Time to change up the title. Let’s get away from the surgery. I know Summer is dying to forget about it!
Today, I didn’t get back till nearly 4 PM from Aidens college registration in Wisconsin this morning. I walked in just at Dr. Mostafa was talking to Summer, Angela, and my Mother. She is still progressing well.
About an hour after I got here… Some flowers showed from a group of DeeMack teachers. Once again, confirming why we are glad our kids went to Mackinaw for High School! I will say this again… SHE CANT HAVE FLOWERS IN THE CCU!!!! DON’T SEND THEM! That said, Summer asked to see them. She raised her arm up to her right eye to cover it and looked over the flowers with her left eye. She was pleased.
THIS WAS HUGE. You have no idea how much I about cried when I sent Ms Otto a note thanking her for this moment. It was a wow moment.
As the evening has progressed… Nate and I played a game while she rested. Every time I looked over, she had moved her plush cat that Joe and Sylvia had sent over. She is doing something over in that bed with her hands and arms. Every bit of it is progress! At some point, Nate and I were talking and she opened her eyes wide and they were together and not falling all over. I wanted to go outside the room and start shouting like I hit the lottery. I have refrained to this point.
Its Friday night… Unfortunately, we are still probably days away from solid food. Some applesauce has been the extent of what she can get down. The coughing is not nearly as bad after the food, but they will not risk rushing it. Summer is not happy about this. Especially after I was eating in front of her tonight during my sit-in session. Probably shouldn’t do that till Tuesday.
The brain fluid is draining well and if we are lucky… They will crimp off the drain on Monday and watch her pressure as her body attempts to maintain it. This is critical and can get very complicated if it does not go well. We are not out of the woods yet.
Oh, I have been spelling Dr. Mostafa’s name wrong every time I write it… Sorry! Here is a link to his bio at Carle.
https://carle.org/find-a-doctor/1969
This is a blog, so I will make a short comment about our run to Carthage College for Aidens registration. Dad, Aiden, and I took off yesterday afternoon and stayed the night outside of Kenosha. 
We had a VERY fast trip there and back with a few hours at the school. I would have loved to have spent more time there, but just getting there myself with Aiden today felt like I was getting away with murder. Talk about trying to balance your priorities!
Lastly, I need to bring this up. I am humbled to hear a half dozen times now that friends want to start a GoFundMe. I am very familiar with them and have contributed to a few over the years when I felt compelled to offer some assistance to someone in need.
That said… I don’t really know what our need is right now. So, I sure feel bad setting up an account for financial help. I am probably the luckiest guy in the world to have not had my kids regularly going into the ER for bangs and bruises. I think we have always just had health checks and physicals over the years.
Personally, we have a half dozen days of hotels, a little food and a few tanks of gas invested to this point. (sounds like one my vacations!)
I also don’t know if Summer will be going back to Carbondale anytime soon to work on her Summer semester or hold onto a job and pay her apartment lease. Likely, her School schedule and summer plans are in shambles. Those are real bills that we will be covering for her while she is down. Thinking practically, If she has radiation treatment in Bloomington this summer… Gas cards might be nice?
A few people have sent us gift cards and Venmo telling me to “shut-up and take it”. Kinda like Dom mowing my yard, “shut up and let me mow!” Taking a gift like that is as hard as any part of this drama and I just said this very thing when I told Daryl “I am terrible about taking compliments and gifts”. If you ask me what you can do to help, I will tell you to send your thoughts and prayers. I have never been one to ask for help, and I feel fortunate for that. But, I might change my tune (as I said in the previous post) once Health Alliance and SIH, and CARLE start throwing bills at us.
I did ask for some help building a handrail for my front porch next weekend. That’s a strategic play for me. When it’s done, I can share the blame when Angela criticizes its structural integrity!
So, in a matter of a hundred words or so, I just confused the subject again. Lets hold back on a GoFundMe. OK?
As I write this, it’s 11:48 PM and I am listening to her breathing heavily as she sleeps. It’s a great sound. If we keep up at this pace I will have Instagram stories of her laughing in a few more days. I can’t wait.
Have a great weekend. Recovery is happening.
❤
The rule against flowers is actually an important thing. When I was in, they didn’t yet have that rule and someone sent flowers that were pollenating. (You really couldn’t tell – they were just beautiful). But I acted like I was coming down with pneumonia – lots of coughing and breathing problems. Mom put the flowers in the little closet because she thought they were messing with her allergies. I improved, but they were doing breathing treatments and stuff, so we still didn’t put it together. When I was discharged, we opened the little closet to get my clothes out and it looked like a yellow paint bomb had gone off in there – pollen everywhere! So it really is important, even if it seems like a dumb rule.
Good to know. They moved one of the bouquets from ICU to CCU and nobody has really said anything about it. But tonight I heard a nurse asking if somebody had fresh flowers from out in the hallway because she could smell them.
Now you make me feel bad!
Please let Summer know that prayers and more prayers are ascending on her behalf by a former pastor.
Lee Iseley
Thank you, Pastor Lee. She loves you and Jerrianne!
Eric, thank you for posting these. I know it must be hard and as a parent I can’t imagine what you and Angela are going through. I appreciate knowing what to pray for for Summer and her beautiful family.
Summer, Angela and crew,
We are praying for you all. There are so many moving parts right now and logistical issues..God is paving the way as we speak! Tell Summer we want to hear her sing!!!
Keep the narrative coming Dad…!
Love to all… Charity and Nick Pallo
Keep the good news coming! Lots of prayers being sent your way
Everyone in the School of Earth Systems and Sustainability at SIU is thinking of Summer. We will watch her progress here and hope for a fast and complete recovery. We hope to see you back on campus soon Summer!