Brigham Updates

2:00am- pain meds, sometimes ice pack for his ankle, water refill 6:00am-  2 pain meds Breakfast in bed, water refill PT exercises Sometimes a trip to the bathroom carrying his wound vac and using the walker 10:00am- pain meds, aspirin Lunch in bed, water refill PT exercises 2:00pm- pain meds, stool softener 6:00pm- 2 pain meds Dinner in bed (occasionally he eats in his wheelchair), water refill PT exercises with a walk to the kitchen + back 10:00pm- pain meds I usually rotate is ankle to help loosen + stretch it before bed. Jeremy and I give Brig his meds every 4 hours.  Sometimes he chooses to go 6 hours when he is having a good day.  On Monday, Wednesday or Friday there is a 1 1/2 hours where Nick visits to change his wound vac. It is never the same time so I don't schedule anything that day and will only leave for a quick errand after wound care is done. So far every week he has had at least 1 doctor appointment where we are gone for a few hours.  2-3 times a wee...

PHYSICAL THERAPY Bob the physical therapist has visited Brigham twice. We were all amazed (including Brigham) when he lifted his leg up with no help and then able to bend the knee and bring towards his chest. Brigham realized part of that was mental more than physical. During another exercise Bob could feel the 3 quad muscles all working.  This is fabulous news.  Brig cannot feel part of his thigh but his muscles are reacting + working which really no one knew if he would ever be able to do that.  This week he was given standing + sitting exercises to do.  He is suppose to keep his pain level at a 5 or lower.  These are exercises to reactivate the muscles and getting them more or less warmed up. He can only do so many exercise before he has to elevate his foot to release the pressure from the swelling.   PAIN He was moved to a smaller dose of meds and longer apart dosage time on Monday. This happened the same day as a not-so-awesome wound care appointm...

On Monday August 24th,  Jeremy and I took Brigham to his follow up appointment with Sheryl DeSpiegelaere NP in Dr. Akhtar's vascular + vein office.  We were pleasantly surprised when they let me go in with him. Seriously...such good news and a relief to all of us.  Getting into the car + traveling was so much easier for Brigham then it was a week ago.  Thank goodness. It was less painful + he could move better.  During the appointment she removed the 28 staples out of the injury site. It looks so good. He kept the staples to add to the 5 from his head when he was 6 years old. Some new details we learned from Sheryl (who was in the 6 hour surgery): He did not code in the OR. However there was 3 times when they were worried he wouldn't make it. His blood pressure got down to 50/20, which is really low. There is also no record of him coding on the life flight.  Brigham was one of the first femoral artery grafts they have done. We are guessing because most peop...

Today feels like a milestone we should celebrate.  Today marks 2 weeks since the accident and 1 week since he returned home! And today was the best wound care appointment yet.  Nick (the nurse) rocked it! He tells Brig it gets better each time except for the tape on the hair. Yikes....waxing + wound care, all in one.  His fasciotomy's are looking good and showing signs of healing.  We learned that Wound Vac's help heal wounds 50% faster...that is awesome + helps survive the pain 3 times a week. It reduces swelling, stimulates the growth of new tissue, + prevent infection.  Here is a pic of what the wound vac has sucked out in 2 days. On Wednesday he was able to join us in the kitchen for dinner.  We set up his tray over in front of his wheelchair.  His leg did a little bit better at a lower elevation but he still likes it to be repositioned every so often to relieve pressure. He looks like a child ready to be served. Haha! Ah....and we can't forget thi...

BLOOD + DNA  A few days ago Brigham and I looked up when he could donate at Biolife again after a transfusion. Just in case you want to know it is 1 year.  Brig was bummed, he has been donating plasma for extra cash since May.  I tell him that maybe the plasma they gave him at the hospital was actually his own. This got us wondering about transfusions and DNA. Years ago I remember watching a CSI where they had blood evidence at the scene and when they traced it back to a guy he had an alibi.  They realized he was a blood donor and the actual murderer must have received his blood which is why his DNA was at the scene.  We wanted to know if this could actually happen.  What we found online from Scientific American:  When donor blood is mixed into the body with a transfusion, that person's DNA will be present in your body for some days. Nothing to alter genetic tests significantly. However studies shoe that with highly sensitive equipment can pick up dono...

This morning we headed to Huntsman Cancer Center to visit the nerve specialist, Dr. Agarwal.  HOW WE GET BRIGHAM IN THE CAR It is not a quick + easy process. He uses the walker to the front door. Then changes to one crutch on the left and Jeremy supporting his right side and takes each step one at a time.  This is the most difficult + painful part for Brigham. Once we get to the JEEP Cherokee he puts his left foot on a stool and pulls himself into the passenger seat. Remember the entire time he is carrying his wound vac and trying not to tug or tangle the tubing. Once his butt is on the seat he can pivot his legs into the car.  Getting out is a bit easier because he is letting himself down instead of going up.  WHEELCHAIR adaptation by us The wheelchair has a leg extender for his right leg. At the end of the extender is the foot plate where you would flex your foot and let it rest there. Well... Brigham cannot flex his foot due to swelling + that movement pulls on hi...

 Brigham has been plays indoor soccer called The Bachelors with his friends on Tuesday nights. This past week they honored him after his accident. Support from friends is what we all need + appreciate.

 I'm going to try and explain what Brigham's right leg currently looks like.  His initial injury on his right thigh looks amazing and is stapled together.  Which you can see in the picture below.  You will also notice the cut a bit lower along the inside of his leg and knee. This is glued together.  Obviously this was done in surgery but we do not know the purpose of it yet.  Same with that small circle you see.  KNEE HIP/Brigham's torso On the same leg...on the right calf is where his fasciotomy's are located.  He has two, one on the inside of his right calf and one on the outside of his right calf. They run lengthwise and are about 10 inches in length. These are open wounds to allow swelling and avoid compartment syndrome. This is where the wound vac is located. 

Saturday was a decent day.  We washed his hair with this no rinse shampoo my friend brought us. Not gonna lie, it was pretty awesome. I love how friends are prompted to bring us products, supplies, food etc. It's like my communication with Heavenly Father is clear and strong. I think of something we may need and then someone beautifully brings it to us.  And other times people bring things that are so helpful and we didn't even know we needed it. I'm trusting in God's plan each step of this journey. We are trying to figure out all the tricks to helping Brig feel comfortable. He is liking the combo of one pillow under the knee and 2 pillows under the foot with a blanket wedged under the side of the foot pillow to prop the foot into an upward/straight position.  Throughout the day we bend his knee and rotate the ankle and flex the foot.  He tells us when the stretch is good and when it is too much.  Brigham says it feels to to have it moved since he can't do it hi...

  Thanks to my SIL Erika for capturing this during the Welcome Home for Brigham.  

 What a whirlwind 32 hours.  On Thursday morning we called Brigham's nurse to tell her that he decided to come home and do therapy instead of staying for inpatient rehab. She said great and he possibly could come home in the afternoon.  What?  We were not ready for him at home quite yet. We still needed a few items to help him around the house plus we were dealing with insurances. We finally got WFC connected with McKay Dee so things started moving through the system including approvals.  If you remember he had to have 3 things to come home: walker, wheelchair, + wound vac.  The walker we had, the wheelchair was approved, the wound vac was approved but there was a delay.  They did not have any at the hospital, but were expecting a shipment Thursday PM or Friday AM. We decided to pick him up Friday afternoon and sent word to family + neighbors to line the streets to welcome Brigham home.  We wanted this to be a secret so we couldn't post it here or...

 When I say Up + Walking. It means he is using the walker to move.  He is not putting weight on his leg (too soon for that + too painful) but he is controlling the movement. This is where he begins + we can not wait to keep watching his progress.  Yesterday was really hard for Brigham because of the pain. But he is a warrior and he still walked during his afternoon PT. He was able to get video.  I had to cut it into 2 clips. Brig getting out of bed + walking. Clip #1 Brig walking + getting back in his bed. Clip #2

 Someone asked if we were able to see him when he was outside in the wheelchair.  The answer is I WISH!! We were given no notice and he said it seemed like an area only for patients and hospital staff. We are hoping once he is moved to Inpatient Rehab they will have a better schedule so we may be able to have a CNA bring him out so we can see him in person.   He has mentioned that staying at the hospital alone is harder on us than on him.  He says since this is his first surgery it...he doesn't know any different. We have been so impressed with how he interacts with the doctors and nurses.  He asks good questions and expresses gratitude. Yesterday afternoon we talked on the phone with him for over 4 hours. It was great. I think we talked more with him in that afternoon than in the past 6 weeks.  His foot is ticklish....which means more feeling has been restored. Today was also the first day he has had any feeling in his right knee.  This morning d...

 Today during afternoon PT Brigham was able to walk from the right side of his bed to the left side of his bed. Wahoo! We are impressed.  He said the therapist walked behind him but he was able to use the walker and do it himself.  The right leg is still so heavy so it is more of a drag than a step. And he was able to go to the bathroom standing up.  This is a big deal!  It was tricky but he did it. And he got to go outside!  Doesn't he look so good?  He's alive!  My heart could just burst with happiness and gratitude.  I keep hearing more tidbits about his time in the helicopter + in surgery and I am in awe of the miracle that he is alive. I am so thankful for everything that everyone did. You see that machine on his lap?  That is a wound vac and he will becoming home with one of those.  I'm not sure if it is that size or smaller but they said he could put it in a backpack to carry it around with him. This helps the fasciotomy heal...

First thing, we found out that Brigham is reading the blog and the comments.  So he may see what you write.   Craig from the Trauma team is working on getting Brigham moved from the surgical floor to inpatient rehab (most likely will happen tomorrow).  They are also working with the insurance to get the following items for when he comes home and continues in home rehab: front wheel walker, wheelchair with an elevated leg and a wound vac. He shouldn't need anymore transfusions.  His hemoglobin levels are increasing at a good rate now. So I believe in simple terms- he is making his own blood.  The doctor from the Vascular team (wish I had a name, this is where not being there with him is tricky) says the plan for now is to let the fasciotomy heal + close on its own- which may take a month or two. Or since he is young it may happen quicker.  Leg pulse continues to be good. He will need to be on a low dose of aspirin for at least a year to prevent clots. A...

 This may be messy but I need it out of my head and heart before I forget. The past few days we have received several special messages from people who felt prompted to share an experience, a song, a scripture story or thoughts surrounding Brigham's accident.  I am astounded how this has effected people.  I am blown away at how many of us have had the same thoughts + promptings.  God is clearly in the details. People who never pray have prayed for Brigham.  People who were on the scene felt God's power + the Holy Ghost. Leading them to ask questions about God and the gospel. People have seen + felt God's love like they never have before.  People have witnessed miracle after miracle leaving no room for doubt of God's love.  TENDER MERCIES The vascular surgeon was actually in the hospital that day.. The neighbors brother who was one of his anesthesiologists is a comforting thought. The family + friends who work at McKay Dee + the U of U who were willing t...

Brigham slept good last night. He says he feels stiff when he wakes up and that his back wants him to get out of bed. He has moved to only oral pain meds. Another good step. The doctors at McKay Dee talked to the doctors at U of U Hospital regarding his nerves and the injury itself.  They said yes they could treat his injury and say that it can be an outpatient surgery.  We were instructed to call and make an appointment for about 10 days- 2 weeks from now for him to get testing done on the nerves. So, this means he will not be moving to U of U Hospital after all.  His next steps will be closing the fasciotomy and continuing inpatient rehab to increase his movement before being discharged.  The U of U doctors do not think he cut his main nerve and that they will be repairing nerves that branch off of the main nerve.  This is another miracle!  There has been so many miracles and tender mercies over the past few days for Brigham and for so many others effecte...

Brigham asked me to share this video with all of you. Listen close.  His speaker is having problems.  It was in his pocket when the accident happened so we are wondering if some blood happened to get into it. 

As a family we dropped off balloons, posters, his favorite raspberry roll and cards to Brigham at the hospital.  He loved them + definitely brightened up his room. On the way to the hospital we heard the the song "All I Need is a Miracle" by Mike + the Mechanics.  That was our theme song on Friday-for sure. Then we had a long video call which was awesome!  His coloring has improved and we talked about so many things. Here are a few things he told us. Last night when his nurse added another unit of blood she told him that she was only giving him famous people's blood. Brigham asked if she could get some of Lionel Messi's blood. When she came in with his last unit of blood she said... she was sorry they were out of Messi's blood but she was able to get Rinaldo's instead. Brigham said even better.  Love that she made him smile + lighten the mood. He remembers vaguely some nurses commenting when he arrived at the ER, " Oh, he's a cute one."   This mo...

 This Sabbath morning my thoughts are very tender.  We are feeling the Lord's love through family and friends.  You are truly the Lord's hands on earth. I am going to be honest I had a meltdown last night.  We had a family wedding that I really wanted to attend but I couldn't hold myself together.  Jeremy and the girls went and I think it was therapeutic for them to be with family.  I'm understanding that this is all part of a process + journey that we are on.  I was so frustrated and sad that I couldn't be by Brigham's side.  I really want to give him a hug.  Update: Yesterday Brigham was super tired and had a headache so we didn't talk with him after our 3pm call.  We had him on speaker phone with our family.  He told me eventually he is going to need clothes to come home. I asked him what he thinks about wearing underwear since the location of the cut. His response was, "I'm never wearing underwear again. I am wearing skirts for ...

 God is in the details. This journey is already hard. Even though we are thrilled that he is alive there is still much to worry about and to work through especially on his end. I really just want to take away his pain + suffering. Prayers from an Army of People The outpouring of prayers was incredible. Within an hour of Brig being life flighted our entire Stake boundaries were praying for Brigham. Brigham has a few friends still serving LDS missions. 2 of them got permission to call us and through heartache and tears told us that there entire mission was praying for Brigham by name. Another ward missionary and friend said his mission was praying for him too. People all over the world are praying their hearts out. Several people have put his name in the Temple. Calling around to find one open. Many people have donated blood in his honor. Brigham being alive is a miracle. But that is not where this road ends. He still needs (and so do we) lots of prayers.   He has much to e...

 DAY 2  -  8/8/2020 Update He is in good spirits. He is thankful to be alive. He is thankful to have his leg.   The nurse said we raised a polite young man and that he is doing so much better today! YAY! Happy dance. He has feeling in his toes + he can move his foot. The nurses said he did not want to do this but they made him. His leg really hurts. Besides the original injury. He has a drain and 2 open wounds on his calf (fasciotomy).  They are hoping for the swelling to go down so they can stitch it back up. If not he may have to do wound care or get skin grafts. They had him moving his leg today and repositioned his leg in the bed. Originally he was spread eagle and now its more straight out from his body. His blood pressure is much better today. (Yesterday it had dipped to 80, which wasn't all bad because then he wasn't losing as much blood.)  He is anemic which is to be expected. His blood units/level/amount (??? not sure what is the correct form ...

 Note: The only 2 things that Brigham has from arriving at the hospital is a car key and his phone. Everything else was thrown out. Call #1 | 10pm Friday 8/7/2020 We were surprised to get our first call (actually a facetime) with Brigham at 10pm on Friday (8/7/2020). they took out his breathing tube him earlier than anyone expected.  He told us that he was tired and so thirsty.  They weren't letting him drink until 11pm.  He wasn't dehydrated because they had been pumping him full of fluids during surgery. He told us that he had been thirsty since he was in the Francis' backyard. The paramedics knew he needed surgery so he couldn't have anything to eat or drink. We told him about the 1,000's who were praying for him. He said to tell everyone thank you . It was good to see his face and talk for a short moment.  Call #2 | 7:54am Saturday 8/8/2020 Today I was starting this blog when he called me.  Can I tell you how great it was?  He sounded like normal B...

 My FB post before bed on 8/7/2020 Friends, Before I lay my head down to rest (hoping sleep will come) I have tears of gratitude. Gratitude that we witnessed miracles today. Gratitude that Brigham is alive. Gratitude for the many, many first responders (including the Francis family), doctors, surgeons and nurses. Gratitude for the 1,000's of you praying for Brigham and us. Gratitude that Brig was able to facetime us tonight after they took the intubation tube out. Gratitude that our prayers were answered. No doubt he has a long road ahead. He is not out of the woods, so keep the prayers coming. They saved his life and leg. He is stable. He is in the ICU. We are unable to visit him because of Covid. I will try and start a blog or fb page where you can go for details during his recovery. We are blessed to have such beautiful people in our lives. You are giving us strength we so desperately need. Love you more than I can express. If you sent us a text just know it was read and apprec...

Here we are the day after a life changing day in our lives. The trauma + the miracles.  I'm hoping this will be helpful for everyone to access Brigham's updates. Plus, I'm thinking it will be therapeutic for me.  DAY ONE  8/7/2020 THE EVENT Friday morning (guessing 9:40ish)  Brigham was building deck stairs in the Francis' backyard by himself.  Somehow he accidentally cut himself with a skill saw on his right upper leg.  (I will stress this point, he did nothing wrong, we are pretty sure we have figured how it happened and it was a freak accident.) Neighbors came running as they heard his bloodcurdling scream.  Mom Francis (I don't have permission to use first names so I will refer to people as Mom + Dad) looked at her window and saw the blood.  She quickly grabbed towels, leaping off her deck to get to Brigham and immediately applying pressure.  Her husband was home and he ran out to help apply pressure and giving him a priesthood blessing....