Ron and I just keep breaking out in big, goofy grins today. Tyler has become something of a spectacle on the unit – the staff slow down and peer in as they walk past his room. Lots of smiles all around! The day shift from yesterday surely didn’t expect to see Tyler still here this morning. The night shift is still talking about what they witnessed last night. I have spoken with doctors and nurses who emphasized that while they have seen some amazing things happen in the PICU, they have NEVER before seen anything even remotely close to what happened to Tyler, whose body was much too far into the dying process to be helped.
Some were convinced his inexplicable turn-around could only be God working a miracle; others seemed simply amazed and bewildered. I actually had expected a miracle like Tyler has received to be something PICU staff would have seen before – after all, where are children most likely in need of a miracle? When each person, regardless of their years in the PICU, reiterated that nothing like this has ever happened before, we became even more in awe of God’s healing hand on Tyler!
I took great pleasure in describing how thousands of people have been praying for Tyler’s miraculous healing, and how so many of his friends have had no doubts whatsoever that God was going to perform that miracle. Tyler’s PICU attending doctor last night, Kristen Nelson, is one of the warmest and most caring doctors we’ve come across so far. Despite having laryngitis today, she told the story over and over again and said she’ll be riding this high for a very long time.
As Tyler is ever so slowly becoming more aware and active with his facial expressions, we are making sure to be by his side and comfort him. Despite how joyful we all feel, all Tyler knows is that he is extremely ill, in pain, unable to speak, move, or breathe. I had the joy of describing to Tyler what he’s overcome so far, and have been assuring him that as difficult as things are right now, he will one day be on the other side of all this looking back in amazement. I told Tyler God certainly has a beautiful and special purpose for his life. Tyler cannot speak due to the ventilator, and his body is still very sluggish from sedatives.
He is off all paralytics now, but his movements are still limited to his face, head and shoulders as his muscles have become terribly weak from being paralyzed. While he opens his eyes, I’m not sure he can see yet. Mostly he squeezes his eyes shut in pain and discomfort. While this is heart-wrenching to see, it’s so much better that we can explain over and over again to Tyler what is happening and that we know he is suffering and that it will get better. Since his sedatives have an amnesic effect, Tyler needs to be retold what is going on each time he becomes aware of his surroundings. I can’t imagine how confusing and frightening it all must be, but am comforted by assurances that Tyler won’t remember most of this at all.
While God clearly brought Tyler from imminent death back to life (I still can hardly process what I saw with my very own eyes!), he still has many obstacles to overcome.
Tyler’s lungs are still not ready to breathe on their own, and there are always risks with long term ventilation. His immune system is still in its newborn stage, and he will remain very prone to infection. However, now that his lungs did a 180 degree turn from their fatal condition to where God brought them last night, his medical team can give priority and focus to his internal bleeding. One of his doctors said Tyler is a completely different patient today than he was yesterday and needs a completely different plan of care.
Today Tyler was able to be transported down to the basement for a full body CT scan (that in and of itself is a miraculous change!). The CT scan told the GI doctors that both Tyler’s upper and lower GI tract are severely inflamed, infected and have damaged tissue. His belly is huge in size and full of blood. Whereas it was hoped that there was one focal source of bleeding that could be cauterized with an endoscopy, it is now believed that he has diffuse bleeding throughout his GI tract and that an endoscopy would risk perforating his lining and cause a dangerous bleed.
Due to signs of infection, they have added Flagyl to his antibiotic regimen. Because he cannot have surgery or other certain helpful meds, his GI tract will need time to heal. In the meantime it will be a big challenge to manage his blood and platelet needs as he loses so much blood. So we ask for prayer for this as Tyler continues on his journey to full restoration!