Eric A. Dyke, 25, of Rossville, Illinois died at 10:50pm, Saturday November 4th, 2006 at Carle Hospital, Urbana, Illinois.

Champaign/Urbana Services
Visitation will be held from 5pm - 7pm, Wednesday, November 8th, 2006 at Renner-Wikoff Chapel, 1900 Philo Road, Urbana, Illinois 61802. Prayer service will be held at 7pm following the visitation.

Springfield, Ohio Services
Visitation will be held from 5pm - 8pm Friday, November 10th, 2006 at the Jones-Kenney-Zechman Funeral home, Springfield, Ohio wit a prayer service at 7:30pm.

Funeral services will be held at St Bernard Catholic Church, 910 Lagonda Ave. Springfield, Oh 45502.

Burial will be held following the service at Fern Cliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio.

Wake following the burial at the Moose Lodge - Selma Road - Springfield

Sam & Celeste have created a fund in Eric’s name to help the families of other brain injury accidents. As we found out there are a lot expenses for the family members while waiting for the prognosis and healing of their brain injured loved ones. Sam & Celeste feel that a fund to help these families to stay near and with their loved ones is critical. In lieu of flowers if you wish to donate to this cause, refer to the address below.

Eric Dyke Benefit Fund
ATTENTION: Megan Cozad
C/o US Bank
5321 Council Street NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Thank you all and god bless

Eric passed away peacefully at 10:50pm tonight. Sam & Celeste were holding him and talking to him when he took his last breath. Eric fought a good fight but his lungs gave out. The infections and the injury to his lungs were too much for him.

Please continue your prayers for Eric and always remember his handsome face, beautiful smile, gentle touch, kind heart and loving soul.

I love you Eric. My son you will always be in my heart and my thoughts.

A service will be held in Champaign this week then another service and burial will happen next weekend in Springfield, Ohio. We will keep you posted when the final arrangements have been completed.

1:40pm - Eric had a rough night but is resting comfortably now. He coughed most of the night. His stomach was not absorbing the nutrients they were feeding him so they stopped the feeding for a few hours, emptied his stomach and now they have restarted the feeding. Eric continues to have hot and cold spells. Please keep Eric in your prayers.

1:21pm - Eric is resting comfortably today. He coughs once in a while but for the most part he's sleeping.

1:14pm - Eric is not doing very well today. His temprature is high and his breathing is labored. He is coughing a lot. The doctors took another CT scan this morning and did not see anything different. No swelling, no blood or increased fluids. I will post another update later tonight.

5:17pm - Eric had a full day and is really exhausted. Eric had almost 5 hours of therapy today but unfortunately he really didn't show any signs of alertness. He's coughing more today and the infection is still hanging on. They have moved Eric into a private room where it's very quiet. Each day, I believe he's getting weaker and more fragile.

I would like to ask those of you that visit Eric to skip this week as to give him more time to rest and ensure that he is not exposed to any other infection.

10:52am - Met with the rehab doctor this morning. He did not have good news. The doctor said that all the movements that Eric is making are basic and that Eric is not aware of his surroundings or the people around him. He did not think that aggressive therapy will help and recommended that we move him into an assisted living facility that also provides basic rehab capabilities. The doctor did not give Eric high chances of recovery. The hospital will most likely release Eric to a nursing home by the end of this week.

9:17pm - Eric has been moved to the 4th floor (regular room) and removed from oxygen. Most of you know that I'm trying to concentrate on the positives however; I also need to let you know that Eric has lost a lot of weight and is fragile. The rehab doctor did see him today and he also believes the same (doom & gloom) prognosis the other doctors have told us. We have a 9am meeting with him tomorrow to get more details. Eric has been quiet this afternoon and tonight.

2:52pm - I worked with Eric during the night however; he seemed distant most of the night. Eric kept moving his hand towards his face but could not quite reach it. I helped him reach his face and he took his finger and scratch the side of his nose, a second after, he fell asleep. Eric also kept on grabbing his oxygen hose and pull it off. I had to keep holding his hand.

Celeste said that his morning Eric has been very active and while working with the therapist, Eric was attentive and she thought that he waived goodbye to her. Eric's blood work showed that his infection is lower but not quite gone (was at 21, now at 15, needs to be at 11 or lower). We are still waiting for the elusive Dr. Jain (rehab doctor) to evaluate Eric.

10:44pm - Eric is currently sleeping. Eric's mom said that Eric did not cough much today and that he grabbed the therapists' hand when she was tapping on his lungs - I guess he didn't like that. Eric is moving his left arm pretty good. Last night, I told him to raise his arm if he needs anything and it seems like he was raising it frequently so I would talk to him, hold his hand and massage his arm and leg which seems to calm him down. When he wakes up tonight, I'm going to try and work with him on specific questions with definitive responses (I hope).

Again, thank you all for your continued support and prayers.

6:55pm - Eric is resting today. No change from yesterday. Eric's sister Angela left today. The navy wanted her to report back to Jacksonville, FL. for the time being.

11:15pm - Danyale visited Eric today. Her mom said she protested at the hospital until they gave her a pass to come see Eric. Danyale was in a wheelchair and is doing well. She has a rough 12-18 months of therapy but I know that she's up to the task. While Danyale was visiting with and talking to Eric, Eric moved his left arm across his lap. I told Eric that was great and that he should show her how he can also move / bend his left leg; he did - I asked him to do it again, and he did. I truly hope and pray that this was a good sign. Eric continues to baffle us as sometimes he seems to hear us and other times he's distant. We continue our faith and hopes and of course our prayers for Eric.

12:49pm - Eric continues to keep his eyes open more and moving his left arm and leg. His mother said that he was playing with the ring on her finger as well as grabbed his right arm with his left again.

For those of considering visiting Eric at the hospital, I want you to know that he's in isolation for the time being and you might not be able to see him due to the infections he has. Once they move him out of PCU early next week, that would be better.

Thanks and please keep the prayers going for him. Leslie left the following prayer which I think is appropriate to say for Eric. Thanks Leslie

Father God,

We lift up this wonderful young man to you and seek your miraculous healing touch for his life. Please shower this family with your love and comfort. Give them a sign today that Eric is hearing every thing they say to him. We pray for complete restoration for Eric, Lord, that he might be a mighty warrior for you and give you all the glory for his recovery.

Lord, let this dear family be united in speaking life and hope into Eric's life. Let there be no pressure to remove his care prematurely by the medical facility. We praise you and thank you for his survival.

In the mighty name of Jesus,

Amen

3:41pm - Eric still has his eyes open today and is moving his left hand, arm and leg by himself. He's not being very responsive to commands however; we continue to work with him. His vitals are good and his temperature is normal.

9:00am - Eric had his eyes open most of the day yesterday. Last night, while his sister was talking to him and telling him to move his hand, he moved his fingers then his left hand for a few minutes. We're still not sure if its by command or just movements but we keep trying.

6:14pm - Eric's neck brace was taken off this morning following an Xray showing that his neck was OK. I will follow up with more updates later tonight.

7:24pm - I just want everyone to know that Eric is not in pain. The nurses and doctors monitor his vitals and when they see a change, they administer additional pain medication to keep him comfortable (they have not had to do that often). The injuries to his body(leg, arm, face, kidney, liver) are healing well. The staples have been removed from his arm and leg. Additionally, the swelling in his face is gone. Eric is loosing muscle mass (in his arms and legs) but, we started working on improving that with physical therapy.

When he opens his eyes, and I look into them, I know that Eric is going to be OK. I can't give up on my son right now as it's only been 23 days and to me, every day is a gift from God and every little change is another hope and prayer answered. The doctors might not agree with the improvements I see but that's OK with me. I know that Eric is a fighter and I know that he has not given up yet. I will continue to fight for him. If and when the time comes to let him go, I will know it. This is not the time and he needs all his family and friends to believe in him and help him fight with a constant positive attitude and prayers. He needs to be surrounded by positive influence.

3:54pm - No Change. Eric's vitals are good. Physical therapist worked with him again today and he seemed to respond to tickling his left heal and tracking the movement of a coke can with his left eye. This is all good but it's not enough. Eric needs to show more awareness of his surrounding and be more reactive. We will keep working with him. Eric is scheduled to have another CT scan tomorrow morning to determine if any injury to his neck still exist. If his neck is OK, then more aggressive therapy can be applied (sitting him up, moving his body more, turning him more...). "Miracle wanted and needed" - please keep the prayers going.

10:42pm - Eric's neuro-surgeon did not have good news. He said that Eric is not making the progress that he expects. In regards to other tests, he said the only one that matters is Eric waking up and being alert and responsive. Tonight is Eric's 22nd night in the hospital and intensive care. We really need a miracle in the next few days so please keep praying for God's intervention.

2:26pm - Eric has picked up two infections that are associated with being in a hospital. The doctors are going to move him into an isolation room either later today or tomorrow morning.

The physical therapist is here to show us exercises (move his arms, bend his elbows, lift his legs...) that we can do for Eric 2-3 times a day. When the therapist put a sponge drenched in Cepacol mouthwash around his nostril, he turned his head. She repeated that several times and he acknowledged by moving his head away from the smell. The therapist suggested that we try different smells to stimulate his brain (colognes, perfumes???).

We have a meeting with his neuro-surgeon between 4:30 and 5 this afternoon.

4:54pm - My intention is not to paint a Rosy picture that everything is fine. It's not. Eric is still in critical condition and still in the intensive care unit. However; from a father's perspective, I see improvements everyday. Some that the doctors agree with and some that they say it's just reflex. I believe in God, hope and our son. Eric has always been healthy and strong. Even thou he's not a Taurus (like his dad) he is stubborn and will not give up easy. He always finds a way.

I also believe that all the prayers are helping him find his way back to us. So please keep him in your prayers.

Today, Eric is stable. He's at 30% oxygen (down from 80%). His temperature is back up to about 100. The doctors took him of the intravenous pain medication and only left him with the pain patch. He's opening his eyes more today but still seems fatigued. We did put some headphones on him and letting him listen to a storybook on CD to help stimulate the brain.

2:34pm - The doctors inserted the filter in Eric's artery this morning. They had to use a permanent filter rather than a temporary. At 11:30 this morning, they took Eric off the ventilator and he is breathing on his own with only an oxygen mask. His vitals are stable and his temperature is down to around 99. He's moving his left hand and fingers which is encouraging. I'm trying to work with him on giving signals with his left thumb (once for yes and two for no). Right now he's resting comfortably.

I wish I could reply to each of you that are leaving comments. Please know that I really appreciate all of your kind words, offers, prayers.... Please also know that one day I will make the effort to meet each of you. My hope is that it will be with Eric. Thanks again.


3:04pm - Eric rested comfortably last night however; this morning the doctor said that the blood clots in his legs are moving so he recommended putting a filter in his arteries to block the clots from reaching his lungs. They will be doing this procedure this afternoon.

3:37pm - Eric is resting comfortably right now. He's back on the ventilator and his vitals are good. He had his eyes open earlier and was able to squeeze my hand with his left hand. The doctors say that is a reflex. We have asked to meet with all the doctors together to see if they can all agree on the same prognosis. Hopefully we will meet with them tomorrow.

His aunt Betty had to return to California this afternoon and his sister Angela will not be returning to Iraq and will return to Florida after her leave.

9:24am - Eric had a bad day yesterday and was moved back to intensive care last night. The doctor first thought that a clot had worked its way to his lungs but after looking at the CT scan he said no that was not the case. His white blood cells are elevated (about 3 times what they use to be) which means his infection (somewhere) is getting worse. He was coughing all day and getting stuff out of his lungs.

He opened his eyes many times yesterday and I looked into his eyes and talked to him. At times, he seemed to want to talk and moved his mouth, at other times, he just blinked. I know he was in pain and when I found out that they had reduced his pain medication to almost nothing, I asked for them to give him more.

The hardest part is knowing what the truth is. The doctors can only treat what they know and with Eric's brain injuries, they just can't do anything becasue it's too deep in his brain that in order to get there, they would have to remove too much of the good parts and risk damaging more.

It's not our intention to have Eric survive in a vegitative state or living a life that requires 24 by 7 assistance. All we are trying to do is give Eric the chance to heal enough to be evaluated properly so we know what his condition really is and if by chance or miracle he can be saved then we need to give him that oppurtunity.

In reply to one of the comments posted yesterday, I have the following reply: I know that all of Eric's friends are hurting as well and especially the ones that have had the chance to see him in the hospital. All I can say to you is have faith in Eric and God and know that his mother and I will do what is best for Eric. Don't judge our actions or intentions. We raised this young man to be the friend, brother, and son he is now and we know what is best for Eric.

I'm sorry to have to give such sad news after raising everyone's hopes and spirit but, you need to know the truth as many of you care and love Eric in your own way. Believe me, that last night we (his family) were crushed by some of the changes and prognosis.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

5:23am - My hopes and spirits are high this morning. Last night, I got a call from my sister Betty around 11pm saying that Eric opened his eyes. Betty said that she was talking to him telling him how handsome he looks and that the mustache he's growing (since he's been in the hospital) makes him very attractive and something about California when he suddenly opened his eyes. His mother saw this and they called for the nurse. The nurse asked them to tell Eric to close his eyes (to see if he's capable of understanding), his mother asked him to close his eyes, which Eric did and opened them again. His mother accidentally moved her hand across his face and he reacted by flinching. Eric closed his eyes as this seemed to take too much out of him.

Betty has been able to get him to respond to her voice and open one or both eyes for a very short time since. For those of you that don't know Betty, you definitely can tell when Betty is in the room. Her voice is crisp, clear and loud but yet gentle and sweet. Eric seems to respond to Betty when she is talking about California or when she is telling him how cute he is.

I have been with him all night and anxious to see those beautiful eyes however; I'm giving him time to rest and have not tried to bother him. I will wait until the nurses are done giving him a bath and try to talk to him again (if they have not tired him too much).

I know this is not much and many are dismissing this, yet, I know in my heart that this is the beginning of his healing process and God's sign and response to all our prayers.

Thank you God and all of you for your caring, good thoughts and prayers and please keep the prayers going. I will update this again later today.

2:36pm - According to the doctor,there was no change in Eric's CT scan from this morning with yesterday's. As a result, they are preparing to move him out of ICU and into a private room on the 4th floor. This is a concern for me as they will not have all the monitoring equipment in place and will default to manual monitoring every 4 hours.

It's really all up to Eric and God now. He has to regain consciousness and be able to respond to stimulation. By the end of this week, if no change in Eric's situation, they will have to move him into an extended care facility outside the hospital. Since Eric's residence is Illinois, we have to move him somewhere in this state (the first place that has a bed open) until all the paperwork has been completed and filed with other states to see if they will accept him.

Again, we want to thank all those that have been sending cards, flowers, plants, cookies, stories of friendship, good thoughts, and especially prayers... We really appreciate it.

7:59pm - The doctors removed the feeding tube from Eric's nostril and inserted it into his stomach. Eric's face looks so good. It's still swollen but it's nice to see his face without tubes all over. After a consultation with the neuro-surgeon, we agreed to let him remove the shunt / valve that has been used to reduce his pressure. The doctor believes that Eric does not require it but if tomorrow the CT scan shows different, then he will insert a new shunt on the opposite side. Additionally, the doctors suggested that a filter be inserted in his veins to protect clots in his leg to travel to his lungs. We have decide ti wait in this as 30% of the time, the filter cannot be removed. For now, they will continue to monitor the clots for movement.

It's critical that Eric regains consciousness as soon as possible. After 30 days, his chances for recovery diminish each day. For the most part, Eric is now breathing on his own without the ventilator but still getting oxygen.

We will continue to talk to Eric and see if we can get him conscious again. He needs to respond to our commands. Please keep the prayers coming. Thanks all.

2:25am - I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers for my son Eric. God is listening. Eric has survived over 14+ days and 11+ hours of surgery. In order for Eric to improve, he has to wake up, the sooner he does, the better his chances are of recovery.

I need your help again. This whole week, each day at noon, please think a good thought and / or say a prayer for Eric and please pass this request along to as many people as you can. Eric can use all the prayers we can give.

While we are praying for Eric, it wouldn't hurt to maybe include the following prayer:

"Gracious God, suffering seems to eagerly eat at the edges of life until people are worn down with sadness and despair. Even though I do not understand the reasons for suffering, I believe that you are a God of love, a God of compassion. I pray that you will be with all those this day that are in pain, who suffer silently and alone, who feel abandoned and left by the side of life’s road. Wrap your arms of grace around them, until they know they are safely held in your embrace. And, I pray, that you will fill my heart with the same compassion, and give me eyes to see how I can lovingly be a part of their healing. I ask this for the sake of your great love. Amen"

3:31pm - Eric is doing well and looks GREAT considering all the surgeries he went through. His ICP (brain) pressure is holding pretty steady around 13. His vitals are good with the exception of his temperature, it's a little high(around 102). The nurse said that this morning when she applied pain to his left toe, Eric moved his left leg and his head from side to side. Eric is completely off of sedatives and now is only on pain medication (morphine). Additionally, the doctor is trying to get him off the drainage valve in his head as it cannot stay there more than 24 hours from this morning without significant risk of infection. If required, the doctors will put another valve on the other side. Tomorrow, the doctor plans on putting a feeding tube in his stomach.

Danyale's second surgery was successful. The doctors were glad that they went back in to add the rods as the cage they put in the first surgery had shifted. These new rods will keep her back strong. Danyale's mother said that Danyale is sitting in a wheel chair and anxious to visit Eric.

Please keep your prayers coming for these two wonderful kids. Thanks...

9:33pm - The surgeon just came out and said that Eric's surgery went well and Eric did great. His pressure was good throughout and his vitals continue to be stable. Over 11 and a half hours of surgery. The doctor said that Eric will require six weeks of healing and will have a certain amount of brusising and sweling in his face for part of the time.

Eric is on his way to get a CT scan per instructions from his neuro-surgeon then he will go back to the intensive care unit for recovery and monitoring.

Thank you God and thank you all for your prayers. His body is now on the way to recovery and all our hopes are that his brain will be also. Hope & Faith is all we have and we have to keep it going.

7:53pm - Eric is still in surgery. at 5:30pm, the facial surgeon said that he needs another 3.5 hours to complete. According to the surgeons, Eric is still holding up. Eric's has been in surgery for 10 hours now. This is draining on the whole family but we're keeping each other strong. Eric's aunt Betty arrived yesterday and has done wonders pulling the entire family together and keeping our spirit high.

1:57pm - The orthopedic doctor just came out and said that they have finished with Eric's arm and leg. He said the arm went well. The leg was put back together as well as can be given all the damage. They have added titanium plates and bolts to both his arm and leg fractures. His leg might require additional surgeries at a later time. The facial doctors are preparing to begin working on Eric's face injuries. This might take 4 hours give or take some. Eric's vitals are still OK.

9:07am - After an hour discussion with the doctors last night, Eric's family asked the doctors to aggressively pursue the surgeries required to heal Eric's body.

This morning the doctor's have scheduled Eric for surgery beginning at 10am (CST). The doctors will attempt to fix Eric's arm, leg, face and put in a tracheotomy and a feeding tube in his stomach. This will be a long day for Eric in the operating room so please keep your prayers strong as I know you all have.

Danyale's recovery is going well. She is still in pain but anxious to get out of bed. The doctors were very exited about how well her surgery went. Danyale will require another operation to put in two metal posts to keep her back strong while her bones heal and fuse to the metal cage they placed around her spine. I'm not sure when the next surgery is scheduled but will keep you updated.

11:34am - To Eric's mom Celeste, I'm truly sorry for my harsh words yesterday. I hope and pray that you know that I'm trying to deal with this reality as best as I can and sometimes I need to blame someone and unfortunately, I blame the ones that are within arm's reach.

I would like to ask everyone to help by concentrating all further comments to Eric's well being and to continue the prayers that I believe are keeping him going.

Thanks,
Sam

Thanks again for all your kind words and prayers. Going forward, I will only update this blog if Eric's condition changes.


2:50pm - We had a consultation with the neuro surgeon this afternoon. The doctor reviewed his CT scan from last night and said that some areas look better and some areas are not so good. Since Eric's pressure was spiking all morning from 20-55, the doctor discussed some options with us: (1) do nothing, (2) remove the pressure monitor (since it has been there too long), put in a relief valve on the right side of his brain, and prepare him for an MRI later tonight. We agreed that we need to move forward and selected option 2.

The doctor is currently removing the monitor and inserting the valve. This is not without risk however; we need to do something to make him better. The MRI will at least give the doctors a better view of the damage in order to make the right decision on his recovery options.

I will provide another update after the procedure is complete.

10:52pm - Around 9pm, the doctor called and said he wants to talk about the results from the CT scan he just completed. The doctor said that Eric's brain injury is still critical and that the expected results have not been seen. He said that the extent of the injury is still life threatening and that the damage is such that if he gets through this, it might not be the quality of life he would want (basically, vegetative state). He said we should talk about if this is the type of life Eric should have. Don't they understand that what they are asking me us is to give up and say let him go? I can't do that. I told him that I want a second opinion tomorrow morning and a third later in the afternoon. Additionally, I want to have an MRI completed (which will require the monitor to be removed) once Eric has been stable for at least 24 hours. I'm not sure where to go from here. My hopes are still strong and my prayers are plentiful. It's difficult to maintain a positive attitude with so much negative feelings around.

We need a miracle. Merciful lord, we pray to you to save your son Eric, bring him back to us as we know him. We need Eric in our life. Amen.

5:10pm - Eric's pressure went up to over 70 (extremely high) just before the consultation. The doctor put him back on sedation. Eric also has a temperature as well and they are doing all they can to lower it. According to the doctor, Eric's white cell blood count is high which signifies the possibility of infection. They think it might be a blood clot on his left side and they are looking into it. We truly believe as well as this doctor that the reason for the high pressure is that Eric might be feeling pain, fear, anxiety, injuries... Remember that the last thing Eric remembers is the accident (hitting the car).

Right now his pressure is back around 24 as the sedative and the 8% solution are starting to work. I have asked the doctors that the plan needs to be (1) stabilize Eric's pressure; (2) ensure that the infection or clot is treated; (3) prepare Eric for surgery for his leg, arm and jaws; (4) remove the brain monitor and do an MRI; (5) if required, put the monitor back in another place; (5) after a few days, ensure Eric's pressure is stable, remove the sedation and re-evaluate his capabilities to react to the various tests.

The problems that we are facing is the longer Eric is in the intensive care unit the higher the risk of infection through all the tubes they have in him; the brain monitor (should not be in the same place more than 7-8 days); all his cuts and injuries. In order for doctors to do the surgery, his pressure needs to be stable around 20 and NO infection. As you can see, the longer this goes on, we get into a catch 22 situation.

3pm - Eric is completely off the sedatives. His pressure is higher between 22-37. They are giving him pain medication but I know in my heart that he has to be feeling the pain of his injuries. Each time I see him I make the sign of the cross on his forehead with the holy water, today, when I made the sign of the cross and touched him, his head moved left and right. As we talk to him, his pressure seems to go lower. I know he's fighting and trying to get back to us.

The doctors are evaluating him right now and said that they would talk with us at 4pm. I will try to get another update afterwards.

His friends from Danville are here now and they have been doing so much. They are really amazing and the influence that Eric has had on each of them. They are in the process of arranging a blood drive. To all of you, THANK YOU. I'm deeply touched and I know his mother is as well and we will always remember all of you and the wonderful support you have and continue to provide.

6:30am - Eric is still not showing any sign of consciousness however; he is coughing and breathing somewhat on his own with help from the machine. His ICP (Inter Cranial Pressure) is still a little high, it fluctuates between 18 and 25 with spike up into the high 60s (when he coughs).

For all those who left comments, please know that we really appreciate your kind words, good thoughts and prayers. I will get back to each of you once I can get some time.

Eric needs a miracle. Does anyone know where we can get one? My faith has always been strong however; each day I see Eric with all the tubes and machines he's connected to, I keep asking GOD where are you? I know the world is full of hurt, hungry and suffering people and that I should not be so selfish but how can I help it? He's of my flesh and blood. He's my son. He's all that I am. He's my future. He has the biggest heart of all.

I'm sorry, I'm bambling on, it's early and I'm tired. I know the doctors don't like me here but I really don't care. Today is going to be a stressful day for all of them and all of us. I need answers and they need to provide them.

9:30pm - I cannot and will not give up on my son right now. I know Eric will not want to live his life with machines breathing for him however; we have not come to that point yet. They have not fixed his body yet. They do not know for certain what the level of damage to his brain is. Eric is young, strong and is a fighter. He loves life and we need to do everything we can to give him that chance. I have asked for a conference / consultation call with another neuro-surgeon that I trust completely (Donna's doctor). Additionally, I will not take NO for an answer regarding the surgery to fix his broken body. If I have to, I will move him to another hospital that is willing to perform the required surgeries.

5pm - Danielle's surgery went well. The doctors were able to put the broken parts back together and installed a metal cage around them. Our hopes and prayers continue for Danielle's recovery. Hopefully, tonight they will take her out of intensive care and back to her room.

4pm - Talked to Eric's neuro-surgeon, he indicated that Eric's best case would be paralysis to his left side and loss of short term memory. He could not say for certain what level of loss or paralysis may in fact occur. He also indicated that the reason for his pressure spiking higher is due to his injuries. I asked that they fix his arm, leg and jaw before completely taking him out of his sedative before trying to bring him to consciousness.

2pm - another gloom and doom doctor who is an internist and not a neuro-surgeon gave us another talk about how we need to decide about what to do with Eric. She said that his sedative is at 30% and he is not responding to any tests. She believed that the damage to his brain is too severe and that he would most likely require assisted care.

4:53am - When I came in to visit Eric at 3:30 this morning, the nurse said that Eric coughed as a result of her moving his air tube (this is a good sign). Eric is currently trying to rest however; the nurses are changing all his lines. Eric continues to have his pressure hold around the 20 mark unless the nurses move him then it spikes high but comes right back down. Earlier, Eric had a bowl movement which enabled the doctors to open his feeding tube and introduce semi-solid food to his digestive system (this is good). Eric's is still at 50% sedative. Each time they try to take him lower, his pressure goes back up. Late last night, some of his visitors noticed movement in his left arm (I'm trying to get that confirmed by the nursing staff).

4:30pm - We just talked to doctor gloom and doom and I could not take anymore; I told him to stick to his area of expertise and that he was way out of his area right now. He is an internist and not a neuro-surgeon. He likes to hear himself talk because he thinks he sounds intelligent. Doctor doom thinks that Eric suffered too much damage in his brain and that at best he would require a feeding tube and assisted nursing home for the rest of his life. We have asked to talk to his neuro-surgeon later tonight as he is performing surgery on Danielle. The reality of things is that Eric has proved all his doctors wrong by continuing to fight and improve. His pressure has now been stable for 36 hours. The same doctor believes that Eric's pressure has peaked and that it should now continue to improve (slowly). Doctors do not believe in miracles but I do. Please do not give up on Eric and continue your prayers and good thoughts. Not all his doctors share the same diagnosis so, we will be asking all of them for a meeting on Monday to enusre that they speak with one voice and one message "Eric will be OK, mentally and physically".

Danielle started her surgery about 5pm and should last between 5-7 hours. This surgery is to fix what they can on her spine and evaluate the extent of the damage. Other surgeries are scheduled for later next week.

One last thing, if you have a younger brother, sister or a child of your own, please give them a hug and tell them how much you're thankfull for having them in your life.

2:45pm - Eric is still stable. His pressure continues to be between 15 and 20. This morning the doctors took him off of the paralysis medication and his pressure did not go up. They are currently reducing his sedatives slowly in order to better evaluate his condition. I know that you are all praying for Eric but please also pray for Danielle and if you get a chance, say THANK YOU to God for keeping Eric with us and helping him through this.

6pm- The doctor on-duty talked with Eric's mother and was full of gloom and doom however; Eric continues to prove all of them wrong. His pressure continues to be stabge around 20-22.

1:30pm - Eric continues to be stable for now. His pressure is around 18 which is up from yesterday's 8 but still OK. The pressure spiked up this morning during his daily cleanup but settled back down afterwards. We will be talking with his doctors later today and find out what plans they have. Since they do not schedule surgery for the weekend, any surgery will have to wait until next week.

Danielle's scheduled surgery was canceled this morning due to an infection. Doctors are treating the infection and will re-schedule the surgery for next week.

11pm - Angela (Eric's sister) arrived from Iraq. Tough trip for her including being stuck at O'hare airport due to missed and canceled flights. Rick (Eric's friend) was kind enough to dirve to O'hare and bring her here to Champaign.

2:45pm - Eric's family would like to thank all of you (his friends, our friends and all others) that have sent kind words, good thoughts and much needed prayers for Eric. I truly believe that is what's making the difference as well as Eric's strong will to beat this. For those of you that don't know Eric, I hope you will. Eric is a great young man, a straight A student with the biggest heart I know. He is kind and very lovable. He's not out of the woods yet and he will get worse before he gets better so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

2:30pm - We just finished our consultation with the doctor and we found out that they in fact did not insert the valve in his head. Eric's pressure dropped on it's own. The cat scan did not show anything different and they don't understand why his pressure dropped but we are all glad it did. His current pressure fluctuates between 3 and 8. The doctor is now inserting a tube in his left and right lung to remove some fluids which he believes is causing his oxygen levels to be low.

9am - Yesterday was a bad day for both Eric and Danielle. Eric had a valve put in his head to relieve the pressure which seems to have worked. Doctors this morning will be doing another cat scan to try and understand why the pressure dropped so drastically. As for Danielle, her pain medication was stopped which caused her pain and discomfort. To make things worse, a nurse came in to clean her up and thought that she had her surgery and removed the full body brace she was in. Needles to say, Danielle suffered severe pain.

We will get an update after 12 this afternoon as the hospital policy doest not allow us to see Eric from 7am - 12pm and from 7pm-9pm.

7:30pm - The doctor just informed us that Eric's internal temperature is high and will be inserting a catheter in his groin, feed it through his vein and run cold liquids in it to lower the temperature. Additionally, Eric had another burst where his pressure climbed extremely high which re-emphasized the installation of the relief valve.

Around 5:30pm we had a consultation with Eric's doctors. The doctors advised us of Eric's current situation and what actions need to be taken. The pressure in Eric's brain is high and all medical treatments that can be administered have been taken. The options now are: First, put a relief valve in his head to release some of the spinal fluid around the brain thus giving the swelling room and deceasing the pressure; if the pressure does not stabilize, removal of the top of his skull down to the ears is the only other option.

This morning, the doctors canceled the scheduled surgery to fix Eric's leg and arm due to high pressure readings in the brain. The doctors put Eric back in paralysis to lower his pressure. We will talk with the doctors at 1pm this afternoon to see what happens next.

What happened?

A car pulled out in front of them without warning. Witnesses say that Eric didn't have time to react and hit the car on the passenger side at about 35mph. Eric and Danielle were riding on Eric's motorcycle on their way to the store to buy two helmets. An off duty emergency medical specialist witnessed the accident and was able to get Eric breathing again within 5 minutes by clearing his airway. Eric and Daniele were rushed to the local hospital and immediately air lifted to a level 1 trauma center in Champaign, Illinois for treatment.

Initial prognosis was that Eric would not survive the 5 hours it would take for me (his father) to get to the hospital.

Eric suffered the following known injuries:

1. Severe trauma to the head - extreme swelling of the brain
2. Punctured kidney
3. Punctured liver
4. Broken right arm (both bones)
5. Broken right leg (2" above the knee) - bone fragments outside the tear of his skin caused by the broken bone.
6. Almost every facial bone was severely broken including both jaws.
7. Bruised lung
8. Numerous deep cuts and road burns over his chest, arms, legs and face.

Danielle suffered the following injuries:

1. Numerous cuts and road burns over her, arms, legs and face.
2. Broken back - 2 discs completely shattered

Eric's facial injuries:
All red wiggle lines are fractures

I'm not an artist but, I think you can get the idea.
The jaws are currently wired shut to reduce further damage. If Eric's vitals continue to improve the doctors will attempt to fix the fractures to his jaws on Friday. Metal plates and screws will be permanently mounted for support.

The other facial fractures will be scheduled 2-3 weeks afterwards.