Hospital Day # 19 - 12/20/23 PM - Another Collapse but Otherwise a Great Day!
Brittney scared us again with another collapse in the bathroom…but we were able to carry her back to bed safely with no injuries. The doctors are unsure as to why Brittney has had these two collapses, so for now she is staying in bed. Other than this big scare, Brittney had a great day. We are so thankful for your prayers. For the first time since her stroke, she has not been in intense pain with her headache…the pain has been manageable with medicine finally!
How bad have Brittney’s headache pains been? (my lighthearted way of describing Brittney’s pain level this past week)
- She won’t eat any sweets
- She won’t watch Christmas movies
- She won’t fight off needles
- She won’t laugh at my amazing jokes
So although she is still extremely fatigued, we are counting it a blessing to have a 24 hour period in which her headache pain was well managed by medicine. We pray it is a good sign of the blood on her brain is starting to be resorbed.
We are still in stroke ICU and have not yet been downgraded. We count that a blessing because their extra help has been needed with her two collapses and many high/irregular heart rate events the past 24 hours. We are thankful for excellent care.
Brittney’s situation is still a bit mysterious to the doctors. Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD) seems to be the primary culprit. 90% of people with FMD are women in their 40s & 50s (without me getting into too much trouble, Brittney fits into that age bracket bahaha). We are thankful to have caught the FMD before her stroke which allowed her to have the 4 stents that are facilitating blood flow to her brain on her right side. Her left side carotid and vertebral arteries do not have stents, but are also significantly damaged and blocked. FMD shows up in arteries (primarily in the neck/brain, heart, and kidneys) in a way that produces irregularities in the shape of the arteries. The arteries then tear, block, and bulge, and sometimes rupture. FMD may also be a connection to the 3 vessels that burst in her brain, but the doctors are still not certain why she had the hemorrhagic stroke.
Due to the seriousness of the FMD we should be hospitalized through January 1st with a big blood thinner change on Christmas Day. We are thankful for the doctors many precautions in this very rare circumstance.
We are so grateful for your prayers, we are clearly seeing God answer them. I am no longer feverish and Brittney doesn’t seem to have caught my bug!
Continued Ways to Pray:
- No blood clots or brain bleeds
- Wisdom for the doctors in all of their next steps
- Brittney’s protection from sickness and my continued improvement
- Continued ICU care as long as needed and a private/individual room whenever we “step down”
- Continued healing of Brittney’s brain from headaches and improvement in her speech, occupational and physical therapies
- Increased energy and strength for Brittney
Thank you so much for your prayers, the Lord is strengthening us. While we don’t understand why we are enduring this season of suffering, we know God is with us and for us!
Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (ESV)
Photo captions: 1) Brittney got some extra TLC from her dad today! 2) We are so thankful for the ways our girls are being cared for and loved on in the midst of our prolonged absence from home. Cookie making with Brittney’s grandfather!
Brittney loves cards! Details here: http://www.jonathancarl.org/.../hospital-day-13-1214-pm.html
