From December 12th

I somehow missed posting this update. Sorry..here it is:

Mike spent the first part of the week in the hospital because his sodium had gotten too low. By Wednesday it was back up to normal and he was discharged back to the ranch and is doing fine. While he was at the hospital he had a CT and EEG which showed no active seizures. The kids and I will be leaving Saturday morning to spend the weekend with Mike. He turned 43 this week. Please remember to keep him in your prayers.

The kids and I spent Thanksgiving weekend with Mike. He seems to be feeling good. He saw a pulmonary specialist last week and is on breathing treatments and he is doing very well with them. He goes back for a checkup on Friday, December 5th. Mike continues to keep his left arm tight and close to his body so Dr. Nguyen feels that a Botox injection may help loosen the muscles in Mike's hand and arm. Mike continues to hold his head up well but when he gets tired he rests his chin on his chest so this week he will also get a Botox injection in his neck. He had his last one back in April with good results. Pray for Mike to have a good week. Pray for good results from the Botox and the pulmonary check up. Pray for Mike to respond in therapy.

The latest

I wanted to let everyone know that Mike continues to be stable. We had a good visit with him this weekend. Audrey read him a book called the "Boogie Woogie Man". We took him out in his wheelchair to look at the horses. Sunday he seemed to be very tired and slept most of the day.

The Latest

Mike continues to do well. He is officially over his pneumonia!!! His breathing is good. His neck strength is continuing to get better. He is able to hold his head upright for longer periods of time now. We had a great weekend at the Ranch. The kids really showed off for "dad" showing him how they played soccer. We brought pumpkins for Mike's room and lots of new pictures for him. Please continue to keep Mike in your prayers.

Update from October 10th

Mike had a doctor appointment this Wednesday, October 8th. He is now up to 152lbs. His lungs sounded great. His swallowing is continuing to get better. The doctor stated that they are going to try having Mike wear a patch over one of his eyes to possibly help with his neck. The doctor said that sometimes patients hold their head to one side when they experience double vision so they are going to try this and see if there is any improvement. All of Mike's therapist agree that Mike is tolerating his therapy great and are very pleased. Last weekend was an excellent visit. Mike SMILED at Baylee!!!!

Monday Update

Mike is doing better. He still has pneumonia but it is now only in one lobe instead of both lower lobes. He continues to get stronger but it is a slow process. He looks great and seems to feel really good. He is staying awake longer some days and some days is still really tired and sleeps most of the day. He is holding his head up better and straighter. Last weekend I asked him to wave bye both Saturday and Sunday and he gave us a three finger wiggle. We will be going back this weekend.

September 12th

For those of you who have called and those who are wondering, Mike will NOT have to be moved this weekend due to hurricane Ike. Mike is about an hour north of Dallas. They will probably get a lot of rain and wind just like us. There should not be any threat of flooding as the house that he is living in and the treatment facilities are located in an elevated area. Thank you for all of your phone calls and prayers.

September 9th

Mike went to the doctor on Tuesday (September 9th) and he does have a pneumonia and he was started on antibiotics.

The kids and I spent the weekend with Mike. He seemed relaxed and we enjoyed our weekend. The kids played cards Saturday night with several of the patients while Mike and I watched. Mike was able to stay awake most of the time. On Sunday we spent most of the day on the porch while the kids road their bikes and checked out the horses until it was time to leave. This was our third trip and it seems like I can now make the drive in about 3 1/2 hours thanks to my brother-in-law.

A Quick Update

Mike continues to get settled in at Brinlee Ranch. The kids and I are going back again this weekend to see him. He has had a severe respiratory infection since he arrived from New Orleans. His doctor at the ranch has him on several medications to help dry up the congestion. Mike is still coughing but is doing well. Mike still tires easily and sleeps a lot but looks great. We love the new place. On August 30th and 31st, I took Mike outside and even though he was asleep, the kids were able to ride their bikes and they loved being able to say “look at me dad!” Inside, Audrey worked puzzles, Baylee got to watch TV and Wes played with some toys that we brought and it was great because each one of them got to have Mike with them whether it was at the table, by the couch, or in his room. For me, I just got to sit and hold his hand, rub his shoulders, and talk to him. Whether he was asleep or awake, we all left saying that we couldn’t wait to go back. WOW, so much better than New Orleans.

I know everyone wants BIG news but this is a very slow process. Please remember that. Mike continues to not be aware of time or place. He can not speak. He can not eat. He is in a wheelchair. He is totally dependent on others. BUT I do feel that at times, he does know that we are there and he is aware of us.

The ranch offers Mike a home and us a place to visit that is set up like a house. He has a private room that we have decorated just for him. We have brought so much of his personal stuff and artwork that the kids have done for him to make it “his” room. He has a great staff of therapists, physicians, nurses, and caregivers. They set small goals that he can reach instead of setting large goals that are out of reach. Right now, we are focusing on him being healthy, getting over his respiratory infection, and being able to participate in therapy Monday through Friday and getting stronger.

Mike's Move and Other Updates

Last weekend (August 9th and 10th) Sonny and I decided that Brinlee Creek Ranch was the best place for Mike. The first part of this week has been very busy making sure everything has been taken care of and getting Mike ready for his trip. I bought Mike a plane ticket and on Wednesday morning he was on a plane to Dallas. From there he was taken to Brinlee Creek Ranch in Anna, Texas. Angie, the coordinator for Pate Rehab has been wonderful. She flew one of their nurses down to New Orleans to fly with Mike so that he would be monitored at all times. Once he arrived at the ranch he was again checked by the staff nurse to make sure that he had made the transition okay. When I arrived at the ranch a short time later, Mike was resting comfortably and doing wonderful. Today (Thursday - 14th) and tomorrow he will be settling in and also will be assessed by several teams.

Pate Rehab is what is called a Post Acute Rehab facility. Mike will work his way up to participating in therapy from 9 in the morning until 3:30 in the afternoon six days a week. This will be a big change for him. I spent much of yesterday meeting with his team leaders and physicians as well as spending the afternoon and evening with Mike. Mike's brother lives about 20 minutes away and Mike also has a sister who lives about an hour away. It took me four hours to get there yesterday as well as over the weekend. I am sure with time, I will be able to find a shorter route.

Mike continues to do well. He is not aware of time or place. Right now he has a cough and is a little congested. The nurse was going to see about having the doctor see him today (Thursday). He looks wonderful. Mike is up to 140lbs. I brought some of Wesley's transformers with me and gave him one while I was sitting with him. I decorated his room with many of his personal things hoping that these items will help him in time. The staff and physicians all are very positive. Once Sonny and I both spent time here we were both at peace and knew this was the place for Mike. Brinlee Creek is a state of the art, moderate rehab facility. It is awesome. The kids and I will be back next week. They can even bring their bikes to ride and Mike and I can sit and watch :)

After this weekend, I will get Sharron to post more information about visiting and such. This is a wonderful place. Feel free to visit their website.

New on Mike

Mike continues to do well. He continues to be healthy and is tolerating his therapy. Sonny (Mike's dad) and I are in the process of visiting locations for continued rehab for Mike. This is the next phase for Mike. Even though he remains semi-conscious he continues to go through daily therapy and is ready to progress to what is called "post acute" care. We will be visiting two locations in Texas this weekend. Mike has been accepted to several outstanding TBI rehab programs. These facilities specialize in recovery for patients who have had a traumatic brain injury. The two that are in Texas have evaluated Mike and feel that Mike can make progress in their programs.

Please continue to pray for Mike and that God will guide us in making our decision on which program will best meet Mike's needs.

Update

I just want to thank everyone for their continued support and prayers. Mike continues to do well in New Orleans. Right now, I feel that if I were asked where our focus of prayer needs to be I would say for Mike to improve with his tracking. This seems to fluctuate from day to day and the therapist would like it to be more consistent.

Mike, myself, and the kids have been blessed with such wonderful friends and family. Thank you so much for continue to make the long drives to New Orleans Kelly, Kevin, Robin, Kami, Lori, as well as Mike's sisters. A special thanks to Mike's father who along with myself refuse to give up and my parents who continue to make the trips to New Orleans with me and the kids every time I say lets go as I know it is hard with three kids who never seem to get tired.

Mike continues to be strong and healthy. He continues to go through therapy six days a week. One of the neatest things happened just last Monday. Mike's dad and sisters were visiting and talking about his hair and Mike reached up and touched his hair.... things like this continue to give each of us hope and remind us that God continues to be in control. Please remember to pray for tracking for Mike.

Father's Day Weekend Update

We went down to see Mike for Father's Day this past weekend in New Orleans. The kids and I got to take Mike outside for the first time since the accident. It was wonderful. Though Mike still remains in a semi coma, you could tell that he enjoyed it. Even though Mike does not respond, there were little things that I noticed that made all of us understand that he enjoyed the time outside. Mike has always loved the outdoors and to be able to take him outside and enjoy spending time with him and the kids was unbelievable. The kids made him pictures for his bulletin board and they explained what each one was before hanging them up. The showed him the shirts that each one of them picked out for him. Even though he was asleep during this time, they were so excited to sit in his lap and tell him about the fish t-shirt, the camo t-shirt, and the hunting t-shirt that they each picked out for him. He seemed so calm this weekend and his movements were more controlled. In the past Mike's movements have been more constant and continuous but this weekend it was like he would just touch his nose and put his hand back in his lap or he would touch his other hand and then put his hand back down. Mike continues to do well and we all continue to be so proud of him. Please continue to pray for Mike and the awesome team that God has provided for him in New Orleans as I can truly see that they are making a difference.

This week's update

Just a quick update on Mike. This week has been a good week. I have continued to talk to his nurses several times a day. Mike does sleep a lot still but the therapist feels that his neck is getting stronger. Since taking off the neck brace last week they have been working very hard at strengthening his neck muscles. The nurse told me today that she can notice a difference and that Mike does not seem to lean as far forward or to the right. Yesterday, I found out that Mike continues to be able to identify objects when in speech therapy when put in front of him. When Abby uses two objects Mike can identify usually 3/6 times one of the two objects. If Abby uses any more than two objects Mike is unable to identify.

In regards to today

The sole purpose of this blog is to keep people posted as to mike's recovery and not to pass judgement on mike, ericka, their family or innocent people. If these comments continue, there will be no other option but to shut down the blog.

Update

From Ericka:

Just talked to Mike's nurse and the ortho doctor made rounds this afternoon. The decision was made to take Mike's neck brace off. This is wonderful news. Please continue to pray for Mike as he continues his road to recovery.

Memorial Day Weekend

Mike looked healthy and we had a wonderful visit. I brought Mike one of his ball caps and after putting it on him, he used his right hand to reposition it. It was awesome. We were all looking at each other in amazement. I put Mike's glasses on him and it was so neat to see him reposition them, take them off, try to put them on, and constantly be messing with them. He would touch Wesley's eyes, mouth, hair, shirt, etc... He would reach out to Wesley and pull him toward him and push him away, this process went on and on. All I could do was smile and cry. The girls took pictures with their dad and got to sit with him in bed. Mike loves to touch anything. He is constantly moving his right hand and leg.

Mike continues to be total dependent. He can not move his head to look at you but he continues to keep his eyes open and he will reach out to you. The Botox injection has loosened the muscles in his neck somewhat and he does not lean as severely to the right. Occupational and Physical therapy continue to work with him twice a day. I spoke with the speech therapist and she was very encouraging. She stated that when placing two objects in front of Mike and asking him to reach for a specific item that he will show signs of reaching for what she has asked. We brought several more family pictures down and as well as a new package of chewing tobacco for the speech therapist to use in hopes that he might identify texture and smell. The nurse told me that speech and eating would be two of the last things that Mike would accomplish with time. So for right now, Mike continues to be on a PEG tube which means he is on a liquid diet.

Mike continues to be healthy and we continue to be prayerful and blessed that God continues to show us daily that he is in control.

Update - May 20th

For the last two days the physical therapist has noticed that Mike has helped push himself up to a standing position. What I mean by this is that when the therapist brings Mike from a sitting to standing position, the therapist can feel Mike's muscles tense and contract which show that he is showing signs of helping. This morning his nurse, Sarah, came in and told him good morning and said "give me some skin" and gave him a high five and and he gave her a high five. Sarah has been Mike's nurse for the past week and has been a true blessing. She is so kind and upbeat. Each time I talk to her she is so positive and you can tell that she truly enjoys taking care of Mike. Please continue to pray. These small things are small miracles that continue to show me that God is in control during this long journey ahead of us.

Update 5-16-08

From Ericka:

"just talked to nurse taking care of mike today and wanted to share this.

She told me that she was washing his face with a cool wash cloth and dropped it and it fell to his lap. She waited and he reached with his right had and felt around and picked it up and brought it up to his face and began to move it around on his face. He then dropped it and it landed on his chest. He began to feel around for it and brought it up to his mouth. Of course this whole process took a while but WOW!!!! How amazing is God?"

Update from Ericka

Mike has had a tendency to lean his head to the right since his halo came off and the doctor called yesterday and discussed several options. End result: Mike will have a Botox injection on Thursday (May 8th) to the muscle on the right side of his neck in hopes of relaxing the muscles so that the neck will straighten. This may take up to two weeks to see results. Results can last up to 3 months.

Spoke with case manager today and she went over notes from meeting yesterday. Once a week there is a staff meeting regarding all patients and she will usually call me with an update as to Mike's health. Overall Mike continues to be healthy and is now at 133 lbs. Speech therapy reported that in the last week he responded 3 out of 6 times in simple commands, with either blinking his eyes, reaching forward, or raising a finger for yes or no. They also reported some facial expressions when going over family pictures and that Mike did reach for the picture of our son Wesley.

Update from Ericka's visit

Copied from an email from Ericka:

The trach came out Monday---yeah! The weekend was good, i actually felt good when I left Sunday. the kids did good when they visited each time. I can tell that his muscles are more relaxed and that he is not as tight as he has been. He continues with therapy and has responded to a few single commands but they have been inconsistent. He really did not respond to us at all but I was so pleased to see that he looked so much more healthy. He had gained 9 lbs. He actually kept his eyes open the whole time we visited each time and would close them from time to time but would open them again so that was nice.

foot surgery went good. They look great. This was done so that when it comes time for him to stand or walk, his feet will be flat on the floor. The echo was normal. he has a small aortic valve leak but the cardiologist said nothing to worry about and that his function was good.

Weekly Update

Mike had an echo done this week. Ericka and the kids are going down this weekend to visit so we will put a current update up on Monday or Tuesday. Please pray for their safety as they go visit Mike.

Update

Surgery today to lengthen tendons in ankles so that Mike can flatten his feet. This is a good thing and will help with standing and walking when the time comes. OT, PT and speech twice a day six days a week. Halo is off. He is keeping his eyes open more. Trach weaning has begun and hope to have trach out by middle of may.

We encourage visitors on the weekends. Visitation is from 12:30 to 8PM on Saturday and 10:30 to 6PM on Sunday. If you would like to stay the night you may call Touro and ask for Security to reserve a room. The rooms are $15 a night. If you plan to go visit please call Ericka so that we don't have multiple people visiting at one time.

Please continue to Pray for Mike!

Adjusting to Touro

Just wanted to let everyone know that Mike is getting settled in at Touro. They get him up everyday at 7:00am and get him dressed and ready for the day. He is treated like someone that is functioning normally. They do extensive therapy with him everyday. Ericka spoke with his nurses on Saturday to see how he was doing. They said that he had already started therapy and was showing more movement than he had up here at Lifecare.

He is still in a coma.

Thursday April 3rd

Mike will be leaving by ambulance for Touro Rehabilitation Center tomorrow morning. This will begin the next phase for Mike. Ericka will be following him down there to make sure he is settled.

He is still in a coma but shows signs of emotion and does quite a bit of moving.

March 30th - End of Week 12

Well...Mike will be leaving for Touro Rehabilitation Center this week. It is located in New Orleans. This will begin a new phase for Ericka and the kids. It means a 6 or more hour commute to see Mike.

His condition has not changed dramatically. In other words, he is still in a coma. However, it is a blessing that they now are assessing him at a state that qualifies him for acceptance into Touro. At the beginning of the week Ericka was looking into nursing homes. Remember that this was not a good thing because Mike wouldn't get the rehab that he needs. Well, prayers do get answered. By Tuesday they had accepted him to Touro...a rehabilitative center.

Stay in prayer for the family as the make this transition.

March 19th - Week 11

At this time, insurance is ready to move Mike out of Pierremont. Neurologically, he is not showing enough activity to qualify him to be moved to a rehabilitative place. That means that the only option is a nursing home. This is not what the family wants because typically nursing homes do not really work with people in Mike's condition.

On a positive note, they took Mike's trach out today. Ericka did not expect this to happen and was surprised when she found out that it had already been removed and capped off. Kevin said that Mike was actually moaning some this afternoon AND when he coughed...it actually sounded like Mike. These are the first sounds that are reminiscent of Mike...the first sounds that the family has heard since before his accident. He is still in a coma. Please continue to pray that something will happen....this is a critical time in determining the next step in Mike's care.

March 12th - Quick Update

Good news: Mike was taken off the ventilator yesterday.

March 10th - Week 10

Somehow last week slid by without any updates. I apologize for that. Things are much the same with Mike in many ways. He did go through an evaluation last week. Dr. Hernandez is more optimistic. Mike has completed his antibiotics for his staph infection and pneumonia. He is on CPAP right now and hopefully will be off the vent this week. They have adjusted his halo a little bit more to straighten it. He continues to have about 1- 1/2 hours a day of physical therapy. Mike continues to open the right eye and move the right side from time to time. He is still in a coma.

THIS WEEK'S GOAL: For Mike to be able to have more tone and controlled movements and to do more PT a day.

March 1st - Week 8

Mike has a better week this week. Yes, he was battling pneumonia again, but chest x-rays taken late in the week showed that his lungs were greatly improved. He also contracted a staph infection, but it is apparently one that is common for hospital patients to get. They are treating him for the infection.

In Wednesday, he had a very good physical therapy day. They put him on the tilt table and he did some reaching out when they were working with his arms.

He still remains in a coma, but it was a good week.

February 23rd - Week 7

Mike went through an "evaluation" this week at WK Pierremont. They routinely do this after a patient has been there for a "set" amount of time. They have decided to keep him there at LifeCare and continue his treatment. However, they are not happy with his progress. The first week or so that he was there, he seemed to make progress, but for the past week or so, Mike has not made much headway. He has battled pneumonia and a urinary tract infection.

As of this morning, he has pneumonia again. They have already started him on treatment medications for this.

The good news is that they feel like he is not in a deep coma. If he were in a deep coma, he would not be making any movements or blinking and opening his eye. He has done these things. This is a good thing.

Keep praying.... pray that he gets through this pneumonia and that he starts making progress. Pray for Ericka's continued strength.

A Little Note

I know that it can seem like there isn't anything positive when you read this and see no huge changes. So here is a quick list of GOOD:
1. Mike is alive.....despite the odds
2. Physically, he is making improvements.
3. The doctors are not negative
4. Mike has a dedicated and faithful family
5. Mike has dedicated friends that are there for both him and his family.
6. God is good....all things are possible.

So keep praying!

February 18th - Day 45

As of yesterday, Mike hasn't had much change. Ericka said that he actually had a restful day.
He was having some problems with his blood pressure, but they now have him on medication and that is stabilized. He is being treated for a urinary tract infection and is still recovering from pneumonia. He is still currently going through physical therapy twice a day. And yes, he is still in a coma.

The benefit rabbit hunt raised over $2200 this past Saturday. I have heard that they will probably try to do another fundraiser in the near future.

Ericka remains optimistic and faithful.

Benefit Rabbit Hunt - Sat. Feb 16th

February 12th - Day 39

Ericka was able to speak with the neurologist yesterday evening. The encouraging thing that he said is that Mike is just barely into this. He has only been in a coma for a month. He still has a few more months before the outlook becomes more negative. We are praying that he will come out of this before then.

He does still have blood left on his brain from the hemorrhaging. It takes time for that to be reabsorbed by the body. The good thing is that there is no new hemorrhaging.

As I mentioned before, he does have pneumonia, but he is being treated for that.

He is still in a coma.

February 10th - Day 37th

I will update more later. Just a quick note that Mike has pneumonia. Which explains all the coughing and congestion. They now have him on treatment for that.

He is still in a coma.

February 5th - Day 32

Mike is still running a low grade fever. The doctors started him on an antibiotic yesterday. They are still waiting on cultures from draws they made this weekend. He had a quiet day. Not much activity. PT did some work with him. They intend to work with him tomorrow morning at some point and tomorrow afternoon at some point.

He had been opening his right eye a little over the weekend...not waking up, just opening. However, nothing today.

He remains in a coma.

Continue to pray for Mike and the family. Thanks to the guys from Swepco that helped Ericka out this weekend.

February 2 - Day 29

Mike has been having problems tolerating his feeding tube. this has been mentioned before. However, they have put him on a different gastro antibiotic that has helped with the ulcers AND they have changed his feeding formula. He is now doing really well tolerating the food and they have increased his dosage.

Friday was a good day. PT started working with Mike. They strapped him into an ortho chair. He remained seated there for 30 minutes. His vital signs remained good during this period of time. This is great. Next week, they will begin other forms of PT.

Mike still remains in a coma.

Ericka is really doing well with the adjustment of being back at work and splitting time between home, hospital, and work.

Bossier Press Tribune

I just received word that the Bossier Press Tribune will be running a blurb on the "Ericka Carter for Mike Carter Fund".

It will run on page 2 of the Bossier Press Tribune this Friday.

January 30 - Day 26

Mike has been having problems tolerating the feeding tube. He has been throwing up sporadically. There has been evidence of old blood from some sort of internal bleeding. The doctors think that he has a few bleeding ulcers in his esophagus and that these are the source of the old blood that he has been throwing up. They have started him on treatment for these ulcers. They also replaced the halo plate yesterday with a new one that is more appropriate for Mike's height.

He still remains in a coma.

January 28 - Day 24

Mike has had a restful weekend. He is now at Willis Knighton Pierremont on the LifeCare floor. No posts were made over the weekend regarding Mike because the family wanted to allow him a chance to get situated and go through LifeCare's evaluations.

He will be having a plate replacement on his halo today, because it was causing some problems for Mike.....it was too large and putting too much pressure on his abdomen.

AT this time, there isn't much else to report. He is stable, comfortable, and still in a coma.

Pray for Ericka...she had to go back to work today. They are going to try to get into some kind of routine and normalcy as much as possible.

After meeting with the Case Manager today, Ericka will have a better grasp on plans of action in Mike's care and will also be able to give an idea of how visitations work.

January 26th - Day 22

Mike was moved to Willis Knighton Pierremont yesterday afternoon around 2:00pm. He was resting peacefully last night - still in a coma. His doctor there stated that they would run a whole new set of tests. Standard procedure.

Mike is getting moved

They will be transporting Mike from LSU Med. to Willis Knighton Pierremont today around 2:00pm. The Life Care floor is designed to "treat medically complex patients who require acute care hospital services for an extended period of time". (www.lifecare-hospitals.com)

He received two pints of blood earlier today. He is not bleeding though.
One of the first test from the other night cam back and it does show that he has some sort of infection. They have him on a broad spectrum antibiotic right now.

January 25th - Day 21

Mike rested peacefully yesterday afternoon and evening. No more throwing up. He is scheduled to be moved to Willis Knighton Pierremont LifeCare this afternoon.

He is sill in a coma.

January 24th - Day 20

They did several cultures on Mike last night and were able to drain off most of his stomach. He was resting peacefully this morning. If all continues as is and he remains stable through the night, they are planning on moving him to the Willis Knighton Pierremont LifeCare floor tomorrow.

Of course, nothing is definite. He is still in a coma.

January 23rd - Day 19 Part 2

Mike has been having alot of problems with throwing up. I'm going to be as cut and dried as possible on this. He went through a scope today to try and see where all this stuff that he is throwing up is coming from. They wanted to make sure that he didn't have some sort of small bowel obstruction. The scope showed everything as all clear. However, he is still having a hard time.

They are in the process of completely emptying out his stomach and bowels. To give him a "fresh start" (Ericka's words). He also has a small raw spot in his trach area that they are trying to heal.

Tonight, they are going to take all kinds of culture: blood, etc. They haven't done anything other than spinal fluid cultures in 10 days. They are hoping that these cultures will pinpoint what is going on.

Mike is still stable and in a coma. He had a high fever tonight and was on ice packs with a fan on him. However, Ericka said that he was cool to the touch. He is on the ventilator and night, but on regular oxygen during the day.

Right now, the important thing is for them to find out why he can't keep anything down and why he keeps running a fever.

The upside is that he does seem to have several of his reflexes intact. The down side is that he is still in a coma.

Heartfelt Thank You

Ericka wanted to sincerely thank everyone for all the cards, well- wishes, words of encouragement, food, support, and most importantly....the PRAYERS.

It has meant more than you will ever know.

Please continue to pray for Mike, Ericka and the kids.

January 23rd - Day 19

As I stated before, they put the halo on Mike yesterday. He seems to be resting more peacefully now. His neck and chin area don't seem so flexed...they appear more relaxed. He is continuing to have trouble with the throwing up. He has problems with this every since they inserted the feeding tube. The doctors are planning on doing a scope today to see what is going on with his stomach and why he is having problems with the vomiting.

As of right now, they do not plan to do surgery on his broken knee.

They are wanting to get his chest stronger. Once his stomach is ok and his chest is stronger, Mike will be moved to another facility..whether he is awake or not.

He still remains in a coma at this point.

January 22nd - Day 18

Mike got his halo today. I will update more later this evening.

January 21st - Day 17

Quick Update - Mike's shunt was taken out this morning and he has two stitches there. They are also alternating him on and off the vent. In other words, he is being taken on and off the ventilator through the day...part time breathing on his own and part time on the ventilator.

The doctors are planning on trying to do the halo tomorrow. Of course, that can be bumped, but they are wanting to try to do it tomorrow.

January 20th - Day 16

They are planning on doing a CT scan tonight on Mike. If everything looks ok, they are planning on trying to remove the shunt in the next few days. He is still having some issues with the reflux, but they are hopefully going to change that medication out.

He is being weaned off the ventilator and the left chest drain tube. Ortho will probably be around in a few days, if the shunt is removed. They will be talking with Ericka about doing the halo and probably talking about how they will deal with his broken knee. If I haven't mentioned it before, his ribs are taped. There isn't really much else that you can do for broken ribs.

He is breathing all right. Audrey was able to see her daddy tonight. She did well with the visit. She is so inquisitive and wanted to know all about what was going on with Mike - medically speaking. Wes was territorial and wouldn't let his sisters hold their daddy's hand. Baylee is being strong. The visits are tough for her, but also good because she gets to see Mike.

Wes will be going back to his grandmother's house tomorrow, but Ericka has decided to keep Baylee and Audrey at home with her and Kevin. So, for everyone that has been asking about meals...well, we are going to get those started. I will be sending out an email to everyone tomorrow. We'll just sign up for nights. Just see how it goes....

Keep praying... and keep leaving comments for Ericka. She does get them.

January 19th - Day 15 - Evening Assessment

Mike has been dealing with quite a bit of reflux since the surgery for the trach. The nurses asked Ericka if he was lactose intolerant tonight. He is not. Come to find out, they were giving him a medication for reflux that does not work well with his system. They will be changing the medication. The sedation that he was under for the surgery has caused Mike to throw up several times. He is now completely off all sedation.....This will hopefully help with the nausea.

They will be monitoring his reflux and nausea through the night.

Mike is stable, but still in a coma.

Wes got to see his Daddy for the first time tonight. Mike has been doing alot of clenching of his hands...more so in the evenings. Ericka set Wes up on the bed by Mike so he could put his hand in his Daddy's hand. Of course, when Wes did this, Mike closed his hand over his. So Wes got to "hold Daddy's hand" tonight. :)

Pray that the nausea and reflux will fade away.

January 19th - Day 15

Mike made it through the night fairly well with the trach. His fever is back up again, but that was expected after the surgery. He had a few spikes in his pressure, but they drained off some fluid and it went back down. He has been resting quietly since.

As of the 10:00 am visit he is doing well. They are planning on trying to take the shunt out in the next day or two if Mike continues to do as well as he is. After that they will look at putting him in a halo for his neck fracture. At this time he is breathing over the ventilator. They are going to try and slowly wean him off of the ventilator now. He is NOT on any sedation now.

For those that are wondering, Mike's face is void of any injuries. Look at any of the pictures of him on the blog...this is how he looks. The nurses shaved him yesterday and since the ventilation tube is out, he just looks like he is resting. Because of these factors, Baylee got to see her Daddy today, for the first time since the accident. Ericka said that it really seemed to help Baylee...getting to see Mike.

Keep praying.......

The BanCorp South Fund

I understand that some people have tried to make donations, but have been unable to. To make it easier, then you go to BanCorp South, tell them the following:

You are donating to the "Ericka Carter for Mike Carter" account

They may contact Debbie Kauffman (318-865-6555) at the Line Avenue Branch in Shreveport, Louisiana with any questions.

I will post the contact woman's name as soon as I have it. However, this should clear up any questions that they may have at the branch that you go to. Thanks once again.

January 18th - Day 14

Mike underwent surgery for his tracheotomy today. Finally. Right now..at 5:40pm...he is very sedated and at present he is more dependent on the ventilator than on his own breathing.

Correction

I forgot to mention that Mike got his feeding tube on Wednesday.

January 18th - Day 14

AM report:
Ericka had to sign the release for them to do the trach. Hopefully that indicates that he will be in surgery for the trach and feeding tube today

January 17th - Day 13

They did not get the trach or feeding tube done today. Little has changed. They are supposed to give him a sponge bath tonight.

The doctors have said little about his condition. However, today, they told Sonny, Mike's dad, that Mike must have a special purpose. They stated that he should have died at least twice so far. The first time being the wreck - it is a miracle that he survived that. The second time was a few days ago when his oxygen saturation levels dropped below the 80's. A man in Mike's condition shouldn't have been able to recover from that....but he did.

This really made for a good day for Ericka. Look to the small blessings to find the bigger ones.

He is supposed to get his trach tomorrow. The waiting game continues.

The Ericka Carter for Mike Carter fund

A fund has been established at BanCorp South for the Carter family. It was set up to help offset some of the many unseen medical and out-of-pocket expenses that are bound to arise from this situation.

The press release has been sent out to all of the local media outlets: radio, tv, newspaper, magazine. In addition, it has been sent to many East Texas, Minden/Ruston/Natchitoches, and Toledo Bend area media affiliates.

January 16th - Day 12

Still no change in Mike's condition. His pressures were fairly good throughout the day. They have him on an air mattress now. Apparently this is a good thing.

His right drain tube in his chest has been removed. They has his peg inserted and are still planning on performing the trach tomorrow. However, when Ericka called this evening to see what time the surgery would be, she was told that he had been put on the wait list. Meaning that his surgery will either be late in the day or he could get bumped again.

Ericka said that he was doing a lot of moving today. Just hands and feet...small movements, but movements. He clenches his fists too.

Mike still remains in a coma.

January 15th - Day 11

Here is the latest from Ericka:

Mike ran a temperature of 102 to 103 off an on today. His cranial pressure went up to 25, but then came back down shortly there after.

The doctors decided that they want to do his tracheotomy in surgery. They feel that this is the best plan, because it will allow them to keep his neck stabilized and keep him monitored. Surgery is booked for today (Wednesday), so they are hoping to get Mike in on Thursday. However, they were able to get his peg in today (Tuesday).

They are slowly trying to wean him off of his right chest tube. Apparently they don't just remove it....it is a backing off process.

Other than that, there has not been much change. Mike is stable but critical. He still has not regained consciousness.

There has been a fund set up at Bancorp South. It is in the name of Ericka Carter for donations towards Mike Carter. This is an opportunity for people to help contribute and offset the many expenses that come with these situations.

Prayers are still the same....healing and strength.

Once again, thanks for all the support. It really does mean alot to Ericka.

The inital announcement of the fund

On January 5, 2008, Mike Carter was involved in an automobile accident and is currently in SICU at LSU in stable but critical condition. He suffered extensive head trauma and is currently in a coma with severe brain injuries. He is on a ventilator, has numerous broken bones, among other injuries. He has 5 children ranging from 4 to 20 (Wes, Audrey, Baylee, Lacey, and Kevin). Ericka is incurring the additional cost for parking, hospital meals, and gas to be by Mike's side. Not to mention, additional out of pocket medical expenses in the future. The family needs to focus on Mike right now and not stress over any financial burden that this has created.

Mike is employed with AEP/Swepco as a Construction Supervisor in Shreveport.

An account has been set up at BanCorp South in the name of Ericka Carter for Mike Carter for donations. Please continue to pray for Mike and the family as God does heal and answer prayers.

January 14th - Day 10

Good evening to everyone....or should I say good morning?

First of all, I can't tell you how much it has meant to Ericka to hear how everyone has been asking about her and Mike, and emailing for updates, etc. You know, we all know that God is there for us and he will provide, but in difficult times like these, it is awesome to see how God can use people to bring comfort, peace and love to each other.

On a personal note, I really appreciate all the offers of help and concern. Especially in the nursery.

I just finished talking to Ericka about an hour ago and she was very upbeat and positive about Mike's day. He was able to go without an elevated temperature for 8 hours. They didn't have to put him back on the cooling blanket until this afternoon and he had a low grade temp at that time. All of his pressures were good today. If he makes it through the night without any pressure spikes, it will mean that he made it for 24 hours. This is all good.

As of this moment, depending on Mike's night, they are planning to go ahead with the tracheotomy and feeding tube procedures tomorrow. This is also a good sign.

The doctors have told Ericka that the extent of his brain damage is probably more than they first thought. However, she should keep the following in mind: His brain suffered severe trauma. The occipital lobe and the frontal lobe are the areas that received the most damage, those are the areas that will require the most therapy. The other parts of his brain suffered trauma, but the extent of damage and/or lack of damage really will not be able to be evaluated until Mike actually wakes up. All of the tests that they are running now serve more as markers to record his fluctuations from day to day. They don't necessarily mark his actual damage. The doctors told her that they determine their prognosis off of the initial assessment of Mike when he was brought into the hospital. They have a scale of assessment of the brain. The numbers range from 3 - 15, with 3 representing someone that is essentially brain dead and 15 representing a healthy individual. Mike was assessed as somewhere between a 4 and 5 when he arrived. That is the number that they work from in the treatment of Mike. So if they can get him to a 7 or 8...that would be great.

All of Mike's bodily functions are doing well....heart, lungs, etc. He does make movements with his feet and hands. He spent most of yesterday clenching and unclenching his fists.

The accident happened a week from this past Saturday. We are now in day 10 of Mike's hospitalization. He still has not regained consciousness.

So, what to pray for today? Let's start with specifics. Healing. Pray that Mike's brain will be healed. That the trauma will be minimal. Pray that his fractured bones will mend. Pray that he will have a good day tomorrow. Pray that the tracheotomy and insertion of feeding tube will go smoothly. Pray that Mike will come out of the coma in a time frame that allows for maximum healing of his body...not too quickly, but not too slowly. In a larger scope, pray that this will be the turning for Mike and he will find God in this event.

My extra request: Pray for Ericka and the kids...all five of them. For Kevin to be strong and continue to be the strength that he has been for Ericka, for Lacy to be able to deal with the situation, and for Baylee, Audrey and Wes....just to be able to understand and cope. Ericka has really found her strength in her faith in this...pray that she will continue in her strength. She is really doing an incredible job of counting the small blessings as big accomplishments for each day. Please pray that she is able to do that.

Once again, as I close for the night, thanks to all of you for your prayers and support.

January 13th - Day 9

Sorry I didn't send anything out over the weekend. Just wanted to let everyone know that there really hasn't been any major change with Mike over the weekend. The past few nights he had a couple of spikes with the pressure in his head, but the numbers came down each time.

The trach and feeding tube still haven't been done. The doctors are really just watching Mike at this point and letting his body dictate what they will deal with next. He still has not regained consciousness.

The blessings for the day are that he had an uneventful almost restful day. They were able to do a CAT scan this afternoon. Results are not back yet. We still do not know the extent of the brain damage.

Ericka has been doing very well at remaining solid in her faith and trust in God. She is really finding the little blessings in each day. Please keep praying for her and Mike.

By the way, in the next day or two, I will put up a blog that will serve as the daily/weekly update. It will be much easier to track the changes in Mike's condition. That way, you can leave a comment under the entries. If you prayed for Mike that day or something specific, you can leave a comment and let Ericka know. If you want to let her know that you want to help, you can let her know there. That way, when she is able to, she can log in and be lifted up by your comments and prayers. As soon as it is up, I will send the link.

January 11th - Day 7

Morning Update:
They are planning on doing the trach and halo today. Hasn't happened yet. Mike had a good night. The pressure in his head did rise for a little while. The reason they didn't do the procedures yesterday was due to the added fluid in his body. Pray that they are able to do these procedures today and that his CT scans come back with some kind of good news.

Evening Update:
They did not do the trach or the feeding tube.

January 10th - Day 6

Ericka didn't get to see Mike very much today, because two other trauma cases arrived and the SICU was closed down to visitors. However, she did get to see him this evening.

They did not do the trach or feeding tube again today. Mike's cranial pressure increased to 30 today. It was in the 20s by the time Ericka left.
He has had a steady temperature...in the low 100's. This has kept him on a cooling blanket.
They added another drain tube to his chest to relieve some of the fluid build-up there.
In Ericka's words, he seemed a little more rigid. I take that to mean that he has had less movement today.
They did a CT scan because his neuro assessment showed little information today. They had not received the results yet.

That's where they are today.

As always, all the prayers and support are greatly appreciated. Keep praying for healing. Specific prayers. Pray for strength for Ericka. She still has a positive attitude, but she sounds a little worn...understandably.

January 9th - Day 5

Today was very uneventful for Mike. They DID NOT do the trach or the feeding tube today. Ericka felt like they would delay it because they had previously warned her that the procedure could be bumped back a day. So hopefully, they will do those procedures tomorrow (Thursday).

Mike has been running a fever all day long...hovering around 103.

Overall, it was what Ericka termed as restful for Mike. No changes, not much activity.

So today's prayer requests: Just keep praying for healing. Pray that if they do the tracheotomy, it will go smoothly without incident. The same for the feeding tube.

Ericka is still doing great and has as positive an attitude as possible. Please just pray that her and Kevin and the rest of the family will continue to have strength.

There have many blessings so far in this. Mike is alive, he didn't have to lose his spleen, he is stable now.....and the list goes on. Let's keep praising the positive blessings for Ericka.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support and prayers.

January 8th - Day 4

Morning Assessment:
As of last night Mike's status is as follows: no change on the neuro activity. They do neuro assessments every morning and every night. The lack of change could be because of the sedation that he is on, right now it is a waiting game on the extent of his head trauma. His left shoulder is pretty much blown out - that was the side of impact. He has a fractured neck. His left knee cap is broken. However, the good news is that he is now considered stable for surgery...which he wasn't before. He did have some movement of his fingers and foot yesterday also. He is still considered critical and they aren't saying much to Ericka about time frames or anything. They just say that they let his body guide their decisions and course of action.

Evening Assessment:
The doctors have informed Ericka that Mike is no longer in what they consider a "life or death" condition. However, the extent of brain damage is more than what they originally thought. His frontal lobe and occipital lobe have been damaged. These areas control motor skills and emotions. Time will tell on what the outcome will be on these.

He will eventually need a halo for his fractured neck.

His left knee cap is broken and his left shoulder is pretty smashed up too.

He has been running a fever since yesterday. It has fluctuated between 100 and 103. They did have him on a cooling blanket this afternoon. His temperature was 100 after the 8:00pm visit.

They have confirmed that Mike is in a coma. No idea as to when he may come out. The nurse did tell Ericka that he is not being sedated.

They have decided that it is in Mike's best interest and health to put him on a trach and a feeding tube. This is scheduled for tomorrow. There is the possibility that it could be bumped to another day because he is a trauma patient, but right now it is scheduled for tomorrow.
This is definitely a long term care situation.

He does make small movements and other little responses during visits.

This is pretty much the current condition.

Ericka appreciates all the calls, visits, and support that everyone has shown. If you have called or come by and she hasn't gotten back with you, it is simply because she is overwhelmed and occupied with the current situation. Believe me, she really does appreciate everyone's support.

As for what you can do right now.......
Ericka is asking for specific prayers. Pray that Mike will be healed, pray that his head will heal, pray that he will have his emotions intact, pray that he will come out of this coma,...healing in general. Mike is not a Christian...pray that this will bring him to God.

My request is this: in addition to prayers for Mike, pray for Ericka. I know everyone already is, but this will be a long road. Please pray for strength for her. She is doing great and does well in these kind of situations, but everyone can benefit from prayer.

Blurb in the Truck Drivers Industry News

January 7th - The Times Second Report - Day 3

January 6th - Day 2

Mike remains unconscious. A broken left kneecap has been added to the list of injuries. The doctors initially decided to do surgery to remove Mike's spleen. However, they changed their minds and decided to insert a catheter instead. The idea was to drain the blood from the internal bleeding and to take a closer look to see if it was just the lacerated spleen that was bleeding.


Once inside, they discovered that the spleen had sealed itself shut and was no longer bleeding. GOOD SIGN.

He still has some blood on the brain, mild swelling of the brain, and some bruising of the brain.

Right now he is not responding as well as they would like or hope for. He still listed as critical.

Initial Shreveport Times Report

January 5th....sometime around 7:00pm - Day 1

Ericka spoke with Mike on his cell phone around 6:48pm. Kevin spoke to him shortly after that. Mike was en route to Shreveport from their camp at Toledo Bend. Within an hour and a half, Ericka received a call from the Chaplin at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport. All she was told was that Mike has been in a bad car accident.

After arriving at LSU Med., more information was available. Friends that arrived at the scene shortly after the accident said that he had been broad-sided by a tractor trailer truck. They had to cut Mike out of the truck. It took approximately 30 minutes. He was in stable condition when they began the process of airlifting him to Shreveport.

Mike was placed in the SICU with the following known injuries: A fractured neck, fractured ribs, internal bleeding in the area of the spleen and liver, swelling of the brain, blood on the brain, and bruising of the brain. He was unconscious from the time of arrival at the hospital. The internal bleeding was contained so they proceeded with a scan on his brain.

The scan and Mike's responses did not correspond with each other. Judging from his physical responses, the doctors felt that he would have a scan that was much worse than the one that he had. They determined that the two main areas of trauma to his brain were the frontal lobe and the occipital lobe. After a few hours, they requested permission to place a shunt in his head to drain off the extra fluid and release some pressure. After performing the procedure, they found that the pressure on his brain was normal.

Ericka did not get to see Mike until after 12:30 am. He remained unconscious. Listed as critical and unstable.