Update on Haley 5/4/10

I visited with Trent and Haley's parents this evening and had the chance to see Haley for the first time.
Around 6:00pm, the doctor met with the family. Haley will have a full day of surgery tomorrow beginning at 7:30am (if no major traumas arrive at hospital and disrupt the current schedule). The family originally thought there would be another surgery tomorrow for her right eye, but that is not the case. As of now, the surgeons have done all they can for the eye. Hopefully, when they take off the bandages she will have sight in right eye.

The surgery tomorrow is for something completely different. Part of the skull beneath the forehead was crushed which is now causing spinal fluid to drain through her nose due a tear in the front portion of the lining of the brain. There is not a tear in the brain but only the lining. Doctor's think the fractured bones has caused this tear. A team of neurosurgeons will find and assess the tear once they get "in" and see what's going on. Following that, a team of reconstructive plastic surgeons will put the forehead of the skull back in place.

At 9:00pm, Trent, Haley's mom and dad, a family friend, and I went into the ICU room for around 30 minutes. She is still on the ventilator and swollen all over. The medicine she is on keeps her from being in pain and somewhat sedated. However, she is still coherent to an extent. She knew when we entered the room, started shaking her hands and immediately calmed down when Trent grabbed her arm and kissed it. We all prayed by her bedside and told her how much we love her. When I held her hand and told her I was there, she squeezed my hand and nodded her head. I made sure she is aware that all her Alabama girls (and Illinois Liz) love her so much and are praying very hard for her. Leigh asked that I tell her little Lilly Grace said a special prayer for her tonight before dinner. I asked if she remembers Lilly Grace and she immediately nodded her head, and listened when I told her about the special prayer.

Her eyes are completely covered with bandages, so she can't see anything right now. The ventilator keeps her from being able to speak, so she communicates by nodding and writing on a notepad. One time, she tried to write something that was all jumbled up, her mom and Trent asked her to write again slowly. She shook her head side to side, and I can just imagine her saying, "Y'all are so stupid."

There is no official recovery timeline that I know of other than her mom saying she will probably be there for around four weeks. The doctors did confirm all surgeries will be at The Med. Tonight made it all seem so unreal yet settle in how serious this is. God has spared her life, but it will be a long road to recovery for her.

Again, I place a disclaimer on this shared information that it is second hand and received in bits and pieces. I'll try to be sure and clarify any incorrect information I share as I find out or realize.

Tomorrow is going to be a critical day for Haley, so please pray hard and often for her, Trent, and her family. I'll send an update tomorrow as I receive information.

Good night,
Christie