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Nick's Progress Reports


160 Progress Reports
-2/12/2010 8:48:39 PM
A long overdue greeting to you all,
     It has now been over two years since the car accident that changed Nick's life and our lives also. God has been very merciful to us. Nick is still on the mend although it is very slow. He has not used his wheel chair for two months now. He is using his walker fairly well now and is starting to transition to a four pronged cane. He has been negotiating stairs daily to come and go to his bedroom. When Nick is on the stairs it slows down traffic, but he is slowly speeding up.
     Nick now has his driving permit restricting him to a 10 mile radius from our home. We can't say his driving has improved, but neither has it gotten worse. He seems to do fine with an automatic. He is hoping to get his regular drivers license by this summer.
     Nick is taking one class at North Idaho College. English. So far, so good. He has to fit it in with his physical therapy sessions. Now he has homework to break up the monotony of stretching and exercise.
     We will never question how God works. He has strengthened our faith in Him. He has been so good. God continues to work miracles, not only for us, but for others that we pray for also. Nick's recovery has been agonizingly slow, but not without reward. Other lives are touched through what God is doing for Nick. We can only praise Him.
God bless each one of you!!!     Guy and Debby Maniscalco
-12/26/2009 7:30:40 PM
Merry Christmas to all,
It has been a while since the last update on Nick. Our apologies. We have been praying for other families in similar situations. It seems like we hear more and more of others that are in desperation of God's healing. Our family has been so blessed. 
We look back almost two years ago when Nick had his car accident. Nick was so close to death for a long time. It is only by the grace of God that Nick pulled through and is still on the road to recovery.  Nick is still using his walker and is able to move along a bit faster.  Nick is doing very well on stairs, both up and down, but he needs a spotter all the time. He uses two hand rails if they are available. Both walking and on stairs Nick is still slower than the normal person, but still he is able to negotiate them with little help.
Nick made a goal to be sleeping in his own bed downstairs by Christmas time. Tonight marks the second night of sleeping in his own bed. Also, Nick has driven a car several times with great results (no accidents). Nick struggles to do the ordinary every day things that we all take for granted. It slows him down, but he still is trying to do as much on his own as he can. It is tough to watch Nick struggle and hold back on helping him until he asks for help. It's all part of the process though.
We don't know how far Nick will recover. We are just thankful that God has seen fit to spare him and heal him so far. It is exciting to see Nick's progress, even if it is slow and laborious. Again, God has been so good to us. We are still watching Him work. Praise God!!!
God continue to bless each of you,
Guy, Debby, Matt, Nick and Melina
-11/6/2009 4:11:37 PM
Hello to all,
     Great news... Nick is still improving.  Last Sunday morning, Nick operated a riding lawn mower for our neighbor for a couple of hours without running into anything.  Nick was grinning from ear to ear being about to drive something (anything) for the first time in almost two years.  In addition to that, Nick was able to drive a real car on the road for around 45 minutes last Monday for therapy.  He did very well and managed not to hit anything.  His therapist believes Nick will be able to get his drivers license in March.  He will probably drive an automatic until his left leg responds better.
     Nick is working hard on his left leg. He is climbing stairs lifting his left leg first. He is crawling more, which is helping him to walk better.  Also, he is exercising his back and stomach muscles more to build his strength for better control and balance.  One of his therapist's thinks Nick may be walking soon without a walker.  This morning Nick walked from his room to the dining room using only a four-pronged cane. A bit shaky, but he did it with a minimal amount of help.
     Nick is almost to the end of his second round of hyperbaric treatments. This time we can see a difference in Nick. His strength is improving as well as his dexterity and mobility.  It has been a blessing for Nick!
     God has been so good to us, way more than we deserve. Nick continues to improve, which amazes some in the medical field that worked with Nick early on. Nick has improved more than most would have dared to believe. God has been working miracles for Nick all along.  Our thanks goes to God and to you who hold him up in prayer. It is exciting to see how God continues to heal Nick.  Nick will be walking soon and we can hardly wait. Nick is looking forward to leading a productive life and freely sharing his testimony of how God can heal.
God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-10/19/2009 6:56:16 PM
Greetings to you all,
     It's time to update you on how Nick is progressing. Nick received a new brace for his left leg, one that fits inside his shoe. Nick had to have it final fitted which is normal for these braces. The therapist has been doing this for over 25 years and commented that they have not ever seen anyone with Nick's injuries progress as far as he has. Several people in the medical field have commented that they are surprised that Nick continues to heal. We smile because we feel God is not done with Nick yet. We still marvel at how God is healing Nick.
     Last week Nick called us to his room. He had walked back there to get ready for bed and we thought he was calling for assistance.  Nick was standing up next to his bed without holding on to anything. He stood there for a little over 8 minutes before sitting down. That's a first since his accident. Today he walked for a short distance in therapy with a regular cane. His balance is still a struggle and he is exercising for strength in his back and stomach.
     Nick still has about three weeks of hyperbaric treatments. He cannot tell how it is helping him, but we see some improvement in his mobility. Nick is in a therapy class to aid him in learning how to drive again. He has the knowledge, but the therapy will help him deal with the actual driving. We are certain they will not just turn him loose without knowing Nick can handle it.
     Again, thank you all for remembering Nick in your prayers. God has blessed us immensely. We will never be bashful to tell how God has blessed us.  You all have participated in petitioning God in Nick's behalf and we are so thankful for that.
     God bless each of you!!!    Guy and Debby Maniscalco
-10/2/2009 10:16:25 PM
Good evening to all,
     We were reminded that this is way overdue. Nick's progress is slow enough that this may sound like a repeat.
Nick just finished his second week of this session of hyperbaric treatments in Spokane. He gets very tired after his session and has a tough time at physical therapy which is right after hyperbarics. We are not sure why. He does sleep very well at night.
     At therapy this week, Nick was tested for strength in his left leg. He can push down very well. Pulling it back up is a different story. His muscles in his back and stomach (trunk) need to be strengthened and was given exercises to work on. One therapist told us that once Nick gets those muscles strong again, he should be able to walk. Crawling and rolling around on the floor are part of those exercises. There is a good reason babies crawl before walking.
     Nick is moving along faster in his walker and is negotiating stairs better, although not without a "spotter". He has fallen in the house while walking and we have threatened to make him wear a helmet.
     Nick will have an opportunity to give his testimony in Walla Walla in April. Just being able to do that is a testimony in itself to the power of prayer and God's grace. We are extremely thankful that God has seen fit to heal Nick this far. Believe it or not, we pray for others that are in worse shape than Nick. What God has done for Nick, He can do for them. We are thankful that Nick is still held up in prayer. You all have blessed us immensely with your prayers and support. Thank you!!!
God bless each of you richly,   Guy and Debby
-9/5/2009 8:19:40 AM
Good morning to all,
     It has been a long time since the last update, thanks to Oshkosh and catching back up afterward. Nick is still slowly building his strength. Every day Nick is pushing himself to be more self sufficient and stretching himself to do more. Since our last update, Nick has walked with only the help of his therapist (no walker or cane). He walked about 75 feet. He is still a l ways away from doing it on his own.
     Nick is scheduled for another round of hyperbaric treatments starting September 14. He had another round of Botox shots to help his straighten his left leg for walking.
     Nick is now off of his blood clot medicine. We are watching him closely for any symptoms. This last week, Nick showed signs of a seizure coming on, in spite of taking his anti-seizure medication. His fingers on his left hand start twitching first, then it progresses. Thankfully, it went no further.
     Nick is using his walker more and more, his wheel chair less and less. He goes to therapy with just his walker now and leaves the wheel chair at home. At church, he uses only his walker and is negotiating the stairs better all the time.
     God has been good to us. We are very thankful that He is so faithful. God continues to heal Nick is ways that amaze us. We have high hopes that God will continue to heal Nick and give him his mobility back again. God knows what is best and we place our confidence in Him.
     God bless each of you,  Guy and Debby
-8/1/2009 8:16:41 AM
Good morning to all,
     Nick is one week away from his 21st birthday, (born 8/8/88). It has now been just over a year and a half since his accident. This last week, Nick visited at North Idaho Advance Care Hospital where he spent a month in recovery after leaving Walla Walla. The therapists and nursing staff gave him a lot of encouragement. They were very happy to see him.  He was able to talk with a family in a similar situation, who's boy was in a motorcycle accident. The hospital staff let the other family know that Nick was in worse condition than their boy was.
     Nick has been working hard on negotiating stairs. He has to have help steadying him, but he can climb and go down stairs. Last weekend at church, Nick climbed the 17 stairs to the Youth room and back down again. It has railing on both sides which helps a lot. He has been downstairs in our home several times to check out his bedroom. He is anxious to be mobile enough to get downstairs so he can move back into his old room again.
     Lately we have heard feedback from different sources that they are surprised that Nick is in a walker and doing so well, knowing what kind of condition he was in at the hospital.  Some feel that Nick would not walk again. The thought is that recovery may not extend past the year and a half mark. We do not share that view. We still see God's hand working on Nick. He is still slowly improving and building his strength. Nick remarked the other day that he felt his balance was improving. He is now able to move his left ankle which is a big improvement. Nick's body may or may not make a full recovery, although we constantly pray that he will. We are confident that Nick is not finished recovering. God has much more in store. Nick has his mind and personality, which is huge to us. We thank God daily that we still have Nick.
     Thank you all for hanging in there with Nick and our family.  A huge thank you for holding us up in prayer. We have a wonderful God that watches out for our needs and never leaves us wanting. God is in control and we praise him for who He is and what He does. God has certainly blessed us more than we deserve.
     Take care and God bless you,
      Guy, Debby and family
-7/18/2009 8:18:40 AM
Good morning to you all,
     This week Nick did something he has not done since his accident. He was able to walk down the stairs in our home to the basement where his bedroom is. He has not even seen his room for a year and a half. He had to have help on the stairs, then he used his walker to get to his room, where he just sat and checked everything out for a while. Nick was pretty excited about it. He is anxious to be mobile enough to move back to his own bedroom.
     Nick is crawling daily now. Who ever would have thought that it could be so difficult. Nick is improving in his walker too. The crawling helps his walking. Go figure! Physical therapy has done Nick a world of good. God sends us the best help for Nick.
     There is talk of more hyperbaric treatments for Nick, possibly in August. It could be his 21st birthday present. We think that Nick benefited from the first sessions and that another round would also help even more.
     In looking back over the last year and a half, we can see how God has had his hand in all things. It touches the emotions to look back at when Nick was in ICU and not knowing if he would even live. God has lead all the way since then. There are therapists who thought Nick would never walk again. They are surprised and delighted to see Nick improving. It is not Nick's determination and work that is causing him to walk again. It is only by the hand of God that we have still Nick and he is recovering. The help and prayers from all of you are greatly appreciated, but still it is God that we give the credit to. We cannot thank Him enough.
     God bless each of you!!!    Guy and Debby
-7/4/2009 7:02:14 AM
Good morning,
     Here it is Independence Day, 18 months since Nick's accident.  It is interesting to look back and see how God leads. We never would have dreamed how God can change lives with a single event. Or who He uses to change our lives.
     Nick is still slowly progressing. Although we hoped that Nick would be walking by now (without a walker), crawling still seems to be a hurdle. One of Nick's therapists told us that Nick would greatly benefit by learning to crawl again. It has been very difficult for Nick to balance on all fours, but it is coming.  It is slow, but Nick is crawling from the living room back to his room. We thank God for therapists that understand what Nick needs next and how to do exercises for them. We were told that if Nick could crawl, it would make it easier for him to walk. He is also working on building muscle strength in is legs. We put up a chin-up bar in the doorway to Nick's room. He can now do six chin-ups at a time.
     One of Nick's exercises is to stand at the sink and do dishes (not one of Nick's favorite things). We try to keep Nick as active as possible and doing "new" things to stretch him. He has a good attitude most of the time, but sometimes he feels we push him a too hard.
     Next weekend we are going to a wedding in the Seattle area. This will be Nick's first "long" trip since his accident.
     It is time to wake Nick to get ready for church. Please, pray for Nick and his continued healing. What a slow process is the healing, but God hears our prayers and is faithful. He has not let us down! We praise God for what He has done.
God bless you,   Guy and Debby
-6/12/2009 10:15:11 PM
Greetings to you all,
     This is just to give you a quick update on Nick. He is working hard in physical therapy to bring his left leg back online. We can sure sympathize with stroke victims.  Nick's left arm is working fairly well now, but his left leg really needs work.  It is getting better slowly, but what a huge effort it is to move it.  We reminded Nick that his left arm was the same way for a long time.
     Nick had a goal to walk into graduation at Upper Columbia Academy using only his four pronged cane.  He did manage to do just that even if it was only about 30 feet.  Nick is using his walker to get around the house and to go to church.  It is slow, but improving.  Nick is trying to do things for himself as much as he can.  The more he does, the stronger he gets. 
     After looking back at previous updates on Nick, it really makes us appreciate how God has healed and strengthened him.  Whether God healed Nick or not, we still serve a loving, compassionate God.  We are very grateful for what God has done for Nick and our family.  It has changed our outlook in many ways. 
     God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-6/5/2009 5:45:10 PM
Hello to all,
     We apologize for taking so long to send out this update.  Progress is very slow, but we do see some progress.  Nick is just starting to walk short distances with a four point cane with a couple of spotters.  His balance is not good, but improving.  One thing that helps is muscle strength.  Nick has a ways to go before his muscles are as strong as before the accident.
     Nick is using his walker daily. He is able to make it about 200 yards in his walker now.  He does not use his wheelchair at church anymore.  Today he took a sit down shower. When he finished, he dried off and got out of the tub by himself. He dressed himself and moved over to his wheelchair. Then he joined us in the kitchen.  All without our help. 
     Nick's left side is slow in coming back.  His left leg does not obey very well yet.  Still, he is able to move it some.  His left arm and hand is improving better than his leg. 
     We are very thankful that Nick's short term and long term memories are very good.  Also, he never lost his personality.  The mind is a tough thing to heal, much tougher than the body.  We are so thankful that Nick's mind is good and God is still working on mending the body.  Nick is looking forward to seeing the UCA class of 2009 graduate on Sunday.  He has a goal to walk in with only a cane.  It may be a short walk, but he trying very hard to meet his goals.
     Thank you all for keeping Nick in your prayers.  God really has sustained Nick and the rest of the family. Even though it is slow, God is still healing Nick for which we are extremely grateful.
God bless you all,  Guy and Debby
-5/8/2009 6:25:14 PM
Greetings to all,
     Nick is still progressing slowly.  He has been putting up with an ingrown toenail that was finally worked on.  Now he has a very tender toe, but it's a relief to Nick.  The toenail was so painful that it was slowing Nick down in physical therapy.  Nick's hair is growing back and has just about covered up his scar.  He definitely looks better with hair. 
     One of Nick's therapists now has Nick on his hands and knees.  He is learning to balance.  The therapist tried to get Nick to crawl, but it's tough for him to do right now.  Nick's right leg works pretty well, but his left leg is still slow and weak.  We are praying that it will continue to heal. 
     Therapy is helping Nick move around better and build his strength.  Even if it seems very slow, Nick is still improving.  God has been so good to us.  People point out the changes they see in Nick and it helps us realize the improvements he is making. That makes us very thankful that God is healing and improving Nick.  Thank you all for your continued support and prayers.
      God bless you all,  Guy and Debby
-4/17/2009 11:21:28 PM
Good evening to all,
     Nick has been slowly improving.  He finished his 40 hyperbaric treatments and had a doctors appointment to assess his improvements. Nick was video taped at the beginning to compare before and after.  We are hoping Nick will be eligible for additional hyperbaric treatments.  Nick is walking a bit easier and farther in his walker.  In physical therapy, Nick has been walking short distances using four legged canes. His strength is slowly improving due to stretching and excercising.
     Nick wanted so badly to see the scar on his head that he insisted on having his hair shaved off.  So now he is sporting the "billiard ball" look.  He wanted to measure his scar.....9.5" long. Nick's hair grows quickly, so it won't be long and his hair will be back out. 
     Nick's left leg comes in when he is trying to walk, so he is scheduled once again for Botox shots to help straighten that out.  Nick has a goal to be walking without a walker by the beginning of summer.  He is working hard to get there.  It has been a tough road, but Nick has been working hard to gain strength and dexterity, so he may just make it.
     We have been exceptionally blessed with many miracles from God.  We have also been blessed by so much support and prayers. It has been a tremendous blessing to us.  We feel many others are more deserving than we are.  Right now there are others in dire need of prayer and support too.  Please, pray for the Daniel family, Joey in particular.  As God saved Nick, so can He also restore Joey.  It is never selfish to ask God to heal one of His own creations. That is our prayer.
     God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-4/4/2009 6:56:24 AM
Good morning to all,
     Nick is trying hard now to become independently mobile. In therapy, he is using forearm crutches to help walk. Nick reported that he "walked" 106 feet with them one day this week. The therapist also had Nick try to use the stationary bicycle this week. Nick says that his right leg worked it pretty well, but his left leg still needs improvement. We encourage Nick to move his left leg as much as possible on his own to improve mobility.
     We installed a chin up bar in Nick's doorway at his request. He is working on upper body strength. The bar is at that inconvenient height that catches your head if you are not careful going into his room.
     One more week of hyperbaric treatments in Spokane. It is hard for us to tell how much it has been helping Nick. Possibly his strength and endurance. He is able to walk in his walker all the way into church from the parking lot now.
     It was great for Nick to share his testimony with Pathfinders at Camp MiVoden last weekend. Their support was wonderful. Nick even got a signed T-shirt from them. Thank you! God has been so good to us, more than we deserve. Nick is a living example is God's grace. Thank you all very much for your prayers and support for Nick and the family.
     God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-3/28/2009 6:13:16 AM
Good morning to you all,
     It has now been 14 months since Nick's accident. The neurosurgeon was correct when he said it was going to be at least a year, probably longer. Nick is struggling to do more things by himself such as moving his legs into and out of the car, as well as the bath tub. His mobility is like a stroke victim. Nick's left side is the most affected and is working hard at moving his left limbs. The left side has come a long way and we hope and pray that it will make a full recovery.
     In physical therapy, Nick is walking more in a walker and is starting to use arm crutches. This week he walked between the parallel bars using only one hand to steady him. His balance is still poor and is working on that. Nick is now walking in his walker to get into church from the parked car, not wanting to use the wheelchair. It takes a while, but Nick is determined to keep trying.
     Nick's feeding tube is out for good. He now has two belly buttons, although one is off center. That may be interesting to explain later on.
     Nick will be at Camp MiVoden this weekend to give his testimony to a group of his peers.  We are so thankful that Nick is able and willing to talk about what has happened and how God has lead.  Through all that has happened, Nick has maintained a positive attitude and a willingness to share.  God has really blessed us as his parents. The support from all of you has been overwhelming. We are so grateful for your prayers and so much more. We are also grateful that God spared Nick's life and is continuing to heal him.
     God bless each of you!!!   Guy and Debby
-3/20/2009 9:30:35 PM
Hello to all,
     Today is the first day of spring, Yippee!!!  Nick has had an eventful week.  Nick has now had 25 hyperbaric treatments. It's still hard to tell improvements yet.  It seems like he is a bit brighter, but we are not sure.  Time will tell.
     On Monday, Nick stood in front of the kitchen sink without hanging on.  He was able to do this for about a minute. So Nick has been practicing standing each day this week.  He even got to rinse some dishes and put them in the dishwasher.  Hmmmm.... maybe next he can get the ironing done.
     Last weekend, Nick walked into church from the car using his walker (no wheelchair). He is slow, but he kept at it and it did not tire him out. He walked a total of about 300 feet, which is a record for Nick.
     Thursday morning, Nick had an incident in his room. He was getting out of bed and slipped and fell. It tore out his feeding tube. The doctor decided to leave it out for good. It's not how it was supposed to happen, but it's a relief now that it is done.
     Nick showed the early signs of going into a seizure this week, so his anti-seizure medication had to be increased a bit. We can certainly do without another seizure.
     Nick will be at MiVoden next weekend to give his testimony during the church service with the Pathfinders.  We are looking forward to sharing with a group that has prayed so much for Nick.  God has worked miracles in Nick. We will never get tired of given praise to God for what He has done.
     God bless each of you!!!   Guy and Debby
-3/13/2009 10:02:34 PM
Good evening to you all,
     We wish we could say that Nick is improving rapidly. What we can say is that we are thankful that Nick is still improving. It is hard to tell yet how the hyperbaric treatments are helping.  We notice that Nick's hands are more relaxed and open lately.  He seems to be able to swallow easier too.  Next week Nick has a doctors appointment to check his blood. If all goes well, Nick's feeding tube will be removed. One advantage to that will be that he will be able to lay on the floor and start moving and building strength, sort of like a baby does.
     Nick received new leg braces to help stand and balance. They help him in his walker.  They help him stand up straighter now. Nick is working more with his walker and is not as scary as he was a few weeks ago. His balance is improving, as well as his strength.  All is slow, but still improving.
     Nick will be speaking at Camp MiVoden at the end of this month at the Pathfinder Teen Mission. It is good to hear him give glory to God for His healing power. A lot has happened in the last 13+ months. We are so blessed that Nick has his mental capabilities and personality back. We were told not to expect the same Nick back, but God saw fit to give him back. Now it is the physical aspect that God is working on. Although it is still a struggle, we are confident that Nick will be able to walk again. When is the big question, but we will not give up working on it. Your prayers have blessed Nick and us immensely. Thank you very much!!
     God bless each of you!   Guy and Debby
-2/27/2009 9:55:51 PM
Good evening to you all,
     Today finishes two weeks of hyberbaric treatment.  It's hard to tell so soon how it is helping Nick.  It seems like he is able to stretch his hands out a bit better.  We watch daily to see how Nick is being affected, but maybe we are too close to him.  It may be too soon to tell.
     This week in therapy, Nick had to transfer himself from his wheelchair to a walker, turn around and sit down on a shower chair. It takes awhile, but Nick is working on his mobility. 
     This month is the first annual "facial hair February" at the Hayden Lake Church. A bunch of the guys are giving their razors a break this month.  Nick is no exception.  We will get a picture of him to put in the gallery.
     No matter where we go, we run into people that let us know that they are still praying for Nick.  That touches our hearts like nothing else.  Some of you are on our prayer list too.  It is good to know that even though so much time has passed since Nick's accident and Nick is healing so well, that you still hold Nick up in prayer for healing.  It has taught us how precious we are to each other.  Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
     God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-2/20/2009 7:22:42 PM
Hello to all,
     This week Nick has been in the hyberbaric chamber for five sessions of 90 minutes each in Spokane.  It is difficult to see any changes right now, but we have high hopes.  Nick is scheduled for 40 treatments, so he has seven more weeks to go.  Nick had us watch clips on YouTube about other patients that were greatly improved through HBOT. 
     Nick is entirely off of the nightly feeding through his tube, but his feeding tube will stay in for another month just in case.  His weight seems to be stabilized at about 148 pounds. 
     Nick is improving slightly in his ability to walk in the walker.  He is walking farther now and a bit faster.  This week the physical therapist had Nick free walking in the parallel bars.  All this is strengthening his legs.  One therapist wants Nick to concentrate more on strengthening his left leg.
     We thank God daily for the gifts He has given us, especially Nick.  We are very thankful for your prayers that help sustain us.  Life and relationships are very precious, truly God given gifts.
     God bless each of you,  Guy and Debby
-2/14/2009 8:27:05 AM
Good morning to you all,
     This week Nick had a chest x-ray to see if he would be a suitable candidate for hyperbaric treatments.  It must have looked good, because Nick is scheduled to start daily hyperbaric treatments in Spokane starting Monday.  He will be in the chamber once a day for 90 minutes.  We know people that are stroke victims that were greatly improved by these treatments, so we have high hopes for Nick. 
     Nick's weight is right at 148 pounds.  He had more blood tests this week.  His nightly feeding is down to 20% of what it originally was and that may come to an end soon, depending on the blood test results.  At that time his feeding will be removed for good.  Nick can feed himself and drink water fine.  It still takes him a while to get a pill down though, sometimes to the point that it disolves in his mouth. Blech!  Nick has been walking farther in his walker and now therapist have introduced him to walking with forearm crutches.  That is very difficult for Nick right now and his distance with them is very short.  One doctor suggested we put Nick on the floor and let him work at getting up and crawling (much like an baby).  The thought is that he might relearn balance and strengthen his limbs for walking. 
     For morning worships, Nick reads his share in the Bible.  We read a chapter a day in the Bible and divide it evenly.  One of Nick's eyes is struggling to focus and it's a challenge for him to read, but that is improving also.  It's interesting to see what Nick finds important in the chapter that we read.  God is slowly improving Nick and although progress is slow, it is humbling to see functions come back that we all take for granted.  God continues to bless Nick and us.  He has built a faith in us to trust in Him regardless of what we see.  We all truly serve an awesome God, one that definitely can be trusted.  Thank you again for your prayers for Nick and our family. 
God bless you,  Guy and Debby
-2/6/2009 10:31:01 PM
Hello to all,
     Nick's progress is still improving slowly.  It has been two weeks since the last update and it is not easy to write about new improvements.  Nick is a bit better in his walker.  Today in therapy, he walked 101 feet (Nick likes to know exactly how far he went).  Last weekend Nick gave his testimony in church in Sandpoint and after lunch he was able to walk in his walker and show how he is progressing.  It's still slow and his left leg is weak and needs help in moving, but using it is strengthening it.
     This week, Nick had several doctors appointments.  One appointment was see if he would be a good candidate for hyperbaric treatments.  Hopefully, Nick will be able to start them soon. 
     One of Nick's therapists thought it would be good for Nick to be able to stand at the kitchen sink and maybe even do the dishes.  We thought that would be a great idea too.  Nick stands at the sink and moves from side to side, but no dish washing yet.  Nick is propelling himself in his wheelchair in the house and building more strength in his arms and hands.  Right now it is all about building strength and dexterity. 
     God definitely has His hand in Nick's healing.  It is good to see Nick growing stronger, both physically and spiritually.  This has been a trying year and one full of blessings.  We have seen so much happen in the last year.  It's hard to understand how such an accident can be a blessing, but God has taught us lessons that may not have happened under other circumstances.  Thank you all again for your prayers that support us.  God still works miracles, Nick is living proof.
     God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-1/24/2009 7:22:51 AM
Good morning to all,
     Nick is still progressing slowly.  He has a goal to walk into church using only his walker by January 27, the anniversary date of his accident.  He practiced it this week at the church.  It takes quite a bit of time, about 20 minutes to go 50 feet.  Nick is able to slowly move his feet and walker by himself, but his balance and strength are still on the shaky side.  Nick was fitted for new leg braces and received them this week.  They are for standing and walking and he can fit his normal shoes on over them.  They will help strengthen his legs and ankles and will give him a bit more flexibility.
     Nick gave his testimony last weekend in Rathdrum.  It is good to see him give glory to God for the miracles He has done.  Nick recognizes what has happened and what is happening.  He can think through the process and be thankful that he is even alive.  God has been so gracious to us, more than we deserve.  Many people have it tougher than we do and we pray for them too.  We are thankful that God can work in all of us.  Our faith has been strengthened through all we have experienced.  We pray that your faith is strengthened also.
     God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-1/17/2009 6:34:47 AM
Greetings to all,
     This has been a busy week for Nick.  He had appointments with several doctors this week.  Nick had another round of Botox shots this week.  One of Nick's greatest worries is being able to drive again.  Doctor's told him that it was possible, but the concern was seizures.  When asked how long Nick would be on anti-seizure medication, the answer was not definite.  He may be on them a long time.  We are very thankful that Nick has not had a seizure since that last bad one. 
     Nick has gained some weight. He is up to 149.5 pounds.  We may be looking at reducing the amount of food he receives at night.  It is good that he gained his weight back, but he needs to convert it to muscle now. 
     Nick will be giving his testimony again this morning and again in two weeks.  He has to talk from his wheelchair for now.  It is great to hear Nick give thanks to God for sparing his life and continual healing.  The power of prayer does work.  God has not given up on Nick (or any of us for that matter). 
     God bless you,   Guy and Debby
-1/10/2009 7:52:54 AM
Good morning to you all,
     It is hard to believe that it has been almost one year since Nick's accident.  Our lives have changed since last January.  After the initial scary month where we did not know if Nick would make it, we had high hopes that Nick would be up and normal by now.  God has other plans.  We have learned (maybe not completely yet) to wait on the Lord.  Nick continues to improve for which we are thankful.  Although he is working on his strength and balance, Nick is still a little ways from solely using his walker.  One of Nick's physical therapists thinks that now is the time for some very intense therapy, possibly even going back to St. Luke's Rehab to increase the hours of daily therapy.  Nick gets tired and shaky in his walker, but that is improving also.
     Yesterday, Nick played a game in therapy.  They played balloon volleyball with him.  Nick was standing between the parallel bars, but was not hanging on.  He then used his hands to bat the balloon back to the therapist.  It wan an exercise in balance and dexterity.  Nick did well, but is shaky standing up.  He still wears leg braces to help keep his feet in the right position.
     Nick's left side is still lagging behind his right side, but is still improving.  He has limited control and movement with his left leg.  His left arm is improving too.  We encourage Nick to use them as much as possible and not 'let them off the hook'.
     We still pray for Nick's complete recovery as well as all of you are.  God has performed miracles for Nick and continues to heal him.  We are very thankful that God chose to spare Nick and slowly heal him.  We are also very thankful that God gave Nick his mental capabilities and personality back.  Thank you all for your continued prayers for Nick.  We know that Nick is only one prayer request on a list that is growing. 
     God bless you,     Guy and Debby
-1/3/2009 8:50:59 AM
Hello to all,
     It is a frigid morning here right now, -12 degrees.  We have been working hard to keep the driveway clear of snow so we can get Nick in and out.  Those who need to move people in wheel chairs know the ordeal.   This year it has been quite the challenge for snow removal.  Last night we had Nick at our church Agape feast and communion service.  Nick being there was a testimony in itself to the wonderful power and grace of God.  It is great that Nick wants to be there and participate. 
     Nick is spending time daily in his walker.  He is walking about 30 to 40 feet at a time.  Also, he is using his arms and legs more to stand while hanging on to his wheel chair.  His balance is not there yet, but his strength is slowly improving.  He is helping himself quite a bit getting into and out of our van.  He can stand (if his feet don't slide out on the ice), then pivot and sit on the edge of the car seat.  We have to help his legs into the van.  Getting out, Nick can move his legs over and stand up.  Then he can pivot and sit in his wheel chair.  It's scary without a spotter, so one of us is always there to help. 
     Nick's speech is still a bit slow, but his responses are accurate.  His voice is not loud and has a hard time making himself heard in a noisy area or from far away.  We use a baby monitor at night to listen for him.  He usually calls for some help about 5 times throughout the night. 
     Having Nick here is a constant reminder of God's love.  God has blessed immensely.   Nick easily recognizes what God has done for him.  We cannot thank you all enough for keeping Nick in your prayers. 
     God bless each of you!!!    Guy and Debby
-12/26/2008 8:56:34 PM
Seasons greetings to our family and extended family,
     This is the time of year for reflection and giving thanks for what God has done for us.  Our family sure has a lot to be thankful for.  Nick is still improving even if it is very slow.  Christmas morning, Nick used his walker to go from his bedroom to the dining room table.  By the time he got there, his legs were shaking.  He does pretty well with his right leg, while his left leg is still weak and range of motion is limited.  One person goes in front of Nick to help him balance, one person follows Nick with the wheel chair as a safety.  You cannot be in a hurry with Nick in a walker.  Nick has a goal to be using the walker to get around by the anniversary date of his accident, January 27.  Nick also has a goal to be walking by graduation.  We are doing our best to help him reach those goals.
     We encourage Nick to use his left side as much as he can to improve the strength and dexterity.  His left side is lagging behind his right, but it is improving some.  Nick's memory seems to be back to normal, which is a huge relief for us.  Mentally, Nick is pretty much normal now.  He sometimes expresses his concerns about being able to lead a normal life again.  He was very concerned about loosing his driver's license.  If it happens, it happens.  He can work to get it back again in time.
     Nick has not had a seizure for several weeks now, which is a big relief for us.  He may be on anti-seizure medication for quite a while.  He is still on blood thinners to take care of the blood clot in his left leg.  So far, that seems to be working well.
     Like we said (but never enough) God has been good to us.  We know there are reasons for things to happen to us and we know that God is bringing good out of what some may think is a bad situation.  Just having Nick alive is a testimony to God's power and grace.  We are very  thankful also for the prayers that you continue to send up for Nick.  You have done so much for us.  Thank you!!!
     May God continue to bless each of you!!!    Guy and Debby
-12/19/2008 8:52:32 PM
Seasons Greetings to all,
     We sure have a lot to be thankful for.  Nick is still slowly improving and has not had a seizure in two weeks.  We made a different shower seat for him that allows room for his feet.  We thought it was possible that by cramping his feet under his shower chair may have contributed to his seizures. Maybe not.
     Nick has been working hard in physical therapy.  He is using a walker to go across the room and back (with a little help).  Today the therapist hooked up electrical shock electrodes to his left leg to help stimulate the muscles.  It helped Nick to walk without the aid of his leg brace.  This evening, Nick moved his wheel chair to the living room, set the brakes and used the wheel chair arm rests to start standing up to move to a chair.  He is still lacking balance, but he is trying to do as much as he can by himself. 
     We received about three feet of snow in the past two days and Nick is loving it.  Nick loves winter sports and it gives him one more incentive to get back on his feet again.  We would really like it if Nick could help shovel some of this snow.  In time.
     We are reminded at this time of year of the gift that God gave us,  His Son, Jesus. What a huge sacrifice!  God has given us our son, Nick, too.  Nick has come a long way from ICU almost a year ago.  To have Nick now is a huge gift for us.  How precious life is.  We don't ever want to take any of God's gifts for granted.  We thank the good Lord daily for what He does for us, even though we don't deserve it. 
     God bless each of you especially during this special season!   Guy and Debby
-12/12/2008 8:48:02 PM
Good evening to all,
     It is snowing here right now and Nick's wheel chair ramp on the front porch is like a greased slide.  Nick had an EEG today to check his brain activity and check for seizure activity.  By doctors orders, Nick was allowed only 4 hours of sleep last night.  It was a long night.  He should sleep good tonight.  We will not have the results for a week.  Thankfully, we have not seen another seizure since the one last Friday.  The new seizure medication must be doing it's job.
     Nick is still practicing standing using the pole in his room.  He stands up and sits down 10 times per rep and does a couple of reps a day.  Now he is also pulling himself over to the edge of his bed.  He is trying to do more by himself and lets us know when he thinks he can do it himself.  We are learning patience while watching him struggle to do things on his own.  We realize just how much we take things for granted. 
     We are wonderfully made.  God made no mistakes when He put us together.  Obviously, we are also fragile.  We are thankful that God is putting Nick back together again.  Although Nick's recovery is slow, God is still performing miracles in Nick daily.  His strength is improving as well as his dexterity.  We can not do what God can do.  We CAN give God the praise He deserves for what He does for each of us.  It is a miracle that any of us are alive. Thank you again for keeping Nick in your prayers.  It is very much appreciated!!!
     God bless each of you!     Guy and Debby
-12/5/2008 7:46:39 PM
Hello to all our family and extended family,
     Nick is moving forward slowly, with a little setback.  This week in physical therapy, Nick was able to walk for the first time in a walker. Hotdog!  He had to have help, but he made it about 15 feet on Monday and about 35 feet on Wednesday.  It is not very smooth, but Nick is excited about it (as are we) and determined to be using the walker as soon as he can (by Christmas if possible).  He is doing well in therapy and is exercising more at home when he can. 
     Today Nick gave us a bad scare, enough to call 911.  While taking his sit down shower, Nick had a fairly bad seizure.  We did not know if Nick was breathing and he actually looked a bit blue (maybe he was too cold).  He was really out of it.  We called 911 and moved Nick to a bed.  We had three or four emergency vehicles show up with about 8 medical staff.  Nick acted almost like he had a stroke and could not respond to us.  He slowly pulled out of it and about a half an hour later, he was weak, but acting much better.  He has been weak all day, since the event.  What a scare!  We called the doctor and decided not to take Nick to the hospital.  He was prescribed a new anti-seizure medication and we are trying to get Nick in to see a neurologist and possibly have an EEG.  Needless to say, we are watching Nick very closely.
     Nick is still under God's care.  For that matter, we all are.  God once again preserved Nick's life.  Some of you may think it is hard to praise God through the bad times.  Job did!  We do not know what God has in store for us, but we need to have faith in God's will.  We may not know until we get to heaven why we go through tough times.  God may be building character or building faith in us and in you.  We are thankful that God still is working on us instead of giving up on us. 
     God bless you this Sabbath!!!     Guy and Debby
-11/28/2008 5:51:26 PM
Greetings to all,
     It is Friday evening and also the end of ten long months since Nick's accident.  Thankfully, Nick is still progressing slowly.  We cannot say we noticed anything new this week.  With Thanksgiving holidays here, Nick is missing four days of therapy.  We have him pulling himself from his wheelchair into a standing position at least ten times in a day.  It is helping build his strength and balance.  He is doing well getting into and out of the van.  Although he cannot do it all on his own, it is a huge help to have Nick able to hang on and stand up. 
     Nick is using the parallel bars at therapy to help him walk slowly.  One of his therapists thinks that Nick may using a walker by Christmas.  Nick is trying very hard to make that happen.  He would love to be walking on his again.  Nick is talking about being able to negotiate stairs soon so he can make it up and down to his old bedroom again.  That is a big goal of his.  It would be a big step into his being independent again.  It always seems to take a little longer than what the therapist hopes for, but still it is happening.
     For Thanksgiving, it was not hard at all to think about what we are thankful.  God has been so good to us.  Not only are we thankful that Nick is still alive, but that he is still progressing and is not giving up.  God is still using Nick to reach others.  We pray that God can use not only Nick to reach others, but that God can use each of us.  To God be the glory!!!
     God continue to bless each of you!    Guy and Debby
-11/21/2008 1:40:06 PM
Hello to all,
     Based on how Nick is progressing, we will now be sending updates on Nick once a week.  If something exciting happens and we cannot wait, then we will send additional updates.  Nick is in the pool for therapy right now.  We pointed out that not too many 20 year olds still need waterwings.  Nick just laughed.  Nick is walking around in the pool to help build his strength and coordination.  He does not move fast, but is very deliberate and methodical.  He is moving his wheelchair more by himself too.  Until he gets stuck in the hallway trying to get into his room.  Nick always seems to find humor in the little things, which is just like the "old" Nick. 
     Nick's left leg is feeling better and he is able to move it without pain.  He is wanting to get out of our van with the minimum amount of help.  He can slowly move his legs out, then hang on and slide out to a standing position.  Then he pivots and sits down in his wheelchair.  He wants to do as much as he can on his own.  He is eating fairly well by himself now, unless he has to use chopsticks.  He is still not eating enough during the day so we still hook him up to a feeding pump at night.
     Nick is looking forward to giving his testimony again tomorrow.  It does him good to speak about how thankful he is that God spared him.  We are thankful that God spared him also.  Being able to walk again is the next hurdle.  God has brought Nick this far and will help him walk again.  Nick is more precious than a sparrow and God is still protecting him.
     God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-11/17/2008 9:59:18 PM
Good evening to all,
     However slow it seems to us, Nick is still improving.  Although Nick is not yet walking, he is working very hard at getting in and out of our van on his own.  He is using the pole by his bed to get in and out of bed.  This is helping his strength and coordination.  In therapy, Nick is using the parallel bars to help take (shaky) steps and work on his strength.  Nick has a ways to go, but he has a good outlook and determination.  God has continued to bless Nick with the healing process. 
     Nick has been off of his pain medications altogether for about three weeks now.  The doctor has also prescribed for Nick to back off of his seizure medications.  Nick is off of almost all his medication now.  He is doing great!  His appetite has improved, so we may back off of the nightly feeding through his feeding tube.  Due to his blood clot in his left leg, Nick is still on a blood thinner.  The clot was causing Nick pain in his leg, but the pain has subsided and he is able to move around better.  Nick is able to help arrange himself in bed.  The memory foam mattress is not the easiest to wiggle around on.  After almost ten months, NO bed sores!  That is something we are truly thankful for. 
     Nick is going to give his testimony again this coming weekend.  This time at the Coeur d' Alene Church.  We are thankful that it is so close to home, keeping the travel time short.  Also, this is the church we spent 21 years at and so many great people and memories are there.  It is great that Nick is able to speak about what God has done and is doing on his behalf.  It is truly an answer to many prayers.  In a time of such uncertainty, we know we can put our trust in God who heals and sustains us.  There is no uncertainty with God.  We want only to give the glory to God!
     Take care and God bless,      Guy and Debby
-11/12/2008 10:43:25 PM
Hello to all,
     Just a quick update on Nick.  After a visit to the doctor, we were told to start weaning Nick off of his seizure medicine slowly while watching him.  That's another positive step in Nick's recovery.  Nick was pretty excited to hear that.  Nick has been spending more time in the parallel bars, practicing walking.  He can make it down and back a couple of times now.  We put up a vertical bar next to his bed and Nick can use it to stand up from his wheelchair to sit on his bed.  Nick is now using the door on our van to hang on to for standing.  Then he can pivot with help and sit in the seat.  That makes it a whole lot easier to transport Nick in the van. 
     Nick's left leg is still hurting him.  It is swollen up and is painful.  We are not sure why, but we think it may have something to do with the blood clot.  Nick just saw the doctor this week already, but the discussion was mostly about Botox. 
     Nick is following the weather reports for Schweitzer Ski Resort, but we don't think he will be quite ready for skiing for a while.  We can hold it out in front of him like a carrot.  Nick would love to get back on the slopes.  This winter we will be sure to drive him up there to check it out.
     God is still working miracles in Nick.  Even though it has taken over nine months, we are seeing improvements that are steady.  How can we deny the power and grace of God after witnessing what He has done for our son.  God has been so good to us.  All of us!!!
     May God continue to bless each of you!     Guy and Debby
-11/7/2008 9:55:52 PM
Greetings to you all,
     It's been a long time since we have sent out an update in such a short stretch of time, but some exciting progress has been happening and we cannot keep it to ourselves.  We witnessed Nick walking shakily on the parallel bars early this week.  We also installed a special pole from floor to ceiling next to Nick's bed.  In just the past two days, Nick has been able to use the pole to pull himself up from his wheelchair, pivot and sit on the edge of the bed.  To many that doesn't sound like much, but it brings tears of joy to our eyes.  Just tonight, Nick was able to use the car door to pull himself up and pivot to sit in the front seat. Both getting into the car and getting out again.  For us this is huge!!! 
     Nick's dexterity in his left arm and hand are improving slowly.  He is using it more every day.  The therapists have been working with Nick to use his hands jointly to get the dexterity back quicker.  Nick's left leg is still lagging behind his right, but it is definitely improving.  It has been a long time since his muscles have been used and the strength is slowly being regained.  Nick usually asks to be moved from side to side in bed, but in the past couple of days he is doing some of the moving himself.  This is helping his stomach muscles strengthen.  Nick may not be far from using a walker to get around. 
     Another big thing is Nick has been off of all pain medication for the past week.  It seems to help keep him sharper and he feels better without them.
     God has done much for Nick in the past nine months.  Not just for Nick, but for the rest of his family and friends.  We want to thank each one of you for your prayers and support.  God has richly blessed us way beyond what we deserve.
     God bless you this Sabbath!!!!     Guy and Debby
-11/6/2008 8:12:57 AM
Hello to all,
     On Monday, we witnessed a huge step in Nick's recovery.  Nick walked!!!  Sort of.  He was able to take steps while holding himself up between the parallel bars.  He is very wobbly and weak, but he definitely took steps.  It was like a little kid taking his first steps.  He is far from jumping up and walking across the room, but this is an exciting improvement.  Now it's a consideration to put in parallel bars from his bed to the refrigerator.  The physical therapist that comes our home asked up to get a pole with handles to go next to Nick's bed so that he will be able to pull himself up and use it to get out of bed. We picked one up and it will be going up this week.  Nick's strength is still very poor, but exercise is slowly bringing it back. 
     Last weekend Nick gave his testimony at church.  Right after going up on the platform, Nick started to have a spasm in his left arm.  We almost canceled his speaking, but he pulled through it in just a few minutes and was fine.  The devil works hard to keep anyone from testifying to God's grace and power.  Nick did very well on his talk and we were thankful that he was able to get up there and do it. 
     God has done a lot for Nick and through Nick.  How can one be thankful for an accident that almost killed you?  God has brought good out of what we thought was a tragedy.  He is still using Nick to reach other people.  God has a reason for the slow recovery and even if it is difficult in our eyes, it is so necessary.  We have learned to be patient (somewhat) and wait on the Lord.  It is amazing to look back and see how God has worked out this whole situation.  We have a great God and all the praise definitely goes to Him.  Thank you all for your support through prayer and many other ways.  You have no idea how much we appreciate you!
     God bless you all,    Guy and Debby
-10/31/2008 7:48:05 PM
Greetings to all,
     It's hard to believe that nine months have gone by and we are still sending out updates on Nick.  Nick has been in the pool this week for therapy and they are having him walk more while he is weightless.  He can make it across the pool now.  One therapist thinks that with the aid of a pole at home, Nick will be able to pull himself up and be able to turn and sit in his wheel chair without help.  His arm strength and dexterity continue to slowly improve.  He can put on and take off his own jacket and tee shirt if they are not too tight.
     Nick still maintains a great attitude through all this.  He knows this is a journey and is doing his best to be positive and helpful.  He is quick to say thank you for every little thing we do for him.  It's amazing to see how upbeat Nick is after all that has happened. 
     Tomorrow, Nick will be talking at our church in Hayden Lake and giving a testimony of what God has done for him.  Just being alive is a testimony to God's grace.  Nick has been practicing his talk and may have enough to talk for fifteen minutes.  Other family will fill in with testimony for the service too.  Nick realizes that God spared his life for a reason.  There is not a day that goes by that we remember to give glory to God for Nick's life and our own.  Each one of us (including you) has a wonderful testimony to what God has done for us.
     God bless and keep each one of you.  Thank you for your continued prayers for Nick's recovery.
     Guy and Debby
-10/27/2008 10:12:32 PM
Hello there family and friends,
     We have to report that Nick has taken his first steps in the swimming pool.  He was supported to the point of being on his toes in the water and was coached through his first steps.  Slowly it is coming back.  The blood clot in his left leg is causing some pain and slowing down the therapy, but we are still working on him.  He is standing easier and is now trying out his balancing. 
     Good news!!!  Nick is going to be giving his testimony for the church service this coming weekend at the Hayden Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church.  (Nov. 1st).  We may need to help fill in with him.  It has been nine months since the accident.  Nick will be seated in his wheelchair and his voice is still a bit monotone, but he has been thinking about what he wants to say and he says he is ready to speak.  Soon he will be able to do some traveling and may give his testimony at other churches.  We are hoping that he will be able to stand up at a podium on his own soon.  This is something we have long been waiting for.  Praise God!!!
     We are very thankful for the visits and prayers on Nick's behalf.  You all have given so much to us!  God has been good to us and we deem it a pleasure to pass it on where we can.  You all have bolstered our faith and have been a blessing not only to us, but to a multitude of health care staff.  Seeds have been planted and we pray that the Holy Spirit continues to water them.  Thank you all!
     God continue to bless each of you,    Guy and Debby
-10/23/2008 7:06:44 AM
Good morning to you all,
     Nick got his new wheelchair this week.  When it was ordered (four months ago) we thought Nick would be walking before it arrived.  We never thought that Nick would get much use of a new wheelchair.  Well, Nick is still able to put the new wheelchair to good use.  The blood clot in his left leg has set him back a bit.  It hurts and the physical therapy is on hold until further notice.  Nick is over his urinary track infection and is feeling much better in that sense.  The pain in his left leg has subsided some.
     We are blessed with an aid that helps with Nick five days a week for five hours a day.  It sure helps having an extra set of hands.  While Nick was in the different hospitals and rehab facilities it was easy to get used to someone there doing most of the work. Now that Nick is at home the routine has changed dramatically.  We still get up several times throughout the night to help with Nick.  Those baby monitors are a life saver.  Nick can whisper for help and we can hear him.  We have learned to sleep light so we can hear when he calls for help.
     In talking with many other people, we are thankful for our own situation.  We have recently been to several funerals and memorials (one of our own) and our heart aches for the families that have lost loved ones. We are very sensitive to what others are going through.   We still have Nick and however slow it seems, Nick is still on the mend and someday you may not be able to tell anything even happened.  God has been very gracious to our family and we give Him the praise.  Our faith has been strengthened through this.  Some may think that what we are going through is next to unbearable, but God has sustained us and taught us lessons that may not have been possible otherwise.   You may not know what God has in store for you, but we pray that whatever happens, you keep your faith intact. 
     God bless each of you!!!      Guy and Debby
-10/18/2008 8:35:26 AM
Good morning to you all,
     This morning Nick is resting in bed again.  His left leg has been very uncomfortable because of the blood clot.  It causes him pain and we had to reposition his leg many times throughout the night.  He has been on blood thinner for a week now and God willing, the clot will dissolve and the pain will go away.  It has hampered physical therapy and it seems like a bit of a slide backwards.  Nick has a doctors appointment next week to review how the blood thinner is taking care of the clot.  Always something.
     Nick has been sick this last week and at times has lost his meals.  We have gone back to the nightly feed through his tube to keep his weight and strength up.  Hopeful, soon we will be able to taper that off and he will eat just solid foods again. 
     When Nick had his accident, the doctors warned us that we might not get the same Nick back again.  There may be a permanent memory loss or parts of his personality may be different.  Although Nick still has some pain and physically is struggling to come back, God has given Nick his mind and personality.  For that, we are hugely grateful to God.  In our minds, God has already taken care of the most important part of Nick's recovery.  Not that we want God to stop there.  We praise God for what He has already done and look forward to what He has in store for Nick.  Please, continue to keep Nick in your prayers.  His struggles are not over.
     God bless each of you!!!     Guy and Debby
-10/14/2008 7:39:00 AM
Good morning to you all,
     It is Tuesday morning and Nick has been home from the hospital since Sunday evening.  He is now being treated for a blood clot in his left leg.  That concerns us as it is a sizeable clot.  Nick is also being treated for an infection.  He had flu like symptoms and could not keep anything down, but that has subsided now.  All this seems to have weakened him and he is a bit slower now.  Also, his tube has gotten plugged and now that needs to be cleared out.
     Nick has sure been through a lot and yet he still maintains a great attitude.  He is trying hard to make a come back.  God has sure blessed us with Nick.  Nick has always been the one to maintain a positive outlook on life and thankfully, it has not left him. 
     Nick's weighs in at 123 pounds now.  He seems to fluctuate up and down, but is slowly gaining his weight back.
He is eating fairly well and maybe now is the time to remove the feeding tube.
     We thank God every day (numerous times) that He has sustained Nick.  We count it a blessing that Nick is home and we can care for him here.  His progress is slow, but we are confident that someday we will be able to look back and say we are glad that chapter is over and Nick is healed.  To God be the glory!
     God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-10/10/2008 7:57:02 AM
Good morning to all,
     Nick has had a bit of a set back this week.  On Tuesday Nick was shot 23 times with Botox to help his muscles relax.  Wednesday Nick was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and was put on antibiotics to combat that.  Nick was sick through Wednesday night and could not keep anything down.  His left leg was hurting in different places at different times. On Thursday, Debby took him in to check on his leg and they found a large blood clot.  Now Nick is admitted in to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane again.  He may be there for a week according to the doctor.  Back on Cumadin to thin the blood.  Nick did not want to go back to the hospital.  Also, he will need to keep his leg still for a few days. 
     Please, keep Nick in your prayers with this new turn of events. He has tried to maintain a good attitude through it all, but this has him down a bit.  We still put our trust in God that He knows best and can use this to His glory.  We can not stop praying for Nick's recovery.
     God bless you all,  Guy and Debby
-10/6/2008 9:36:26 PM
Hello family and extended family,
     Nick had a doctors appointment in Spokane today.  Basically, another doctor assessing Nick.  They are talking about reducing Nick's medications and possibly removing the tube that goes into his stomach.  Nick is eating pretty well on his own now and we have all but eliminated the nightly tube feeding.  Nick's seems to be maintaining his weight now. 
     After Nick's doctors appointment today, he was able to stop by St. Luke's Rehab and visit with some of the staff on the floor he spent so much time on.  It was like a mini-homecoming.  He even got a big kiss from one of the nurses.  The staff was very glad to see Nick. 
     In physical therapy, Nick has finally gotten to go swimming.  Or should I say floating.  He was able to get in and move his limbs around.  Also, they are having Nick stand between the parallel bars and move his feet.  It is starting to come back to him.  We cannot tell when he will be able to walk, but we are praying that it will be soon.
     God has sure been good to us.  We thank God daily that Nick's life was spared.  It seems like a long recovery, but we want God to be in control and we are watching the miracles happening to Nick.  God is still touching lives while Nick is recovering.  We certainly do not want to try and change God's plans.  Thank you again for your continued prayers on Nick's behalf.  Not just for Nick, but for those whom God wants to touch through all this.
     God bless you all,   Guy and Debby 
-9/29/2008 10:01:32 PM
Good evening to you all,
     This may sound like a broken record (some of you know what that phrase means), but Nick is still improving ever so slowly.  We think he may have had a small seizure last week and it seems to be affecting him a bit.  He has a doctor's appointment soon to check his blood levels to make sure his medication is correct. 
     Nick is not able to stand up on his own without help, but once he is up, he can hang on and stand for longer periods of time than before.  He can sit on the edge of his bed for 20 minutes or more without falling over.  Nick's balance is improving steadily.  We are working on his muscle strength and dexterity to get him ready for walking.  We keep hoping that he will be able to walk soon, but it never happens as quick as we want. 
     Nick has physical therapy three times a week now.  We are trying to get therapy on the other two week days with a therapist that Nick really clicked with.  Also, we are looking into hyperbaric treatments in Spokane.  There have been many who have recommended the treatment. 
     In the last two weeks, we have been to three funerals.  One was Debby's father.  It sure drives home how important relationships are.  We also realize that we are not the only ones that need prayer.  We have the great hope of seeing them all again when Jesus comes back again.  It is a great comfort to know that God loves us and will not leave us.  We continue to put our hope and faith in our God.  God has definitely been good to us. 
     God bless and keep you all,     Guy and Debby
-9/26/2008 10:29:10 PM
Greetings to all,
     It has now been 8 months since Nick's accident.  Looking back, we can see how God has been working and healing.  It has not been a bed of roses, but we have definitely learned lessons along the way.  God has brought good out of our situation.  Nick is slowly improving.  It is not always so obvious to us as we are near Nick much of the time, but others who have not seen him for a few weeks say that the improvement is very noticeable. 
     Nick is very close to having his PEG tube (for stomach feeding) removed.  He is doing very well eating food at the table.  The place he goes to for physical therapy has a large pool, but the tube through his side prevents him from using it.  Maybe if we could put on a little duct tape....  Nick is able to stand while hanging on to us for a longer amount of time now.
     We are going to put up some new pictures of Nick on www.nicksmile.com very soon.  It is long past due.  Nick had a haircut this week.  His hair grows fast.  He does look pretty much like his old self.  He really enjoys the visitors that stop by to say "Hi".
     This afternoon we had a graveside service for Debby's dad.  Tomorrow evening will be his memorial (he was cremated).  Nick is able to participate to a small degree in the service.  We are looking forward to the time when none of this will be necessary any more.  We give God the praise that He is sustaining and healing still.  We are the happy recipients of that grace.  Like it says on our coins (for now)  In God We Trust.  Amen!
     Thank you again for keeping Nick and our family in your prayers.  It is still what we cherish the most.
     God bless each of you!!!      Guy and Debby
-9/23/2008 12:07:42 AM
Good evening to you all,
     It has been a busy week with not much new to report on Nick.  Nick is standing (with help) much easier and longer now.  He is still not able to take steps, but it is not far off.  We are ranging his limbs several times a day to help him stretch.  We go until he says "Ow, ow, ow", then hold it there for about 10 seconds.  I think he is saying "Ow" when we touch him now. 
     Nick is gaining more control slowly.  He can take his T-shirt off now if it is loose enough.  He is doing more with his hands now.  Nick is in physical therapy three time a week now.  He may be in the pool soon to see how he does at walking.
     On a very sad note, Debby's dad passed away this morning after a battle with liver cancer.  Jerry Jolly will be sorely missed.  We took Nick out to see him one last time.  Understandably, it was a very emotional time.  Nick really loved his grandpa (as did the rest of us).  That leaves a large hole in our family. 
     We have to trust that God knows what is best, even if we do not understand now.  It is difficult to give God praise when the heart is so heavy.  Someday soon God will give us answers to our questions.  That is something to look forward to.  We are so thankful for what God has done for Nick.  We still marvel at the miracles He performs. 
     Take care and God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-9/22/2008 11:57:49 PM
Good evening to you all,
     It has been a busy week with not much new to report on Nick.  Nick is standing (with help) much easier and longer now.  He is still not able to take steps, but it is not far off.  We are ranging his limbs several times a day to help him stretch.  We go until he says "Ow, ow, ow", then hold it there for about 10 seconds.  I think he is saying "Ow" when we touch him now. 
     Nick is gaining more control slowly.  He can take his T-shirt off now if it is loose enough.  He is doing more with his hands now.  Nick is in physical therapy three time a week now.  He may be in the pool soon to see how he does at walking.
     On a very sad note, Debby's dad passed away this morning after a battle with liver cancer.  Jerry Jolly will be sorely missed.  We took Nick out to see him one last time.  Understandably, it was a very emotional time.  Nick really loved his grandpa (as did the rest of us).  That leaves a large hole in our family. 
     We have to trust that God knows what is best, even if we do not understand now.  It is difficult to give God praise when the heart is so heavy.  Someday soon God will give us answers to our questions.  That is something to look forward to.  We are so thankful for what God has done for Nick.  We still marvel at the miracles He performs. 
     Take care and God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-9/14/2008 10:54:11 PM
Good evening to all our family!!
     Nick is improving very slowly every day.  We help Nick to a standing position and have him stand on his own while he is holding on to our shoulders.  He is building his strength doing this several time daily.  Nick has been in a leg brace since his hip and knee operations.  Tomorrow he has an appointment with the surgeon to see if he can do without the brace.  Nick seems fairly confident that he can do without the leg brace.
     Nick is still on a nightly feeding through his tube, but he seems to be eating better on his own.  It may be time to start tapering him off of the nightly feeding.  It would be nice to get that last tube out of him.
     Nick was measuring some of his scars lately.  We roughly estimated that he has about a yard of scars.  Some of them may be difficult to hide.  They all tell the story of God's healing.  If anyone asks him how he got them, Nick has a great testimony to tell them.
     Nick is able to move his left leg about eight inches now.  He is wiggling his right toes very well, but his left toes are going to take a bit more practice.  Nick is moving his right arm with a bit more dexterity.  He is moving his left arm like a stroke victim, but it is improving with practice.  We have to range Nick's arms and legs several times daily to keep him limbered up.
     Please, don't forget Nick in your prayers.  We still are praying for a complete recovery.  God has been faithful and answered many prayers.  We are praying for Nick to be able to walk soon.  We feel that once Nick is able to walk, he will improve rapidly. 
     Thank you all and God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-9/10/2008 10:34:55 PM
Hello to all our family out there,
     A little has happened since the last update.  The physical therapist that has been coming to our home to work with Nick says that Nick is very close to being able to walk.  He has had Nick standing while Nick is hanging on to the therapist.  After help standing up, Nick is able to hang on and stand up without support for a short time.  Also, he is able to shift his weight to one leg and lift the other leg up off the floor.  Nick can sit on the edge of his bed and not fall over.  He is leaning forward more and using his arms and hands to hold himself in position while sitting.  He can use his arms to help scoot himself sideways just a little bit now. 
     Nick's speech therapist may see Nick one more time.  She said that there is no longer a need for speech therapy, Nick has progressed enough.  Nick still speaks in a monotone, but he is working on lung volume to help his speech.
     We are ranging Nick's limbs several times a day to help him stay limber and to continue to stretch him so he will be able to function fully.  It is painful for Nick to be stretched out, but he knows it is for his own good.
     It is exciting to see how God has answered prayers.  Nick has come a long ways since January 27th.  We are reminded daily of God's leading and healing.  God has been so good to us.  We are thankful for your continued prayers for Nick and the constant support that you give us.  It is greatly appreciated!!
     God bless you all,     Guy and Debby
-9/4/2008 10:26:38 PM
Good evening to all,
     It's been interesting and a lot of work having Nick home.  We really would not want it any other way now.  We have a physical therapist working with Nick each week day.  What a blessing!  He has been helping Nick to stand up with support and has taught us how to safely do the same.  It is helping Nick strengthen his leg muscles and gain better balance.  Nick can now sit on the side of his bed or the couch and remain upright without help.  He needs help getting into position, but he can sit by himself and balance for a while.  It is all slow progress and it is exciting to see. 
     Nick does not get out of the house very much, but we are all going to a wedding this weekend.  Nick is very much looking forward to being there.  We are hoping to make even longer trips later this month.  Nick's voice is not very strong yet, but getting  better slowly.  At night we use a baby monitor in his room so he can call us when he needs help.  That seems to work very well.  The physical therapist has shown us how to range Nick's limbs and exercise him while he is in bed.  It helps to keep him loosened up.
     Nick is getting closer to being able to travel and give his testimony, although as his parents, we probably have more of a story to tell.  After all, Nick was asleep through three months of it and cannot remember the accident or that weekend at all (no surprise).  Nick is thankful that his life was spared and gives that glory to God.  It is precious to hear him pray about it.  God still has a plan for Nick and we are watching it unfold.  We pray that we remain willing instruments as a testimony to His grace and power.
     May God continue to bless each of you,    Guy and Debby
-8/27/2008 10:41:06 PM
Good evening to you all,
    Today is the 27th of the month, exactly seven months since Nick's accident.  It is great to have him home at last.  We are doing our best to get Nick on a regular (?) schedule.  His appetite is still on the weak side, making it necessary to continue the tube feeding through the night.  Nick is slowly gaining weight.  He even has a very small roll around the middle.
    We have had a physical therapist here at the house every day this week.  We are not sure how long that will keep up, but the therapist has high hopes for Nick's continued recovery. He is hopeful that in the next two weeks Nick may be able to use a walker.  That would be fantastic!  It sure is good to have someone knowledgeable to help in Nick's therapy.  We have been so blessed by the excellent therapy and help that Nick has received through out his recovery.  It seems like the right person is helping at the right time.  Nick has had excellent care through all his residency in the different care facilities.  Our eyes are very opened to how health care "works" and how hard each person has to work.  We have found some very incredible and caring people in all aspects of the health care industry.
    When we start feeling overwhelmed with the amount of care Nick needs, we remember back to the beginning and how far God has brought him.  Even though the progress seems slow, Nick is still recovering.  It really is in God's time.  Some people say the body is so wonderful in healing itself.  We think God is wonderful for saving Nick's life and healing him.  We thank God multiple times daily for what He has done.  Also, we can never forget the prayers, help and support that you all have given us.  Thank you is not enough.
    May God continue to bless each of you!   Guy and Debby
-8/22/2008 9:55:45 PM
Greetings to all,
    Nick is home at last!  What a blessing.  Do not go looking for him at St. Luke's.  We had quite a full house tonight for dinner and worship. Nick is very happy to be home and tomorrow we will be able to take him to church.  It is 9:30 pm and way past Nick's bedtime (and mine).  We are going to have a peaceful weekend and starting Monday, we will need to figure out Nick's schedule.  Now the rehab can start in earnest. 
    Nick's weight is up to @ 130 pounds now.  He still has the feeding tube into his stomach, but he eating more food on his own.  He has been hooked up at night to a feeding pump to boost his calories. 
    Nick is still working on his dexterity and strength in his hands and arms.  He is starting to slightly move his left leg now.  He is moving his right left fairly well now.  We will be working on his arms and legs now that he is home. 
    We are so thankful for what God has done for Nick.  There is still a ways to go, but we are happy  for what we have so far.  God is good!!!
Blessing to all of you,   Guy and Debby
-8/21/2008 12:14:18 AM
Good evening to you all,
    Nick is coming home!!! Yippee!!!  We can't tell you how much he (and we) have been looking forward to this.  Nick is being released to come home this Friday.  He is not walking yet and his arms and hands have limited movement and strength, but we will work on that at home.  We are still working out the details of his stay.  We are hoping to have some in-home therapy for him to keep his recovery progressing.  We are looking forward to a complete family again.  Also, we will be able to take Nick to church and other places, which will be therapy in itself.
    Nick is working on strengthening his limbs.  He is not able to stand alone, but with help he is working on it.  His desire to be able to walk is very strong, which works in his favor.  We are hoping that when he is walking again, we may be able to take him to different churches to give his testimony.  God truly worked miracles in Nick.  Looking back over the months we can see how God has worked and healed Nick slowly.  We may never know the reasons why God chose to heal Nick like He did, but we believe it gave us and others time to build our faith in Him.  We know God has used Nick's situation to touch other lives.  Never give up hope that God is working in your own life and using you to help someone else. 
    May God continue to bless each of you!!!     Guy and Debby
   
-8/17/2008 9:52:22 AM
Hello to all,
    We have been on this journey for almost seven months.  The support and encouragement from you all has helped us immensely.  It goes to show that no one should go through hard times alone.  It definitely made us more aware of the struggles that others go through and how to help them.  You have no idea how much we appreciate you all.
    Nick is recovering well from his hip and knee surgery.  On Friday, the doctor removed 73 staples from his left leg.  The physical therapist is using a tilt table to stand him up on his feet to get the feel again.  He cannot stand by himself yet, but maybe soon.  His arms movements are improving slowly.  He has moved his left leg a small amount and we encourage him to move it as much as he can.  Even though Nick is a bit discouraged about his left leg, it is improving and we are quick to point that out to him.  Nick is very concerned about his left leg.
    There has been some talk of Nick coming home next week.  Nick seems to believe that, but his doctor did not substantiate that rumor.  As long as Nick shows improvement, he can stay at St. Luke's for rehab.   Nick is anxious to come home (we are too), but as long as he can improve through therapy, we would like him to stick with it as long as possible. 
    God bless each of you as He is blessing Nick and our family!!!
    Guy and Debby
-8/13/2008 7:40:10 PM
Good evening to all,
    Many people have mentioned that they would like for us to post Melina's poem that she wrote in June. 

                                                    Miracle Boy

On January 27, 2008 my older brother was in a car accident.  The doctors told us he wouldn't make it.  Crying, about 50 friends and our family went into a side room and prayed.  It is June 11, 2008 and Nick is still alive!  He was in a coma for 3 months.  And is now out and talking.  We are now working on his walking and moving of limbs.  Thank you God!

Through many tears and much pain
Standing over where you had lain
We prayed for something to happen
Something to take away the change
We didn't know if you would make it
They said you couldn't take it
We knew your stubborn spirit
Could take the pain and bear it.
Several days had gone by
We prayed. God heard our cry
Several weeks had past
I believe you did last.
Now you're doing lots better
You made it through the shredder
Now you're on your way to recovery
To get life back to what it used to be.

I don't know what I would do
If you wouldn't have made it through
You work so hard in therapy
I'm so proud as you can see.
The day you can walk again
Many will have tears again
Tears of joy as you can see
For they told bad news of thee
God proved them wrong, in His own way
He showed them you, the miracle boy.


Melina Maniscalco  (age 14)

-8/9/2008 6:34:28 AM
Hello to all,
    Yesterday Nick turned 20.  We had a little celebration for him at St. Luke's.  When we moved him from his bed to his wheelchair we expected him to be in pain like before.  He did not holler in pain and made the transition very well.  Nick's knee is still sore from the operation, but his hip seems to be doing very well.  The therapist has had Nick standing in a frame to help him get the feel of balance and standing again.  We are praying that it will come back to him soon.
    Nick's medications were cut way back.  He mentioned that for the first time in months, he felt hungry and ate a good meal.  We feel his medications are like a two edged sword.  Without the medications, Nick has an appetite and is alert.  We have not seen a downside to the reduction in meds yet. 
    God bless you all and have a restful weekend.  Thank you again for your support in prayers and e-mails.
    Guy and Debby
   
-8/4/2008 10:51:57 PM
Hello to all,
    Nick is recovering from his hip and knee surgery at Sacred Heart still.  Sunday, Nick pretty much slept the whole day.  Today he slept very little and was much more alert.  The hospital backed off on some of his pain medications and he is doing great.  He ate a bit of food today for the first time since last Thursday afternoon.  His stomach was not keeping it down until this evening.  He is being tube fed again to try to get some nourishment into him through the night.
    Hopefully, Nick will be going back to St. Luke's Rehab in a few days.  He needs to be able to participate in therapy at least three hours a day.  We are hoping that he is there before Friday, which is Nick's 20th birthday.  He was born on 8/8/88 which makes it very easy to remember.  Maybe a birthday celebration is in order.
    The physical therapists at Sacred Heart have been sitting Nick up on the edge of his bed for a while each morning to get him accustomed to it.  It is not near as painful as it used to be. What a relief it is to get that bone growth off of his hip. 
    The hospital has not been giving Nick the usual drugs that he has been getting for the last few months.  We want to see how he does without them.  They may have been impeding progress.  Time will tell. 
    We are very thankful to God that the operation seems successful.  We know that God has healed Nick so far and we feel that He is not stopping now.  God has brought Nick back literally from the brink of death.  Praise God!!!
    Take care,   Guy and Debby
-8/2/2008 7:49:11 AM
Good morning to you all,
    Nick finally had his hip operation.  We had Nick to Sacred Heart Hospital on Friday morning at just a bit after 8:00 am for radiation on his hip (which they missed on Thursday), then directly to another floor for surgery.  We stayed with Nick through his prep, then saw him off to surgery at noon.  At about 2:00 the surgeon came to the waiting area to let us know the hip operation was done and he was concerned about Nick's left knee.  It had a fibrous growth that impeded his leg from straightening all the way out.  This was the best time to do the surgery, so with permission, he performed the knee surgery also.  We did not see Nick until after 6:00 pm when he was brought to his hospital room from recovery.  He was very groggy, but not in any pain, as he heavily sedated.  He is in room 432 for now. 
    The surgeon told us he removed a lot of bone growth from Nick's hip.  He was amazed at how much there was.  Nick is in a leg brace for a couple of days to give it a chance to start healing without bending.  The plan is for Nick to spend three days at Sacred Heart, then move back to St. Luke's for continued rehab.  Now the rehab will continue in earnest.
    Today is truly a day of rest.  Nick is not going to move around much today.  It will be nice to spend the day with Nick just resting and reading.  We are very thankful that God directed the hands of the surgeon.  Long ago we placed Nick in God's hands and are thankful that God has seen fit to continue to heal Nick.  It will be a great day when Nick starts walking again. 
    Thank you all again for your prayers in Nick's behalf. 
    God bless each of you!   Guy and Debby
-7/30/2008 10:16:04 PM
Hello to you all,
    Nick had a doctors appointment today to look at his hip before the operation on Friday.  Thursday, he will have radiation on his hip to prevent the bone growth from coming back.  If the schedule remains the same, Nick's operation will be at about 11:30 am on Friday morning.  We are praying that God will guide the surgeons hands for a successful operation.  Nick is looking forward to relief from the constant pain in his left hip.
    Nick is still very slow in eating.  It takes an hour to eat most of a garden burger, a bowl of fresh fruit and a cup of juice.  His throat does not hurt, but he is very slow in swallowing.  He is still fed at night through his feeding tube to keep his weight on.  He is right at 130 pounds.  At least he is not loosing weight. 
    Nick's arms are in casts again.  It is to help keep his arms and wrists in the correct positions.  The casts come off on Thursday, before his hip operation.  You know how bad you itch when you can't scratch.  That's Nick.  We have to scratch for him.  Today we were scratching his face and upper arms for him.  He will be very happy to get the casts off. 
    Last Saturday afternoon we took Nick to a sacred concert.  It was so good!!!  The group did a phenomenal job.  Nick really enjoyed it and the people that were there.  It was great therapy.  Melina (Nick's sister) had written a poem after the accident and it was read during the concert.  There were not many dry eyes in the church.  Even Nick was moved to tears.  It was very touching.
    Nick is doing very well mentally.  God has really blessed Nick with his mind and personality.  God is still working on the physical aspect.  Thank you all for your continued prayers for Nick's recovery.
    God bless each of you,  Guy and Debby
-7/25/2008 10:01:04 PM
Hello to you all,
    Nick has been moved back to St. Luke's Rehab from Sacred Heart Hospital.  His hip surgery has been rescheduled for Friday, August 1.  We sure are anxious for the surgery to be over.  Nick's hip has caused him a lot of pain and some of his pain medications really make him loopy.   We will sure be happy to wean him off of all the medications. 
    The last we checked, Nick weighed 130 pounds.  He is getting harder to lift in and out of his wheelchair.  We may just grease him up to slide him across the floor.  Nick just laughs when we tell him that.  Speaking of laughing, Nick's feet are so sensitive now that just applying lotion to his feet sends him into hysterics.  It's fun to watch.
    God has sure been good to us, much more than we deserve.  It is so precious  to hear Nick pray and thank God that he is still alive.  Although Nick can not remember the accident, he recognizes how close to death he came.  When Nick was in a coma we did not know what his state of mind would be when he came around.  He could very well have been a "vegetable".  We are so thankful that Nick's mind is working well.  Even his short term memory has greatly improved.  Thank you all again for keeping Nick in your prayers.  We appreciate it very much.
    God bless each of you,    Guy and Debby
-7/21/2008 10:48:48 PM
Good evening to you all,
    It is Monday evening and Nick is resting well at Sacred Heart Hospital.  His hip operation was canceled for Friday morning due to an infection that sent him to the emergency room on Thursday night.  In the past three days Nick has had an EEG, CT scans, blood drawn for cultures, urine samples for analysis.  All look normal, except for two things. The two things they came up with are mild dehydration and urinary tract infection.  They caused rapid pulse rate and a temperature.  Also, on Thursday Nick had a strange event(?) happen to him.  His left hand started to shake, then it moved up his arm to his neck and head.  His vision was affected and his left hand was weak for about 45 minutes.  Nick said it did not cause any pain at all and he seemed normal afterwards.
    Nick will be going back to St. Luke's Rehab tomorrow (Tuesday) if there is still room for him.  We don't think he wore out his welcome there.  His operation will be rescheduled for next week some time. 
    Nick has a bit better range of motion on his right arm.  He was able to touch the back of his head this morning with his right hand.  His left still has a ways to go, but we are all working on him to range it and move it more. 
    It seemed more than coincidental that something happened to Nick to prevent his operation.  We do not want to read any more into it, but we have been praying for God to guide in Nick's recovery.  All in due time.  Thank you for praying for Nick's recovery and healing.  We know that God hears our prayers.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-7/18/2008 3:50:19 AM
Good morning to all,
    Nick's operation is off temporarily.  It is 3:30am Friday morning and Nick has spent a considerable amount of time in the emergency room tonight at Sacred Heart Hospital.  The doctors are culturing his blood as I write this and Nick has been moved to a hospital room at Sacred Heart.  Nick had a fever and his blood pressure and pulse rate were not normal.  He seemed lethargic and not "with it".  Also, it seemed like he had a lot more pain than he normally had. The initial thought from the doctors is that he may have sepsis. The cause is unknown.
    We have been praying that God would guide the surgeons hands and that He would provide wisdom for Nick's doctor's and care providers.  God has led this far and He will continue to lead. It looks like this is not the time for Nick to be operated on.  We will update more later today.
God bless each of you!!!!   Guy and Debby
-7/17/2008 7:23:10 AM
Good morning to you all,
    Tomorrow at this time, Nick will be at Sacred Heart Hospital is preparation for his hip surgery. Surgery is scheduled for 10:00 am on Friday morning.  Please, keep Nick in your prayers.  Nick will remain at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane until Tuesday if all goes well.  He will then be moved back to St. Luke's Rehab.
    Nick has been gaining his weight back.  He is up to 130 pounds.  If he keeps this trend up, he will be up to 275 pounds by Christmas.  Nick's food is monitored and counted to see how much he eats.  He eats very little from his tray, so he is still fed by tube through the night.
    Last night Nick had an episode that really concerned us.  His left hand started to shake, then it moved up his arm to his neck and head.  Nick said it did not hurt, but it affected his vision and mobility of his left hand for about 45 minutes.  This is the second time we have observed this in Nick.  When it was over, Nick seemed to be back to the same as he has been.  The nurse on duty is in communication with his doctor to find out why this is happening.
    We are praying that God guides the surgeons hands tomorrow and that Nick finds relief from this operation. Thank you all for keeping Nick in your prayers.
    God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-7/14/2008 11:32:46 PM

Hello again,

Problem with the Link to the concert try:  http://nicksmile.com/Concert.aspx

Thanks

-7/14/2008 11:21:03 PM

Greetings to all,

Several of Nick's friends are planning a benefit concert on July 26.  For more info please go to:  http://nicksmile.com/Concert.aspx.  Or call Tiana Wood at 509-939-9410.

Hope to see you there.

-7/14/2008 11:19:13 PM

Greetings to all,

Several of Nick's friends are planning a benefit concert on July 26.  For more info please go to:  http://nicksmile.com/Concert.aspx.  Or call Tiana Wood at 509-939-9410.

Hope to see you there.

-7/14/2008 7:09:03 AM
Hello to all,
    Nick's recovery seems to be at a standstill right now.  We are anxious for Nick's hip operation to be done.  Nick is counting down the days to Friday.  He knows that this operation has to be done in order for him to be able to continue. 
    Right now Nick is doing well mentally, but physically he has a ways to go.  He is very slow in swallowing.  His arm movements are very slow.  It is difficult for Nick to reach and grasp. His right hand has better dexterity than his left, but his left is improving.  The strength in his arms has to be built up again.  He can move his right leg some, but his left leg is slow to respond.  The therapists are working with him on his balance while sitting.  It is a very slow process.  Nick is willing and trying hard to gain back what he lost. We are thankful that Nick has such a positive attitude through all this.
    We still pray that God will be able to reach someone through this whole ordeal.  We want to give glory to God for what He has done for Nick and our family.  We are thankful that Nick was not taken from us and that he is slowly improving.  We may look back at this in five years like it was just a bump in the road, but with a testimony that may touch others. 
    Keep the faith,   Guy and Debby
   
-7/10/2008 7:01:08 AM
Good morning to you all,
    After all this time that Nick has been having bad pain in his left hip, he is scheduled for hip surgery on Friday, July 18 in the morning.  He will have his operation at Sacred Heart Hospital at about 10:30 am, then will remain at Sacred Heart for three days if all goes well. We are praying that God will guide the hands of the surgeon and make this a successful operation. Also, we are praying that he does not get an infection is his hip. Nick is on pain medication most of the time and we would like to get him weaned off of them.  When Nick is healed up from this operation, the pain should be gone and he will be able to concentrate more on standing and possibly start taking steps.  All in due time.
    Nick is still practicing his swallowing.  It is hard to imagine that after years of eating, a person would have to relearn such simple things like swallowing.  Nick is swallowing, but it's slow.  That is why it takes an hour to an hour and a half to eat a meal.  It's improving slowly.  Nick's dexterity is improving slowly also.  He is able to use his fork to stick into his food and put it into his mouth.  It helps to have something solid (like pineapple chunks).  The other day he had spaghetti for dinner.  He would have starved to death before he would have been able to get that spaghetti on his fork and into his mouth.  Somethings are easier than others.
    Nick seems to be doing very mentally.  His short term memory is improving and he can carry on a good conversation.  He understands what has happened and what needs to happen.  He still maintains a positive attitude through it all.  We were very worried after the accident knowing that we might get back a vegetable or a completely different person.  We are relieved that Nick seems to have his same personality and wit that he had before the accident.
    We are very thankful for the grace that God has given us.  We praise God that He has seen fit to heal Nick and is continuing to do so.  This whole journey has certainly changed us, as well as others that pray for and follow Nick's progress.  If nothing else, this has proved that God can and will give us the strength to endure situations.  Not just for our family, but ALL of us.  Thank you again for your support through prayer and correspondence.  It is greatly appreciated!!
God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-7/6/2008 8:26:44 AM
Good morning to all,
    Just an update on how Nick is doing.  Mentally, Nick is doing very well. The physical part is still healing.  Nick currently is in casts on both arms from wrists to arm pits.  They were put on with the intent to keep his arms in the correct position.  The arm braces work good, but were not being applied often enough and were not as rigid.  Nick has to have the casts on for five days, so they should be removed on Monday. 
    We have a copy of the latest CT scan of Nick's left hip.  There are bone deposits on the front of his left hip that resemble popcorn, very jagged.  It's no wonder why his hip hurts him all the time, especially when he is moved to a sitting position.  We hope to find out this next week when the operation is to be scheduled.  When the operation is over, it will be a huge relief from the constant pain Nick has to endure. 
    Nick is practicing eating faster.  It typically takes him between 1 to 1 1/2 hours to eat a meal (way slower than he ever was before).  He is graded on the amount he consumes.  Because his consumption is still low, Nick has to be tube fed at night while he is sleeping.  We are still working on Nick eating faster and more food.  We like to take Nick outside by a waterfall and pool for his meals.  There are sparrows that like to fly in an eat crumbs, so we have been bringing a little bird seed to watch them eat.  Also, we have given names to a couple of them (they all look the same).  It helps break the monotony. 
    We pray that through Nick and his situation, that God will receive the credit He is due.  There is so much going on around us to make us wonder how bad things can get.  But on the other hand, we are so thankful that God still heals and comforts.  Thank you again for praying for Nick and his healing.  We don't know how we would have held up if it weren't for all of your support and prayers.  Thank you!!!
    God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-6/30/2008 8:18:42 PM
Good evening to all,
    We are going to have to be a bit more prompt with these updates.  It seems like very little has changed.  Nick is working hard at physical therapy to gain back his dexterity.  It is hard to watch him struggle with the rudimentary moves that we take for granted.  It would be so easy to do it for him or help him do it.  It's better to let him try first, then help him if he asks for help.  It's coming back slowly.  When you compare Nick with a month ago, he has changed quite a bit.
    We are still waiting to see about the hip operation.  Nick has a doctor's appointment tomorrow with the orthopedic surgeon, then maybe a date will be set for the operation.  Once he recovers from the operation, we believe it will allow Nick to accelerate his rehab.  The pain is very debilitating. 
    Nick does not get off the grounds hardly ever.  Tomorrow, he gets to come home for an hour or two for an assessment of our house.  We sure are ready for Nick to be home, but the therapy here is helping him.  It would be great for Nick to be walking when he comes home. 
    It has now been five months since Nick's accident.  We all prayed for God to save Nick's life.  God answered those prayers.  We all prayed for God to heal Nick. God has been answering those prayers also.  We would surely have missed many blessings if God would have healed Nick immediately.  We are not disappointed in what God has done.  It has been a process that has taught us patience and a commitment to believe that what God is doing is for our best.  Thank you all again for praying for Nick and hopefully your faith is being strengthened through the miracles that you can see God performing for Nick.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby

PS- There are some new pictures in the gallery with more coming.
-6/25/2008 6:52:22 AM
Greetings to all,
    Yesterday, late in the day, Nick had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to check his left hip.  After reviewing the CT scan, the surgeon let us know that Nick's brain has been telling his body to grow bone on his pelvis at the hip socket.  It will take an extensive surgery to remove the bone growth.  Also, the hip would need to be treated with radiation to stop any more bone growth.  As of right now,the surgery has not been scheduled.
    Nick is moving his arms a bit better lately.  He has to concentrate to move them where he wants them.  He has to think about opening his hands and maneuvering them to grasp or touch things.  He still cannot extend his arms fully, but it is slowly improving.  He can move his right leg in and out fairly well while sitting.  He has been moving his left leg minimally, although on Monday Nick showed that he could move his left leg out at will about 10 inches while sitting.  He asked for help to pull it back in.  Each time he does something "new", we tell him how he is doing and encourage him to keep doing it.  He is slowly gaining his mobility back.
    Nick still has a feeding tube in place and it is used for a nightly feeding as a supplement.  He is eating food now, but has to be helped.  He is still eating mostly softer foods (pasta, steamed vegetables, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, etc), but has been able to drink regular water and juices without having them thickened.  He is now taking his medications orally which is an improvement.  As soon as Nick is able to maintain his weight by taking everything orally, the feeding tube will be removed.  The feeding tube is preventing Nick from rehab in the swimming pool, so this gives him some incentive to eat better.
    We are praying for God to give us and the doctors wisdom regarding the situation with Nick's hip.  It's not just a straight forward operation.  God has been so good to us.  In looking back over the last five months, God has lead us through an experience that we would never have asked for.  We prayed from the start that whatever happened to Nick, we would accept. We want to place our trust and will in God's hands.  It has been tough at times without knowing what was going to happen, but God has given us strength.  God has touched people through Nick's recovery that could not otherwise be touched.  There is power in prayer!  Please, keep Nick in your prayers.  Also, the people that come in contact with Nick.  We pray for Nick's continued recovery and that people recognize that it a direct gift from God.
    Take care and God bless you,   Guy and Debby
-6/20/2008 7:18:58 PM
Hello to you all,
    It is Friday afternoon and Nick is in his room with the shades drawn due to a bad headache.  Even though Nick sustained a bad head injury, this is his first bad headache since the accident.  He doesn't even feel like going outside which is usually the highlight of his day. 
    Nick will have a CT scan on his left hip before his doctors appointment next Tuesday.  We are hopeful that something will be done on his hip soon to relieve the pain, even if it requires an operation.  We are hoping that once the problem in his hip is resolved, he will be able to stand and walk soon.
    Nick's dexterity is slowly improving.  We have him try to move and grasp with his left hand.  We encourage him to move his arms and legs as much as he can.  He can touch his face with both hands, although his right is definitely working better.  He can move his left leg slightly now. 
    Nick has been at St. Luke's Rehab for almost a month now.  By the end of next week, Nick will have been in hospitals for five full months.  The time has gone by fast and slow.  Nick is really looking forward to coming home for good and it would be great to have him home.  The rehab is doing Nick a world of good. 
    God has been so good to us.  We certainly appreciate the healing and recovery that God has given Nick.  We feel that God is not done with Nick's healing.  God is still using Nick to touch lives of people he comes in contact with.  We have stories to tell that prove it.  Please, continue to keep Nick in your prayers.
    Thank you and God bless each of you!    Guy and Debby
-6/16/2008 11:19:43 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Nick is not yet able to send his own updates.  His arm and leg movements are still limited.  His right leg is moving OK, but his left is still lagging behind.  He is scheduled for an MRI this week to aid the doctor in knowing what to do on Nick's left hip.  We cannot tell how the Botox is helping right now, but the doctor did say that it may take up to a week to be able to see the difference. 
    This afternoon, we had Nick pull himself along an overhead pipe in a kids playground.  He pulled himself the entire length of about 10 feet while sitting in his wheelchair.  It was slow going and we may start timing him to see if there is improvement.  He is showing just a bit more dexterity.  
    Nick's short-term memory is improving.  We asked him questions about events over a month ago and he remembered some of the details that he could not remember before.  Strange how the mind works. He also has his wit, which is a relief.  His answers to questions show a definite thought process. 
    We are still praying for Nick's mobility and dexterity.  It is slowly improving.  Still, we are very thankful for the healing God has provided.  Compared to three months ago, Nick has improved tremendously.  We look forward to the next three months.  Hopefully, Nick will be walking by then, God willing. 
    God bless each of you,    Guy and Debby
-6/13/2008 10:29:53 PM
Dear Friends and Family,
    Nick's improvements are slowing down.  Today he received a series of Botox shots to relax some of his tight muscles and allow the opposite muscles to work better.  He also had his vision checked today as there was some concern about that.  He has 20/20 vision and seems to be fine in that area.
    The nursing staff are trying to wean Nick off of his feeding tube.  In order to do that, he needs to be able to eat all the nutrients he will need and be able to swallow his medications, some of which are some fairly large pills.  They tried grinding up some pills today and hiding them in his butterscotch pudding.  It went over like a lead balloon. 
    Nick's left hip is still painful and he is looking forward to his doctors appointment in two weeks to see what is going to be done about it.  For physical therapy, Nick is standing up (with help) in a special frame.  It hurts his knees and back, but he wants to get better, so he is doing his best to do what he is asked. 
    We really are blessed to have Nick.  It warms our hearts to hear Nick in prayer, thanking God for his life.  Nick has been told what happened and he knows how bad the accident was.  He thanks God that he is still alive.  God has truly performed miracles for Nick.  We know that yours prayers on Nick's behalf have helped and we hope you don't stop.  We praise God for what He has already done and look forward to more.
    Take care and God bless each of you,    Guy and Debby
-6/9/2008 10:36:18 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Nick had a great time last Sunday.  He went to Upper Columbia Academy for the graduation program and got  to sit right on the front row where he could have a good view of everything.  He was even given a special tribute and a flower bouquet.  It was a big surprise and it was very touching.  Nick had a great time talking to friends and classmates, teachers, parents, staff, etc.  It was extremely good for Nick to be there.  Halfway through the program we asked Nick if he wanted to go out and he said definitely NOT!  That is one memory that will not escape Nick's short term memory.  On Monday, the nurse said that Nick had slept all night without waking.
    Nick is eating more foods that are not pureed.  The staff at St. Luke's are trying Nick out on regular water (not thickened) and juices.  Until now, all liquids have been thickened so he can swallow them without aspirating.  Slow improvements. 
    Nick spends at least three hours a day in therapy.  Often they have him stand in a rack to help him gain his balance back.  Today he remembered being in the rack for 13 minutes.  He says it hurts his legs and back to stand in the rack, but he is able to do it for longer periods of time now.  His mobility in his arms is getting just a bit better.  He can scratch his face when he has an itch.
    Thank you again for keeping Nick in your prayers.  He still needs them!
    God bless you all,    Guy and Debby
-6/6/2008 6:48:02 AM
Hello to all,
    Nick is doing well at St. Luke's Rehab.  It is not easy to see the progress when you are next to it daily, but different visitors point out the changes they have seen.  Nick is using his hands to grasp the arms of his wheel chair and pull himself forward in the chair.  He has to make slow, deliberate moves and can do one hand at a time.  It's not easy and takes several tries to get his hands to cooperate.  He is more aware of what his legs are doing.
    Nick has been eating three small meals a day, mostly pureed or soft foods.  He has been introduced to more solid food like steamed vegetables, sliced peaches, etc.  He usually eats about 6 ounces and claims he is stuffed.  He has been complaining that everything tastes gross.  Last night, Nick had tortellini's and not only ate them all, but really liked them.  Maybe his taste buds are coming around.  His weight has been a concern for months and now it looks like he is gaining some weight back.
    Nick's short term memory is improving, but still not all the way back yet.  Especially late in the day when he is tired.  Nick seems to be even more alert during the day now.  He can carry on a fairly good conversation. 
    Nick has an appointment in less than three weeks with a specialist to check his hip.  At least there is progress in repairing the hip.  Part of Nick's therapy is standing him up in a frame to help him get the feel of standing again.  He needs to strengthen his muscles to stand and gain his balance back again.  The pain in his hip is a detriment to that part of his rehab.  It may require an operation to remove a bone growth that his brain stimulated.  We will find out soon.   
    We are praying that God will give Nick his mobility back.  God has brought him back so far already.  We were told at the beginning of this journey that even if Nick lived, he stood a very high chance of being a "vegetable".  God has preserved Nick and he is definitely not a "vegetable".  His long term memories, his intellect, his personality are intact and we praise God for that.  We see the gradual progress and healing that God is providing and we are very thankful.  We are also thankful for the huge amount of support and prayers that you all have provided.  We can not ever thank you enough.
    Thank you all and may God richly bless you!!!     Guy and Debby
-6/1/2008 10:32:42 PM
Greetings to all,
    Nick's progress is slow, but steady.  He has had a lot of visitors checking up on him lately.  Nick's short term memory seems to be improving slightly.  He can remember people that visited him in the morning, but can't seem to remember ones that just left.  We are happy he remembers us!
    After talking to his doctor, we may be able to obtain a day pass for next Sunday morning.  Nick may just be at graduation at Upper Columbia Academy on Sunday morning.  We think it will give him a boost to be around more people he knows. 
    The doctor feels that due to Nick's posturing, he may be a good candidate for Botox shots in the muscles that remain tight and are slowing down progress in physical therapy.  There is also talk of an operation in his future to remove the bone growth that is causing the pain in his left hip.  There may be alternatives that could be a better choice. 
    Nick is able to move his right arm some.  He is able to move his left, but not as well yet.  He is able to move his right leg slowly. His left is going to need more time, but it is starting to come back.  Nick is not able to stand without his leg braces on and the aid of a standing rack.  He is working on his arm strength also.  He can sit on the edge of the bed with a bit of help.  His balance is still very shaky.  Nick spends between three and four hours a day in different therapies.  He is pretty tuckered out by 8:00 pm. and ready for bed.  He still maintains a very positive attitude and the nurses and therapists really like working with him.  He's a great kid!!!
    We are praying that God will restore Nick's mobility and heal his hip.  God has been so good to Nick (and us) that it hardly seems fair to ask for more, but we feel that God is still working on Nick.  We are happy to have Nick restored to this point and look forward to seeing the miracles continue.  Praise God for His grace!
    God bless each of you!!!   Guy and Debby
-5/26/2008 10:01:32 PM
Hello to all,
     Nick is now settled in at St. Luke's Rehab. in Spokane.  We are not allowed to take Nick home on the weekends, which is bitter sweet.  He is in a great facility and the therapy there is top notch.  We miss having him home on the weekends.
     Nick's short term memory is improving slowly.  While he could not remember a person that just visited him, he could remember the person that visited him a few hours previous. Also, he could remember what we read in the Bible for worship the night before. 
     Nick's hip is still causing him a lot of pain and test results have proven that bone has grown where it should not have in his left hip.  It is not yet decided what to do to, but ultimately an operation may be in the future to remove the bone growth that is causing the pain.
     Nick's spirits are better.  He was depressed that his left leg did not work.  In the last few days, he has moved his left foot and leg for the physical therapist.  The therapist told Nick that he did not want to hear him say that his left leg would not work, because it IS!  Little by little, more functions are coming back on line.
     Part of Nick's speech therapy is to eat and swallow.  So far every thing he gets is pureed or thickened.  We can't tell the difference between mashed potatoes and coliflower and pasta - it's all the same consistency and looks the same.  Nick's taste buds have not been used in a while and are a bit out of whack. He says that everything tastes gross. Even dessert.  (Maybe he likes squash now!!).
     Nick's recovery has truly been an act of God.  Even though Nick is a long way from a full recovery, God has performed numberous miracles on his behalf.  All we can say is thank you and to God be the glory.  Our own faith has been strenghtened through this whole ordeal.  Your prayers are still greatly appreciated.
     God bless each and everyone of you!!!      Guy and Debby
-5/20/2008 8:20:31 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Nick has a new address as of today. Yes, it finally happened.  He was transferred to St. Luke's Rehab this morning.  The address is: 711 S. Cowley St.  Spokane, Wa.  99202-1330.  The main phone number is 509-473-6289.  He is in room 239.  It is located south of I-90 and west of Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane.  We thought that the therapists might just let Nick settle in today and interview him to see where to start.  Wrong!  They all started in on Nick today.  It looks like he will have at least three hours of therapy a day, maybe more.  No days off to go home.  We cannot interrupt Nick while he is in therapy.  He will have a different schedule each day.  The schedule is posted on his wing each day.  There are no set visiting hours, so it is a good idea to call in advance to see when Nick will be in therapy.
    Nick now weighs 113 pounds and hopefully will continue to gain weight.  He laughed when we told him he was getting too fat. He still has his humor.  He is able to eat more food now, but the feeding tube will stay in for night feedings.  He says the vegetarian food they give him tastes bad.  That may improve.
    We feel blessed that Nick has recovered this far and that he finally made it St. Luke's Rehab where the rehabilitation will begin in earnest.  God is still restoring Nick a bit at a time.  It is awesome to watch a miracle in the making.  We are very thankful that God has seen fit to continue healing Nick. 
    Take care,  Guy and Debby
-5/18/2008 9:41:25 PM
Greetings to all,
    It has been a long week and this update is long overdue.  It is Sunday evening and Nick has been home this weekend.  The highlight of his weekend was talking to over 750 Pathfinders at the Fair.  Answered prayer was the topic and Nick is a prime example of that.  Nick was very emotional after that phone call (not to mention us parents).  We shed more than one tear, mostly for joy for what God has done for us all.
    The main reason Nick is not at St. Luke's Rehab yet is that they are dealing with Norwalk's virus.  They will not accept new patients until they are sure the virus is gone.  It looks like Nick will stay put for a few more days at Ivy Court.  That's a good thing!
    Nick's mobility is very limited.  He can touch his face with his right hand and he can feed himself slowly with help.  His left is limited to moving up and down only.  On Thursday I asked Nick to touch my face.  He was able to slowly lift his arm, reach out a bit and touched my face with his right thumb.  It doesn't sound like much, but I was pretty excited. He is slowly improving.   Even though he has commented that his left leg does not work, Nick has moved his left foot several times in the last week.  He can jerk it away when his foot is tickled, but it hurts his left hip.  He is moving his right leg up and down quite a bit.
    Nick's short term memory is improving more.  He can remember parts of conversations from a couple days ago.  He still has a hard time remembering what he had for breakfast (it must not be very impressive).  His long term memory is very good.
    Over this past weekend, we were reminded by many people that prayers are still going up for Nick daily.  We are so thankful that you keep Nick in mind and pray for him.  All we can say is, to God be the glory.  This is His miracle, not ours.  It still is all about God.  We keep putting our trust in Him and watching how he works to heal our son. 
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-5/11/2008 10:18:57 PM
Family and friends,
    It was a joy to have Nick home for the weekend.  Nick surprised many by attending his first church service in three and a half months at the Hayden Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church.  It was great!!!  He really enjoyed being in the familiar surroundings and seeing people he has not seen in months.  We have been bringing Nick home for the weekends for the last four weeks and it seems to help him to be at home.  He is more relaxed at home.  Nick loves visitors and has really been enjoying people stopping by to say hi and talk about old times (how can a 19 year old have old times?).  It is hard to express the joy when we heard Nick pray again.
    Nick's left hip is still causing him a great deal of pain.  We are very hopeful that he will be transfered to St. Luke's Rehab early this week.  We are also hoping that they will be more interested in finding out why Nick's hip is hurting him so bad.  Nick is trying so hard to make things work.  He is very concerned about his left leg not being able to move.  We have told him that he moved his left leg while he was at St. Mary's Hospital in Walla Walla and that his left leg will work again.  Today he moved his left foot just a bit.  We let him know that he moved his left foot and it seemed to make him happy that it may be starting to come back.  He moves his right limbs slowly and can use his right hand and arm to help feed and shave himself.  His left arm is moving, but not as much as the right (yet).
    Nick still retains his sense of humor.  We have seen him laugh very hard with his friends and family.  It sure is heart warming to see him laugh.  His short term memory seems to be improving slightly.  He can remember some of the things he did a day ago.
    Thank you again for keeping Nick in your prayers.  God has healed Nick thus far, but he has a long ways to go.  We are confident that God is not done healing Nick.  When we look at pictures of the accident and Nick in ICU, we marvel at how God has taken care of Nick and how far he has come.  We are very thankful that you all have been a huge support for us.  You will never know how much we appreciate you!
    God bless each of you!!!    Guy and Debby
-5/8/2008 9:52:25 PM
Hello to you all,
    Just a brief update on how Nick is doing.  Nick is talking pretty good now. We can understand most of what he is telling us.   His short term memory is not up to par yet.  He cannot remember what he had for breakfast (come to think of it, neither can I).  He cannot remember who stopped by to see him on the weekend.  We are reminding Nick of who has visited and who has signed his book.  He seems impressed, but his memory is still fuzzy.  His long term memory is quite a bit better.  We believe it is part of the stage he is in right now.  His lack of memory adds to his confusion. 
    Nick will remain at Ivy Court for a few more days.  We are hoping he can get into St. Luke's Rehabilitation some time next week.  We will be sure to post the move the day it occurs.  Nick is anxious to get better and is pushing hard in therapy.  He is getting a bit more limber with the stretching he is receiving. Nick cannot walk or use his arms yet. The physical therapist has commented on his good foot posture.  We were worried about foot drop and have worked to keep his feet in the correct position. 
    Nick's left hip is still causing him much pain.  We would really like to know a definite reason for the pain.  We barely move his left leg and Nick is wincing in pain. 
    God has performed miracles in Nick's recovery and we are waiting to see what He will do next.  We truly have a gracious God!
    God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-5/4/2008 10:19:05 PM
Greetings to all,
    Nick spent this last weekend at home again.  He says that he would rather be at home than at Ivy Court.  The therapy at Ivy Court is doing him a lot of good and we want Nick to have the best shot at recovery, so he goes back on Monday morning.  We have heard that St. Luke's Rehab in Spokane would really help Nick in his recovery, but any patient they admit must meet a standard so that they are not trying to rehab a person prematurely.  Last week St. Luke's sent a person over to evaluate Nick to see if he meets the parameters.  They were surprised to see how far Nick had recovered and are ready to admit him into their rehab program.  Nick may be transfered to St. Luke's Rehab as early as Monday, May 5th. 
    We talked to Nick about transferring to St. Luke's Rehab and he is a bit nervous about the unknown.  We told him that St. Luke's would work him harder and longer.  That did not help.  We told him they might have a swimming pool and that perked him up a bit.  We do not know how long Nick would stay at this facility.  We have heard from four to eight weeks is a "normal" stay. 
    Nick is able to talk fairly well now.  We can understand him most of the time, until he gets tired and starts mumbling.  Now that he can communicate his needs, we are busier than ever.  Sometimes he is too hot, then too cold.  His left leg still bothers him a lot and he is able to tell us about that too.  It is great to hear him talk again and we are able to see a bit of the old Nick.  He still has his sense of humor and has a great time talking with his visitors. 
    Nick is eating a bit more real food.  He is also drinking more water and swallowing pretty well now.  He tires of the taste of food very quickly and eats little.  We have not weighed him in past few days so we don't know if he is still gaining pounds. 
    Nick still does not have the use of his arms and legs.  He can move them some, but not near enough to help him.  We are praying that God will restore the functions of his limbs.  God has been great to us.  He has healed Nick to this point and we are hopeful that He continues to heal Nick and bring him back to us whole some day.  You can imagine how thankful we are to have Nick talking again and improving steadily.  Thank God for the grace He shows us and the gifts He gives us.  It is huge!
    God bless each of you,   Guy and Debby
-5/1/2008 11:13:59 PM
Hello to all,
    Last Sunday marked the three month anniversary to Nick's accident.  Nick has come a long way since being admitted into the hospital.  From very little hope to a huge hope.  It was three months of not hearing Nick's voice.  It is wonderful to be able to hear him talk, even if it is slow and monotone.  We were talking and laughing so hard tonight that it reminded me of old times.  Nick is usually very upbeat (those of you who know him would agree), but he is now feeling like he is useless and broken.  He doesn't understand how much he means to us. We tell him how far God has brought him since January and that He is not done mending him yet.  We tell Nick how much he means to us and that we are very excited to see how he is progressing.  He really responds to us telling him that we love him no matter what.  We tell him who has been writing and sending messages and he remembers them or knows their kids.  Your many messages and prayers are greatly appreciated.  Believe me, we read every single one of them.  We now have over 1000 e-mails on the computer that are Nick related.
    Nick has been eating some soft foods this week.  He definitely has an opinion as to what he likes (and does not like).  Last we checked, his weight had gone up from 108 to 110 pounds.  We are praying the trend continues.  He is still being tube fed, but training to eat.  We are praying that soon the feed tube will be removed.  Right now Nick has a very difficult time feeding himself.  He has a fancy angled spoon to make it easier to reach his mouth.  He probably burns up the calories he is taking in just to get the food to his mouth.  Mobility is a struggle.  Nick's right arm is his best and it's not very mobile.  He is moving and struggling with his arms all the time.  He is moving his right leg up and down, but he has said many times "My left leg won't work".  He is discouraged about that.  We keep telling him that it will come back and Lord willing, it will.
    The therapists are really helping Nick.  They are way underpaid.  They know just how to get Nick to try new things and stretch himself to the limit.  After a session with the therapists, Nick is ready for a nap to recuperate.  He gets out every day in the wheel chair for fresh air and sun. 
    Thank you all again for your wonderful support and prayers.  We are truly blessed, not only by God, but by your thoughtful messages and prayers.  You don't know how much that means to us!!!
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-4/28/2008 9:51:21 PM
Greetings to you all,
    We are very excited that Nick is now talking.  It really started this past Friday.  It is not very fast and sometimes it is garbled (especially when he is tired), but we can now communicate with Nick. He is not ready to travel and give his testimony  - yet.   He has talked to many who have stopped by to visit him.  This is a huge step for us!!!  We had Nick home for the weekend again and he was able to tell us that his upper legs hurt at times and his left hip hurts badly when we move him.  We have a lot to talk about!  I think we are way more excited than Nick is.  It brought me to tears when I told him I loved him and he said "thank you".  He is expressing his fears and sometimes cannot be comforted.  We know this is one of the stages that he has to go through - confusion and fear.  We are praying that Nick progresses through this stage quickly.
    Nick ate food today for the first time in three months.  He had mashed potatoes, pureed peas, orange juice, a bit of ice cream.  He did not eat much, but it is a start.  For breakfast, Nick is going to have Cream o' Wheat.   Nick even had a chance to feed himself using a spoon.  It is very slow, but it's coming back. 
    On Sunday, we shaved Nick's face.  We asked him first if that is what he wanted and he said "yes".  After shaving off the bulk of the beard, we held up all the hair in a ball and asked if he wanted to keep his beard.  He just laughed.  It's good to see some of the old Nick personality shine through. 
    Nick seems to have great longterm memory.  He told us our home phone number from memory.  He recognizes people from pictures and calls them by name.  He recalls events that happened before the accident. His short term memory is a bit shaky.  He can read, but he gets very frustrated because his hands do not work well enough to write. We keep telling Nick that it will all come back in time and that he is doing great right now.
    God truly is working miracles in Nick right now.  Some of you have been witnesses to this.  We are praying for God to continue healing Nick's brain and his left hip.  We are praying for God's comfort to Nick while he is going through this time of confusion and fear.
    Thank you for continuing to hold Nick before God in prayer. 
    God bless you all,  Guy and Debby
-4/25/2008 10:52:30 PM
Hello to our family and extended family,
    In the last few days Nick seems to have done a lot.  He has started to talk a bit, but it is difficult to understand what he is saying most of the time.  He has at times said little phrases very clearly.  When shown pictures of people, Nick can say their names.  When his voice fades away, he nods or shakes his head for "yes" and "no".  He was laughing with some visitors on Thursday evening.  Being able to communicate will certainly be a big help for all of us.
    One of Nick's therapists has been working with Nick to have him pick up a certain colored peg with one hand, transfer it to the other hand, then put it in a container.  Nick is doing well with therapy.  If he keeps progressing the way he is, Nick will be able to go St. Luke's Rehab Hospital soon. 
    In the meantime, we are still considering keeping Nick at home and we are going to bring him home this weekend too.  It is a lot of work for the two of us to take care of him all day and night.  We think Nick is calmer at home.  When Medicaid kicks in we should be able to hire some help at home.  We are still trying to decide what would be best for Nick.
    Nick showed his agitation again this week.  He tried to bite his sister and his brother.  It is very frustrating to be able to understand what is going on, but not able to participate. 
    God has been so good to us.  Nick is making progress daily.  Nick still has a long ways to go, but God has been faithful in healing  him.   We are so thankful to be witnesses in the healing power of God.  We are looking forward to a peaceful Sabbath day with Nick.
    God bless each and every one of you!!!   Guy and Debby
-4/22/2008 11:09:09 PM
Good evening to you all,
    Nick is moving into the next stage of recovery. The stage we are not looking forward to.  He is getting a bit aggressive when he is agitated.  Matt, his older brother, was teasing Nick on Monday and Nick tried to bite him.  Today Melina agitated him and almost got bit.  We had to break him of biting when he was two.  Here we go again. 
    Nick came home early on Saturday morning and did not go back to Ivy Court until Monday morning for therapy.  It was a lot of work and little sleep.  Nick seemed to be calmer at home while he was there.  We may start bringing Nick home for the weekends.  We think being home helped him. 
    Today the speech therapist got Nick to say "flower" and "Bible".  Nick does not repeat the words much, but the speech therapist is working on Nick to speak up and annunciate his words better.  Nick is able to spit things out of his mouth at will now.  We are praying that Nick will be able to communicate better soon.  It would sure help lower Nicks stress level by being understood. 
    Nick has been working on moving his right leg up and down.  He does move his left leg a bit, but not as much as the right.  He is moving his arms up and down slowly.  We asked Nick to push a large button to open the door and he tried very hard to get his arm high enough to get to the button.  We had to help him push the button, but we were impressed how far he got on his own.  In physical therapy he was asked to pick up a certain colored block and he was able to do it.  Over the weekend, Nick was picking up a "hackey sack" and lifting it up and putting it into his mouth.  Then he would look around with the hackey sack hanging out of his mouth to make sure we noticed.
    Nick is slowly progressing for which we are very grateful.  God has been very good to us and Nick.  We are thankful we are not in this alone, but have such a huge amount of support from all of you.  We have been asking God to heal Nick and He is answering our prayers over time.  For that we are very thankful.
    God bless you all,     Guy and Debby
-4/19/2008 9:37:36 PM
Greetings to all,
    We are praising God that Nick is still improving.  He seems to be entering the agitation stage, which we understand is one of the stages in the healing process.  On Thursday night, while talking to Nick, he found something funny and gave a little laugh.  Since then Nick has laughed at the appropriate time in conversations.  He also gets worked up when things happen to him that make him anxious.  
    We picked Nick up from the nursing home early this morning to bring him home for the day.  It has worked out very well.  We still have him here at home and he will spend the night here.  When we had worship this evening, Nick seemed to be singing (or humming) while we were singing.  He was moving his lips to the songs.  He really seemed to be participating in the song service.  Nick  is "verbalizing" a lot more.   It may not be intelligible, but he is trying hard.  Debby thinks she heard him say "Mom" yesterday.  It's hard to tell, but we think he said little phrases also.
    Tonight may be the night for Nick to get a trim on his beard.  It is getting too bushy and long. 
    Another praise that we have is that on Friday we got word from Social Security that Nick has been approved and benefits will be retroactive.  This is a huge deal for us.  We were so concerned that we were just starting a very long process to get Nick approved for benefits.  It has been right at one month.  Medicaid is right behind and we are hoping it too will kick in soon.  This will be a huge help.  It also gives us more options for Nick's care now.
    It seems like Nick is right on the verge of being able to communicate and we are praying that God will give Nick the ability to talk soon.  Also, we are praying that God will give Nick more mobility in his limbs.  We are excited to see God healing Nick each day.  Truly we are blessed!!!
    Thank you all again so much for keeping Nick in your prayers.  That is still the most important thing to us.
    God bless each and every one of you!   Guy and Debby
-4/16/2008 10:34:21 PM
Hello to you all,
    Nick is making a bit more progress in the past few days.  He is definitely making more noise.  He is making the "M" sound a lot and varying the tone up and down.  Although it is not very intelligible, Nick has said a few words in the past three days.  Yesterday he said "wow" and "wowee" for the speech therapist.  He also made some noise that sounded like "I don't want to".  The "M" and "N" sounds are apparently the easiest to make, thus the first sounds coming out.  We are praying this continues and that Nick will soon be able to communicate with us.  When asked a yes or no question, Nick has been nodding or shaking his head, but it is very confusing when he keeps doing both. 
    Nick had about three tablespoons of yogurt yesterday.  He is doing better on his chewing and swallowing.  When the speech therapist was working with Nick, they asked Nick to spit out what was in his mouth.  He was able to spit it out, which shows another set skills.  It doesn't seem like much, but all these are common functions that Nick has to relearn.
    Nick is also moving his legs more and in the wheelchair he is pushing himself forward and backward.  He is sure struggling to get back what he lost.  It is great to see how God is working with Nick and healing him.  We are praying for Nick to regain his speech and to put on more weight (he is down to 108 pounds now).  He has a long ways to recover, but God has been steadily working miracles in Nick's life.  It is awesome to see Nick do a little bit more each day. 
    Thank you all very much for remembering Nick in your prayers.  It is greatly appreciated.
    God bless you!!!!      Guy and Debby
-4/13/2008 9:41:25 AM
Greetings to you all,
    Just a quick update on Nick.  His progress is slow, but he is definitely putting forth a huge effort to come back.  Nick is moving both of his legs in an effort to move his wheelchair, both forward and backward.  He is moving his arms more and bringing his right hand up to his face on occasion.  He is moving his right leg very high up on his own now.  When we ask Nick a yes or no question he sometimes responds with a nod or shake of the head.  It's not always consistent, so it's still a guess whether or not he meant it.
    Nick is making more noise now.  He cannot verbalize, but he does have a sort of groan.  What's funny is that we can recognize Nick's voice in that groan.  It sound's like Nick's old voice just a bit.
    Nick enjoys chewing on ice chips.  We have to make sure his body is in the correct position so he can swallow more effectively.  We also have to make sure he swallows.  One ice chip at a time.  He is taking the ice chips better now, with less fear of getting our fingers bit off.
    Last Thursday, a men's quartet came and sang old hymns in the dining area.  We got Nick out of bed and into his wheel chair as quick as we could.  When we got Nick down to the dining area, the quartet started singing their last hymn.   Timing is everything!   Nick really enjoys getting around in the wheel chair, especially outside.  We bundle him up and take him around the block.  He looks around quite a bit, but sometimes falls asleep on the ride. 
    Nick seems to stop and listen when people are talking to him.  He tries to look at the source of the voice.  When we talk close to his face, he looks at us and listens intently. 
    We give God the glory for what He has done for Nick.  God can and is healing Nick.  We look forward to the day when Nick will be able to stand and talk and give his own testimony for what God has done for him. 
    Praise be to God!!!!!     Guy and Debby
-4/9/2008 10:18:22 PM
Good evening friends and family,
     There is a bit of new news on Nick.  Nick seems to be very attentive and awake, but still unable to properly respond.  He is trying very hard to put things together.  He is tracking pretty well with his eyes now.  His vision seems to have improved also.
     Yesterday, Debby put a toothbrush in Nick's hand and he lifted it to his mouth (good sign).  In the past few days he has been given a thick juice in a cup with a straw, which Nick was able to suck in through the straw and swallow.  The speech therapist was watching Nick very closely to make sure he did not aspirate any liquids.  Nick did very well with that.
     Today, Nick was asked to push himself backward in his wheelchair.  He was able to slowly use his legs and push himself back.  Then he pulled himself forward a few steps.  He seems to be starting to put it together.
     Nick has been making more noise the past few days.  He sounds like a "Wookie" (if you know what that is).  He has been make noises in his throat and trying to change the tone some.  He really makes noise when we move his left leg and it is hurting him. 
     God has been good to Nick and us.  We are so grateful that Nick is improving (even if it is slow).  Again, we appreciate so much the notes and letters of support that you all have been sending.  Thank you very much for your continued prayers for Nick's recovery. 
     God bless all of you!!!!     Guy and Debby

-4/6/2008 9:07:46 AM
Good morning to you all,
    Each week Nick is slowly improving.  It is difficult to see the improvements when you see him daily.  Nick is getting his nourishment through a feeding tube, but is eating small ice chips regularly now.  He has to make it a deliberate action to swallow them.  Nick was asked to suck through a straw on Friday and he was able to suck up a thick juice and swallow it.  That is an improvement.  Also this week he started to make more deliberate sounds on occasion with his throat.  We think he even said, "Uh-huh", but it is not consistent yet.
    Nick seems to recognize peoples voices and sometimes looks directly at the person that is speaking.  We are sure he can hear and is struggling to respond.  We are still trying to come up with a sure way of communicating yes and no.  When asked a yes/no question, Nick sometimes nods his head forward or turns it to the side.  We are working on finding out if it is deliberate, because it seems very random right now.  It's a start!!!
    Nick is now at a Cognitive Level III.  He is awake on and off during the day and is making more movements.  He is reacting slowly and inconsistently and does recognize friends and family.  He is at the early stages of nodding his head in response to questions.  We are talking to Nick all the time telling him what we are doing in a regular tone and volume voice.  We are keeping the questions simple.  It's a slow process, but we are seeing a slow healing of Nick.  God has been so good to us.
    Through all of this, one of the things God has taught us is how important we are to each other.  It is definitely not the things in this life, but the people.  We are rich with friends.  Life truly is like a vapor.  Don't let an opportunity pass you by to tell your friends and family how much you love them.  Your support and prayers overwhelm us and you are much appreciated this family. 
    God bless each of you!!!!     Guy and Debby
-4/2/2008 10:38:15 PM
Greetings to you all,
    It sure is a slow process, but we can see some improvements in Nick.  In addition to holding his head up better, Nick is starting to use his back muscles to move also.  His arm movements seem a bit more deliberate, but he still is not able to squeeze anything in his hands on command.  When we talk to him, Nick seems to listen intently.  His eyes seem a bit more intense and focused.  We are still waiting for Nick to start responding positively when requested.  Nick is moving around more and we have to lower his bed at night and put a big pad down in case he falls out of bed again.  They cannot use bed railings to keep him in as it would violate some restraint law. 
    Today Nick was making sounds in his throat, sort of like grunting.  His sounds like he is trying to make different noises, maybe a start to verbal communication.  Like we did when Nick was two, we are encouraging him to make more noise and to try to talk.  Nick got to eat a little applesauce and yogurt yesterday.  He also pushed a flavored swab out of his mouth using his tongue.  That is a good sign that he is able to use his tongue to do that. 
    Nick winces with pain whenever his left leg is moved.  Something in his hip is causing the pain.  The therapists thought it could be the formation of bone in the joint or calcification in the muscles.  Others do not agree.  It may just need to worked more. 
    Yesterday, Nick's catheter was removed for good.  That is a bit of a relief, because it was the source of two bladder infections.  There are always trade offs and we are waiting to see what it will be.
    Nick came home for a short time on Monday.  Smudge, our black cat jumped up into Nick's lap and sat there and purred.  Nick looked at Smudge very intently.  Bandit, our blue healer sat in front of Nick wanting to play. She was disappointed that Nick could not play.  Nick got to see around the house before he headed back to Ivy Court.  He really payed attention to the drive back.  In two and a half weeks Nick is coming home. 
    God has been so good to us.  We hear of many other tragedies and thank God that we have it this good.  Nick is improving very slowly.  As we said before, whether God heals Nick now or a year from now, it will be no less of a miracle.  We are so thankful to still have Nick and that God is seeing fit to heal him.  Thank you so much for your continued prayers for Nick and his healing.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-3/31/2008 8:43:42 AM
Hello to all our family and extended family,
     Nick is settled in at Ivy Court and is into a routine now.  The therapy is doing him good.  Yesterday Nick got his weekly shower. Sunday seems to be the best day to clean him up.  Nick was weighed after his shower and it looks like he has gained slightly to 109.9 pounds.  We sure hope it stays on the upward trend.
     Nick is moving around more and we were notified that he wiggled out of bed yesterday morning and wound up on the floor.  Thankfully, he seems to be just fine.  One more thing to watch from Nick now. 
     Today, the therapy staff (with Debby) are bringing Nick to look our home over and make recommendations as to what needs to be done before Nick comes home permanently.  Nick comes home in three weeks.  We do have a nice hospital bed here for him already and are getting a list together of the other things we are going to need for Nick.
     Nick is moving his left arm down more deliberately now.  He also is using his back muscles more.  He is turning his head toward noises and voices more.  Slowly more things are coming back.  The speech therapist put a little maple frosting on Nick's upper lip to see if he would try to lick it.  He did not lick it, but his saliva glands started really working.  He can smell!!!  They tried different tastes on Nick to see how he would react. 
     We believe prayer has really helped Nick and our family.  God really has been good to us.  We know God has something good coming from all this.  We pray that we are the willing instruments that God can use to reach someone from all this.  We are looking forward to the day when Nick can give his testimony.
     Thank you all and God bless you,   Guy and Debby     
-3/28/2008 8:01:04 AM
Hello to you all,
    Nick is now settle into a routine at Ivy Court in Coeur d' Alene.  He is getting quite a bit of speech, physical and occupational therapy.  He seems to like to get out of bed and ride in a wheelchair.  Today when the physical therapist asked him to look at and focus on a big red ball, he looked around and found the ball and did a good job focusing on it.  Yesterday the speech therapist put a dab of maple frosting on his upper lip to see if he would try to lick it.  No lick, but he did start to salivate which shows his sense of smell is working.   Nick is moving his arms a bit more deliberately in a downward motion.  It's good to see him moving around a bit more.
    Nick was weighed tonight and he came in at 109.2 pounds.  We are hopeful that it is the start of an upward trend.  He is now up to about 3000 calories a day.   On most of us the weight gain would be significant.  Nick seems to burn a lot of it off.
    Nick seems to recognize visitors also.  He sometimes gets really worked up when people come in and talk to him.  It's like he is frustrated that he cannot respond to them and gets really agitated.  It takes a long time to get him calmed back down. 
    God is really watching out for us.  He has provided a nice hospital bed for Nick when he comes home.  We are gearing up now for the move home in less than a month.  Debby is learning how to administer the medications that he needs.  We are all learning about how to care for him.  It should be a smooth transition from the skilled nursing facility to home. 
    Thank you all for your prayers for Nick and our family.  You have all been such a wonderful support.  I hope you continue to keep Nick in your prayers for God's continued healing.  Nick still has a long was to go.
    Thank you so much!!!!!    Guy and Debby

-3/27/2008 9:03:45 PM
Hello to you all,
    Nick is now settle into a routine at Ivy Court in Coeur d' Alene.  He is getting quite a bit of speech, physical and occupational therapy.  He seems to like to get out of bed and ride in a wheelchair.  Today when the physical therapist asked him to look at and focus on a big red ball, he looked around and found the ball and did a good job focusing on it.  Yesterday the speech therapist put a dab of maple frosting on his upper lip to see if he would try to lick it.  No lick, but he did start to salivate which shows his sense of smell is working.   Nick is moving his arms a bit more deliberately in a downward motion.  It's good to see him moving around a bit more.
    Nick was weighed tonight and he came in at 109.2 pounds.  We are hopeful that it is the start of an upward trend.  He is now up to about 3000 calories a day.   On most of us the weight gain would significant.  Nick seems to burn a lot of it off.
    Nick seems to recognize visitors also.  He sometimes gets really worked up when people come in and talk to him.  It's like he is frustrated that he cannot respond to them and gets really agitated.  It takes a long time to get him calmed back down. 
    God is really watching out for us.  He has provided a nice hospital bed for Nick when he comes home.  We are gearing up now for the move home in less than a month.  Debby is learning how to administer the medications that he needs.  We are all learning about how to care for him.  It should be a smooth transition from the skilled nursing facility to home. 
    Thank you all for your prayers for Nick and our family.  You have all been such a wonderful support.  I hope you continue to keep Nick in your prayers for God's continued healing.  Nick still has a long was to go.
    Thank you so much!!!!!    Guy and Debby
   
-3/24/2008 10:33:31 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Today Nick was moved from North Idaho Advanced Care Hospital in Post Falls to Ivy Court, a skilled nursing facility in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.  It is about three blocks west of Kootenai Memorial Hospital in Cd'A.  The address is 2200 Ironwood Place, Coeur d' Alene, Id. 83814.  Nick is in room 7A.  Nick now has to share a room.  His roommate is Matt (not his brother).  Nick has the bed right by the window so he can see who is coming and going.  It is even closer to home than before.  The next move will be in 30 days and that move will be home.  We are  hoping that SSI will pull through in time to  put Nick in rehab at St. Lukes in Spokane when he is ready.  That may still be a couple months out. 
    Nick was really agitated tonight.  It looked like it could have been a pain in his digestive system.  His feeding has changed from the tube feeding to a bolus feeding where they pour his food right down a tube directly into his stomach.  That way Nick can get down the squash and stuff he didn't like before.  Right now Nick is fed four times a day.  At each feeding he gets two cans of Boost (like Ensure).  Now he is getting almost 3000 calories a day and we are hoping it helps keep some weight on. 
    Nick's first bed at this new facility was a bit on the short side.  He now has a nice long bed that he can stretch out in.  They do have him on an air mattress still to help prevent bed sores. 
    We gave Nick a shower at NIACH for Easter.  We don't know yet how to give him a shower at the new facility.
    Nick has not changed much in the past week.  He is holding his head up very well now.  As close as we can tell, his weight is 108 pounds and we are still struggling to get him to gain.  He really has not improved in the area of responding.  Another thing, he is fighting another bladder infection and is on antibiotics again.  Nick's hair is growing out a bit more and he is starting to look a bit like the old Nick. We may have to trim his beard pretty soon.
    Please, keep Nick in your prayers.  God is working on him, but he has such a long ways to go. 
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-3/21/2008 10:21:00 PM
Greetings to you all,
     There is not much to report that you have not already heard.  Progress is slow.  There has been some talk of giving Nick something to help him wake up.  On one hand it would be wonderful to have Nick wake.  On the other hand, what if Nick's brain is still healing and in the long run it has an adverse affect.
     Nick's stay at North Idaho Advanced Care Hospital is quickly coming to an end.  Monday morning Nick is to be moved to Ivy Court which is a skilled nursing facility (a convelescent hospital).  It is highly recommended for it's physical therapy program.  Nick will be there for one month.  After that, Nick may very well be coming home.  We are gearing up to take care of Nick at home. 
     Nick is still considered to be in a level two coma.  There are ten levels with level one being the asleep stage.  His eyes are open quite a bit, but we are not sure how well he can see.  He may have blurred or double vision.  He are sure he can hear.  He does respond occassionally to requests, but it is usually one time only and it is weak.  We are hoping that Nick will soon be able to give a good response each time we ask him a question.
     We are still praying that God sustains and heals Nick.  We believe that it is just a matter of time.  We are not sure if Nick will be 100%, but that is what we are praying for.  Meanwhile, we have decided not to stop the updates, but to spread them out a bit.  We are going to send out an update every three days and see how that works.  Some have advised us to send one update a week.  Maybe later we will do that.  Our next update will be on Monday. 
     We can never thank you enough for praying for Nick and our family.  It means a lot to us.  We are constantly holding Nick up to God in prayer.  We appreciate your concern for Nick and your support .  
     God bless you,    Guy and Debby 
 
-3/19/2008 9:05:46 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Once again, Nick's progress is very slow.  There is not really anything new to report.  Tonight we had several  people here in the hospital train with one of the physical therapists.  She gave us about an hour and a half training session on how to range and stretch Nick. Also, how to transfer him to and from the wheelchair safely.  It was great to have the training from a skilled PT. 
    Nick is to be transfered out of this hospital on Monday morning.  It looks like he is going to be moved to Ivy Court Rest Home in Coeur d' Alene.  It is a rest home with a reputation for good therapy.  We will need to spend time with him there to help move him from side to side and watch over him.  We are working towards bringing Nick home in a month.  Hopefully, when he has healed more, we may be able to get him into St. Luke's Rehab hospital in Spokane for intensive physical therapy.  He is not yet ready for that.
    Nick seems to be a touch more responsive in little ways.  He can hear us talking and asking him to do things. He is tracking sounds a bit better and his eyes are tracking a little better as well.  It is improving so slowly that it is difficult to report anything new. 
    God is working His miracle in Nick.  We are trying our best to be patient and watch it all unfold.  Someday Nick will be able to share his incredible testimony with you.  God has been good to us.  Thank you for continuing to pray for Nick.  We believe that your prayers help sustain Nick.
    Thank you all and God bless you,    Guy and Debby
-3/18/2008 8:55:53 PM
Hello to all,
    Progress is very slow now, but that was somewhat expected.  Nick seems to vocalize with groans just a bit more.  His left hip is causing him much pain.  Whenever we move his left leg, Nick shows that he is in a lot of pain.  We are hoping that it can be treated soon to help relieve the pain.  We are learning more as we go.  Nick seems to be trying hard in physical therapy to do what he can when he is asked.  It would be great if he could tell us what is going on.  Hopefully he will be able to soon.
    One huge concern of ours right now is that Nick be given the best opportunity for rehab.  The therapists where Nick is right now are great.  They really know what is needed and how to work Nick.  It would be wonderful if Nick could stay there longer, because the therapy seems to be helping a lot.  We are concerned that if we bring Nick home now, he would not benefit from the level of care that he is receiving now.  The therapy that Nick receives now may make a huge difference in his recovery.
    Our troubles seem small compared to others we have heard.  The devil is working overtime now.  We try to understand why tragedies happen and there are no answers.  We need to keep our faith grounded in our Lord and Saviour.  I, for one, want to be like Job and no matter what, trust in God's goodness, regardless of what happens to me physically.  Our lives here are so temporal and fragile.  We hope and pray for others that are in the middle of crisis that they will hang on to God's promises too.
    We hope you all keep the faith!!!!
    Guy and Debby
-3/17/2008 8:58:44 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Compared to many out there, God has been extremely gracious to us.  Daily we receive stories from others that have very similar situations.  We hear of other tragedies that take lives and we thank the good Lord that we have Nick and we are alive.  You all have heard of other tragic situations and other families that desperately need support and prayers.  We feel so blessed to hear from so many of you that are still praying for Nick's recovery.  
    Again, Nick has not changed in the last couple of days.  He is sleeping a lot lately.  The brain is still in the healing process.  Nick does react to a pain in his left hip when we move his leg.  The doctor thinks it may be that the brain is growing bone in that joint and causing the pain.  They are doing a blood test to see what they can find.  At this point the bone growth would be very difficult to find without a very expensive type of x-ray.  They hospital is reluctant to perform the service.
    Today was bit cool. so Nick spent very little time outside.  He still seems to enjoy being outside. 
    We are praying for Nick's hip and for the pain to subside.  Also, for God's complete healing of Nick if He sees fit.  There may still be someone that God wants to reach using Nick and his condition. 
    May God continue to bless each one of you!!!
    Guy and Debby

-3/17/2008 8:58:42 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Compared to many out there, God has been extremely gracious to us.  Daily we receive stories from others that have very similar situations.  We hear of other tragedies that take lives and we thank the good Lord that we have Nick and we are alive.  You all have heard of other tragic situations and other families that desperately need support and prayers.  We feel so blessed to hear from so many of you that are still praying for Nick's recovery.  
    Again, Nick has not changed in the last couple of days.  He is sleeping a lot lately.  The brain is still in the healing process.  Nick does react to a pain in his left hip when we move his leg.  The doctor thinks it may be that the brain is growing bone in that joint and causing the pain.  They are doing a blood test to see what they can find.  At this point the bone growth would be very difficult to find without a very expensive type of x-ray.  They hospital is reluctant to perform the service.
    Today was bit cool. so Nick spent very little time outside.  He still seems to enjoy being outside. 
    We are praying for Nick's hip and for the pain to subside.  Also, for God's complete healing of Nick if He sees fit.  There may still be someone that God wants to reach using Nick and his condition. 
    May God continue to bless each one of you!!!
    Guy and Debby

-3/17/2008 8:16:47 PM
Greetings to you all,
    Compared to many out there, God has been extremely gracious to us.  Daily we receive stories from others that have very similar situations.  We hear of other tragedies that take lives and we thank the good Lord that we have Nick and we are alive.  You all have heard of other tragic situations and other families that desperately need support and prayers.  We feel so blessed to hear from so many of you that are still praying for Nick's recovery.  
    Again, Nick has not changed in the last couple of days.  He is sleeping a lot lately.  The brain is still in the healing process.  Nick does react to a pain in his left hip when we move his leg.  The doctor thinks it may be that the brain is growing bone in that joint and causing the pain.  They are doing a blood test to see what they can find.  At this point the bone growth would be very difficult to find without a very expensive type of x-ray.  They hospital is reluctant to perform the service.
    Today was bit cool. so Nick spent very little time outside.  He still seems to enjoy being outside. 
    We are praying for Nick's hip and for the pain to subside.  Also, for God's complete healing of Nick if He sees fit.  There may still be someone that God wants to reach using Nick and his condition. 
    May God continue to bless each one of you!!!
    Guy and Debby

-3/16/2008 8:11:20 PM
Hello to you all,
    This is definitely the slow part of the recovery.  There is no difference today from yesterday.  Nick had his first shower today since January 27.  Debby put on her swimming suit and took Nick in for a nice shower.  After giving him a good scrubbing and rinse, Debby turned off the water and asked Nick if he was done.  Nick gave this pitiful groan which Debby took as a plea for more. Nick got a good long warm soak in the shower which he just loved.  At home, you knew it was going to be a long wait for hot water if Nick got into the shower first.  Nick had no concept of a short shower.
    While Nick is in his wheelchair, he is doing a good job of holding his head up now.  He is slowly regaining strength.  Today I asked Nick if he could talk to me and he started moving his mouth.  No sound comes out, but just seeing the movement shows he hears, understands and is trying to respond the right way.  Just seeing Nick struggle with the easiest things makes me understand how much we take these things for granted.  Nick may have to learn how to talk and walk all over again.
    God has made us incredibly complex and fragile.  I know that it is a miracle that Nick lived through the accident.  It's an even greater miracle that Nick has even recovered to this point.  We are so thankful that God has seen fit for Nick to still be here and on the road to recovery.  We are also thankful that you are concerned enough to be praying for Nick.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-3/15/2008 9:48:38 PM
Greetings to all,
    Nick got a fair amount of wheel chair time today.  He spent some time in the day room with family and friends after lunch today.  Some of Nick's friends took him outside for an extensive ride.  I think they made most of the way to the freeway.  Nick sure slept good after we got him back in bed.  Nick is making noises through his throat when he is upset or hurt.  Whenever Debby moves him from the bed to the wheelchair, his face gets a scared look and he starts groaning.  He does not do that for anyone else.  We think Nick knows more than we give him credit for.
    Nick is holding his head up better each day.  We were used to using an elastic strap to hold his head up when we wheeled him around.  Now, Nick struggles not to use the strap, so we leave it off and let Nick hold his head up on his own. 
    Nick had many visitors today, some from very long distances.  It is so nice that people want to stop by and say "hi" to Nick.  Nick was sleeping so good that I heard him snoring softly for a bit.  He can sleep through quite a bit, but when Matt (his brother) said goodnight and stuck his finger in Nick's mouth, Nick stirred and almost woke up.
    Thank you all again for keeping Nick in your thoughts and prayers.  God is sustaining both Nick and us.  It is comforting to know that we are not in this alone.
    God bless you,   Guy and Debby
-3/14/2008 7:49:03 PM
Good evening to you all,
   Today when Nick was put into the wheelchair to go to physical therapy, he did not want his head restrained with the elastic strap to help hold his head up.  He wanted to do it himself.  He did a good job of holding his head up most of the time, even at physical therapy.
    Nick seems more and more awake, but still not able to talk or communicate.  One neurosurgeon in Coeur d' Alene said that it would a good three months.  It has almost been two months now.  Only one month to go.  Nick is moving his mouth more and gives a groan when the physical therapist works him hard enough to cause him pain.  Today we stood Nick up in "the rack" for about 15 minutes.  He was sweating by end of the 15 minutes.
    From the time he goes to therapy until he gets back to the room and receives his medications, it is about four hours.  He is off of his feeding all that time.  The decision was made to see if Nick could be fed double through the night and free him up during the day.  They are trying that out starting this evening. 
    Not knowing what will happen next week, we are trying to get ready to bring Nick home.  We are hopeful that we can still get Nick into a rehab facility at least for one month. 
    Nick received some ice chips to chew on and swallow.  He also was given some grape popsicle today to chew on.  He is doing well in chewing and swallowing, but we have to be very careful with his body position and how it is administered. 
    God has really been good to us.  Nick looks like he is slowly coming back.  He has a long way to go, but we are very happy just to have Nick alive and improving.  Thank you all for keeping Nick in your prayers.  God is working a miracle with Nick. 
    Take care and God bless you all,  Guy and Debby
-3/13/2008 10:14:41 PM
Hello to all,
    Although Nick has not talked yet, he is making an occasional grunting noise, usually when he is moved and does not like it.  Today the speech therapist tested Nick to see how well he can swallow and where it goes.  He was given some ice chips, which he chewed on and swallowed successfully.  His swallowing is still a bit weak so they will not trust him to be alone or have anyone other than the therapist or us parents to give him anything in his mouth.  Also, nothing more than liquid at this time. 
    Today, while Nick was in a wheel chair, he was asked if he could push himself using his feet.  He used his legs and feet to slowly and deliberately push his chair backwards.  He used mostly his right foot, but also used his left foot.  Hotdog!!!   It showed us that he could hear, understand and react.  Huge improvement.
    Debby and I had a meeting with the hospital staff this afternoon.  He can stay at this hospital until March 30.  We either have to find another facility able to handle Nick or bring him home.  We feel we can care for Nick at home, but it will be a real struggle.  Tomorrow we will be looking at our options.  The decision must be made soon. 
    Nick was weighed again and he came in at 109 pounds.  He has lost more weight and it is a real concern.  Even Debby can pick him up and put him a wheel chair.  He cannot afford to loose more weight.
    We are praying that God will make clear to us the correct option for Nick.  We don't want to jeopardize Nick's recovery.  We are also praying for Nick to start putting on weight.  We thank you again for lifting Nick (and us) up in prayer.  It is greatly appreciated.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-3/13/2008 10:12:50 PM
Hello to all,
    Although Nick has not talked yet, he is making an occasional grunting noise, usually when he is moved and does not like it.  Today the speech therapist tested Nick to see how well he can swallow and where it goes.  He was given some ice chips, which he chewed on and swallowed successfully.  His swallowing is still a bit weak so they will not trust him to be alone or have anyone other than the therapist or us parents to give him anything in his mouth.  Also, nothing more than liquid at this time. 
    Today, while Nick was in a wheel chair, he was asked if he could push himself using his feet.  He used his legs and feet to slowly and deliberately push his chair backwards.  He used mostly his right foot, but also used his left foot.  Hotdog!!!   It showed us that he could hear, understand and react.  Huge improvement.
    Debby and I had a meeting with the hospital staff this afternoon.  He can stay at this hospital until March 30.  We either have to find another facility able to handle Nick or bring him home.  We feel we can care for Nick at home, but it will be a real struggle.  Tomorrow we will be looking at our options.  The decision must be made soon. 
    Nick was weighed again and he came in at 109 pounds.  He has lost more weight and it is a real concern.  Even Debby can pick him up and put him a wheel chair.  He cannot afford to loose more weight.
    We are praying that God will make clear to us the correct option for Nick.  We don't want to jeopardize Nick's recovery.  We are also praying for Nick to start putting on weight.  We thank you again for lifting Nick (and us) up in prayer.  It is greatly appreciated.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-3/12/2008 8:53:11 PM
Hello to our family and extended family,
    Nick is looking for and more like the old Nick.  His hair is growing out more and covering up his scar.  He has a bandage now where his trach used to be.  Nick has been making some noise in his throat on occasion, sort of like a growl.  Today in physical therapy Nick was standing up on his own two feet with the aid of an apparatus that supports him.  Nick has to taken to the gym in a wheel chair, so it is convenient to take him outside, weather permitting, before taking him back to his room and put him back in bed.
    This evening Nick is moving his head from side to side and moving his right leg up and down.  He is moving his mouth some and sighing.  Today, he was given a couple of ice cubes to see what would happen.  He chewed them up and swallowed them.  Tomorrow he will be tested for swallowing while tracking a medium closely.  Debby is playing with Nick right now.  She has a little sponge on a stick used to swab out his mouth and teeth.  Debby is getting it soaked with water and sticking it in his mouth.  Nick is biting down on it, then letting Debby move it around to clean his lips and teeth.  Nick is opening his mouth to bite the sponge. 
    Nick seems to be tracking sound a bit better.  Today when a cell rang near him, Nick turned toward the sound.  He tracks better to the right than the left.  The doctor gets very close to Nick's face to talk to him.  They feel he can see, but maybe not good at distance yet. 
    Nick's heart and oxygen monitor were removed as well.  They feel he is stable enough not to keep monitoring.  Now the only tubes hooked to him are his catheter and feeding tube. 
    We are praying that he will be able to respond soon.  God has spared Nick and has sustained him thus far.  God has been healing Nick slowly, but surely.  We are very thankful for the healing that Nick has experienced so far and look for him to continue.
    Thank you all and God bless you,  Guy and Debby
-3/11/2008 11:04:06 PM


    Nick's trach tube was removed this morning and now he is sporting a fresh bandage on his neck. For some reason, the hospital has been anxious to remove the trach.  On Thursday Nick is scheduled for a test to see if he can swallow properly and make sure it goes down the correct pipe.  They will use x-rays during the test to trace the swallowing. 
    Today Nick stretched his left arm down to his waist about twenty times.  It was definitely deliberate and not a reflex.  Nick is trying to put it all together.  Up until now Nick has been holding his arms up to his chest.  We have to talk to Nick to get him to relax his arm just so we can pull it down.  Nick still has a lot of strength in his arms and it is almost impossible to pull his arms down if he doesn't want to. 
    Nick's weight is still a big concern.  He still is down around 113 pounds.  The doctor is talking to the staff about what needs to be done.  We've been tempted to slip more food down his feeding tube, but his intake is carefully recorded as well as his output.  Something must be done soon or Nick will fade away to nothing.  We are praying the doctor will get a handle on this soon.
    We are praying that Nick continues to show signs of coming around.  It seems like he is very close.   We feel God has really been working on Nick.  Thank you all for your continued prayers for Nick.  We are hoping that very soon we can report that Nick has woke up.
    God bless you,  Guy and Debby

-3/10/2008 7:50:34 PM
Greetings to all,
    Progress is soooo sloooow.  Tomorrow Nick is scheduled to have his trach tube removed for good.  He is still being fed through a tube that goes directly into his stomach.  This morning Nick moved his left arm down in a deliberate movement.  Also, he moved his left leg up in a very deliberate movement.  It may not sound very exciting to some, but remember that Nick's brain injury is to the right side of the brain.  The neurosurgeon said that the part of the brain that was injured would affect his left side, his motor skills and sensory in particular.  He alluded to the idea that Nick might not ever be able to move the left side of his body, like a stroke victim.  We are very happy to see Nick moving the left limbs.
    Nothing more has happened with Nick.  We are in the slow recovery stage right now.  Please, keep praying for Nick to recover.  God is still healing Nick for which we are thankful.  We are eager for Nick to wake up now.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby
-3/9/2008 8:02:48 AM

Hello to all,
    Nick is resting easy for the time being.  He really has not changed in past few days.  Nick continues his posturing at times and it looks like he is struggling with abdominal pain.  He still spikes a bit of a fever each day.  Nick looks like he is moving just a bit more.  He moves his head from side to side a lot now, and stops to focus when someone talks to him.  We talk to him to get him to relax his arm and he usually thinks about it, then relaxes his arm for a few seconds then tightens back up again.  We talk him through his movements and tell him how good he is doing.  Sometimes he holds real still and listens. 
    Nick's trach tube is blocked most of the time now, except for some time at night when the respiratory therapist puts on a tube to give him humidity. Nick has made a few noises through his mouth, but not anything recognizable.  Nick has made a grunting sound at Debby during physical therapy when he was displeased. 
    We are still praying that God will wake Nick up soon.  We are thankful that we are not the only ones praying for Nick.  Thank you all for your support and prayers, even after all this time.  Six weeks have gone by.  Praise God that we still have Nick.
    Take care and God bless you all,  Guy and Debby

 

-3/8/2008 8:21:02 PM
Greetings to all,
    This is the end of the day and Nick is just starting to struggle again.  There are ten stages of coma with level one being the lowest.  Level one is what one pictures a coma to be, where the person does not move and is completely unresponsive.  Level two is where the person seems somewhat awake at times, but is still not responsive.  Level three shows some responses and deliberate movement.  It gradually goes up to a fully awake and responsive state.  Nick would be at a level two right now.  He does react to pain and is moving more and more, but it is not deliberate in response to a request.  It looks like his movement is in response to pain or discomfort.
    When Nick struggles, it helps to massage his feet and hands.  It has a calming effect on him like nothing else.  Many times it calms him to the point of going to sleep.  We had an opportunity to gently rub Nick's back this evening.  Wow, he really went limp for that.  He is a lot like his dad.  It is good to see Nick move around, but when he starts posturing and struggling, it is a marathon to get him calm again.
    Tomorrow will start week number seven.  It has been the longest seven weeks we have ever lived through.  We are thankful that we did not have to do it alone.  Compared to the first week, Nick has improved greatly.  We are told by experienced people that the struggling will increase, but that it is a necessary stage to go through for recovery. 
    How can you be glad that God picked your family for such an ordeal to go through?  Only if you believe that God can bring some good out of it.  We are confident that God will bring good out of all this.  We are praying that the lives that God wants to touch through this, will be receptive to allow God to touch them.  It could be that God wants us to focus on what is important, rather than just the mundane.  It is our prayer that God will have a chance to heal each one of us, not just Nick.
    Thank you again for boost you Nick and us, his family, through prayer and support.  You have no idea how much we appreciate you.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby

-3/7/2008 8:35:18 PM
Hello to all,
    It is the end of the day Friday and Nick is currently sleeping.  He had a good workout at about 1:30 this afternoon with physical therapy.  Today they stood Nick up for almost 10 minutes.  Nick has been in many different positions this week to help him get the feel again.  After therapy, Nick went outside in the wheelchair for a while.  Nick slept through most of it. 
    Nick is doing better regarding the urinary infection.  The antibiotics have done a good job.  His bowels are working well (just ask any nurse here).  He had a bit of a rough time this afternoon, so everyone had to go out and Nick's room had to be noise free for a while.  Too much stimulation gets him agitated.  He is pretty calm right now.
    Some people wake up quickly from a coma and some slowly.  Nick never was good at waking up early, unless it was to go skiing.  Nick seems a bit more alert each day, but we don't think he is just going to come out of it and pick up where he left off.  Only God can tell.
    Thank you again for praying on Nick's behalf.  We know of many others that are in need of prayer too and they are on our prayer list.  We are thankful that Nick is on so many others prayer list.  We are also thankful that we have a kind and loving Father.  One thought that came to mind often was that if God knows when a sparrow falls, how much more he knows Nick's needs.
    God bless all of you,   Guy and Debby

-3/6/2008 11:15:31 PM

Hello to you all,
    Nick is currently resting easy with two people massaging his feet.  He had been really agitated and worked himself into a sweat.  Right now he looks very relaxed.  Nick spent some time in physical therapy this morning, then went for a wheelchair ride out in the sunshine.  He was really relaxed during his little trip outside.  He slept good in the afternoon for a while.  Around 4:30 this afternoon he started getting agitated and wouldn't calm down.  We pulled off his leg and wrist braces and started to massage him.  It took a couple of hours to get him to relax. 
    Nick did not respond to questions today.  Sometimes he does, most of the time he does not.  He is moving his head a lot now and his eyes are open even more.  We are praying that soon he will able to respond consistently and at will.  We also have heard from other people that have been in similar situation that the sweating and fevers can go on for months while the brain is healing.  That is one thing that is consistent with Nick. 
    Thank you again for keeping Nick in your prayers and continuing to hold him up to the Lord.  We feel the healing process is moving slowly and we are thankful that God is taking care of Nick.
    God bless you all,  Guy and Debby

-3/5/2008 9:46:30 PM

Good evening to you all,
    Nick spent about an hour this morning in physical therapy.  They work Nick pretty hard during the therapy sessions. It wears Nick out.  After that, Debby took Nick outside in his wheel chair and soaked up some sun.  Nick slept through the excursion outside.  He spent most of the afternoon awake in his hospital bed.  It seems like Nick is staying awake for longer periods of time.   He also seems to be seeing a bit better and tracking sounds with his eyes.
    Nick has a special cap on his trach tube now, forcing him to breath through his mouth and nose.  It allows him to talk when he is ready.  They uncap the trach tube at night and give him some humidity through the tube. Today Nick also received his new ankle splints that were specially made to give him a perfect fit.  His arm splints should be here any time.  He wears the splints for two hours on and two hours off.  We rub and range his feet and hands when the splints are off.  Tonight Nick was posturing and tightening up.  We removed his ankle splints and massaged his feet.  It calmed him right down and he went to sleep. 
    We are seeing Nick move more and in small ways he is responding.  It is very slooooooow, but we see Nick doing just a tiny bit more each day.  At this rate, he should be awake and out of bed in about three years.  We are praying that God speeds up the healing rate a bit.  Still, we are putting our trust in God that He knows what is best, not just for Nick, but for whomever He needs to reach through this whole situation.  We just praise God that we still have Nick and that he is hopefully on the mend. 
    God bless all of you,     Guy and Debby

-3/4/2008 9:32:52 PM
Greetings to all,
    Today Nick's fever reached 104 degrees.  The doctor believes it is from a urinary infection, so now Nick is on antibiotics for yet another infection.  The doctor says that it should make a difference in just a day.  We are still keeping a close eye on Nick.
    This morning, Debby asked Nick if he was ready for physical therapy.  He moved his mouth, but no sound came out.  Then he gave a distinct nod with his head.  This afternoon, someone else asked Nick to stick out his tongue and he did.  It must take a lot out of Nick right now to do these little gestures and he has to rest for long periods of time afterward, but he is struggling to respond.  We have seen Nick move his head from side to side and lift it off the pillow.  We see his mouth moving slowly.  We see his eyes open and moving for longer periods of time each day.  We have been hoping and praying for Nick to wake up.  He may be on the verge right now.
    We are praying for Nick's infection to be successfully treated and for his fevers to go away.  We think they are related.  We thank God for how He has worked in Nick's behalf already.  Nick is a witness in the hospital even though he does not know it.  It shows that God can use you even when you are comatose, although it is much easier if you are not.
    Thank you again and God bless each of you.
       Guy and Debby
-3/3/2008 7:18:06 PM
Good evening to you all,
    I did receive a bit of feed back on my comment about possibly stopping the updates.  I guess I won't be stopping any time soon.  We appreciate the concerns, prayers and support from all of you and the updates on Nick will continue.
    Nick spent some time today in therapy.  Nick probably would not appreciate me telling you this, but today is the first time in over five weeks that Nick has worn pants.  The therapist had Nick in the rehab room on a large padded platform.  He spent some time on his stomach and up on his elbows.  They also made a mold of Nick's arms to make him arm splints to help straighten out his arms.  He currently keeps his arms up against his chest most of the time.  This will help keep them in the correct position.  They worked him pretty hard for an hour and a half, so now he is a bit burnt out.  He was struggling with his hand splints, so we just took them off.  It really helped calm him down so that now he is sleeping.
    Nick had a mother and son visit him today.  The son was in an accident a year ago and sustained a head injury just like Nick.  He is still in therapy to help him come back, but he is still a long ways from normal.  How they found out about Nick, we don't know.  They heard about Nick and felt compelled to come and visit.  The boy, Michael, is nineteen, same as Nick and he was very precious. Michael is confined to a wheelchair.   He struggled to Nick's bedside to talk and pray with Nick.  There was not a dry eye in the room.  They promised to come back and visit Nick.  I think God just sent Nick another good friend.
    Again, we want to thank all of you.  You are a God send!!!  We feel guilty having such an outpouring of love and concern.  We are very blessed to have such a huge support for Nick and our family.  We can hardly wait to let you know when God wakes Nick up.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby

-3/2/2008 7:46:30 PM
 Hello to our family and extended family,
   Nick is now enjoying getting outdoors. He spent almost two hours today in a wheel chair.  We rolled him all around the building inside, then took him outside for some fresh air.  We wheeled him around the outside of the building twice.  He had his eyes open wide for most of the ride.  He seemed to enjoy the ride.  After we put him back into his bed, he went right to sleep for a good nap. 
    He is still getting a bit of a fever each day.  They are giving him Tylenol to help him.  Right now his temperature is 99.7.  Not near as bad as it used to spike.  We are hoping Nick's brain is now able to regulate his temperature. 
    Nick is moving his head around quite a bit now.  He slowly turns it from one side to the other and also lifts it off the pillow.  He has good strength in his hands.  When our hand is in his hand, he grasps very well. When we try to remove our hand from his, he seems to tighten his grip. 
    We are definitely ready for God to wake Nick up.  We are frequently asked when Nick will wake up.  There is no answer to that.  Nick is in the hands of God and it is all God's timing.  We see very small new things almost daily.  We are told by people that have seen Nick a few weeks ago that they see a definite change in him.  Sometimes being so close to him it is difficult to see the changes.  Enough people have been by to see Nick that I wonder if I need to continue the updates, but I realize some of you are too far away to see Nick.
    We are thankful that God is sustaining Nick.  We are praying that Nick will be well enough to wake up soon.  We are also thankful that we have all of you who are concerned and praying for Nick.  May God bless you as He has blessed us.
    Thank you all!!!!     Guy and Debby

-3/1/2008 9:37:10 PM

Hello to you all,  
    This morning I had the opportunity to spend some time with Nick alone.  I read to Nick out of the book of John while wiping his head with a cool washrag. He was agitated and had worked up quite a sweat.  I tried to keep it as quiet as possible for him.  After we had prayer, he seemed to rest for awhile.  This afternoon Nick had lots of visitors.  I was worried how he would be with all the extra stimulation.  Two girls started massaging his hands and arms and he relaxed so much he fell asleep. A bit later more people stopped in and started rubbing his feet.  If only there was a way to keep them here all night...
    Nick's eyes look like they are registering a bit more.  He is moving his head more from side to side and lifting it off the pillow now.  He does this when we wipe his face with the cool washrag and when he is agitated. 
    We did not have the time to put Nick in a wheel chair today.  I think he would have enjoyed it. 
    Nick was weighed this morning and it doesn't seem like much, but he gained a little more than a pound.  He is now up to 115.7 pounds.  This may seem small, but Nick could really use the extra weight.  Nick is being fed through a tube that goes to his stomach through his side.  He is being fed a tan colored liquid that reminds me of hand cleaner. It is also where his medications  are given to him. 
    It was a nice Sabbath day here with Nick.  I am looking forward to the time when he wakes up and we can communicate on Sabbath.  Please, keep holding Nick up to the Lord in prayer.  We do appreciate your visits and your prayers.  We are hoping that when God does restore Nick, he will be able to speak to you about how he was restored.  By the grace of God, Nick will have a wonderful testimony. 
    God bless you all,  Guy and Debby

-2/29/2008 12:47:24 AM
Greetings to you all,
    Nick can't tell, but it is the weekend again.  We are almost through week number five. Nick has been sleeping a lot this afternoon, probably because he had an eventful day today.  The therapist put Nick in a wheelchair and wheeled him around for about an hour and a half.  He even got to go outside for a bit.  It must have been very therapeutic because he slept through the whole ride (much like his mother on a trip).  He was strapped in well, even his head.  Melina took a lot of pictures of Nick today.
    Nick has been receiving cards and posters from many people and schools.  It is so nice to get them for Nick to read sometime soon ( I hope).   He even got a poster from work.  I think they want him back soon. 
    Nick is starting to move his head more from side to side and trying to lift it off the pillow.
There are seven of us in Nick's room right now and he looks like he is listening to what is being said.  He seems to get more agitated in the evenings.  He starts to struggle and posture like he is in pain, so we try to remove as much of the stimulation as we can.  We dim the lights down, talk very quietly and refrain from touching him as much as we can.  It's hard to see him that way with no way of knowing how to make him comfortable.  We realize that it is all part of the healing process.
    Please, keep praying for Nick and his recovery.  It is hard to see improvements when we are so close to him and see him all the time.  It's a slow process, but God is still working on Nick.  Thank you for your concerns and prayers in Nick's behalf.
    God bless you all,    Guy and Debby
-2/28/2008 10:26:29 PM
Hello friends and family,
    I apologize for sending these out so late in the evening.  It works better at the end of visiting hours when it is quiet and less distractions. 
    Nick's new full length sheep skin showed up today and we just gave him a bath and put the sheep skin under him.  Now we feel better about Nick not getting bedsores.  He looks so comfortable I may have to get one for myself.
    Nick looks like he has more facial expressions.  He sometimes makes a face like something is horrifying to him.  He opens his eyes wide, then closes his left eye so tight it lifts his upper lip up on the left side.  When I see that I can't help but feel he is in pain.  There has been varied opinions on why he does this. 
    Today Nick sat up with help on the side of the bed with his feet on the floor.  He looked like he really liked it.  He sat there very calm just soaking in the different position.  Also, when people stop by and talk to him, he seems to give recognition to voices of people he knows.  He has been moving his head a bit more and still struggles himself into a sweat.
    There is talk about capping his trach tube to see if he will breath through his mouth and nose.  I hope someone is supervising so Nick does not get into trouble.   Different departments have been in to access Nick for rehab and have already started.
    Right now he sleeping soundly like a baby.  It is good to see him resting and not struggling.  It is just Nick and me in the room right now.  Even though I cannot see him, I know Nick's guardian angel is right beside him. I am thankful that God is still holding and healing Nick.  It will be a day of great rejoicing when Nick wakes up!
    God bless you all and thank you for keeping Nick in your prayers,  Guy and Debby
-2/27/2008 9:41:03 PM
Good evening to you all,
    It is Wednesday evening and Nick is pretty tense once again.  He is holding his new hand splints up to his face.  It will be nice to get his arm splints and keep his arms straighter and away from his face.  He seems to favor his head being to the right, because he is continually pulling it that way.  We turn it the other way to give him some variety, but he keeps turning it back.  We have been wiping the sweat off of him all night. 
     Today, Nick got to sit up on the edge of the bed with help.  He seemed to like doing that.  The therapist held a popsicle up to his face.  Nick leaned toward the popsicle and they put it in his mouth.  He took a bite of it and they are watching to see if he can swallow properly.  I'm not sure if he can with the trach in his throat. 
    Nick is opening his eyes, but like I said before, I'm not sure if he can see, because he does not track visually. 
He seems to track a bit to sound though.  The doctor thinks that Nick can see, but that he may be seeing double right now.  None of us knows for sure (I guess that's obvious). 
    I forgot to write this on Sunday, but when we were talking to Nick he was moving his tongue to the front of his mouth like he was trying to talk.  That was the first time we had seen him do that.  We are still waiting for Nick to wake up and talk.  
    Please keep Nick in your prayers as he is still struggling.  We are ready for God to touch him and wake him up if it is His will.
    Thank you all again!!!     Guy and Debby

-2/26/2008 5:04:36 PM

Good morning to you all,
    I typed an update last night and sent it out, but I have no idea where it went.  So here it is again for the first time(?).  Nick was sized up for new wrist splints and they showed up.  When he is posturing, he gets very tense and pulls his arms in tight.  The splints help keep his wrists in the correct position.  Nick will also be getting splints to help keep his arms positioned better.
    Nicks temperature still spikes up several times a day.  Tylenol does not seem to help much, but moving his arms and legs help calm him down and helps to mellow him out. His eyes are open more, but he may not be able to see yet.  When a hand is slowly moved in front of his face he does not track it. I think he can hear, because his eyes seem to track a bit to voices.  I have heard that some head injury victims cannot see until a week or two after they wake up.  Nick's pupils are working very well.
    Nick's progress is slow, a lot slower than we like.  However, we think God is mending Nick and it will be in His time.  We thank God that we still have Nick and that he is slowly improving.  God has sent many of you to us with testimonies of how He has helped others that were injured in a similar manner.  We believe Nick is still here because God has more for Nick to do.
    Again, we thank you for your continued prayers and support for Nick and our family.
    God bless you all,   Guy and Debby

-2/25/2008 8:48:25 PM
Hello to all,
    It is Monday evening and Nick has had a fairly good day today.  The dietitian has doubled Nick's feeding to combat Nick's drastic weight loss.  He really is down to skin and bones.  His legs were not very large to begin with, but now his legs look like he has been almost starved to death.  Hopefully, he will maintain or start gaining some weight. 
    Nick now has a sheep skin under him.  We also have a memory foam pad to go under him.  Nick's bed was changed out today for one that has air chambers that inflate to help move him a bit and change the pressure points.  I saw pictures of bed sores and there is no way I want Nick to get them. 
    Nick seemed to sleep most of the day.  His posturing usually starts in the afternoon.  Last night, it was hard to leave at 11:00 pm because he seemed so uncomfortable.  Nick (or us parents) got really spoiled with the care he received in ICU.  They really hovered over him all the time.  When he left ICU the amount of time a nurse gave him was much less.  At this facility, we sometimes have to go down the hall to find someone to check on Nick.  It is training us to take care of Nick more and more ourselves.
    We are still praying that Nick will wake up soon.  He looks like he should yawn and roll over and get up.  We know it is in God's time.  We feel God has plans for Nick and he may be here for the sole purpose of helping one person to Christ.  If so, it would be worth it.  Still, we pray that it is God's will that Nick is restored to us whole.
    Nick has surprised the staff here with a ton of visitors already.  They are threatening to have a sign in sheet just for Nick.  The floor is starting to look worn between the front desk and room #413.
    Thank you all again for praying for Nick and us.  The support is helping hold us up.  Your prayers are cherished.
    Take care and God bless you all,     Guy and Debby

-2/24/2008 7:29:23 PM
Greetings to you all,

Nick is currently resting, which is a switch from most of the afternoon. In the morning Nick seems to be fairly mellow. Nick seems to get wound up in the afternoon. He is tensing up and he gets very rigid. You could almost pick him up by his big toe. He gets very sweaty and pulls his arms up tight to his chest. He seems to calm down and loosen up when his legs are moved up and down. His eyes are wide open quite a bit now, but he squeezes his left eye shut and lifts his lip on the left side of his mouth. It looks like he is fighting a severe pain behind his left eye when he does that. I am told that it may not be that at all. All the tensing up and posturing may not be pain, but a neural reaction. It is hard to know what is going on in Nick's head. Hopefully, this is part of the healing process.

The doctor here put Nick on medicine to relax his muscles some. Also, medicine to lower his blood pressure a bit and medicine to reduce seizures. Some of the posturing could be caused by seizures.

The front desk is getting used to visitors for Nick. Now when a group of people come in the front door, they assume that they are here for Nick. There is some talk of a separate sign up sheet just for room #413. You are welcome to come see Nick, although he is not much of a conversationalist yet. I think he can hear OK, but I don't think that he can see yet, even though his eyes are open a lot. His eyes do not follow visual cues, but his eyes do track a bit to sound.

It has been suggested to get a sheep skin under Nick, so we are going to start looking for one for him. He is down to 113 pounds and has no fat on him at all. The sheep skin should help prevent bed sores, which are very difficult to get rid of when bed ridden.

Thank you for your visits, support and prayer. It is greatly appreciated!!!

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-2/23/2008 3:49:29 AM
Hello to you all,

Nick is now is North Idaho Advanced Care Hospital in Post Falls, Idaho. He is in room #413. He arrived this morning at 11:45 after a quick 3 hour ride up in the ambulance from Walla Walla. The hospital is right next to I-90 and about a block from the Wal-mart in Post Falls. You can easily see it from the freeway, so I want anyone passing by to honk to Nick.

Today, Nick was in and out. He has his eyes open quite a bit. He gets to a phase where he really gets tense, pulls both arms up to his chest, gets red and splotchy on his chest, and squints with his left eye like he has a migraine behind his left eye. It helps to put cool wash rags on his forehead and chest and to move his legs around. The staff at this facility have not had experience with these symptoms before, so it's like we are starting over. Nick looks like he is moving his legs a bit more, but it looks like it is when he is going through one of his "events".

The nurses give Nick a dose of Tylenol when he looks like he is going through one of these bad times, but I'm not so sure it helps much. Rubbing his feet seem to work better. There are some that believe that Nick has autonomic dysreflexia, and others that think it is something else. The name for the something else has not been named yet. I'm not sure any of that made any sense at all. Basically, we are still looking for the cause.

Please, keep Nick in your prayers as he struggles to wake up. It is difficult to see the struggles, but not able to help him. He seems to keep having episodes of something that are causing him grief. Also, Nick has lost weight. He was at 145 pounds before the accident, but today he weighed in at 113 pounds. His weight was triple checked. Nick's legs are down to thin little skin and bones. He really can't afford to loose any more weight.

Thank you all very much for all the support and prayers you have given for Nick and our family. It is greatly appreciated!!! Many of you have been so generous that it is just overwhelming. Thanking you just doesn't seem enough.

God bless all of you!!!

Guy and Debby
-2/22/2008 2:11:23 PM
Greetings to you all,

I have some good news today (at least for our family). Nick is going to be moved to North Idaho Advanced Care in Post Falls tomorrow morning. It will be about 10 miles from our home as opposed to 214 to Walla Walla. I know this is not good news to all of you in Walla Walla and for that I am sorry. It will give Nick's aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, friends, workers, church family, etc. up here a chance to visit and spend time with him.

Debby and Melina are going to be very surprised when they get home. More on that later. Mum is the word until tomorrow night.

Nick seemed to be just resting most of the day. He was not awake very much. I think his most active time is in the evening when he seems to get agitated and worked up. Usually that is when he tightens up and does a lot of posturing. That is also when his temperature jumps up. We are trying to get it all figured out. It will be interesting to see how this transition to a new facility works out for Nick.

Last night I reported that Nick was coughing up blood. When I asked the nurse on duty about it, she said that it was probably caused by aggressive suctioning of his throat and that it looked like a lot more blood than it really was. She did not think it was an amount to be very concerned about. She also is in contact with Nick's doctor promptly if she thinks that something is not right and needs some input from the doctor. She really is a great nurse for Nick and very concerned about his recovery, so she is like a "mother hen" watching over Nick. We are very thankful for the great care they have been giving him.

Nick had an ultrasound done on his legs and arms looking for blood clots. Thankfully, they found no blood clots at all. However, they are still trying to find out why his body is reacting like it does to stimulation. The autonomic dysreflexia seems not to be the problem. Some are inclined to believe that the brain is still healing and it can be attributed to that. I think I agree. What a slow process, but still it is in God's hands and I know that He is still working with Nick. I still maintain that it is a miracle that Nick is even alive today. It doesn't matter if God heals Nick today or over a years time. It will be no less of a miracle. Please, keep praying for Nick's recovery. To God be the glory!!!

God bless you all and have a great Sabbath, Guy and Debby
-2/21/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello to all,

The doctor has been in to see Nick several times today. Nick has started coughing up blood and the doctors are trying to find out why. Nick looks uncomfortable and agitated again. His temperature is going up again and Debby is wiping him down with a cool wash cloth.

Nick had been getting red spots on his chest and arms. His face sometimes turns red and blood pressure and pulse rate jump up. The doctor thinks that Nick has autonomic dysreflexia and is trying to determine exactly what stimulus is causing it. The most common cause is from an extended bladder, but I think Nick's is working well. It could be from a spinal injury that has not been detected.

If the doctors cannot get a handle on it, it can be very serious, even deadly. We are praying that the cause can be detected and that something can be done to cure it.

The coughing up of blood is not a good sign and we are praying for that to stop also. Nick is a prime example of just how fragile our bodies are. Yes, they can mend. Yes, there is so much that can go wrong.

Please, pray that God will touch Nick and help him overcome.

Thank you, Guy and Debby
-2/20/2008 7:50:23 PM
Greetings to all,

Today Nick experienced sitting up for the first time since the accident. He sat up for about five minutes. He had to be moved and held up, but he actually seemed to like it. He did not posture or tense up like he does sometimes laying in bed. Nick also turned his head today. He had his face laying on the pillow and turned his face up. These little movements give us hope that he is getting close to waking up. Nick sometimes struggles with his arms and gets agitated to the point that he actually sweats. It sounds silly, but we are glad to see him sweat, because the brain is trying to regulate his temperature. He does still spike a fever almost daily. We were hoping that he was over that. Today the nurses drew some blood when his temperature was up for the purpose of culturing it to hopefully find why his temp keeps spiking.

This week is out for moving Nick to Post Falls. It is looking like next week at the soonest. A bed has to be available and a neurosurgeon will need to be able to check on Nick.

Nick has a physical therapist visit him daily to move him around and range him. It is important to keep moving each joint so that he does not "seize up". Debby and I keep on moving him when we are with Nick to keep his joints able to go full range. The doctor felt it was important to keep him limber. Apparently, by not moving and ranging him would cause long term damage.

Sometimes, when one of Nick's friends stops by and talks to him, he seems to struggle and get agitated. Now we think he recognizes their voice and is trying to respond. This is a difficult time for both Nick and us... Nick struggling and us watching.

Again, and I hope I am not too repetitious, thank you all so much for your prayers and support. God is definitely working on Nick and I think he is working on us too. We are learning to be patient and wait on the Lord for what he in store.

Please, keep the faith, Guy and Debby
-2/19/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello to family and extended family (YES, you are part of our family),

Today there is really no difference from the past few days. I wish I could tell you that Nick did something fantastic, but not yet. More of the same, he is fighting a fever and is on the cooling pad again. It does seem like he is doing more posturing and there are periods of time that he seems agitated, even to the point of working up a sweat. We think he is desperately trying to put things together in his head. He did purposely move his left leg off of the cooling pad today. Did I mention Nick hates being cold? There was not anything new in his eyes. He does seem to keep them open a bit longer, but still not tracking.

I have received many e-mails regarding treatment and things to try. Believe me, I read them all, even if I am poor at responding. Maybe that is where Nick gets that from? I am printing some of them out for the doctor to read in case that treatment will help Nick. I now have over 500 e-mails in my mailbox (which I have read). I am going to print them out and put them in a binder for Nick to read when he wakes up, providing he can read when he wakes up.

We have heard many testimonies from people who have been in the same situation and how God has healed them, sometimes in spite of what the doctors predict. We are holding Nick up to our Father at all times. If God does not heal Nick, it certainly will not be for lack of asking. Your continued prayers are coveted. You have no idea how much your prayers and support are appreciated. I would just ask that you don't stop your praying for our son. It is hard to understand how God could possibly love MORE than we do.

I can hardly wait for the day I can write and tell you that Nick woke up. God bless you all.

Guy and Debby
-2/18/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello to all,

I wanted to send out a quick update on Nick. He is still battling a fever. Tonight it is up to 101 degrees. The nurse just gave him some Tylenol to help bring it down. Also, they have him on the dreaded cooling pad. It does not seem to fluctuate as much, but it is still a concern.

Today Nick looked like he was visually tracking Melina as she moved past the foot of his bed. We are really hoping it was deliberate.

No more word yet on when Nick will be moved closer to home. Possibly Thursday.

While laying on his right side, Nick moved his left leg a bit, which we feel is a good sign. He has a lot of strength in both arms, especially when he is agitated and pulls them up to his chest.

Nick seemed to try harder this afternoon to move around. Nick is not giving up. He struggles more in the afternoon and gets worked up, maybe one reason why his temperature goes up. He is still receiving antibiotics for pneumonia.

I should give you the option of staying on the update list or not. If anyone does not want to receive these updates, please let me know.

As slow as Nick seems to be healing, God is healing him in His own time. It is very slow, but Nick looks like he is progressing. Each day now he is awake for a longer period of time. We are still waiting for definite responses from Nick, but I believe they are coming.

God has been good to us!!!

God bless you all and thank you again!!!

Guy and Debby
-2/17/2008 7:50:23 PM
Good evening to all,

You might say the only improvement we saw today was the blink of an eye, literally. I asked Nick to squeeze my hand - nothing. I asked Nick to move his leg - nothing. I asked Nick to blink his eyes and he did. But then, he has been blinking them anyway when his eyes are open. I thought I would ask Nick to do something different. I asked Nick to blink his eyes twice and showed him what I meant. Nick blinked his eyes twice and I believe he meant to do just that. Later I heard the nurse and the doctor tell me he had done the same for them upon request.

Nick seems like he had short periods of being somewhat awake. Not much response, but still somewhat awake. His eyes do not follow my hand, but seemed to wiggle a bit when I asked him to look around. I'm not sure what he is seeing when his eyes are open. He seems to stare intently while his eyes are open.

Nick's temperature has still been going up and down. This morning he seemed to be shivering and when his temperature was taken, it was down below normal. Nick finally got to have a blanket put on him.

Nick is breathing well on his own and is still coughing up the stuff in his lungs. He gets a perplexed look on his face when he coughs.

We are still hoping that Nick will be moved to Post Falls early this week, possibly Tuesday if all goes well.

Thank you again very much for your continued prayers for Nick and our family. You have no idea how that sustains us.

God bless you, Guy and Debby
-2/16/2008 7:50:23 PM
Good afternoon and happy Sabbath,

Nick seems to go forwards and backwards at the same time. His fever still comes and goes, right now it is up to about 101. Nick is sweating up a storm. The nurse is currently changing his bedding and repositioning him. They are culturing his bodily fluids looking for reasons for the fluctuating temperature. For now, we have to wear a yellow disposable gown and gloves whenever we are in Nick's room.

Nick's hair is growing out more and his beard is about the same length. His hair is about the length of Curious George the monkey.

Nick opens his eyes, blinks and seems to be looking straight ahead, but with no recognition yet. He is pulling his arms up to his chest with a lot of strength. I saw him move his left leg earlier today, then his right leg this afternoon.

Nick is still coughing up the stuff in his lungs and the nurse says that he is doing well clearing his lungs. I believe the antibiotics to treat the pneumonia are helping clear it up.

In talking to one doctor this morning, he said there is some concern that there is damage to Nick's brain stem. He said Nick is acting clinically like he sustained damage to the brain stem, even though another doctor saw no damage on the MRI. Another doctor looking in on Nick thinks that possibly he may have suffered a lack of a full supply of air right after the accident, although they say in looking at the brain itself, it did not give evidence of oxygen starvation. Basically, we are in the waiting stage for Nick to wake up to see how he acts then.

We continue to pray for Nick's full recovery as are many of you. I look at pictures of Nick and long to have him back whole again. Many of you experienced Nick's contagious personality and I'm sure you would like to see that back again. God willing, Nick will be whole again.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. It is overwhelming to Debby and me that so many are lifting Nick up in prayer. Our God knows what is best and we still put our trust in His decisions, without questioning. I have found that is easy to say until you are face to face with a situation. We continue to pray for strength to just put our trust in God. Nick is truly in God's hands now. He knows what we desire, also.

Thank you all and God bless you!!!

Guy and Debby
-2/15/2008 7:50:23 PM
Good evening to all,

I just wanted to send a quick update, although it is very late. It is after 9:30 pm and Nick has been moving quite a bit tonight. His eyes are open for longer periods of time, sometimes up to an hour. His lips are twitching a bit and when he coughs, he gets a perplexed look on his face. Nick is still fighting pneumonia a bit and coughing up the stuff in his lungs.

The nurses have put braces on Nicks hands to keep them positioned right. Nick also has braces for his feet, but had to remove them temporarily because one was causing a sore on his right foot.

Nick is breathing on his own very well through his trach tube. His hair and beard are growing back fast. He does move his arms up to his chest now. He looks like he is on the verge of waking up. His eyes are open and blinking, but he in not really focusing on anything yet.

Please, keep Nick in your prayers. We are thankful that so many concerned people are praying for Nick.

Thank you, Guy and Debby
-2/14/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello to my family and extended family,

Today the hospital thought Nick was well enough to move him from ICU to a regular (if there is such a room) hospital room. He is still hooked up to monitors and his feeding tube, but no ventilator. Nick is breathing well through his trach tube.

At times today Nick opened his eyes for as long as a minute and even seemed to track sound just a bit, but still is not very responsive. He seems to just fade away after his eyes are open. Nick might be trying to "connect the dots" in his head. Nick seems to get more agitated now. He is moving more and maybe, just maybe, he will get agitated enough to wake up.

It is very likely that Nick is going to be moved to a facility in Post Falls, Idaho that handles patients like Nick that have sustained a head injury. It may happen as soon as Monday. Then Nick will have a whole new bunch of friends visiting from close to home.

Again, we thank you for your continued prayers for Nick. It is by the grace of God that Nick is still with us. When Nick wakes up and regains his strength, he may have to go on a talking circuit to give his testimony. It most definitely will be to praise God and give Him the glory.

Thank you all, Guy and Debby
-2/13/2008 7:50:23 PM
Greetings to all,

Things are slow, but I believe Nick is on the right path for recovery. Although Nick is not awake, he is stirring more and responding more. His eyes have opened several times today, although not really focusing on anything yet. As the doctor said, Nick should be awake now. There is nothing to prevent this. I know of many stories of people that have stayed in a coma for weeks, even years. We are praying this is not the case with Nick.

Nick's right arm was swollen and the doctor took a look at it. They ordered an ultrasound and found a blood clot from a previous line in his arm. He is now being treated with Heparin to thin the blood and dissolve the blood clot. They feel his brain has recovered well enough to take the blood thinner without damage.

There is still talk of moving Nick closer to home, but the time has not been determined yet. Some of the decision has to do with insurance and rehab.

Nick has had many visitors stop by to see and talk to him. It will be interesting to find out what he remembers.

Thank you all again for your prayers and support. God is still working on Nick.

Guy and Debby
-2/12/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello to all,

God has sure been good to us! Today Nick is breathing without the help of a ventilator. The doctor wanted to wean him off of the ventilator, but Nick did well enough to remove it entirely. He has been coughing up the junk that is in his lungs. He is still fighting the pneumonia, but doing better. Nicks temperature has been a concern for the past two weeks, but now it looks like it is back to normal and not fluctuating.

When the doctor looked him over this morning and moved his head, Nicks eyes opened wide for a few seconds, then gradually shut again. He seems to be responding more to stimulus with his eyes moving a bit.

The doctor is talking about moving Nick closer to home possibly as soon as Friday. That would be great for us, but not so great for his friends in Walla Walla. We are hoping that he can be moved soon.

We have been told that the healing process will be slower than we want. That is one true statement! It looks like Nick is on the road to recovery and we are praising God for that. Please, keep Nick in your prayers.

Thank you, Guy and Debby
-2/11/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello the you all,

I have a short time tonight for the update.

Nick went into surgery this morning at 7:30 to put in the trach tube and the feeding tube. All went well and Nick is back to his room to recover. They also checked his neck to see if there were any strained or torn connective tissue in his neck. It went well because they have remove Nick's neck brace. Out of concern for his feet, Nick is now wearing what looks like a minature snow board to help keep his feet and ankles in the correct position. I have pictures of Nick today, but will post them later.

Nick is still battling a fever. The doctor believes that Nick should wake up any time. The sooner, the better.

There is some talk about when Nick can be moved closer to home. It is too soon to tell right now and not all the nurses and staff agree. It would be great to have Nick closer to home.

Please, keep praying for Nick. We are sure God has something in mind for him.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-2/10/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello there everyone,

It is very late on Sunday evening and I wanted to get this update out so you could get to bed.

Today was not an eventful day for Nick. We did put hightop converse shoes on him to help keep his feet straight (with new socks). He is scheduled for the trach tube to be put in around 7:30 am Monday morning. He will probably be back to his room by the time many of you read this. Also they are putting in the feeding tube through his side so they can remove the tubes from his throat. He developed a bleeding sore from the tubes, so this will relieve the irritation in his mouth and throat.

Nick's responses to talk have digressed. It may be because he is still fighting the pneumonia and does not feel good. His temperature has been going up and down like a yo-yo - up to 102, then down to 98. The nurses have been giving him Tylenol to bring it down, along with the cooling pad under him. When he starts shivering they give him a bit of valium to calm him down. Not enough to keep him from waking up, so they claim. I sure hope he doesn't remember too much of this. One of the nurses nicknamed herself, "Nurse Rachett". Not sure why.

Nick seemed to sleep most of the day. We have been talking to him to try to wake him or get a response, but he seems to sleep through everything so far. We pray that Nick will wake up soon.

Thank you again for your prayers for Nick. Please, don't give on him. We feel God can use Nick in a mighty way for His glory.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-2/9/2008 7:50:23 PM
Good morning to you all,

I apologize for not getting out an update Sabbath afternoon. I did not have access to a computer, plus we have a multitude of visitors that ran fairly late into the evening.

It was great seeing many concerned people there to see Nick and give encouragement. Many people traveled for hours just to see Nick and pray with us. You have no idea how much that means to Debby and me. We cannot thank you enough. Going to church here in Walla Walla felt almost like we were not visiting, but members. We had special prayer there with the whole church gathered closely together.

Progress on the outside seemed to come to a halt. Nick is being treated for pneumonia in his lungs. He is coughing weakly and the nurses are able to suction out the junk. The doctor talked to us for permission to put in a trach tube which will make it easier for Nick to breath on his own (less effort). Also, they are going to put a feeding tube in through his side so there will not be a tube running down his throat. Hopefully, it be easier on Nick.

Nick seemed to be just resting all day Sabbath. I saw him yawn a couple of times. We spent a lot of time with Nick, reading to him and praying with him. We also have music playing for him in the background (no marching music!). The neurosurgeon stopped by in the afternoon to check on Nick. He says the best thing for Nick now is to wake up, even if it is kicking and screaming. He would welcome that as a good sign. He is concerned that Nick wake up soon, as are we. Nick is not receiving any medications that would prevent him from waking up.

We are specifically praying that God will heal Nick from the pneumonia he is fighting and wake Nick up.

Thank you all for your concern and support and most of all, your petitioning to the Lord with pray. We praise God for sustaining Nick and His constant healing hand.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-2/8/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello to all,

Nick looks different today. His ventric tube was removed today. That is the tube that kept track of the cranial pressure. Nicks pressure was stable enough to pull it out and reduce the risk of an infection to the brain. They also removed the staples and sutures on his head. His hair has grown out to the fuzzy stage, but it does not cover the long cut in his scalp. I believe that will be there from now on. Nick is fighting an infection now. He has a touch of pneumonia in his left lung and is being given three different antibiotics to help fight it. His temperature is up to 102 and they have Nick on the cooling blanket and have added ice packs again. They give him Tylenol, but I'm not sure how effective it works for Nick. We are praying that the they can get a handle on the temperature soon.

Nick has been coughing from time to time and they are suctioning out some liquids. They say that's good that he can help cough up some of the stuff (scientific term?) from his lungs to aid in clearing them. Nick looks like he wakes up on occasion, but I don't know that he can focus on anything yet. He still pulls both of his arms across his belly like he has a stomach ache. He gets very tense and is very strong when he pulls his arms up. It could be he is just trying to stay in shape?

We are waiting anxiously for Nick to wake up. The swelling of the brain should be receding and we are hoping that his body will take over more function.

Debby just came back from seeing Nick and his temperature is up to 102.6. We are very worried about how fast it has gone up. Three nurses are currently working on Nick to try to bring it down. They can hear fluid on both of his lungs now, not a good sign.

Once again, we ask for your prayers for Nick as he is still in the thick of the battle. We are going to have prayer for him here at the hospital with the group that is here.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-2/7/2008 7:50:23 PM
Greetings from Walla Walla,

This is one of those days that the doctors warned us about. I honestly cannot see any difference in Nick today. His temperature and white blood cell count was up this morning and they are looking for an infection. They take samples and send them somewhere for cultures. It sounded like a long process. Nick's pick line to his heart had to be removed as it was not functioning properly. That may also be the source of the infection as his arm was red around where the line had been.

Nick seems awake at times, but today I did not see him awake much. I asked if he had a rough night, but was told that Nick did well last night. They have Nick laying on a cooling blanket and sometimes it is cranked down to 40 degrees F. One nurse had it up to 90 degrees thinking that his skin was still warmer than the blanket. She turned it down to 70 while we were there, but there is no telling what they do when we leave. Nick's temperature is still up around 100 degrees.

I took pictures today of the trailer that Nick hit. His car slammed into a portable loading ramp broadside with the passenger side of the car. He hit the trailer so hard it pushed the trailer back about 6 feet and through a chain link fence. It truly is a miracle that Nick lived through the impact.

We do not have any idea how long until Nick wakes up fully. There is talk about what to do next week to Nick. They want to put in a trach(?) tube in and a direct feeding tube to his stomach. This will allow Nick to breathe easier on his own.

I wish I had news of a marked improvement, but I think this is where the healing process is more internal and requires a lot of patience. Nick is far from well and your prayers are greatly cherished. Thank you all for making Nick a part of your own family and keeping him lifted up to God.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-2/6/2008 7:50:23 PM
Greetings to all of Nicks friends and family,

The doctor told us that Nick's recovery (if it happened at all) would be very slow. I'm guessing the doctor has seen it all, because he is right. We hope to see something new in Nick each day, but I'm not so sure we did today. How do you update nothing new. I will say that last nights nurse was excited to tell the new things that she noticed. It really looks like Nick is looking out of a partially open right eye and moving it back and forth a bit. When I asked him to move his left arm today, he was slow in reacting, but he did pull it up to his chest. To me that is huge, because it is the right side of his brain that is damaged. The left side of his body should be affected. Nick is pulling both of his arms up to his chest. I have asked Nick to relax his arm, then pull his arm up and it seems like he is complying, but it usually delayed. The nurses check his reflexes by causing pain (not fun to watch) on each hand and foot. He is pulling his hands to his chest to get away from the pain. He is pulling his feet away by lifting his knees and curling his toes down. From what I understand, those are good signs.

We read and pray with Nick. His pressures come down when we do that. We are playing some instrumental music to him.

During the day there are times when he seems fairly alert, then fades away. It's like the "light is on and someone is in the basement". The times that he seems like he is with it is getting longer.

Please keep Nick in your prayers as he is far from out of the woods. We certainly love hearing from you even if we don't respond very well.

Thank you all and God bless you, Guy and Debby
-2/5/2008 7:50:23 PM
Hello there family,

This has been somewhat of an eventful day. Nick had an MRI this afternoon and we had no idea when we would get the results. Apparently, the doctor was very curious about how Nick was doing so he ordered the MRI and wanted to read them right away. It's a big ordeal when Nick has to leave his room for a CAT scan or MRI due to all the lines hooked up him. It takes about a half an hour just to get him ready to transport. After Nick came back, we went to see him and talk to him. The doctor came in shortly afterwards and brought up the MRI results on a monitor at the nurses station. The main thing he was looking for was brain stem damage. He looked at it extremely close and said that he could not see any damage to the brain stem. It surprised him in a way because of the nature of the injury. He showed us the damaged part of the brain which is about 1/8th of the total brain. He showed us how it caused lateral damage in a part of the brain was directly across from the impact. He also mentioned that as young and healthy as Nick is his brain can mend in ways that are not explainable. He showed us a ton of pictures of Nick brain and where and how extensive the damage is. The doctor also said that it is way too soon to know what the long term effects will be.

Today before Nick went in for his MRI we were talking to him and touching his hands and shoulders. His eyes opened just a bit and his eyes seemed to track us a bit. He even blinked a bit before he closed them and seemingly fell asleep. He is on a medication to stop his seizures, but they are weaning him off. He is not sedated so he doesn't have to fight that to wake up. The swelling of the brain is what is keeping him down right now. He is receiving food via a tube directly in his stomach. It looks like a liquid chocolate shake, but they say it doesn't taste like it. They started very slow with the feeding, but have increased it to 6 times since he has been able to handle it.

We continue to pray for the swelling of the brain to come down and that he will start to have more functions on his own. The doctor is now talking about a long recovery and rehab which is a far cry from he started out telling us. Each day seems like another small miracle in Nick's recovery. We are anxious for him to be awake, but that may not be for awhile yet. The doctor keeps reminding us that this is a slow process and a long rehab.

Please keep praying for Nick and his recovery. You may get tired of hearing me thank you for the same thing, but thank you so much for your prayers and support on Nick's behalf. It is all greatly appreciated very much.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby


The staff just wheeled Nick down to get an MRI at 2:30 to check his brain stem and brain. Nick seemed to understand when I told him to be calm during the MRI. It looks like he is looking out of his right eye on occasion. Through just a slit. His eye has been tracking sound and he is blinking a little. I am hoping that the brain swelling is coming down enough to start allowing his brain to pick up functions. We are praying for good results on the MRI. I am not sure when we will see the results of the test.

Guy
-2/4/2008 7:50:23 PM
Greetings to my family,

It is getting late in the day and just have to send out this update. Nick had an EEG and some other tests today to see how his brain reacts to stimulation. One part of the test is to see how he reacts to sound. He did very well on that part of the test. Other tests showed favorable reactions to light and touch. One test was to check Nick's brain stem as there is concern that it was damaged. The test results did not show any damage to the brain stem. The EEG helped in two areas. First is that it shows the activity of the brain in a vague way. The results for that were not very high, but that part was not a surprise right now. Secondly, the test was to show any damaged part of the brain. The doctor was surprise to find that the part he thought would be damaged seemed to damage free or lightly damaged. This was the part that the skull was crushed into. I was not able to talk directly to the doctor, but Debby heard him talking to the nurse. I talked to the nurse to confirm what Debby had heard.

Today Nick seemed to react to us talking to him a little bit. He opened his eyes slightly for a minute and seemed to move them a bit. He was even blinking slightly with his right eye. Melina was holding his left hand at the time and said that he curled his fingers in slightly at the time. As slight as it was, we were greatly encouraged that he could hear and react a bit. He has been breathing over his respirator a bit more today. I am hoping that soon I will be able to let you all know that he woke up. We feel that God is working a miracle before our eyes, but to the casual observer he is still a bump on a log.

I have attached several pictures of Nick taken today. You can see how hooked up he is right now. He is laying on a special cooling pad to help bring down his temperature down, which has been a constant concern. He shivers in reaction to the cool pad. Did I mention Nick hates being cold? Nick would aggravatingly drain every ounce of hot water when he took his morning showers at home in the mornings, regardless of who else wanted to have a shower. One nurse promised that as soon as his temperature stayed down, she would give him a stack of blankets.

We thank you again so much for your prayers and all the other support
-2/3/2008 8:54:23 PM
Greetings to all,

I was just in with Nick and wanted to send a bit of an update on him. It is after 8:30 pm at St. Mary's hospital. Nick seems to be resting well. Debby was reading to Nick earlier. As I touched and talked to Nick his pressure stayed close to the same (a great sign) and his breathing increased. He was breathing quite a bit over his ventilator, taking in little additional breaths and sometimes a deep one. We have been very concerned about pneumonia and he has some in his right lung. He is receiving two different antibiotics and seems to be responding well to them. The nurses put a cooling pad beneath him and now his temperature is down to about 100 degrees and still coming down. I am not sure what time tomorrow he will get his EEG, but we are anxious to see the results of his brain activity. We have been playing quiet instrumental music to him and reading quietly to him. It will be interesting to see if he heard any of it when he wakes up.

I have heard stories lately of head injury victims that just woke up after a short time. Nick could be one of them. We are certainly praying that Nick will wake up soon and will have all of his functions and especially his infectious personality. No one can tell right now what the future holds.

We still cherish your prayers for Nick and his recovery. We are certainly blessed by the huge response for prayer. Thank you all!!!

God bless you, Guy and Debby
-2/3/2008 2:44:23 PM
Hello to all,

It is Sunday afternoon in Walla Walla. Superbowl has not yet started. We have been in with Nick for a while. One of the neurosurgeons were by to check on Nick. He said that Nick is doing well, but this is going to be a long recovery and it may not be complete. The doctor is concerned with Nick catching something. Nick has some fluid in his right lung. The nurses are watching it closely. They are giving Nick two different antibiotics to help fight infections. They said they are backing off on the steroids also. We were hoping that Nick would be consciously reacting now, but we are still watching and waiting. The neurosurgeon said it is a bit too soon.

Nick is scheduled on Monday for another CAT scan and an EEG to check brain activity. We are anxious to seen the results. We are hoping that the drain tube in his skull will be removed this week, but they have to be sure that the cranial pressure is stabilized before it comes out.

We are praying that the swelling of the brain comes down and that he can resist any bugs that try to invade.

Please, continue praying for Nick. He needs it just as much now as before.

Thank you, Guy and Debby
-2/3/2008 9:36:23 AM
Hello to all,

I just wanted to send another update on Nick. We spent all day Sabbath here at the hospital. A lot of visitors were here all day. Many are still here. We had a special prayer session today for Nick. We also had a season of prayer over Nick in his ICU room and annointed him. It was a special time. Nick seems to be improving slowly. Today he was given 1.5 liters of fluid and gave off 3 liters. Nick's kidneys always did work well. He reacted to a cool washcloth on his face by turning his head this morning. That is the first time he has done that. Nick is scheduled for an EEG on Monday morning to see about brain function. Also a CAT scan. They are talking about removing the tube from Nick's head midweek if all goes well. He will stay on the ventilator until he can prove that he can breath on his own. Nick's seems to be improving, but it's extremely slow.

Regarding Nick's fluid loss, it is regarded as a plus. There is some fluid in his lungs which could be a major problem, maybe even pneumonia. With his body getting rid of fluid, some of it is coming from his lungs. Some of the fluid is coming from the brain to reduce the swelling. I think that he is slowly turning the bend.

In an effort to treat Nick as they have been treated, some have painted Nick's toenails red. They all want to see Nick's reaction to that when he wakes up. Some have shaved their heads as support to Nick. I won't mention any names, but I know that shaved head group is soon to be enlarged.

Please, don't stop praying for Nick. His improvement is soooooo slow and fragile. We are worried about an infection that he cannot handle.

Thank you for your prayers and support!!!!

Guy and Debby
-2/2/2008 6:33:23 PM
Hello to all,

I just wanted to send another update on Nick. We spent all day Sabbath here at the hospital. A lot of visitors were here all day. Many are still here. We had a special prayer session today for Nick. We also had a season of prayer over Nick in his ICU room and annointed him. It was a special time. Nick seems to be improving slowly. Today he was given 1.5 liters of fluid and gave off 3 liters. Nick's kidneys always did work well. He reacted to a cool washcloth on his face by turning his head this morning. That is the first time he has done that. Nick is scheduled for an EEG on Monday morning to see about brain function. Also a CAT scan. They are talking about removing the tube from Nick's head midweek if all goes well. He will stay on the ventilator until he can prove that he can breath on his own. Nick's seems to be improving, but it's extremely slow.

Regarding Nick's fluid loss, it is regarded as a plus. There is some fluid in his lungs which could be a major problem, maybe even pneumonia. With his body getting rid of fluid, some of it is coming from his lungs. Some of the fluid is coming from the brain to reduce the swelling. I think that he is slowly turning the bend.

In an effort to treat Nick as they have been treated, some have painted Nick's toenails red. They all want to see Nick's reaction to that when he wakes up. Some have shaved their heads as support to Nick. I won't mention any names, but I know that shaved head group is soon to be enlarged.

Please, don't stop praying for Nick. His improvement is soooooo slow and fragile. We are worried about an infection that he cannot handle.

Thank you for your prayers and support!!!!

Guy and Debby
-2/1/2008 8:42:23 PM
Greetings to all,

I am sorry this update is so late in getting out. I will do my best to send one out in the morning as long as I have access to a computer.

It is Friday evening and this is the end of day 5. Nick is still in a coma. Medically speaking, his numbers are OK. His cranial pressure still jumps up when we talk to him or touch him. Hopefully, the swelling of the brain is maxed out and will start to recede shortly. The nurse said that the only true way we can tell is when Nick starts reacting positively to stimulus. Nick is fighting a temperature of almost 102. His brain cannot regulate his own body temperature, so they do it by exposing his chest and feet and have even put ice packs in his arm pits and groin. They are helping to bring his fever down. Although Nick loves skiing and snow, he hates being cold. I'm sorry Nick, it's really for your good. One the positive side, Nick's kidney are functioning very well and his pupils are reacting very well to light. He does react to cold hands and stethoscopes. His seizures have slowed.

We have really been blessed by many people that have been bringing food and tonight was no different. The nursing dept. from Walla Walla University was so kind to bring us dinner tonight. Enough to feed a small army. I can't tell how much I appreciate what everyone has done. People are lining up to give us support. I cannot thank them enough.

I will update more in the morning.

God bless, Guy and Debby
-2/1/2008 11:08:23 AM
Hello Wayne,

I am really alarmed to hear about Al. Both Al and Valerie are in ours prayers too. It sounds like Al is in extremely serious condition and my heart goes out to him and Val. Yes, the devil is working his hardest to separate us from God in whatever way he can. What we are experiencing right now in our church can be used to draw us together in Jesus, rather than have the devil tear us apart. We cannot be like Job's wife. We have to trust that whatever happens is what God wants for us to go through. Right now we are in the crucible.

Right now with Nick all we can go by are the numbers. His numbers look stable. This is day 5 when the swelling of the brain has probably reached a peak. I asked how we know when the swelling is subsiding. It is by the bodily functions that come back on line and the reactions to stimulus that tell when the swelling is coming down. We are still waiting for that to happen. The nurses see subtle changes and pass them on to us. Nick's lungs seem to clear right now, but they are watching them very closely. He has a feeding tube to his stomach, but can take only very small amounts. They are working very hard to balance his blood pressure and sodium level with his cranial pressure. They all are related and the staff are keeping it all in balance.

We are reading the Bible and praying with Nick every day. We can't tell if it is sinking in, but he reacts by pressure changes. We have to be careful not to push it too much, but I think it helps him.

Nick's condition seems like it has been the same for the last three days. They told us that he would be the same until the swelling came down, so we are praying for that to happen soon.

We are praying all the time for Nick and have added Al and Valerie Johnson. I pray that God will heal Al from this infection and save not only his hand, but his life.

God bless you Wayne. I know you have a ton on your mind. Just knowing that you are with us in pray is a great comfort.

Guy and Debby
-1/31/2008 5:59:23 PM
Hello Wayne,

It's about 4:45 in the afternoon here at the hospital. I thought I would give you an update even though it will sound like more of the same.

Nick's cranial pressure increases with any stimulation so we have been doing our best to let him rest without touching or talking to him. When Debby talked to Nick his pressure went immediately from 18 to 40. The pressure is directly related to the swelling of the brain. Nick has a "brain drain" to relieve the higher pressures. So we have been doing our best to keep him as calm as possible. We are not letting people in his room, although many have come to see him through the window. Hopefully, in a couple of days the swelling will subside and Nick will be able to respond to stimulus without having a seizure or bad reaction.

I drove out to the accident site today. It is a miracle in itself that Nick is alive right now. I will try to get pictures of it. We are still trying to get the police report and are just starting to deal with insurance.

I will be going back to Nick's room shortly, but I cannot bother him. People have been here daily, all day until late into the night to see Nick and give us support. Nick has impacted so many lives and they feel a need to give back to him. God has been so good to us. Nick is hanging in there and by the grace of God we will bring him home soon.

Thank you for keeping the flow of information going. And again, we really cherish the prayers that everyone has on their hearts and lips for the recovery of Nick if it is God's will.

Guy and Debby Maniscalco
-1/31/2008 10:58:23 AM
Good morning to all,

I hope you all are well. I was just in to see Nick. He had a CAT scan this morning at 6:00. That is ironic because Nick is definitely not a morning person. The scan shows his brain is still swollen. His numbers look good this morning. The nurse said Nick did not have any seizures last night, but he did have a lot of posturing. His bed inflates and deflates to keep him in motion to prevent bed sores. Nick is so hooked up to machines that it takes about 1/2 hour to switch everything over to take him out to do his CAT scans. It's a major ordeal.

Yesterday was a critical day for the swelling in Nick's brain. Today is much the same as yesterday. It is best to let Nick rest with the least amount of stimulation.

It is so hard to see Nick lay there motionless for days. For those who know Nick, you know how full of life he is. Always active or wanting to be. To see him laying there, not moving at all for days just isn't right.

I am thankful you all are out there praying for Nick. There are people in ICU that have no support. In the room next to Nick there is a man that is from the penitentiary nearby. He is under constant guard. NO visitors for him. On the other side of Nick is a man that has been in a coma for over two weeks with pneumonia. I am praying for them too.

I am headed back in to be with Nick and read. The support has been so appreciated. Please keep praying for Nick. Even though we are seeing signs that give us hope, Nick is far from being out of the woods. All the good numbers can change in a heartbeat. Our faith is strong knowing that what ever God does will for some good, even if we don't understand it now. Someday in heaven God will give us the reason for what has happened. We are putting our trust in God regardless.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby, Matt and Melina, and NICK.
-1/30/2008 5:21:23 PM
Hello again from Guy and Debby Maniscalco,

I hope you don't mind this form of updating. It is almost 5:00pm in Walla Walla at the hospital. Victor Sword just stopped by to talk us about Nick. He was the first person to come upon the accident and took care of Nick until the ambulance took over. Even Victor had prayer with us for Nick.

Dr. Camp is the neurosurgeon that operated on Nick. He happened to be here at the hospital for another person when Nick arrived in the ambulance. He was off duty and did not want to be here, but the nursing staff "twisted his arm" to check on the other person. You have to know that God placed him here at just the right time. After a couple days, the doctor talked to us. His comment was that Nick had a 50/50 chance. Dr. Camp told us that he did not like what he saw when he first saw Nick and he liked it even less when he saw Nick a couple days later. That really shook us up. Dr. Camp did not beat around the bush and told us very matter of factly that Nick was very damaged and do not get our hopes up.

We saw Dr. Camp this afternoon at about 4:00 pm. He was in Nick's room checking with the nurses on Nick's progress. Debby were standing in the room behind him as he checked the charts and information. After his examination his comment was "I'm liking the numbers". He said it gives them some room for additional treatment. Nick is still very prone to seizures when he is stimulated, so we have kept everyone out of his room. He needs to be stimulus free for now. The doctor said that hopefully the swelling with begin to subside within the next day or two.

We don't want to raise false hopes, but we viewed the news from the doctor as positive.

Please, continue to keep Nick in your prayers as he is struggling right now. When Nick recovers we can be sure that mans hand was the small one compared to God's. We hope to be able to give better news in the morning after Nick's CAT scan.

God bless you all and thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Guy, Debby, Matt and Melina ( and Nick)
-1/30/2008 1:29:23 PM
Good morning Wayne,

Debby and I have been in to see Nick. For some reason his face is swollen. The nurse cautioned us that he is easily agitated right now. He cannot take any stimulus without having seizures. We spent some quiet time in his room praying and reading. We are currently waiting in the day room and go to see him periodically. People are restricted from going in to see him for the next two days. In reading his chart, it looks like his brain pressure has not gone up too much, which is good. His temperature is still @ 99 degrees, which is down from the 101.9 that it was a couple days ago.

You know, I thought I prayed a lot during Global Rain, but that was nothing compared to now. I am doing my best to keep everything in perspection and it helps to have others here who have been through the same thing give their testimony. Our God is a true and just God. I will not question His decisions. But God also knows the burden on my heart right now and the burdens of many others. A sparrow cannot fall, but that God sees it. How much more valuable is Nick than a sparrow. God knows right now what is going to happen to Nick. We have to wait. I haven't even discussed with Debby what we will do if God allows Nick to expire. I don't even want to go there.

Please, continue to pray for Nick. We have high hopes for Nicks full recovery, God willing. Thank you again for all your support and prayers.

Guy and Debby
-1/30/2008 8:28:23 AM
Hello all,

I just have a few minutes and we are headed back to the hospital. This have been the longest week in my life. Waiting is extremely hard for me, but that is where God has placed me. When we left the hospital last night late, Nick's pressure had increased some. We understand that the first five days is when most of the swelling occurs (give or take two days). Nick had been fairly stable on his pressure, but last night we saw an increase. Although the nurse was not alarmed, I was! The shunt in his brain is still there to help relieve pressure. His last CAT scan showed stability. Right now it is the pressure on the brain that is our huge concern.

We have been overwhelmed with the concern you all show for Nick. As you can guess, we have be inundated with phone calls, many of which go to voice mail, hopefully to be returned sometime soon. It is not that we don't care, but that with so many calls it takes awhile to get back. We are trying to be in close contact with our parents and e-mail updates to Wayne Kablanow. I am also trying to keep Ben and Ruthie Rodriguez in the loop to act as an information hub.

Yesterday we had many prayers sessions for Nick. Norm and Pearline Wick have been by as well as most of the local pastors in this area. Shawn Hicks and his girlfriend made a huge effort and drove down from Spokane just to be with us for the day. That shows the kind of support God has blessed us with. We would not be able to accommodate all who wanted to to just that, but we certainly appreciate those who have. People we do not even know have stopped by to give support and their own testimonies of how God has healed them. The network for Nick is so large, I don't even know how many are praying for Nick. Please do not stop!!! We are recieving e-mails from literally around the world, people I do not even know, people who are concerned for our boy. It touches and overwhelms me. This is only day four and the Nick is in the most critical time of his injury, so please, please, please, don't give up on Nick now.

I need to get to the hospital, but I will try to keep these e-mails coming.

Thank you all of you for your support and prayers, Guy and Debby
-1/29/2008 4:48:23 PM
Hello Wayne,

I am using Matt's e-mail to send this update to you. Nick is still hanging in there. He has had many people stop by in support. "Uncle" Charlie Edwards stopped by as well as Norm and Pearline Wick. I have seen most of the Pastors in this area so far. Many kids that know Nick have spent a lot of time here, some of them even camping out here. We have been fed and housed most graciously. The support is overwhelming.

Nick has a shunt in his brain to help relieve the pressure. They have drained off about 8 ounces of fluid from his brain so far. His temperature has decreased to about 99. His brain is unable to regulate some functions, such as temperature and food digestion. He is on a respirator that does most of the breathing for him. His heart rate is now down to about 120 beats per minute...it was as high as 205 a few times yesterday. We are still very concerned about the swelling of the brain. The next 48 to 72 hours will be critical for Nick. We have been encouraged by the testimony of people who stopped by here and have been in the same situation. I don't want to raise false hopes, but I have heard first hand how God has restored others that were given up for dead.

On a sad note, one family lost their father that was in the ICU with pneumonia. Three days ago he was as healthy as a horse. Now they are morning his loss. Life is so fragile and short. How true it is to be ready at all times.

I will update you more as I know more. Again, your thoughts and prayers are much needed and cherished. We are watching the hand of God working for Nick. Nick's care at the hospital is the best, but it is beyond their control now. We have put Nick in God's hands and hope He sees fit to recover Nick. When Nick recovers it will truly be a testimony to the healing power of God.

I am hoping Matt will send some pictures of Nick after we load them on the computer.

God bless and take care,

Guy and Debby
-1/29/2008 7:48:23 AM
Hello to all,

I just wanted to send out a blanket update on Nick's condition. He is still in critical condition at St. Mary's hospital in Walla Walla. He had a quick surgery last night around 8:00 to reinsert a pressure drain tube into his brain. The neurosurgeon spoke with us after Nick was wheeled back to his room. His comment was that when Nick came in he did not have a good feeling then, and even less of a good feeling now. He said that the blow to the head has caused more damage than he first thought. Now it is a waiting game to see if the swelling will come down soon. It still is too soon to tell how Nick will recover. We may be faced with some very difficult decisions soon.

Matt and Melina are here and taking it pretty hard. We get a little sleep at night, but how can one sleep through this.

Please keep Nick in your prayers for his improvement. Nick is definitely in God's hands right now. There really in nothing else man can do.

God bless you all, Guy and Debby
-1/28/2008 8:04:23 PM
Hello Church Family,

Thank you for your prayers. Nick made it through the night. Yesterday He was in surgery for four hours. His only injury is his head injury. They were able to decrease the pressure on the brain. So today it is just a matter of waiting.

A little update on what happened: Nick was traveling west on Hwy 12. In Touchet area he lost control and went off the road hitting a parked trailer with the passenger side of the car. A piece of the trailer came in and struck Nick on the head giving him the deep scull fracture.

Nick is a student at North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene and was down visiting some friends at the University. He was a little kid when I was first pastoring in Coeur d'Alene. He is 19 now. We have lots of other people praying too, but thanks for your prayers so much! God is good! All the family made it down safely yesterday.

We will keep you posted.

Please call if you need anything,

Pastor Doug
-1/28/2008 11:37:23 AM
Dear Wayne,

As you know, Debby and I are at St. Mary's hospital in Walla Walla. Nick is hanging in there. I know you have called for an update, but I have been on an emotional rollercoaster today. The neurosurgeon said that Nick has a 50/50 chance of surviving. The next two days will be critical due to the swelling of the brain. Nick's vital signs look OK. He has a temperature which they are trying to bring down. His pupils are responding well to stimulus. He is reacting somewhat to touch and voice in that he seems to get agitated. He is being given medication for seizures. He had a tube to relieve pressure on the brain that came out and will be replaced today sometime.

As many as 50 people have been here at the hospital at one time. Only one or two can go in at a time. Word has gone around the globe and many people are praying for Nick. Debby and I really cherish and appreciate the concern and prayers for Nick. It is an awesome feeling to be in Nick's room knowing that his guardian angel is there and watching over all that is going on. It is a hopeless feeling watching Nick struggle for his life on life support right now. As you well can imagine, our eyes have not been dry since yesterday.

Please, continue to pray for Nick. He is in God's hands right now. I just hope God will spare Nick.

To God be the glory!!!

Guy
Dedicated to the hope of Nick's smile restored! Updated: Mar 14, 2008 Admin