Braxton's accident, the step down unit and Nielson Rehab Center

I saw this photo in the step down unit, it says "perhaps you were created for such a time as this", its out of the Bible in Esther where she saved her people by petitioning the king. I felt so much love for those nurses and I know that its a mighty calling they are in. They change and save lives every single day. One of the other families we met there were not as fortunate as us, their Dad/Grandpa had hit his head while riding his bike and when they did the neuro tests there was no signs of brain waves. They had to let him off the machine. It was heart wrenching for us as that very well could have been our fate. It could have been Braxton. We watched them all come and say their goodbyes. Our hearts went out to them for sure.

In the step down unit Braxton could go outside and the little kids could come see him. It was AWESOME! They had been waiting for so long and Braxton needed some fresh air.

One day when we woke up in the morning we looked out to the Pumpkin Patch and saw that our friends had all come over and helped weed it. It was such a tender mercy from the Lord. One of many many things that people did for us over the course of 3 weeks.

Next he was off to Nielson Rehab Center in SLC. He had to be transported in a hospital vehicle and we followed behind. Alayna got there just as he was pulling out to wish him well on his new hospital home. At McKay in the ICU and Step Down unit he had one on one so there was a CNA sitting with him all the time so he didn't hurt himself by getting up to the bathroom alone. It was a challenge because he felt fine enough to do it alone, but it just wasn't safe. It made it a little awkward as me and Shane were also there the entire time so there was a lot of small talk going on.

Kellich came and showed Brax his new truck and his Nurse let him go outside to see it. He was so excited! At the rehab he had like 5 appointments a day. They take Sundays off to rest and he begged them to let him do it so he could get out of there faster. He was still on bathroom watch and his bed alarmed if he got out of it. The therapists were angels and he really learned to love each one of them. He had physical, occupational, and speech. He didn't really need speech as he was talking so well by then, but it helped his writing and talking begin to work together once again. 

This was one of the moments that I believed he was all the way in there. He played the guitar and a few of the songs he always played came right back to him. It was a tiny reassurance to me that things would be alright. Also they therapists said he was the only person who ever came to therapy in their cowboy boots, but they wanted him in his regular shoes so Boots it is!

There was even a Therapy Dog! It is amazing all the things these hospitals provide.

 

Accident next few days 15-18th

At this time Braxton was staying awake more and breathing on his own. He didn't pass a swallow test yet because it was a Sunday, and he was starving but they would not let him have food. He had already been awake for almost 3 days and no food. He was getting severely agitated from hunger. The look in his eyes when he would ask me for food and I told him I couldn't give him anything was heart wrenching. 

We also spent the day Sunday as a family at the hospital. We asked for no visitors because he was exhausted and things were starting to make sense to him more and it was a bit overstimulating. So Cam and Dakota brought up the dinner that Alisa Hill put in our fridge and we at it outside in the courtyard and took a walk around. Then we went upstairs and played cards in the waiting room. We basically took over the waiting room every evening. Cody and Shannon brought dinner every night that we didn't already have plans and we took turns sitting with Brax or eating. 

Brax got Facetime calls from Spain (Gonzalo), and Texas (Juan and Chavo), and many others from kids that were too little to visit. He wasn't allowed any screens, so they were just short and sweet. It was too much for his brain while it was healing. 

This picture that Dresden drew was the talk of the ICU. See Braxton fell off his horse when it collided with the cow, and so Dresi put "I am Sorry" on the horses word bubble. She couldn't come in to see him so she sent in many drawings along with Knox and James. His friends also made him posters to put up for him to look at. And he even got one from Family Home Evening that the Weston's put together.

Physical Therapy began to come in a couple of times a day to help him relearn how to walk. At this time his left side was working a little better, but still not fully back. It was an exciting day to see him walk up and down the hall at the ICU. One thing I forgot to mention is that while his left side didn't work his right side was very strong. He broke through the restraints they made him wear because he kept grabbing his catheter. In fact he would ask anyone who came into the room if they would break him out. He would tell stories about how they can bring his horse on the elevator and he will ride it home. He was always keeping everyone laughing, although we were all broken on the inside hoping an praying that this would not be like that forever.

These two guys were his favorites, Kyle and Will. They often put Men on him because he was so strong. He would rub Kyles head and tell him how much he liked his hair. We always just had to laugh.

He also had to color and play cards a lot to get back his hand-eye coordination. There wasn't much else to do so he obliged.     `