Sunday, Brenda had her dressings changed in the morning. That afternoon she was able to sit up in her stretch chair for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Later, the respiratory therapist came in to help her with breathing through her noise. She needs to be able to do this do that they canput a stop on her new trache, which enables her to talk.[...]

Brenda had a new trache put in yesterday. This one, when the doctor allows, enables her to speak. In fact, she was able to whisper hi, but it was so low only the doctor who was closest to her could hear. She was able to sit up in her bed for about 20 minutes. This is the first step in a long recovery for her speech. Her speech is not top priority, the doctors are more worried about infections and her skin grafts. Because she has gone so long without talking it will take a while for her muscles and things to basically "remember" how to speak. Later in the day she was able to sit up in her stretch chair for about an hour. This helps a lot with her breathing. [...]

Wednesday she was able to sit up on the edge of her bed before going to the SPA. She slept when she came back and then the physical therapist came in. Brenda had to sit up in the stretch table for 45 minutes. At the end of it she pointed to the bed to signify that she was tired. [...]

Monday, Brenda had trouble controlling her heart rate and blood pressure. They had to give her medication to get it back to normal. She also had to have her dressings changed, which is very stressful for her. It took her a few hours to calm down. [...]

Saturday, Day 21, Brenda is able to breathe in moist room air without the use of the oxygen from the machine. Due to Brenda's critical condition they are not going to work on the spine yet. Today, Day 22, Brenda was placed in a "stretch chair". They had her in a sitting up position for 45 minutes. Brenda was actually able to look out her window. They will continue doing this every day. Friday night they stopped the antibiotics for the staff infection, because all of Brenda's cultures and vitals look good. Her sugar level is back to a normal range, this will be monitored daily and treated accordingly. Thursday morning around 7 she is scheduled for another skin graft. Doctor Perry said that, if possible, they may get her in for a few minor skin grafts before Thursday. She had her dressings changed and is running a slight fever that is being treated. She is still critical and we ask that you keep praying. Next update will be on Tuesday. [...]

To start Brenda went to have an MRI this morning, but then Doctor Kelly stopped in to tell Jack that Brenda will be having a CT scan because she cannot fit in the MRI machine. At 11:09 it was determined that the root of the problem with her hand was compression in her spine. The Doctor will be consulting with a specialist in order to address the problem. Doctor Perry took a look at her burns today to see how the skin graft was taking. He reported that the large burn on her torso seems to be doing well. An interesting fact for all of you wonderful followers. The doctors had used a new process with Brenda's large burns, one that has minimized bacterial growth. It has been so successful they are debating using it on other patients. Her next surgery will be Dec. 13. For this surgery and any surgeries after they will only be doing one surgery a week. Dr. Perry plans on doing the ears and other small sections. Brenda is still critical, but she has been having success thus far. Keep praying for her recovery and that the skin grafts take.[...]

Brenda's operation was successful. She went into surgery around 1:30 p.m. and shewas back in the room around 6:30 p.m. As you can imagine she is pretty tired.Tomorrow they are going to take her to have an MRI. In an earlier post I mentioned she had trouble moving her left hand, the MRI is going to check is she possbily hurt herself during the fall. Pray that her left hand is just sore and that there is nothing wrong. [...]

Today Brenda went back into the spa. Just for clarification the spa is where they take her to wash her and clean her dressings. Her surgery is still scheduled for tomorrow, it is estimated to be about noon or so. Today she was able to sit up, with the help of the doctor, for about 5 minutes. The cultures are all good and the anit-biotics for the staph infection will end Friday. There is some cause for concern with her left hand. It simply hangs limp while she is able to move her other hand. The doctors are going to look into it Friday.[...]

Brenda did not sleep well last night, but do not worry she certainly made up for it during the day. She had a spa treatment today about 9 a.m. and she was back in her room around 11 a.m. That would be when Brenda began to catch up on her sleep. The doctors are still treating her for staff, and unfortunately a new bacteria was found in her lungs. It has not yet been identitfied, but the doctors are going to go ahead andtreat it just as a precaution. Her sugar count is also high, but Brenda does not have any family history of sugar diabetes. In regards to the ventilator she is still on it, but that is so they can monitor her. At this point they are giving her very little oxygen and she is almost breathing on her own. Her surgery is on Thursday and this will be a very minor procedure. They may also change her trache to a new one during her surgery. She is still critical, but she is certainly improving. She told John and Jack to day, well she mouthed to them, that she was ready to walk on out of the hospital. Keep praying for her improvement and send cards and things like that. She enjoys having them read to her.[...]

Brenda is pretty much the same today. They are still lowering her sedation and as of right now she is still on a ventilator, but she is using very little oxygen. They are still keeping an eye out for infection, but other than that she is able to communicate with her eyes and she can mouth words. If you wish to send anything we will read it to her, she loves being read to. Keep praying for a full reovery![...]