Update: 3:45pm on 3/31

Forrest has just been blessed with a reprieve from imminent surgery.  He was on the  surgical schedule today to have his prosthetic skull flap removed and was given one last opportunity to weigh in on this agonizing decision. The doctors lightened his sedation and pain medicine to see if he would show any signs of responsiveness.  With much urging, he was unable to raise one finger or thumb, but he was able to wiggle his toes. This is the first response he has shown since Monday. When he began to "buck" or resist the ventilator,  I was standing by his side and saw a tear course down the side of his face. I leaned in closer, kissed the salty tear away and told him to look at me.  For the briefest moment we made eye contact.  I know with all my mother's heart that he is still there and that he knows we are by his side.

Due to the risk involved of multiple surgeries on his already compromised condition, the doctors don't want to go to surgery as long as he is making even the slightest progress each day. The plan now is to maintain him in neurosurgical ICU at Emory University Hospital, under heavy sedation and on the ventilator, in order to let his brain heal and his condition stabilize. He is connected to a room full of monitors and life support equipment and we have a little alcove connected to his room where at least one of us is always present. Each day they will lighten the sedation enough to evaluate his neurological status and his level of awareness. When he shows signs of waking up and is strong enough to breathe on his own, they will begin to wean him off of the ventilator. If at any point his condition starts to deteriorate again, Emory has the ability to rally the surgical team to take him into surgery quickly. We are hoping and praying that won't be necessary. 

We are so grateful for the gift of your collective prayer and positive visioning. Coupled with Forrest's indomitable spirit and the best medical and nursing care we can provide, we will navigate this detour and get him back on course. He has worked so hard and cleared so many seemingly impossible obstacles with grace and dignity beyond his years. He found his way back to us from his first coma. With the love and support of an ever enlarging community of family and friends, he will do it again. And we will do whatever it takes… for as long as it takes to bring him home.

With love,
Mum and Team Forrest

Quote of the day: "Once you choose hope, anything is possible."  Christopher Reeves