FMMJ: 5/9/1998 - 5/11/1998

Saturday May 9, 1998

Jered's fighting fevers all day. It comes and goes but mostly comes: We have prayed for Jered, the girls and strength for us. How much we have prayed can never be measured. God's grace and mercy has overwhelmed us. For Mother's day, I am praying for Jered to have a restful day; that all his vital signs would remain stable.

Dr. told us Jered would die in 2 days.

Sunday May 10, 1998

It's Mother's Day. My son is still alive, for this I am so grateful. Today's doppler reading showed Jered's brain pressures or spasms had stopped. I cried at the news. I was so happy. We had realized before the doctor can do anything – the spasms must stop. Jered was resting. Dr. Tenney decided to take him off the barbiturate (pentabarbital). They said he would slowly wake up in 2 or 3 days. They were hopeful he would. The nurses were not as hopeful because Jered has sustained a severe bleed and lack of blood to that area of the brain. We wait to see if Jered wakes up.

Monday May 11, 1998

Oscar witnessed Jered yawning at 11:10 pm. I had gone to bed. Oscar stayed with Jered again. About 3:00 am Oscar noticed that Jered was trying to open his eyes. By 5:00 Jered had his eyes open half way. He was opening and shutting his eyes when Oscar came to wake me and see for myself. I cried because I couldn't believe my eyes. Our son had opened his eyes. By the afternoon, he was attempting to move his head to the direction of the sound of voices. Maggie (his nurse) asked him to blink his eyes if he understood. He did. She asked him to grip her hand and he gave her a weak grip. Later Jered gripped dad's hand when he asked him to. In the evening Jered's nurse, Ashley, pulled a pointed object across the bottom of each foot. He responded by pulling away his feet. Oh happy day!!  

FMMJ: 5/6/98 - 5/8/98

From My Mothers Journal:

Wednesday May 6, 1998

The nurses have done everything they possibly can for Jered. His I.C.P.'s climbed to 40 and 41 and they kept going up even though they had given all the medications possible. Beth remembered a procedure that had not been used for 15 years. She called the doctor to let him know the situation and to approve the use of a barbiturate. The nurse, doctor and pharmacist had to figure how many grams to give Jered. 

 Finally, she just gave it to Jered's I.V. and his I.C.P.'s began to decrease. Beth had a hand in saving Jered's life. We are ever grateful for God's intervention and Beth's sharp mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His I.C.P.'s went up and down as did his blood pressure. These were prayerful days and frightening days. The church had special prayer a week ago and in this night. Candace cried so hard. Daddy held her outside Jered's room. We thought this was the end. Our hearts were heavy. We wanted no visits or calls. We were told Jered would die today.

Thursday May 7, 1998

I.C.P.'s still doing the same. Up and down problems. Jered has problems in his lungs. Started antibiotics. Pulmonary Dr. Nelson talked with O.B. about overall health of Jered. His chances are 20 to 30 percent.

Friday May 8, 1998

We spent a lot of time in the chapel praying for Jered. Dr. Tenny told us his condition was worsening. Not only was his I.C.P.'s going up and down, but his blood pressure was climbing. His pneumonia was not better and he fought high fevers. 

If the brain swelling didn't take him than the pneumonia would. They moved his tubes out of his nose and put new tubes in his mouth for breathing and feeding. Oscar gets very little sleep. I have to rest because of the cancer and recover from surgery. I have to pace myself. Lani has been brave saying she's strong all this time.

Tonight is a band fund raiser for Jered at West.

FMMJ: May 4 to May 5, 1998

Monday May 4, 1998

Lungs showed fluid in lower left lung. Spasms continue on both sides. Either side of the brain have been spasming. Jered still in a coma. Dad cries a lot. We both do. Dad sleeps near Jered all night long. He won't leave the hospital at all. He refuses to go eat if people want to take him out. Lani came home. She's done with everything at college. They worked with her to get things done early.

Tuesday May 5, 1998

Jered's spasms and ICP's worsening. We sought a 2^nd opinion. The second neurosurgeon, Dr. Kelley, told us the same thing but more clearly. He told us no neurosurgeon would touch this because it is too deep in the brain and could do more harm or create problems with vision, speech and motor skills. We were desperate for Jered. We have prayed everyday, many times a day. The nurses are growing attached to Jered. They are gentle and kind. This is my birthday. I want Jered to have a good night. No high ICP's or blood pressures or heart rate.

From My Mother's Journal: the next 4 days - April 30, 1998 - May 3.

Thursday April 30, 1998.

MRI and Cat Scan reveal a tumor. They say it is blood supplied. No neurosurgeon will touch it because of it's location. It is in the center of the brain near the thalamus. Surgery would damage the speech, vision and motor skills. No surgery in the future.

Ryan Parks drove in to see Jered.

Friday May 1, 1998.

Jered started spasming on Wednesday. We had 2 options. One: we could cause his pressure to go up to give the left side of his brain blood supply. But, that could cause a rebleed and be fatal. Option 2: we could leave the area alone and thin the blood and hope it can provide blood to the left brain but with the spasms “the waiting to see if it will work” could cause spasming in the right side. But this is Friday, and Jered has been spasming on the right and left. It spams different degrees on either side. We are waiting. I went to see my oncologist. Chemo starts in 2 weeks. Lani left for Hannibal to do finals early.

Saturday May 2, 1998.

Dr. Tenny told us Jered may have a touch of pneumonia. Doppler readings are done every morning to scan the blood vessels in his brain and their activity. Many visitors have come every day to support our family and pray and to let Jered know they love him. Ryan Parks came to see Jered. Cam South has been here every day. Stacy Parks came by also.

Sunday May 3, 1998.

Jered's ICP's (Inter-cranial pressures) climb up and down. Sometimes his blood pressures go high – sometimes low. His heart rate was fast and odd. Dr. Tenny told us he was in arrhythmia. His heart could stop. Do we want him to be resuscitated if it stops? We said “yes”, “resuscitate him”. Do everything to save Jered. Jon Balmer came home to see Jered and left Sunday back for college.

(TBC)