I know it’s been a horribly long time since I’ve updated my blog. It’s been a difficult fall for our family and I let the blog fall to the bottom of my priority list. My 7 year old nephew was hit by a car on October 14th and was flown by helicopter to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (my brother’s family lives outside Philly). They immediately put him into an induced coma and started the crucial fight to keep his brain swelling under control. He made it through the first critical 72 hours without too many complications but developed H1N1 within a few days of the accident. Ten days after the accident we came very close to losing him to respiratory failure (complications from the “swine” flu). Thankfully he pulled through and stabilized. He ended up being under sedation for a full month after the accident. In mid-November he was able to be brought out of sedation and started the process of rehabilitation. We had no idea what to expect from his brain injuries. An MRI taken shortly after his accident showed some generalized brain injury (particularly to his front lobe) which they termed DAI. The main part of his brain that suffered damage doesn’t develop fully until the teen years, so it’s impossible to say at this point if he will suffer any significant difficulties from the brain injury, but at this point he seems to be back to where he was before the accident. I’m so thankful to say that he’s had an amazing, and in many ways miraculous, recovery and finished up his rehab at the hospital a few days ago. He’s back at home with his family. Our family is thrilled and thankful that Ethan’s life was spared and that his brain injury appears to be mild.
I ended up spending a few different blocks of time out in PA helping my brother’s family while Ethan was in the hospital. Thanks so much to everyone that gave me extra grace and patience during this difficult period and for those who prayed for our family.
