Day 12 - June 12, 2008

Today started pretty early. I got a phone call first thing from the docs because they wanted to put a tracheostomy in and remove the ventilator from his mouth. (a tracheostomy is the ventilator going through his neck rather than his mouth). I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to see my son's lips (and they are so close to being healed - yay!) and also his teeth and today, after they suctioned him out - I even got to see his tongue come out. It sounds like nothing, but it looked like he was trying it out for the first time and any little movement he makes excites me.

While they were doing the surgery they also took another look at the fungus. They did remove some more of it today and hopefully that will be the last of it. Keep your fingers crossed everyone.

To be honest, nothing much else really happened today. He still isn't awake and although I hate seeing him like this - it is for the best. He would be in so much pain if he were awake and that would just devastate me. I do know that when he does wake (and he will!!) things are going to be really rough, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Before signing off for the night, I do want to thank the reporter from the Butler Eagle. Kim - you did a wonderful job portraying what my son is like. I will admit that I bawled so hard while reading it that it took me quite a while to see it through all the tears, but you really captured who he is and what he is about. Thank you so much for wanting to share his story - he deserves it for putting his life on the line for all of us and for our country.