New Lessons

Five Weeks/Saturday/October 31
Today the surgeon said that Andrew could move out of the PICU. Andrew's pancreas' numbers are high so they will take an ultrasound monday. They want to be sure that he does not have a cyst. So no liquids or foods right now. The two wounds are healing nicely. They may not have to do surgery. They will wait and see. Later in the afternoon, the attending doctor decided not to move Andrew today. Over the weekends they are shorter staffed. So they will move him to the NTU Monday, if all goes well. Andrew held himself upright, for a moment, in his chair today. Alex spent a lot of time visiting Andrew and was very motivational for him. The worst thing right now is that sometimes Andrew doesn't know where he is. He can get angry too. He slammed his fist on the arm of the chair. I am realizing that until the meds leave his system, he gets reoriented in his nights, and he overcomes the ICU sickness, it is going to be rough. We tried to keep him awake most of the day. We are hoping that he will get some sleep tonight. We also correct him if he thinks that he is fishing in a boat with Desiree. "No, you are in the hospital". It is a new ball game now. I am going to have to get "thicker skin" to handle him by myself when others can't be around. It is hard beacuse he is still really strong. He is still trying to pull out things. There is no set time for this to pass. Each patient is different. Grandpa S. gave Andrew a Jazz blanket that he really likes. Grandma M. was able to sit with him for a time. He asked her to say a prayer and then he gave her a kiss on the cheek. We are being more careful about the hospital rules, only two in the room at a time including parents. It really makes it hard but that's how it goes! When you become a hospital parent you are a slave to the rules too! I really miss Kaysville! I really miss the old rythmn of life! Randall reminded me that God is teaching us. We just have to learn to be good students. Just when you think you've got it, there is something else to learn.

New Hospital Rules

Hey Guys,

There are new hospital rules in place as of today October 30. Andrew can no longer have any visitors other than immediate family (brothers, sisters and parents) due to H1N1 and only 2 family members of the immediate family in the hospital at a time. This is for Andrew's and all the other patients safety. Please leave a comment on the blog if you have a message for Andrew. Sorry for the inconvenience!!!

A Medal for Andrew

Friday-Today was the day Andrew has been looking forward to for three days. Andrew came knocking at the trailer with Julie. We were so excited for him to see the new and improved Andrew. Alex found Andrew awake but in bed. He had been sitting up earlier. Alex pulled out his medal for service in Iraq. He told Andrew that he wanted him to have it! Andrew looked at it with surprise and then said, "Alex, you are the best brother ever!" It was an amazing moment. Andrew stood with Randall supporting him and Andrew moved each of his feet a little. They revoked his gatorade privileges. He can only have water right now. His pancreas is a little inflamed. Rick McGurk came to visit. Andrew was so excited to see him. Ariel and Aaron spent some time with him too. The brightest spot in my day is when Ashley brings baby Harper to see me. Babies are a joy. You have to smile when you see one. Ashley asked Andrew if he remembered the baby. "Yes" "What is his name" "Phillip". "No it is Harper!" Then Trevor came in with a leg cast. Andrew said "What happened to you?" "I was playing goalie for you!" Andrew was much calmer today, much more coherent too. Andrew painted a pumpkin and wrote "I love you all" on it. Andrew is beginning to realize how many people have cared for him. We want to recognize the Fullmer family. They are our son-in-law's family. They have helped in so many ways, i.e., prayer at Mass, tending and personal prayer. They are a great bunch of people!

Pals with Paws

Thursday, October 29, Andrew took a trip to radiology for x-rays of his spine. Everything looked great. Then they had to insert a new pic line because he pulled it out last night. He has become quite the hand full. Patient who are in the icu for long periods of time can go through several things. There is an icu narcosis and sundowners (getting night and day mixed up). So he is going through both and withdrawal from the meds. Today he sat in a chair two times. I asked him to squeeze my hands as tight as he could. Ouch! He is really strong. Randall also had him us his own strength to stand up while supporting him. As I was entering the icu I noticed a lady who had a dog. At this hospital, they allow certain dogs to visit the children. So I asked her if she'd let Andrew see the dog. Andrew was in the chair, so we put a cover on the bed and let the dog jump up. The dog was so calm and gentle. He set his paw in Andrew's hand. Andrew loved it! A little later, another dog came through the icu. It was a giant poodle. It had a mohawk that was painted pink. It went over and licked Andrew's hand. It is amazing how dogs can comfort and make someone happy. People just volunteer their time. Corinne, Desire, and Kristin came to see Andrew. He wanted to know where Uncle Jo was. As we walked through the lobby we ran into Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, of the Seventy. Elder Neuenschwander was donating several boxes of stuff animals that his wife had purchased in Germany. We chatted with him for a minute and he gave us an animal for Andrew. It was an animal that they often see in Germany. As the sun went down, Andrew said, "unchain me I want to go sleep with mom." At sunset, Andrew tends to get even more agitated. So I laid next to him to calm him. It seemed to work. Ariel was able to assist the nurse from wound care in cleaning and changing his dressings. Aaron, Kortny, John and Matt are with him now. Sometimes they enforce the two visitors rule and other times we sneak by. John did the "flying bird" demonstration for Andrew. He laughed. The third time he said, "John, you've gained weight." They told him they were leaving so he whispered to them, "don't leave, they try to tie me to the chair!" So he says some funny things. Today they took us on a tour of the NTU, his next unit. They have a nice gym, spa, and very nice rooms. One thing that I have noticed since being here is that everyday people drop quilts off. People from the valley donate quilts for the children. As Andrew went to x-ray, he didn't have a cover. A lady walked by and gave him a blue fleece blanket. It really meant a lot to him. We have decided that Andrew's eagle project will be for PCMC.

A Gatorade Emergency

Last night was really tough. We sat with Andrew for a long time. He was having bad withdrawals from the meds. He kept trying to pull out stuff. We had to restrain him. It was hard for me. Even after all this time, he is still quite strong. Finally, I was exhausted and told the nurse to tie him up! We slept in a little this morning and when we called his room, we learned that he had been sitting in a chair by his window for 2 hours. We ran upstairs to see him sitting there. First, he gave Randall a hug. Then I got a hug from him. This was the moment I have been waiting for, for so long. Next, he asked for some gatorade. They had to take him to radiology to check his swallowing. They gave him different textures with barium in it. What we saw on the screen was his skeletal image and the fluids going down his throat. It reminded me of that scene from Pirates of the Caribbean. So he got the go ahead to drink a small amount every hour. The surgical team changed his wound vac's this afternoon. He was so tired that they only gave him 5 ml of medicine while doing so. Everything looked great! The surgeon is really happy. When they were done, we sat with him again. I walked in with a drink. He asked me to bring it to him. I said "it's diet". Yuck. Then he said, I want a slurpie. We weren't sure that he could have one. So Andrew said, "bring me your phone." I said, "who do you want to call?" I called Ashley for him. The first thing he said to her is "bring me a slurpie!" Ian, Andrew's wonderful nurse, went and found one for him. Next, they took an ultrasound of his leg. The leg had previously had the canula in it. They were checking blood flow. Andrew became concerned when they were conversing about the results. He said, "oh, no! I am paralyzed!" We all started laughing and told him "no, you're not!" Andrew said to Randall "look in my mouth" so Randall looked in it. Andrew said "I want a drink." Grandma S. put lotion on his hands. Grandpa talked to Andrew about the Jazz game. Tracy Webb, our friend from Germany, came by and told Andrew that soon she will play him in basketball. She told him that she won't give him any sympathy just because he's been in the hospital. She said, "I'll take ya!" Andrew reached up and took her hand in a grip and pulled her toward him to show her that he's still got it! Then Andrew decided that he doesn't like pink or red gatorade. He wants blue! So I called Ashley and told her that we were having a gatorade emergency. She and Dustin ran up some blue gatorade to Andrew. Randall had Andrew count while he stretched his leg out. Then they talked about what Andrew can do when he is not feeling well i.e., relax, breath, stretch, and pray. So Randall said, "should we have a prayer?" "Yes!" "Who do you want to say it?" "Dustin". So Dustin proceeded to pray and Andrew said amen before it was over. Then he said "that was the best prayer ever!" It has been wonderful to interact with Andrew again. We want to thank Randall's work for the help and cooperation with Randall's work schedule. So many wonderful people are helping us to be able to be there for Andrew. We appreciate Grandpa Spilker letting us have access to the trailer. He is awesome! Andrew sat in a chair for nearly 4 hours today. He brushed his own teeth. He started eating and drinking. I used to take small, simple things for granted. We sat there and got all excited over Andrew taking a sip of Gatorade. We are so grateful!!! Just a note: we received word that people out of state are unable to access the donation account for Andrew. Randall is working on a solution. We will let you know when we have it. Right now, it is only possible to access it locally.

Angels Watch Over the Children

A little over a month ago, a 50 cal. bullet tore through Andrew's body. Among other things, it knicked the vena cava vein, the largest vein in the body. Andrew has been on a ventilator since then and even ECMO (lung machine). Today they took him off of the ventilator. Then they took out one of the tubes placed in the plural space to drain fluid. The first thing that Andrew said was "I'm cold". He hasn't stopped talking since. Alex called from Fort Lewis to talk to Andrew. He also talked to Aaron and Amanda on the phone. Andrew really likes his blanket. It is the first thing that he has been able to control since this happened. I went to adjust it and he got mad at me. He is still having trouble with pulling important tubes out. Randall and I will be watching over him a lot for the next several days. He has been on so many different medications that he will have to go through a withdrawal. Today they also sat Andrew up over the side of his bed two times. Andrew has an amazing amount of strength left. We are exhausted but are able to carry on because we feel so grateful. You can imagine how I felt when he said "I love you mommy". The Kaysville 11th ward held a fast for the sick in our ward, Andrew being among them. They went without food for a day. Then at the end of the fast they had a special prayer. We are so humbled by the faith that has been placed in God on his behalf. When we serve someone else we are, in fact, serving our Heavenly Father. There are so many sick children up at this hospital. It is said that angels walk the halls here. I really believe that to be true. Just think how Jesus loves the children. Yesterday, another boy returned to Heavenly Father. We spoke with the family. It is a very tender, difficult thing. I am sure that there are angels watching over the children.