This is Erics sister, Lauren, writing the update tonight. Unfortunately, this wont be as witty or funny as Erics posts. He got the brains...Im the cute one (just kidding, sort of). On Dec 22nd, three days after the accident, I flew to California with my mom to see Holton. We walked in to his hospital room and saw a little baby fighting for his life. He was in a medically induced coma and had wires attached to every inch of his body. From a breathing tube, to a feeding tube, EEG lines, lines providing medicine, a catheter, on and on and on. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen. I gave my mom a speech that we werent allowed to cry, or show emotion. We had to be their rock, be strong and be positive. But by the end of the week, there was no hiding the emotion. It was just sad. And scary. And awful. We found ourselves celebrating when the doctor would come in and say, He only had five seizures last night instead of seven like the night before. Woo-hoo, only five seizures! What????? But, sadly, that was the good news that week. I flew home the Friday after Christmas, and quite honestly wasnt sure if that was going to be the last time I would see Holton. Well here we are, exactly a month later. I flew in today and walked into the hospital room to see a little baby....with big open eyes, a fat little belly, moving his arms and legs, tracking me with his eyes when I would move side to side, or up and down. Amazing. Simply amazing. My brother was the parent that stayed the night last night, so he started telling Angela and me about Holtons night. He had a great night, they are going to lower another med, probably move him to the floor tomorrow, oh, and I think hes paralyzed and will never swallow again. Um, okay?? Then PT walks in and starts to work with him. I watched him kick his feet, move his arms, stretch. Then my brother says, but he doesnt have any resistance on this side of his leg when I try to have him kick. PT does it, and he has resistance. Eric, was doing it wrong. I dont think he can hold his head up at all. PT puts him on his belly, and voila, he was picking his head up (just a little but thats a lot!). Magically, he was no longer paralyzed. Eric (that never does anything wrong....if you know him you understand that comment) was doing it wrong. Then the nurse suggests that Angela should give him his bottle to practice swallowing. Its a behavior he lost from having a breathing tube for so long. And up until this point, he could suck but not swallow. Which is a big deal. It means a feeding tube, it means Angela cant nurse....and as my brother said when we walked in, it meant he would never swallow again. Well, Ang gives him a little bottle and guess what, right before our eyes, little man starts to eat and SWALLOW!! A lot...and wanted more! It was SOOO awesome and SOOO amazing to see. And guess what?? Eric was wrong again (yay....love when my brother is wrong!). He just needed mommys magic touch. Swallowing was a major milestone hit today. I feel so lucky to have been here to see it. Best birthday present ever. Tomorrow he is being moved to the floor. I am anxiously awaiting hanging out with him all day and decorating/ pimping out his new room. And, I am looking forward to seeing him swallow again. Its amazing, things we take for granted are so special to all of us now. Well, thats it. The moral of the story for today, is that Holton had a GREAT day, and that my brother is an idiot (just kidding, sort of). Looking forward to another great day tomorrow!
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 05:29:02 +0000
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