Tuesday, October 10, 2006

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.
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16 comments:

Trent Aldrich said...

Sam, Celeste, and Angie,
I just wanted to know all of you and Eric are in my prayers! Eric is truely a good friend and I am so worried about him. I know he can pull through this because he is so strong. Eric has alot of close friends that are going to be there for him and you always. Thats what makes are group of friends so close we are like a family. You all are in me and my moms prayers.

Tue Oct 10, 04:24:00 PM CDT
Karen said...

Dearest Celeste, Angie, and family
Trent keeps me posted daily on Eric's progress. I need you to know that my tears, thoughts and prayers are with you. I think and pray for Eric constantly. All the memories of our boys growing up...good & bad but typical boys ... and how much we love them through it all. I see Eric's big smile every time I think of him. Celeste dear, I wish I could give you a big hug right now and help in some way to make it all go away. I pray & pray Eric is going to be the strong, confident boy I know and snap right out of all this. Love & Hugs, Karen

Tue Oct 10, 05:18:00 PM CDT
John & Deb Patton said...

Celeste, Angie & Other family,
Eric is constantly on our minds and in our prayers. We ask everyone we come in contact with to pray for him. We believe in the power of prayer, and we are praying for Eric as well as for strength for you, his family. We love Eric...we have so many fond memories of him growing up with our boys. We have a picture of him that we touch when praying. We are crying with you, praying with you and believing in a miracle with you.
John & Deb Patton

Tue Oct 10, 06:55:00 PM CDT
LFlack said...

I live in Chillicothe, Ohio and I go to church with Anita Risner. Eric, Danielle and your family are in my constant prayers. I teach 6th grade and we prayed aloud in all my classes today and we will continue until God intervenes. God is such an awesome God and we must praise Him even in the storms. Casting Crown sings a song about praising God in the storms and that He catches every tear that falls. I believe in the almighty power of God and my prayers for Eric and Danielle will not cease.
Lynette Flack

Tue Oct 10, 07:44:00 PM CDT
Bob Detty said...

Sam,
I have kept eric and your family in my prayers since I was alerted by Max Risner (family of yours, I believe.)
I do not have the words to say in such a time, just know that GOD IS IN CONTROL!!
I will not stop praying for all who are in this and I know that God is at work.

God Bless! -Bob

Tue Oct 10, 09:02:00 PM CDT
Rick and Jamie said...

Dear Sam-
I can't imagine what you must be going through and my heart is torn for all of you. I am a nurse anesthetist with a lot of critical care experience and I believe that the intensivists at Carle are telling you the truth as they know it. I do believe God still moves and does miracles, which is why I believe it is ok to remove life support but not ok to give someone an overdose of medications to kill them. If you take Eric off of the machines and he continues to live and surprise all those Drs then by all means do the other surgeries, but if God decides that he has had enough and its time to go to a place with no pain and a perfect body immediately then we must accept that. I have met Celeste and I know she loves Eric with everything in her, don't turn on her in your rage and hurt over this event. Eric wouldn't want that. My prayers don't cease. Love Jamie

Tue Oct 10, 10:14:00 PM CDT
Celeste said...

All, I am sorry you are not being given the correct information. Eric has had wonderful care at this hospital. It is a level I Trauma Center. He has had a team of doctors reviewing his progress daily. Sam is not accepting what the doctors have repeatedly told him. They said at best IF Eric even wakes up...he will never function on his own. The damage IS in the brain stem and he will be in a nursing home for the rest of his life. He may not walk - and they did not say that he would have SOME short term memory problems. They said you would need to tell him everything over and over. He will also be on a ventilator and feeding tube. I realize Sam is devasted. Our son was a beautiful person and anyone who knew him would agree. He loved life and he was out living his life, wind blowing thru his hair when he was taken from us. I will not allow this vibrant boy to waste away in a nursing home so that we can come and see him. I will be his voice and do what I have always done. Look out for him. Any of you that know me know this to be true. Any of the rest of you that have opinions need to keep them to yourself. This is devastating to the whole family. Taking sides is not going to bring this beautiful boy back. Lets all try to help Sam deal with his grief and put his son's well being before his own needs. If a miracle is to be had - Eric will breathe on his own and we will deal with what God has given us. Please everyone STOP this blog and let us grieve for what we have lost. A beautiful young man who touched many many lives. Let's remember what this is about...Eric. I raised my son to be a man and a good one he was. He would not want to live like this. Get on board or get out of the way. Eric needs help and I am giving it to him.

Celeste

Tue Oct 10, 10:40:00 PM CDT
Tracy said...

Who am I to say? Nobody. Sam, I am a mother and I agree with you. Celeste, I am a mother and I feel for you. MIRACLES HAPPEN

Tue Oct 10, 11:14:00 PM CDT
Amy said...

To Sam and Celeste,

Life is a journey filled with wondrous experiences,countless joys and deep sorrows. The journey whether wonderful or tragic is what makes life worth living. Webster's Dictionary defines life as "the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual ". Eric has always lived his life to the fullest, experiencing all that it has to offer and anxiously waiting for what tomorrow has in store. He has dreams for the future, dreams filled with family and friends with whom he can share adventures and memories. I cannot possibly begin to imagine the sorrow and pain that you must feel, but I understand your need for hope. I find myself everyday pushing aside the truths in order to see the light. But at what point do you say he has suffered enough? What costs are you willing to make Eric pay in order to keep him alive? What would Eric want? It is not about what Sam wants or Celeste wants, it is about what Eric wants. Would Eric want to live the rest of his life without memories, experiences, or a family of his own? I want you to step back and take a good hard look at your son and the man that he has become and ask yourselves those questions. I think that if you can truthfully answer them, you will find that Eric would not want his quality of life to be diminished or confined to where he could not experience it to its fullest. My prayers are not only for Eric but for you as well. I pray that you will know if it is time to let go. I pray that God will give you the strength to set your emotions aside, provide you with an open mind to listen to the experts’ advice, and grant you the wisdom to trust in their knowledge. I still pray for a miracle and hope that the news will change, but I have heard what the doctors have to say and know that Eric would not want to live a life with a feeding tube, stuck to a breathing machine, and confined to a nursing home. I beg of you not to keep Eric imprisoned here in a shell of the man that he once was, but instead will allow him to pass on to heaven where he can fulfill his most awesome dreams. I hope that you love him enough (and I know that you do) to grant him his freedom.

Amy (stepsister)

Angie,

Give Eric a big kiss for Mark, the kids, and I and tell him that we love him. I hope that you and your mom know how much we love you and wish we could be there. I’m sorry that you have to go through this without us. We love you!

Wed Oct 11, 12:25:00 AM CDT
John W said...

I am a father and can relate to both sides. Celeste, you know I'm a hard hearted SOB. If it were my boys, I'd problely take the same path you have. At any rate, Know that everyone at work is thinking of ALL of you in our own ways.

John W @ WPAFB

Wed Oct 11, 01:53:00 AM CDT
katie said...

look everyone...this really isn't a choice that anyone should have to make...it's not fair really...but what i haven't read on here (except maybe once) is what eric wants...i just hear a lot of people siding with each other over an argument that shouldn't be taking place...right now what everyone should be looking at is eric's choice...what would he want? are the doctor's positive? who can say who can play GOD? this is really hard on all of us..eric, danyale, families and friends...let's not be angry with one another over something that we can do nothing about...eric is still here for a reason...how about everyone focus all your energies on the one's that need it most instead of at each other...

Wed Oct 11, 02:05:00 AM CDT
Traci Collins said...

Angee,
I just wanted to leave you a message, (I know you are reading them). Sweetie I love you as if you were my sister and I am so sorry you are going through this ordeal. I wished I could be there with you to help you through this time. But even though I am not there physically I am with you mentally and anytime you need anything just please call me..


Angee's family...
I feel for all of you and I continue to pray for the best possible outcome.. I hope that at some point in time everyone can agree on what to do.

Wed Oct 11, 06:45:00 AM CDT
Vicki Oakley said...

Sam, Celeste & Angela:
Now is not the time for the three of you to be fighting. You should be joining forces together. You should use your faith in God to direct you to the correct path. As you go down this path keep asking the question, "What would Eric want?", "What would Eric do if it was me?" Ask God for guidance. You might not think he is listening, however, he is the only one that can provide a miracle. Let your faith in God determine what you will do. Keep together on everything, I am sure that Eric would want that. Make the love for Eric fill his room and if God decides to take him home be there with him to the end. It is your decision and I feel so sorry for you all. I am a mother, like you, Celeste, and I cannot tell you what to do because I am not facing the tough issues. You, Sam and Angie need to follow your hearts in this matter. God's Blessings are sent your way. I will keep on praying for Eric!!!

Vicki

Wed Oct 11, 09:24:00 AM CDT
Aut said...

Ang- I am sitting here crying at work over this. I feel for your mom, your dad, you and Eric.I see all the sides. I wish people would stop using this event as a whose right and whose wrong event and focus on what Eric would want, and how he would want to live. I am sorry you are being throw in this. I know you are stressed and worried about Eric, about possibly having to go back overseas and all the other issues you are facing. Ang, you are one of my best and dearest friends and I love you more than life. I wish I could be there with you, it's tearing me apart that I cant be. Know that you and the family are in all of our thoughts and prayers. Chrissy Mom has put the family on the prayer list at 3 Catholic Churches in the DC area. Please know if you need ANYTHING and ANYTIME to just call me. Plese know I love you, the strength you have taught me and helped me get has made me a better person. I miss you, and I wish I could fix this and I feel hopeless that there is so little I can do at the moment. Please tell your parents, I love them as they are the reason you are in this world, and that I wish there was an easy way to decide what was right and what was wrong, but sadly this is one of lives greatest, hardest, and worst decisions to make. I wish I could say more but Im at not only a loose for words but a point where I dont want to stir things in my thoughts. I love ya girlie!!!

Wed Oct 11, 11:22:00 AM CDT
Cyn said...

Celeste, Angie and Warren,

My family & I send our love and prayers for Eric and all of You. May God grant you strength to endure this tragedy. I tell everyone I see about Eric and Everyone says they'll pray and put him in a prayer chain at their church.

Eric is wavering between two places now, he's in God's arms and yours.

I know you are holding on to him as hard as you can, hoping for a miracle and showing an outer strength that you don't really feel because you just have to. That's what families do.

Give Eric my love, give him a hug and a kiss, touch his arm and talk to him, tell him how MANY people are out here thinking of him, praying for him and HOPING the best for him.

I appreciate this blog, it keeps me posted about Eric without having to pull you away or cause you to endure the misery of retelling what the Dr's are saying. Pls Keep It Going for Eric!!!

Wed Oct 11, 07:55:00 PM CDT
Unknown said...

My dear friend, Celeste,
I am so proud to have you for a friend. We've known each other for 13 years and you have always been the standard I try to hold myself to in being a parent.You have always put your children first in your life and it shows. Eric and Angela are adults that you can be proud of shaping into what they are. As you and I both know, single parenting isn't for the faint of heart! I may not always seem like I am listening when you offer advice about Matthew, but I am. I know that you did it alone and I trust your judgement now as I always have. You told me you wished you could change places with Eric and I truly believe that. You have always put your children before yourself and I am sure you will continue. I miss you. Love,Susy

Sat Oct 14, 07:56:00 PM CDT

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