical already and there is still much rehabilitation ahead.

[Thomas]

Good news. Obviously, he is young and malleable--he'll pull through all right.