June 28, 2017 4:30 pm
We met today with seven health care professionals at OHSU to discuss Josh's situation. Mom Beecroft, Stephen Beecroft, and Eden and RJ joined us for the meeting.
The meeting was extremely helpful to us because, for the first time, we were able to sit in a quiet room with doctors, nurses and aides to quietly discuss the situation. The meeting took about an hour. I will try to summarize what we learned.
Josh has suffered "severe" brain damage. (There are three levels: mild, moderate and severe.) Most of his brain injuries are to his frontal lobe, but not all. The rest of his body is in pretty good shape, all things considered. The carotid arteries and left lung are still of concern (they're working on the lung problem now, as a matter of fact), but he is doing OK in these other areas considering the severity of the crash.
Recovery from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) is difficult to predict due to the "plasticity" of the brain (meaning its ability to heal itself) and the differences in each individual. But, based on what these medical professionals have observed in Josh and their experiences, they were willing to share their thoughts and opinions.
It is highly unlikely, without divine intervention (which we do believe in and ask for multiple times a day), that Josh will recover fully from these injuries. It is also highly unlikely that Josh's life is still at risk. So basically the upper and lower ends of the spectrum are out of play. That leaves the vast middle.
The most likely outcome is that Josh will be disabled for life. The extent of that disability will only be known over time. He will likely have nearly full physical functionality, which is great. The big questions are his personality and his speech abilities. We are hopeful that he will be able to live a meaningful and productive life, though it will be different than the one he has been leading. He will probably be able to work, in a lesser job, take care of himself, but he probably will never be able to live independently.
We were also reminded that the road ahead is going to be long and difficult in many ways. This is a life-changing event for Josh and for us. He will likely be in the ICU for another week and then in the trauma recovery for several weeks after that. From there, he'll probably need to go into some sort of rehab facility, although this is quite a ways down the road.
Again, thank you all so much for your love, prayers and support. We keep saying it, because we mean it -- it makes a difference for us in our lives.
We met today with seven health care professionals at OHSU to discuss Josh's situation. Mom Beecroft, Stephen Beecroft, and Eden and RJ joined us for the meeting.
The meeting was extremely helpful to us because, for the first time, we were able to sit in a quiet room with doctors, nurses and aides to quietly discuss the situation. The meeting took about an hour. I will try to summarize what we learned.
Josh has suffered "severe" brain damage. (There are three levels: mild, moderate and severe.) Most of his brain injuries are to his frontal lobe, but not all. The rest of his body is in pretty good shape, all things considered. The carotid arteries and left lung are still of concern (they're working on the lung problem now, as a matter of fact), but he is doing OK in these other areas considering the severity of the crash.
Recovery from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) is difficult to predict due to the "plasticity" of the brain (meaning its ability to heal itself) and the differences in each individual. But, based on what these medical professionals have observed in Josh and their experiences, they were willing to share their thoughts and opinions.
It is highly unlikely, without divine intervention (which we do believe in and ask for multiple times a day), that Josh will recover fully from these injuries. It is also highly unlikely that Josh's life is still at risk. So basically the upper and lower ends of the spectrum are out of play. That leaves the vast middle.
The most likely outcome is that Josh will be disabled for life. The extent of that disability will only be known over time. He will likely have nearly full physical functionality, which is great. The big questions are his personality and his speech abilities. We are hopeful that he will be able to live a meaningful and productive life, though it will be different than the one he has been leading. He will probably be able to work, in a lesser job, take care of himself, but he probably will never be able to live independently.
We were also reminded that the road ahead is going to be long and difficult in many ways. This is a life-changing event for Josh and for us. He will likely be in the ICU for another week and then in the trauma recovery for several weeks after that. From there, he'll probably need to go into some sort of rehab facility, although this is quite a ways down the road.
Again, thank you all so much for your love, prayers and support. We keep saying it, because we mean it -- it makes a difference for us in our lives.
Has anyone informed Joshua's father regarding this accident?
ReplyDeleteI assume you mean Kurt Sorensen. As far as I know, Kurt has chosen to have no part in the lives of Eden or Joshua. I doubt Mary even knows how or where to contact him. I believe that Kurt's oldest daughter, who is Eden's and Josh's biological (half) sister, knows of the situation. If she is in contact with Kurt, he may know through her.
DeleteFor the record, Josh's moral, social, spiritual, and legal father -- the man who has loved and supported Josh throughout most of his life -- has been by his side, weeping and praying and hoping, since Josh reached the hospital. You and everyone else already know this, of course, but I thought it worth saying.
Our prayers are with you and your family as you deal with this trial. We pray that you will receive comfort, peace, and guidance as you begin this journey of recovery.
ReplyDelete