Update: 1:00am on 2/6

Forrest's first Saturday at Shepherd Center reminds us how big this transition is for him. Our whole world for the last three weeks has revolved around keeping him alive, stabilizing his medical issues and reassuring him as he struggles to wake up from the coma. He is running a fever again today and is still battling respiratory difficulties, that have us and the doctors concerned. As they have warned will be the case, his awareness of his surroundings comes and goes. But even while we treat his lungs, the focus here is to get him up and moving. The Shepherd Center has tremendous experience treating teenagers with catastrophic brain and spinal injuries- over 125 inpatient teenagers each year. So we are blessed to be here and have an entire team of experienced doctors and nurses to help Forrest and his Team begin this phase of his journey. 

Today Forrest was fitted with the helmet he must wear each time he is out of bed until it is time to replace his skull flap. He also received  a custom wheel chair fitted to his height and long… long legs. He also must wear his TLSO (clam shell brace) every time he is sitting up or moving outside of the bed. The medical team continues to adjust his medication, weaning him further off of the sedatives and lowering the pain medicine. This increases his periods of wakefulness and his ability to respond, but also seems to increase his level of frustration and agitation. They have a very sophisticated electronic lift system in each  patient room that allows them to wrap him in a seated sling and safely lift him out of bed and into his chair. Being mobile in the chair is a crucial part of his recovery so that his spinal fracture can heal while he gains the strength and balance to walk.  

It was wonderful to see him sitting up today, but it is hard to watch him struggle with each new hurdle. Once he was situated in his new chair he and I watched a television program about bush pilots in Alaska while I was able to rub his shoulders and scratch his back. He was clearly interested in the wildlife images and the vast open spaces that he must be dreaming of. Then I showed him the photographs from his blog slideshow and he watched intently as I told him dozens of stories about the smiling faces, horses, dolphins, our travels, and the Virginia countryside of his childhood. After 2 hours up in his chair he was exhausted and the nursing staff helped him back to bed.

Kent is sitting with him now and since Austin has a sore throat, he is off the night roster and his Aunt Tricia will hold vigil bedside tonight. Forrest still has periods at night when he becomes very agitated and it gives us great comfort to know that he has family to reassure him if he can't sleep. Monday, the doctors plan to replace his trachestomy with a type that will allow him to breath out of his mouth and nose, swallow, and begin speech therapy. They will also take more extensive radiographs of his back and may be able  to make him a more comfortable brace. Then he will begin the more rigorous rehabilitation schedule building up to 3-5 hours of work each day. We believe he is itching to get started and though the road will be difficult,  his spirits will improve once he can get to work. We are all waiting anxiously for that first Forrest smile that will light up our lives and add to the positive energy we feel surround us here at Shepherd. 

With Love and Gratitude to all from Forrest's Team --   
Mamma Bear, Rae

"Life isn't about finding yourself.  Life is about creating yourself."  (message on a coffee mug gift from Kent to Rae today!)