Archive for July, 2005
July 31, 2005
July 31, 2005 | Updates
Just wanted to post this update tonight because we may not have the time tomorrow. Samuel is scheduled for a trial at 9 am for a baclafin pump. They will do something similar to an epidural and put some medication in his spinal fluid. Then it will take at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours to see if that medication will stop or at least significantly reduce his posturing. We are fasting and praying that it will work. And we will try to post tomorrow night what occured. If it works, they will leave the tube in his back for a week and then they will place a pump in his body to pump the medication into his spine on a regular basis.Otherwise, they have not indicated that his pneumonia is any worse and they are continuing to give him antibiotics.
That’s all for tonight. Keep praying. We thank you all.
Love,
Tom, Teresa & Samuel
July 31, 2005
Updates
Sorry about the missed update yesterday. It was a long day and I didn’t take the time to go up and get one posted. Thanks to Carole who called concerned and posted an update for me. Thanks to Brian Pasi who took the time to come up here and show us how to hook up our laptop so we can get internet in Samuel’s room. That will make it much easier to post his updates.Yesterday, the magnesium seemed to help Samuel for most of the day. I really didn’t see him posture from about 4 pm the day before until about 6 pm last night. It was a much needed respite from it, and we are very thankful for the rest he got. He did end up with a yucky sounding through and respitory had to come several times throughout the day to suction him out. But it was a much easier day to handle than some of the ones before it.
Thank last night he started posturing again and continued until about 9 pm when he finally fell asleep. But he woke at about 1:30 am and started again and hasn’t slept since - it’s nearly 4 pm. We have tried all we can think of to get him to sleep, but nothing seems to work. We are grateful, though, that his posturing doesn’t seem as intense as at first. It is still nearly constant, and his little head gets drenched in sweat from all the work, but his muscles don’t seem as tight and tense as before.
We are fasting tonight and tomorrow for anyone who would like to join in. The purpose of the fast is to pray that this trial on Monday for the baclafin pump will work. I’m not quite sure what our other options will be if it doesn’t. So pray your guts out and we’ll see what happens over the course of tomorrow. Hopefully, it will provide the relief from this posturing he so badly needs. If it works, he will require surgery next Monday to install the actual pump. But even surgery is well worth it if this works out.
Just wanted to quickly thank my sister, Kaylee, for organizing a garage sale and my Dad, step-mom & brother for all the work they put into it. Also, thank you so much to everyone that brought items to be sold there. You wouldn’t believe how much they raised. I would have never guessed that so much could be raised from a garage sale. But apparently, many of you wrote your checks for more than what you purchased. I can’t express my gratitude enough - to all of you. Those who have called, visited, emailed, posted messages, prayed, donated time, money, goodies, flowers, balloons, toys - it is utterly amazing!
Keep Samuel in your prayers. We know more than ever that the Savior is mindful of each and every one of us and he is watching over little Samuel and caring for him the way he needs to be cared for. We know that whatever the outcome, it will be God’s will, and we will be able to overcome because of your prayers and fasting.
Love,
Teresa
July 30, 2005
July 30, 2005 | Updates
I just talked with Teresa and she’s been so busy today she asked me to post Samuel’s update for today: At abt 4:00 pm yesterday they gave him magnesium and he was able to sleep until 10:00 thismoring… which was a very needed blessing. Both Samuel and Teresa needed the rest (although, Teresa wouldn’t admit it). But then he’s been posturing again today, until tonight at 6:00 when they gave him a sedative that put him to sleep.A chest Xray shows he has a small amount of phemonia. They don’t understand where it came from this long after his drowning, except from his saliva, or stomach fluids. So he’s on anti-biotics for 7-10 days. The concern about this is that if he has an infection on Monday, they may not be able to do the procedure he needs so badly. So, we must keep up our sincere prayers for this precious little guy.
Hey, is there’s anyone who can video tape some of the fundraising Auction at GoodTimber Log Furniture in Logan Monday at 5:00 for Tom and Teresa? We would, but we don’t have a video camera. If there is, could you call us at 435-753-0998.
Thank you again for all everyone is doing!!!
Sincerely,
Grampa and Gramma Jewkes
(Grant and Carole)
July 29, 2005
July 29, 2005 | Updates
I just found out they’re going to put Samuel’s Story on KUTV2 tonight at 10:00. Spread the word!
July 29, 2005
Updates
Just wanted to post a quick update. Samuel had a rough night last night. When I arrived this morning around 7 am, he had and oxygen tube in his nose again because they had been trying to do anything they could to help him breath better. He is breathing fine on his own except when he is posturing and then he takes short little breaths - sometimes up to a rate of 90 a minute. They are still having a difficult time finding anything that will stop the posturing, and he isn’t getting much sleep at all. Just 1 minute or so between each episode. He has been sweaty most of today because of the hard work his body is doing. The only cute thing is the sweatier he gets, the curlier his little hair gets and the nurses are all in love with him because of that cute little hair. The morning nurse today told me that all his nurses just love him and that when she got there that morning her charge nurse said, “Oh, you get to take care of little Samuel today!” Apparently, they love to get assigned to him.Samuel also had a fever this morning and his white blood count indicated he must have an infection somewhere. They assumed it would be pneumonia in his lungs, but a chest x-ray didn’t show any indication of that and his lungs still sound good. So they have done blood and urine test and are putting him on antibiotics in the meantime. They are also somewhat concerned because he hasn’t had a wet diaper all day. They keep scanning his bladder and aren’t finding much there, so they are giving him some more liquids to try and get the little tike to pee. They think he may just be loosing all of his fluids from sweating so much. But they are keeping a close eye on it.
Otherwise, he is getting through it. When his physical therapists come and stretch his little body, he gets upset and cries a little, but it is good for him because he breaths better when he is crying than when he is not.
Keep praying for him.
Love you all,
Teresa
