Day 84, morning update on Mark

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

I am so glad that when I can't find my strength, His is there for me... and that it's perfect.  Last night was pretty uneventful, which in some regards is good (especially for the nurses).  Two of Mark's seizure medicines had been increased and they had stopped lowering his sedation, so he really did not have much in the way of seizure activity.  

Now we are back on track for finishing the process of lowering the sedation.  Once the sedation is lowered then they will have to start the process of trying to lower the seizure medications.  Although this is the process that needs to be taken to see if the seizures have been controlled, there is a LOT more medically going on than just seizures.  Stopping the seizures does not mean that things are "good" or that Mark has suddenly recovered.  It is just the beginning of a long process. 

The neurosurgeons have turned Mark's care over to the neurology doctors because there is nothing left from a surgical standpoint to be done.  This doesn't really effect us... it just means different doctors. 

All of this being said, we are at a very rough spot.  The likelihood of recovery (without a miracle) for Mark is getting slimmer and slimmer.  This doesn't mean I am without hope for a miracle, it just means that I cannot be deluded to the reality of where we are medically.  The neurologist this morning was very honest and did say that he is not very optimistic about the outcome of this.

My heart is so sad, but I truly do know that Mark's miracle might not happen here on earth, but it will be a miracle for him none the less.  It doesn't make this any less difficult for me though.  My heart breaks for my boy too, who is so far away in Japan.  He is the light of his daddy's eye and truly his friend and his heart is breaking over what is going on with his daddy.  It is horrible for me that I cannot "kiss it and make it better" for him or  "fix it" and make it all ok. 

Mark is in God's hands......... so are Kyle and I. 

Thank you for the love, prayers, and support during this time. 


Teri H.
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Donate to Mark's Medical Fund here!!

He Knows My Name

Not just a number...

Day 82 update on Mark

Where hope would otherwise become hopelessness, it becomes faith.  ~Robert Brault

 

 

Well ,the hours between day 81 and day 82 haven't brought much in the way of news or new things to share.  My sleeping beauty (the male version, of course) still sleeps.  I don't think that fairy tale stuff is true at all because I have tried kissing him and he does not wake up! 

 

Anyway, lowering Mark's sedation is at a bit of a standstill right now.  The Epileptologist (seizure doctor) was not happy with some of the activity on the EEG and chose to slow down lowering the sedation even more.  He has been at the current level of sedation for 24 hours and there aren't any orders right now to lower it, so we wait.....

 

If God is trying to teach me the "art of waiting" then I hope I learn it soon!!!   

 

I did speak with a neurologist this morning.  This was a new doctor for Mark, so he and I spent about an hour going over Mark's medical history and discussing his recent brain hemorrhage/surgeries.  The neurosurgeon team will most likely transfer Mark's care over to the neurology doctors because from a surgical standpoint he is stable.  From a neurological standpoint there is a lot of concern, of course.  There are no easy, quick answers and nobody can, of course, tell us what is going to happen.  We do know how things look, which is not good.   Although it is easy to feel like there is no hope for this to turn around, I refuse to give up on hope!  Until there is NO hope... there is hope!  The doctors will see how things go, but the reality is that without a huge miracle we are running out of medical interventions and options. 

 

Mark remains on the ventilator for breathing support because of the sedation and the injury to the brain.  The right side of his skull that was removed is....... in the freezer (why does that sound so funny to me...) and will be placed back surgically at a much later date. 

 

Now I am going offline to spend time cherishing some hand-holding moments with my love. 

 

Thank you for your continued love, prayers, and support during this time. 

 



Day 81 update on Mark

Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

It just hit me this morning that in 9 short days my sweet love will have been going through this most recent difficult battle for 3 months!!!  90 days!!!  I am so grateful for the hope, strength, and faith that God has given us during this time.  Truly the prayers, love, and support of so many "out there" who are praying for us have truly kept us sustained. 

Ah, were it not for grace! 

The plan for my sweet Mark was to start weaning down some of his sedation on Saturday and to see how he tolerated it and if the seizures returned.  They got off to a slow start because Mark started having some belly issues.  It seems that the barium they gave him to have his feeding tube placed is not traveling through his intestines too well.  So, a quick change of plans had us focusing more on his belly on Saturday and Sunday.  Minimal changes were made to his sedation but not enough to wake him up and really not enough to make a difference for any seizure activity. 

Today has been a bit more aggressive for weaning sedation, but it has to be done very slowly and it is too soon to tell anything. 

They did take all of the staples out of his head over the weekend and then this morning removed some other stitches that were there. 

There is no real plan other than to see how Mark's brain tolerates waking up and then to see if there are seizures, damage, etc.  and then to go from there. 

Moment by moment.....

As always, thank you all for your love, prayers and support during this time. 

I was asked again for the address for get well cards for Mark so I am posting it here:

Shands Hospital
Attn:  Mark Humphreys, room 8205
1600 SW Archer Road
Gainesville, FL  32608

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Teri H.
http://www.gofundme.com/humphreysmedicalfund

 

Day 79 update on Mark

The past few days have been a bit more tense... and stressful.

The doctors have been watching the EEG monitor 24/7 (and seizure medication levels in the blood) to see if Mark's brain seemed to be resting enough to slow or stop his seizures.   Mark has been having the worst kind of seizures - the kind that are continuous and never stop.  He has been given the past 48 hours for his brain to rest.  Today the process started of lowering the sedation medications VERY slowly, watching the EEG to see whether or not the seizure activity increased again.  This is a slow process and not much progress was made today as far as actually lowering the medication.  It might take a day or two before we know if this works or not, but right now it is iffy. 

The reality of Mark's situation is very grave.  If this process that they are doing right now does not work then they will most likely try one other thing as a last resort, which is to put Mark completely in a coma and literally stop his brain function.  Their hope is that this would help to reset his brain.  Again, this would be a last resort measure, so if it did not work there are no other options. 
We continue to hold onto hope and have faith that God will work a miracle - knowing whatever happens, Mark is in God's hands. 

PLEASE, as you pray so faithfully for Mark, keep Kyle in prayer as well.  Although Kyle was able to visit with his dad and I a couple of weeks ago (right before his brain surgeries), it is incredibly difficult for him to be so far away in Japan while his dad is fighting for his life. 

As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued love, prayers, and support during this time.