Paul’s Story

Site created on May 3, 2019

TO STAY UP TO DATE DOWNLOAD THE APP AND FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY OTHERWISE JUST KEEP CLICKING ON THE LINK YOU RECEIVED! I will post updates in the order they happened as we are late to making this site for you all. Please keep following the site for updates and not text the family as much as they are going thru a lot. Thank you. Paul had a very intense fall back in February. He was taken to the hospital scanned and then found no issues. Over the months he started to have speech and movement problems and was taken in again and they found a bleed on his brain and it was putting a lot of pressure(swelling) around the brain. He went into surgery to release pressure! Shortly after the brain swelling went down it opened up another bleed that was being held closed by the brain swelling. That then cause him to start seizing and vitals started dropping. 

Newest Update

Journal entry by Kyle Alstott

Paul has been adjusting very good to the new Select hospital. 
They have a very nice staff of caring nurses and therapists in respitory, physical and occupational therapy. They regularly do exercises in getting him sitting up in bed, sitting in chair etc. Paul has done well breathing on his own, only has oxygen hooked to trachea at times to let him rest. He still coughs hard which looks painful. But nurses say thats good to keep lungs active and healthy. Although they just said that because he coughs so hard it seems to have dislodged his feeding tube in stomach and its letting it seep. So later today they will remove it and put in a new one with a balloon to keep in place. 
Paul has been much more alert since transferred here. He opens eyes for longer time periods and looks at hand and touches his nose or face. He wiggles his toes and moves leg up and down. More so on left side as right is still slower. But nurses say he follows commands and squeezes hand. He looks and listens to family and likes when we put his glasses on him and show him pictures. But sometimes if he’s too tired he just doesn’t open eyes when resting and nurses say thats normal. He doesnt make alot of expressions but they say thats normal with brain injury. They also said not be alarmed he isnt talking because with trach that will be down the road when work on that. But therapists said its many times 1 step forward 3 back with this kind of injury. Wish it could be quick, but takes time. 
The most challenging thing so far has been his dialysis, as they are trying to find a balance between using needed blood thinners to prevent clotting and yet not give too much that he has more bleeding in brain.  So they have been doing dialysis longer 5.5 hrs in order to go slower and try prevent clots. he was able to finish dialysis today without any clots.  
They also drew lots of blood other day and a diff Dr to study it, he has some unusual number in diff areas and white cells but no clear infection. So they are wondering about that. They did ultra sound of spleen to view it as it can hold old cells and infection. We have not heard results on that but started him on low anti biotic. He runs low grade fever off and on but has since first came in weeks ago. They have a whole board of Drs who meet regularly with his plan of care. So thats where we are now. Paul and all appreciate all the love and support and prayers and visits. He clearly enjoys hearing and seeing ones when they come in and talk to him. Nurses say Paul is a true fighter and one tough cookie for all he has been thru. ❤️
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