Update on my mom

Many of you have asked about my mom. This is an update in my unmedical language.

A little background, first.

I received a phone call Tuesday night from my sister saying my mom had had an accident. She fell down the (concrete) stairwell at work (St. Francis Hospital) and had brain injuries. We didn't really know the extent.

By Wednesday the doctors had ruled out a brain aneurism and a few other critical brain conditions. I felt really foreign to the whole thing as I was so far away and not involved in her care at all.

On Wednesday our friend Kelley from our home church Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco told us HCBC wanted to buy my plane ticket back to the US to see my mom. I was humbled and grateful. I flew all day Thursday. It was a long 16 hours and 4 flights until Sarah picked me up and we saw mom at the hospital.

She is improving every day. She recognized me amidst her pain and was so excited I was back despite she couldn't show much excitement.

Right now we know she has several blood clots on her brain but they are dissolving very slowly. She doesn't remember falling or what would have made her fall. She is taking heavy and often doses of morphine and Percoset. I spent the night with her last night and she was able to sleep some. Usually she is in severe pain with headaches between when the meds wear off before the next ones are given - about every 4 hours. Mom is also very nauseated so she has been throwing up a lot from the pain but that too has lessened some with every day. The neurosurgeons are still ruling out any other injuries and frequently tracking the brain bleeds. She is still in the ICU at least through tomorrow. We are uncertain when she will be discharged from the hospital. We are encouraged she is showing signs of full cognitive ability. She is able to talk more and more and improves by the minute it seems.

I left Sarah and my aunt, mom's sister, and Grant at the hospital today to get something to eat and a nap. It's been a little disorienting to be back in the States and even more so at the hospital. I am about to head back for the night.

We are praying for the nausea to dissipate, for the clots to dissolve, for the pain to subside and for complete healing. Please pray with us! Thank you for all of your love and support. I'll post more updates when I know them.