Here is an update directly from Evan's dad - their family is EXTREMELY grateful for anyone who has taken time to pray for Evan! Another HUGE day for us. In the early morning they successfully removed Evan's breathing tube. Evan asked "Why am I here?". He is working on his breathing exercises - inhaling deeply then exhaling and purposely coughing to work his chest muscles He is opening his eyes frequently. The nurse asked him his birthday and he said '94. Then after a bit he said 'March'. Then held up 4 fingers and his thumb to indicate the 5th. This afternoon Evan had his first visit from the physical therapist (PT). She asked him questions - who is this...pointing to me...Evan said 'my dad'. She pointed to Andrew...he said 'my brother'. She asked him where does he go to school...he said 'University of St. Thomas'. She had him move asking him to lift his arms and legs and bend his knees. This is fabulous progress. Evan has one critical wire/tube still connected to him - the brain pressure monitor on the left side of his head. When this is removed, they will start working on sitting up and other upright activities. We are also expecting visits from the occupational therapist (OT) and the speech therapist today or tomorrow. The PT, OT and Speech therapists are assessing his readiness for his rehab program which will work on his major motor skills - standing, walking etc... fine motor skills - taking care of himself, cooking and recreational activities. Speech therapy will focus not only on speaking, but swallowing, memory skills and decision making. We have no idea what challenges Evan will have in any of these areas. This is amazing to be talking about this level of rehabilitation so soon after Saturday. Sometimes life moves so fast...but this is incredible...thank you for your prayers.
Here is another update from Evan's dad so you can see his astounding progress and target your prayers going forward - as you can see there are some challenges, but overall this is wonderful progress: Evan continues to improve and surprise us. Keep up your prayers! Shortly after I arrived this morning the speech therapists arrived to test his swallowing capabilities. I think they were surprised that he was already drinking though a straw. They graduated him to drinking from a cup without a straw or sippy top. They made him hold the cup and drink on his own! They also had him eat some graham crackers and try some apple sauce to see how he would do with solid food. He ate like a champ - he even asked that they confirm there were no nuts in the crackers! (He has a slight nut allergy.) An hour or so later the occupational therapists arrived. They had Evan wipe his face with a damp wash cloth, clean the corners of his eyes with the cloth, made him touch his thumbs to each of his fingers, touch his shoulders, bend his wrists, flex his ankles and raise his arms. Very impressive. He does have a noticeable weakness on his left side and is not able to tell us what year or month it is. After his occupational therapy session they brought in breakfast. He fed himself some sausage and french toast - nicely cut up into pieces by the nurse - but he scooped the food with a spoon and fed himself. It was sooooo hard to not reach out and help him with his drinking cup or the spoon. It is just amazing his progress. He did ask me 'what happened to cause you to bring me here'. We are told he will ask this question over and over for quite some time. Around noon some friends were visiting. Peter was telling Evan and elephant joke: What is the difference between an elephant and a plum....Evan said...the plum is purple. There is active discussion within his medical team about removing the brain pressure monitor soon and fitting him with a helmet so he can get out of bed. Eating. Talk of his rehab program. Getting him up and out of his bed...amazing. God has a plan for Evan and is blessing us with healing. Thank you for your prayers and your support.
I've been led to pray to St Joseph and St Jude for the intentions of the members of the MoG forum since last Friday 13th. I will now add Evans name specifically and may Evans healing continue while cradled within Our Ladys Immaculate Heart. Amen
Today's update - thank you all SO MUCH for your continued prayers - you are part of an army that has brought amazing results: 'This is more than amazing.' 'We can't believe how this kid is plowing through recovery.' 'He is doing so fantastic.' Are comments from the SICU trauma team and his nurses. Thank you Lord. Thank you for your prayers. Thanks be to Blessed John Licci (patron saint of head injuries) for your intercessions. This morning they removed the 'bolt' or Camino from Evan's head that monitored his brain pressure. The doctors are seeing equal strength in both his left and right arms and hands and his right and left legs. With the 'bolt' removed, a team will visit to measure Evan for a helmet - necessary to allow him to get out of bed. In his emergency surgery they removed a portion of his skull on the right side to relieve pressure on his injured brain. This will be put back in after swelling is no longer a concern. Evan is down to one main IV for a salt solution they are slowing weening him off. Evan's questions are: 'Can you tell me the chain of events that occurred to bring me here?', 'How soon can I go? I don't want to get too far behind in school.' Evan is concerned that he cannot remember how he got here. Thank you to the incredible doctors, nurses and staff here. They are taking such good care of Evan. Thank you to everyone praying for us and offering help. This week is flying by and Evan's condition is improving so quickly it is hard to keep up with his changing situation...but it is changing at incredible speed in the right direction!
Below is another update - so you can see what your prayers have done - thank you all so much! Today was a long day of resting and napping for Evan in his new room with a view. Evan needed to be prodded to be awake today - this must be one of those tired brain days. After repeated visits from nurses and doctors asking his name, birth date and do you know where you are...a nurse asked him what are some of the things you like to do in your free time...Evan said 'rest'. During Evan's physical therapy session the therapists had him sit up for the first time..then a motion sickness bag appeared...then they had him stand up...and another motion sickness bag appeared. It seemed like those green bags appeared out of nowhere. Evan was very relieved to lay down again. Later in the day the occupational therapists had him sit up and then stand up...and he did fine...although he was a bit shaky. The therapists all said he should be walking within a couple of days! If all goes well, the staff is anticipating that Evan will move to the intensive rehabilitation floor Sunday or Monday...as soon as he is off his sodium IV. I am anxious to see how Evan is doing tomorrow. We cannot express how much your support and prayers mean. This week has gone by so fast. To keep today in perspective, I have to pause and remember what the neurosurgeon was telling us last Saturday night. This week has been miraculous. Thank you for your prayers. Blessed John Licci...pray for us!
Born to a poor farmer, John’s mother died in childbirth. His life from then on, all 111 years, was a tale of miracles. John’s father, who fed the baby on crushed pomegranates, had to work the fields, and was forced to leave the infant alone. The baby began crying, and a neighbor woman took him to her home to feed him. She laid the infant on the bed next to her paralyzed husband – and the man was instantly cured. The woman told John’s father of the miracle, but he was more concerned that she was meddling, and had taken his son without his permission. He took the child home to feed him more pomegranate pulp. As soon as the child was removed from the house, the neighbor’s paralysis returned; when John was brought back in, the man was healed. Even John’s father took this as a sign, and allowed the neighbors to care for John. A precocious and emotional child, John began reciting the Daily Offices before age 10. While on a trip to Palermo, Italy at age 15, John went to Confession in the church of Saint Zita of Lucca where his confession was heard by Blessed Peter Geremia who suggested John consider a religious life. John considered himself unworthy, but Peter pressed the matter, John joined the Dominicans in 1415, and wore the habit for 96 years, the longest period known for anyone. Priest. Founded the convent of Saint Zita in Caccamo, Italy. Lacking money for the construction, John prayed for guidance. During his prayer he had a vision of an angel who told him to “build on the foundations that were already built.” The next day in the nearby woods he found the foundation for a church called Saint Mary of the Angels, a church that had been started many years before, but had never been finished. John assumed this was the place indicated, and took over the site.
During the construction, workmen ran out of materials; the next day at dawn a large ox-drawn wagon arrived at the site. The driver unloaded a large quantity of stone, lime and sand – then promptly disappeared, leaving the oxen and wagon behind for the use of the convent. At another point a well got in the way of construction; John blessed it, and it immediately dried up; when construction was finished, he blessed it again, and the water began to flow. When roof beams were cut too short, John would pray over them, and they would stretch. There were days when John had to miraculously multiply bread and wine to feed the workers. Once a young boy came to the construction site to watch his uncle set stones; the boy fell from a wall, and was killed; John prayed over him, and restored him to life and health. John and two brother Dominicans who were working on the convent were on the road near Caccamo when they were set upon by bandits. One of the thieves tried to stab John with a dagger; the man’s hand withered and became paralyzed. The gang let the brothers go, then decided to ask for their forgiveness. John made the Sign of the Cross at them, and the thief‘s hand was made whole. One Christmas a nearby farmer offered to pasture the oxen that had come with the disappearing wagon-driver. John declined, saying the oxen had come far to be there, and there they should stay. Thinking he was doing good, the layman took them anyway. When he put them in the field with his own oxen, they promptly disappeared; he later found them at the construction site, contentedly munching dry grass near Father John. While he did plenty of preaching in his 90+ years in the habit, usually on Christ’s Passion, John was not known as a great homilist. He was known, however, for his miracles and good works. His blessing caused the breadbox of a nearby widow to stay miraculously full, feeding her and her six children. His blessing prevented disease from coming to the cattle of his parishioners. Noted healer, curing at least three people whose heads had been crushed in accidents. Dominican Provincial of Sicily. Prior of the abbey on several occasions.
