Surgery Details, Memories, and a Big Race

Graham Update Day 55 (8/2/14)

In response to receiving MANY questions by phone, text, email, and social media, I wanted to do a very quick update tonight to share all the details that we know about Graham's next brain surgery.  I'll also share some interesting tidbits about memories that Graham is recalling, and mention a big race that is coming up on October 4th...

So here is what we know about Graham's surgery - NOT MUCH!

• The neurosurgeon here, Dr. Honeycutt, discussed his thoughts on the surgery with us on Thursday evening, asking us then for our permission to request that Dr. Braga perform the surgery.  He text Dr. Braga that same night, and Dr. Braga, who was in surgery all day yesterday, let him know that he would review the MRI and CT scans as soon as he could.  He is, of course, dependent on FedEx to deliver those images (they are just slightly too big for an email), and will be reviewing them this weekend.  To that end, we expect to have more details late Monday or early Tuesday.
• With that said, Dr. Honeycutt's preference is to have the surgery done next week.  I personally will be somewhat surprised if that happens, given the fact that this is not an emergent procedure.
• As far as how they will stop a leak into Graham's sphenoid sinus - it could be anything from an intracranial soft tissue transplant - similar to how Dr. Braga shored up the leak into Graham's frontal sinus, or it could be inserting a metal plate into the base of his skull to cover the fracture.  The latter is what Dr. Honeycutt discussed with us, but nothing is set in stone.
• They will use the same incision line in Graham's scalp as before.  We do not know yet how they will get into the brain, but typically they remove the top of the skull.

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Earlier this week I tested Graham's short-term memory by asking him to remember 3 words - Ball.  Lion.  Carrot.  I actually tried that one time before - it was shortly after his first surgery, around the 4th of July, and I asked him to remember the words ball, lion, and PLATE.  (Don't ask my balls and lions keep coming to mind!).  I then told him a 30-second story, and asked him to recall the words.  He did - ball, lion, plate - and I never mentioned THAT set of words again.

I bring that up because Graham can still recall the words - ball, lion, carrot - that I told him to remember earlier this week.  Only twice has he incorrectly recalled the words, and when he did he said "ball, lion, PLATE," recalling what I told him only once up on the Neurosurgery Floor at Children's hospital.  It was the first thing that Graham actively recalled from his memory that came from his stay at Children's.  But it hasn't been the only one.  On the way back from his CT scan, the nurse asked Graham what floor he was on.  We are on the fourth floor here.  But Graham's answer?  D-10 - the floor of his room back on the Neurosurgery floor at Children's.  But here is where it gets downright crazy. I went back and read Graham's journal to get these details correct:

On June 23, 14 days after Graham's accident and 4 days before his first brain surgery, Graham was not walking.  He had said a handful of words, and the most robust physical activity he had performed was to sit up with A LOT of assistance on the edge of his bed.  He could occasionally communicate by giving a thumbs up.  He'd had his ventilator removed just 4 days prior, and he still had his feeding tube in.  On June 23, Graham had the EVD, or brain drain, removed from his skull. 

Fast forward to today - Lindsey asked Graham if he was in any pain.  He said "a little."  Lindsey asked where the pain was.  His response: "You know - where my IV was.  In my head," and he pointed to the area where his EVD had been.  It makes me wonder - what other memories, contained deep in the recesses of his traumatized brain, will manifest themselves in the coming days, weeks, and months? 

So Graham's memory is improving.  He is becoming more and more like himself - modest around the nurses, scared of heights and scared to be alone.  And we also had a first today: while watching Despicable Me 2, Graham laughed for this first time since his accident.  And it wasn't a chuckle.  It was a full-on, silly, giggly, 6 year-old belly laugh.  Graham is normally a fairly quiet guy.  He likes to sit and play Legos or chill out and chat, like we did today:

But occasionally Graham likes to get silly to-the-max, and seeing that side of him again was downright glorious.

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Some amazing people are doing some amazing things for Graham.  There was Prayers4Graham night at Chili's in Boise.  Countless kids doing fundraisers.  Our ward at church being our rock.  Amazing friends setting up a fund for his recovery.  A sports talk radio host doing a segment about Graham, and family traveling from far across the country to be with us and help out at home.  Thousands of people praying for his recovery. 

Another person has done something amazing- she has gotten together with Cooper Fitness in McKinney Texas and organized a 5k and Fun Run for Graham.  It's called the Little Fighter 5k, and you can read all about it here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Fighter-5K-1-Mile-Fun-Run-Fundraiser/655524297876867

Thank you Kelly for doing this for Graham, and thank you to so many who help us in so many ways.  We have an unpayable debt to God and to the world.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.