Brynn Ervin and Family

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 5/24/2010 (Monday) @ 7:52 am

2010-05-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

Had a bit of a scare last night with Brynn. She had been complaining of chest pain all day so we had to take her to the ER. Luckily it turned out to be nothing. But going to the hospital is no fun for either of us.

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 5/24/2010 (Monday) @ 8:52 am

2010-05-24T09:49:00.002-07:00

Long night in the ER...everything is fine. I have a touch of pneumonia (sp?) On atibiotics now, GREAT!!!!!!

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 5/22/2010 (Saturday) @ 7:21 am

2010-05-24T09:49:00.001-07:00

So...I walked with the baby from our room all the way to the living room. Survived the sleepover and drinking coffee. Life can't get any better!

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 5/21/2010 (Friday) @ 8:44 pm

2010-05-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hanging out with Ann...and having a sleep over with 5 girls and 4 boys! WHAT WERE WE THINKING????

Picture's from DC

2010-05-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

Some of the wonderful Nurses

Brynn & Kyle's Speech Given on Monday 05/17/10 in DC

2010-05-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Everybody. Brynn and I are both very pleased to be able to be here today to honor the incredible nurses that cared for Brynn. But we are also very pleased to be able to be here to honor all of you.
You are remarkable and special people…each and every one of you. Every single day - you go to work and you walk into one painful and difficult situation after another. Not only that, but you can’t leave. You can’t escape to your office or to another patient in another part of the hospital. You are there for twelve hours with your patient and their grieving family. You stay, and deal and help patients and their loved ones through the most difficult times in their lives.
And so, we are very honored to be able to be up here right now. We get to be the ones to say thank you.

(BRYNN SPEAKING)
First and foremost, Thank you for choosing to be nurses. You all have the brains and skills to be doing so many other possible jobs…jobs that might even be more financially rewarding. But you choose to care for people.

(KYLE SPEAKING)
Thank you for being so good at what you do. Let me tell you, there is nothing more comforting to a family than a competent nursing staff. The fact that you are here at this convention shows that you are active in trying to improve the care in your hospitals. Thank you for taking the time and effort to learn new techniques and methods.

(BRYNN SPEAKING)
Thank you for being so Damn smart! And putting all those incredible brains to such good use.

(KYLE SPEAKING)
Thank you for having the courage to share your ideas with Doctors. They are smart and educated but they do not know everything. You have a wealth of experience and knowledge. You too can make a suggestion that will make a difference in a patient’s outcome. And if there are any doctors in the crowd, thank you for respecting the wisdom and experience of your nurses.

(BRYNN SPEAKING)
And thank you for doing all the extra things…the things that are not included in your job description yet you do them anyway.

(KYLE SPEAKING)
Thank you for doing range of motion exercises with your patient, even though the Neurologist is telling you she is in a coma with her eyes open.

(BRYNN SPEAKING)
Thank you for taking the time to bring a grieving mother a hot cup of tea.

(KYLE SPEAKING)
Thank you for washing your patient’s hair, and braiding it and giving her dignity as she lay helpless in a hospital bed.

(BRYNN SPEAKING)
Thank you for going above and beyond, because it is with the little extras that you begin to do more than just treat illness. It is with the little extras that you can treat a dying hope and restore a lost faith.

(KYLE SPEAKING)
Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for giving us a chance at life…even if it was a snowball’s chance.

(BRYNN SPEAKING)
We know that what you do is difficult. You have chosen a career in which the sacrifices that you make far outweigh the acknowledgement that you receive.
I am here to tell you that You matter. You make a difference. I do not remember much about being in a coma, almost nothing in fact... The only thing I remember…The voice of one nurse….the eyes of another. They took care of me and they took care of my family and for that I am forever grateful.

We are fortunate enough to be able to be here today. But there are some people back home in California that have something to say. (They put in a little good bye from everyone.)

Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-05-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

My Dear Friends and Family,
It is early in the morning, but I needed to write this. I have done this a couple of times in my head, but now it is time to write it down. (Kyle's the writer, not me, so bare with this!)

THANK YOU! Through this entire ordeal you have been there for me and mine. Sierra Vista brought dinners for months. It was a gift for me knowing my kids were well fed, and also for my family who was there. There were always leftovers for the next day too! 3 months of dinners-3 days a week- there's nothing that I can say but thanks. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. Thank you Laura for being the go between girl,thank you Olga for the movies and the entertainment, and the list goes on, BUT the family forgot to write down the names, and I know I would forget someone.

THANK YOU for everyone across the world who prayed for me. From Africa, (Fr. Martin), to China (Dadd'ys co-worker) all acorss the Untied States we had prayers flowing to us. It is YOUR prayers that I am here today.

IT IS BECAUSE OF GOD AND IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU that I am here. I get to hear my children laugh, watch Anthony blow spit bubbles at me, hug my husband, kiss my family and friends. Words cannot describe how much you have touched me. My prayer is that I won't lose this wonderful gift God has given to me. HE has given me a second chance.

I still have a very long road ahead of me, and that's okay. I am not going to give up. I will walk someday, I will carry my baby from the bedroom to the living room. I will do laundry and take it in from outside. I will do dishes, cook, clean, vaccum, etc. I will drive again. I will not take my children or my wonderful husband for granted. (I might not get the spelling back, but who needs it!)

Thank You!
Love,
Brynn

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/25/2010 (Thursday) @ 11:47 am

2010-03-25T12:45:00.001-07:00

smelling the baby and loving it! ob was fine. I see him in 6 months, with no health insurance...oh well!

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/24/2010 (Wednesday) @ 7:45 pm

2010-03-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

OBGYN again tomorrow...rehab w st. jude's is ending next week. YEA!! but now we have to find another place that just does physical therapy. Short term memory isn't good. (That was fun news, NOT!) Monterey Bay for a week, can't wait.

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/20/2010 (Wednesday) @ 8:11 am

2010-03-22T10:45:00.002-07:00

went to downtown disney last night. heard alturas. they were great! loved watching Isaiah smile at them, too shy to dance though. kyle's fishing in Mammoth...miss him terribly sp?

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/17/2010 (Wednesday) @ 7:45 pm

2010-03-22T10:45:00.001-07:00

corn beef, cabbage, potatoes, and ice cream...DELICIOUS...what about the bread pudding? Tomorrow! heheehe

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/17/2010 (Wednesday) @ 8:23 am

2010-03-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

here's what happened yesterday... Rolling Hills Elementary school, coffe shop, toy shop birth certificate, Michael's, Teacher Store (CM), Target, Lunch, Barnes & Noble, Vironex (Kyle's work), Dr.s office, and then home...TIRED!!!!! At least I was in my wheelchair :)

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/14/2010 (Sunday) @ 5:00 pm

2010-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

okay...nothing results in Target, Sports Chalet, and Trader Joe's; baby asleep on my lap

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/14/2010 (Sunday) @ 9:42 am

2010-03-22T10:42:00.002-07:00

filling the pill box...BORING!!!! Dr.Eugene didn't have anything really to say except that we need to find out if we need to remove the fena cava filters. One more thing added to the very long to do list. went to a party last night, super fun got tired really quickly though. today...nothing!!! :)

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/8/2010 (Monday) @ 6:38 pm

2010-03-22T10:42:00.001-07:00

worked hard...made tons of progress, can;t wait to see DR. Eugene tomorrow who did my open heart surgery. Will keep you posted...

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/6/2010 (Saturday) @ 8:22 am

2010-03-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

party today...cabin in Lake Arrowhead tomorrow! Grouchy Baby= Cranky Mommy

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 3/1/2010 (Monday) @ 8:01 am

2010-03-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

had a fabulous party on Sat. It was crazy with amount of people that showed up even in the rain. THANK YOU!!!! Orange County Register is doing an article for mother's day. I am a lttle nervous, but it is best for the hospital. Off to rehab I go, walked with a cane again on Wed., making tons of progress. Thanks for all your prayers!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 3/17/2010 (Wednesday) @ 7:09 am

2010-03-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Brynn walked (with her walker) all the way up to the office at Grace's School and all the way back down to the car. It's uphill and downhill so that's a big deal. I'm so proud of my girl.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 3/6/2010 (Saturday) @ 7:09 am

2010-03-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

So Brynn was in Therapy yesterday. She was all lined up with her 'classmates' ready to do their daily exercises. But the therapist wasn't there yet. They sat around for a few minutes until Brynn says 'screw this' and starts running them all through their exercises...You can take the teacher out of the classroom BUT...

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 3/5/2010 (Friday) @ 9:00 am

2010-03-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Brynn had a rough wed. The reality of how her brain was affected by her event came home when she did some cognition tests. She and I had a good day together yesterday though. Its simply going to take some time for her to come to terms with the fact that this will be a very long road.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 3/2/2010 (Tuesday) @ 4:56 am

2010-03-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Had a good day yesterday. Though I've been back to work learning a new job (working from home) I was in the office for the first extended time since Brynn's PE. Though I'm still learning to juggle all of these balls...forgot to call the heart surgeon to schedule a follow up. And last week I forgot to get my best friend... a birthday present...Tom the flies are on me when we get to Mammoth.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 3/1/2010 (Monday) @ 9:00 am

2010-03-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Even with Katie and Andy, taking care of 4 kids (one of them a newborn that wakes me up at 4 every morning) and an invalid wife is hard. And yes I would like some cheese with my whine.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/28/2010 (Sunday) @ 9:15 am

2010-03-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful party for Brynn yesterday. We got to see many of the wonderful people that were there in the darkest times. It's impossible to express how much love I was feeling yesterday. It was also a little surreal. The Orange County Register came to interview her for a bit. They're planning on a Mother's Day Story. And THE TOPPER Brynn changed her first poopy diaper this morning...so cool. Much love to all.

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/22/2010 (Monday) @ 8:57 am

2010-02-22T08:57:00.001-08:00

off to work I go...don't forget the party this weekend! Can't guarentee the state of the house though. Kyle has been working hard but two steps forward, one step back with all these babies!!!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/22/2010 (Monday) @ 7:57 am

2010-02-22T08:54:00.002-08:00

Brynn has made necklaces for the children as part of her rehab. They wear them with pride daily.

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/20/2010 (Saturday) @ 7:07 pm

2010-02-22T08:54:00.001-08:00

Had a fabulous lunch at Lucille's in Brea and now am listening to my mom sing to my youngest just like she did when I was a kid. God is awesome. Thank you all for my birthday wishes...love ya all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/20/2010 (Saturday) @ 9:07 am

2010-02-22T08:53:00.003-08:00

Just finished feeding the baby, he barfed all over me, big stinker!!!! had him all night, LOVED IT!!!!

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/19/2010 (Friday) @ 6:31 pm

2010-02-22T08:53:00.001-08:00

long day at therapy...no nap= cranky mommy...fed the baby a bottle and calling it a night!!!

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/19/2010 (Friday) @ 8:04 am

2010-02-22T08:52:00.001-08:00

off to therapy I go...high ho...

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/18/2010 (Thursday) @ 7:45 am

2010-02-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

PARTY at our house, Feb. 27th. 2pm-9pm. Hope you can make it! It is to celebrate my 35th b-day, my Dad's b-day and Tommy's b-day. (Plus me being alive!)By the way all are welcome to come, Stay as long as you want, bring an appetizer if you want!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/18/2010 (Thursday) @ 7:30 am

2010-02-18T08:15:00.000-08:00

Brynn's right hand is still on the weak side. I told her that if her goal is to drive in 6 months then she's going to have to work hard on it...'cause you can't drive in so cal if you can't flip the bird properly. She's been practicing diligently ever since. Though, admittedly, probably for use with me more than other drivers.

Brynn’s updates from Facebook 2/15/2010 (Monday) @ 9:25 am

2010-02-17T13:47:00.001-08:00

New coach purse= fun times! Hope everyone is well. typing skills not so good, but we are getting better. Loved seeing Annie & Daniel on Sat. doing better everyday thank heaven. thanks everone for the prayers!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/14/2010 (Sunday) @ 8:50 pm

2010-02-17T13:46:00.001-08:00

Today was an excellent day. Took the kids to the snow. Tried Baldi but too crowded so we scooted to Arrowhead. Kids got snow time...Brynn got her Coach bag that I promised her while she was still comatose. On the surreal side - she's also a bit of a small time celebrity. She got recognized by one of the many wonderful strangers who have been praying for us.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/14/2010 (Sunday) @ 9:29 am

2010-02-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

Brynn's recovery is coming along well. She's now holding and feeding the baby more often...she even took him for the 12am and 3am feedings the other night. She continues to amaze me.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/10/2010 (Wednesday) @ 8:33 am

2010-02-17T13:37:00.000-08:00

finally got snipped yesterday. Feels like a leperchaun's been using my boys as a speed bag.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/8/2010 (Monday) @ 7:38 am

2010-02-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl party at Tom and Lib's yesterday. It was great! And our first adventure as a family of 6. Brynn did a great job with the porch stairs...up and down 'em. However, when we got home she took a really hard fall in the Hallway. Almost took her to the ER again but she wouldn't let me.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/5/2010 (Friday) @ 8:30 am

2010-02-05T13:49:00.001-08:00

Took Brynn to visit some folks at Vironex yesterday. I really do work for an awesome company! On another note, she is still a little shakey on her feet. Although she can feel her feet she is lacking sensation. She says they feel 'detached'. So if we could pray for full sensation in her feet that would be sweet. Thanks again all. We are getting down this road one day at a time.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/2/2010 (Tuesday) @ 9:51 am

2010-02-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

Brynn's Speach therapist told her she talks too much.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 2/1/2010 (Monday) @ 5:45 am

2010-02-01T08:44:00.001-08:00

Kyle - "I love you"
Brynn - "I love you more."
Kyle - "No, I love YOU more."
Brynn - "I came back from the dead for you!"
Kyle - "Yeah I guess you win that one."

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/31/2010 (Sunday) @ 6:17 am

2010-02-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

Anthony update...he's weighing in at somewhere around 8 lbs. But the little fart doesn't let anybody sleep. I think he's the most high maintenance baby we've had...even worse than Grace! Auntie Katie and I are walking zombies most days.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/29/2010 (Friday) @ 12:18 pm

2010-01-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Had a hard night last night. Brynn's G-tube wound in her stomache was infected so we had to make a trip to the ER and get antibiotics. They took 2 hours to infuse via IV. Unfortunately, She's developed a bit of a phobia 1) of hospitals in general and 2) of getting IV's...I wonder why? Anyway, we got her antibiotics and all is well today.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/27/2010 (Wednesday) @ 7:15 pm

2010-01-28T14:15:00.000-08:00

Brynn got to drop Isaiah off at preschool today. A little over a month ago I was brought to tears at that school while watching Isaiah practice for a Christmas Play Brynn would never see. Today she got to hug him and kiss him goodbye. What a wonderful sight.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/26/2010 (Tuesday) @ 10:13 pm

2010-01-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

'First Day of School' at St. Jude's Cognitive Recovery Center. Brynn says (and I quote), "I'm not as excited as that little fish was."

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/24/2010 (Sunday) @ 10:15 9m

2010-01-25T09:12:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful visit to the church Brynn grew up in today. There were many teary eyes as I wheeled her in. I must admit it's a little weird being at the center of this miracle with her. It brings me pleasure to see people's smiles and tears of joy, but it also kind of feels like God is pointing his finger at us and giving us marching orders...we just don't quite know what they are:-) I'm sure we'll figure it out.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/24/2010 (Sunday) @ 8:46 am

2010-01-25T09:11:00.000-08:00

So we're taking Brynn to Mass today. I've never been a church goer myself...But I'm looking forward to seeing our 'St. Louise Family'.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/22/2010 (Friday) @ 6:01 pm

2010-01-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

Today went really well. There were probably over 100 people at Anaheim Regional to see Brynn. Sectrataries, Nurses, Doctors, Chief of Staff, CEO. You name it, they were there. People who have been in medicine for their entire careers have never seen a recovery like hers. There were many tears and many smiles. It was wonderful.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/21/10 (Thursday) @ 9:30 pm

2010-01-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

We are going to visit the wonderful staff over at Anaheim Regional Medical Center tomorrow. These are the people that really pulled out all the stops to save my wife's life and we are going there to say THANK YOU. After that, Brynn is off to the special outpatient rehab program at St. Jude. Big Day!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/19/10 (Tuesday) @ 7:35 am

2010-01-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

On this day of homecoming for my incredible wife I want to remind everyone...there is a higher power and it does want you to do the right thing. Donate to the people in Haiti today. Everybody out there can handle at least $5. But if you can handle more give more (it should sting a little:-). Go without for a little while so that others might live. I donated to the Red Cross via iTunes. Super easy. Much Love Kyle.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/19/10 (Tuesday) @ 1:00 am

2010-01-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

IT'S OFFICIAL...2 months and 2 days from when she was admitted BRYNN IS COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/15/10 (Friday) @ 11:01 am

2010-01-18T16:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been a bit lax on the postings lately. I've been working on the Ervin Family Year End Letter (soon to be posted here and on the blog). But to bring you up to date, yesterday brynn was walking on her own, without a walker and we learned how to get in and out of the bathtub and in and out of the car. The car was the coolest...She could smell her freedom.

The Ervin Family Year End Letter 2009

2010-01-15T14:09:00.001-08:00

HOLY CRAP AND I THOUGHT LAST YEAR WAS BAD!

…This year was so bad that I have to preface this letter with the statement that the only reason I can even remotely maintain my sense of humor about it is because my family has been at the center of a No Bullshit-Honest to God-Worthy of A Hallmark Christmas Special…

MIRACLE!

We live in a cynical age (I can be quite a cynical bastard myself) so I feel like I have to write that really big so that it sinks in. But we’ll get to all that a little later. For now, you might want to grab a cup of coffee. This is likely to be a long letter.

As we ended last year the status of our family was thus –Mostly everything was great BUT…

-Isaiah was diagnosed with an Arachnoid Cyst in his brain
-Brynn was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Malformation in her brain
-We got stuck at Chicago O’hare for three days on the way back from Indianapolis.

But we entered 2009 raring to go, with all kinds of wonderful plans. Brynn was excited to be teaching the 3rd grade; we enrolled the two oldest in soccer for the first time and I began to rip up the grass in the front yard so that I could create a ‘water wise’ landscape. OK – That pretty much covers all of January through April. Wow, 4 months in one paragraph…I’m getting good at this.

One of my big projects for the year was also to get my garage somewhat organized and cleaned up. With that in mind, I built some new shelves, moved some things around and went through all of our storage containers ridding us of all the baby clothes that we would no longer need. Exactly two days after taking multiple trash bags of baby clothes to Goodwill Brynn discovered that she was pregnant again. What can I say….Is it my fault if I’m irresistible?

Unfortunately, the pregnancy was a tough one from the start. Brynn was horribly sick with morning sickness. It was so bad that she was making lists of foods that tasted OK both on the way down and on the way back up…that’s just nasty.

To make matters worse, Brynn hadn’t even gotten over her Hyperemesis (that means barfing a lot) when we found out that she tested positive on a screening test for Down’s syndrome. After having a hi-definition ultrasound at UC Irvine, it was also discovered that the baby was not growing at the rate that he should be. This was another indicator for Down’s, so in order to prepare ourselves we decided to have an amniocentesis. Fortunately, the amnio came back negative for genetic problems…but we still had a baby that wasn’t growing at the proper rate. We went every week to UCI for ultrasounds to monitor his growth. After several weeks in which he continued to not grow at a good rate, Brynn was put on disability and home bed rest by her ObGyn.
This was actually OK for a while. It meant that she wasn’t able to do very much but she was still able to go to the kids’ soccer games and make the occasional trip to Disneyland so long as we put her in a wheel chair. And the home bed rest seemed to do the trick for a bit, as his growth was good for several weeks. However, after about 4 or 5 weeks his growth was again not up to par and in addition it was found that Brynn’s amniotic fluid was low. She was admitted to the hospital on November, 17 and placed on total bed rest.

Unfortunately, due to the H1N1 virus, no children under 16 were allowed in the hospital. Many of you will understand that, for my wife, this was an impossible situation. For those of you who do not know my wife I will explain it like this: Brynn would rather face a root canal from a sadistic dentist every day for a month than be stuck in a hospital away from her kids for two weeks.

Luckily, My wife, being the lady that she is, befriended many of the nurses in Labor and Delivery, and they helped us to bring the kids in once to visit her. After that, I went and bought a new laptop for Brynn, so that she could ‘Skype’ the kids from her hospital room (For you old fogies, Skype is an internet video phone call service). This was especially nice as she was able to ‘be there’ for Isaiah’s big 5 year old birthday party at Pump-It-Up.

Even on total bed rest, however, Brynn’s amniotic fluid kept getting lower and lower. Beyond that, she was having preterm contractions that the baby was sometimes not tolerating very well. We all spent two weeks listening to the swish-swish-swish of his heart and staring at the screen of the fetal heart rate monitor terrified every time his heart rate would drop that it would not return to normal. There were two occasions in which we got all geared up to have a c-section only to be told that we were going to hold off for a little longer.

To top it all off, She spent Thanksgiving Day in the hospital. The kicker was that the cafeteria somehow messed up her order and she didn’t even get turkey and mashed potatoes. No Turkey on Thanksgiving!!! Can somebody say ‘Malpractice’.

Finally, after only 35 weeks of pregnancy and a little over two weeks of being poked and prodded and restricted to a bed in a noisy hospital, eating crappy hospital food, the Doctors were not willing to hold off any longer. The ultrasound showed that Brynn’s amniotic fluid was now at zero and it was time for us to have a baby.
This was an incredibly tense time. The baby’s reactions to contractions were worsening, but the c-section room was being used, so we had to wait until the room and the doctors were available. In the meantime we had several instances in which we could not find his heart rate at all. We’d move the heart rate monitor all over her belly, add more gel, move it again desperately trying to find the swish, swish, swish of his heart. Our own hearts were pounding against our rib cages as all we could find was silence. We would get a reprieve of a few heartbeats swishing and then be unable to find it again. Finally, the nurse (now almost as frantic as we were) decided to whisk Brynn off for surgery prep.

To shorten what is already a very long story I will say simply that the surgery went off without a hitch. Anthony Alan Ervin came into the world weighing 2lbs 12ounces and measuring 15 ¾ inches. Yeah he was little, but there was nothing wrong with his lungs. He came out screaming.

Brynn and I were, of course, a bit concerned for our newest child, now in the NICU. We were contemplating things like ‘how soon we could get him onto breast milk’ and ‘were his lungs developed enough’. As it turned out, he was in excellent shape. We were both excited to learn that he was removed from supplemental oxygen the day after birth.

Knowing that there was not much for me to do at the hospital, I decided to go into work for a few hours and take care of some things. Brynn called me around noon to ask me if I could come to the hospital so that her dad could see Anthony (One of the parents had to be there). I came right over.

Unfortunately, Alan had to leave without seeing Anthony because the baby was having an IV inserted at the time. But I decided to hang out with Brynn for a bit in her room. Dr. Wigi (The Perinatologist that helped to deliver Anthony) came in to check her sutures to find that she was healing fine. He left and she got up to take a pee. After helping Brynn back from the restroom the nurse left us alone. Brynn was sitting in the chair and I was playing solitaire on the computer.

I need to stop here because I want for everyone to understand that what follows is the most horrible and yet the most wonderful experience I have ever had (and am likely to ever have) in my life.

I turned from my computer to see my wife, her back arched, staring up at the ceiling. Brynn had been through fainting spells before and so this is what I thought had happened. I called out to the nurse to tell her. She came in and attempted to wake her up with smelling salts. Unable to wake her up, the nurse sent me to get help.

Dr. Wigi was still on the 5th floor, filling out paperwork and was able to respond immediately. He came into the room and it was obvious by his demeanor that he knew my wife to be in great distress. I helped him and the nurse get her onto the bed. She had not simply passed out, she was having some sort of seizure. She seemed to gasp for air but was unable to get any oxygen. It was as if she were drowning. I then left the room so that they could work. I remember being somewhat sedate at this point. I knew something was wrong but I was unaware of just how wrong. I think that the “This could never happen to me” part of my psyche was still in control.

My memory, from this point on, is a bit choppy. Information seemed to come at me in random and sporadic bursts of visual and audio. There is no chronology to my memory. There are only memories that I later had to paste together as good as I could.
Nobody was telling me anything directly. What I learned I picked up from the conversation around me. And, as I said, what I remember here is in no particular order.

“Call the code.” Said the doctor

“This phone doesn’t’ work.” The anonymous reply.

“I don’t care go find one that works and call the code! ”

“Begin CPR” This stood out in my mind because it was these words that shattered my illusions that ‘everything would be all right.’ In those words was the truth that, up to that point, I hadn’t quite come to terms with. And with my illusions shattered like so much rock candy crashing onto the sidewalk I began to pray.

“We’ve talked about this! We’ve had this discussion! I can’t do this without her! You know this! I CAN’T DO THIS WITHOUT HER!”

“Code Blue Tower 5…Code Blue Tower 5” (It wasn’t until later that I learned Code Blue is Hospital talk for ‘Patient in Cardiac Arrest’).

All hell broke loose. Her room soon filled with a multitude of people in scrubs. Doctors, nurses I couldn’t tell you.

“Please God let them be amazing…Let them be amazing…let them do their finest work…let them be amazing.” It became my mantra and I mumbled it to myself and my God as I paced up and down the hallway. “Let them shine…let them be amazing.”

“I can’t find a pulse.”

“There’s a weak pulse.”

“She’s breathing. If she’s breathing she has a pulse.”

“Where’s the ER Doctor.”

“Coming from the first floor”

“The elevators aren’t working.”

“I ran up here from the first! They should be here!”

“Where’s your Crash Cart?”

“Would you like me to get you a chair? You should sit down”

“I couldn’t possibly sit down.”

“She’ll be fine. Everything will be fine.”

“She’s purple! Look at her! She’s purple!”

The ER Doctor finally arrived. “Whoa what’s going on in here? All non-essential personnel get out.”

Dr. Wigi had given control to the ER doctor and came out to speak to me. This was when I learned that she had probably suffered a pulmonary embolism. He explained that they were trying to stabilize her so that they could move her to CT to get a picture of the clot and then to surgery to remove it.

I made phone calls…Alan and Holly (Brynn’s Parents), my parents (who were in town helping us to prepare for Anthony’s arrival). I think that was it. It was certainly all I could manage. Repeating what had happened became a physical impossibility as the words seemed to stick in my throat like food that hadn’t been chewed.

Her bed came out into the hall. It was surrounded by people. I think there was somebody straddling her giving her chest compressions as they wheeled her down the hall to the elevator. I followed in another elevator…or maybe I took the stairs…I couldn’t say.

On the first floor I was led to radiology where they were performing the CT (I learned later that they would normally NEVER move a coded patient to CT. Normally they would “Call it”. Nobody did. Let them be amazing. By this time, the clot had been there for probably 30 minutes or more and hence, Brynn’s body had been without oxygenated blood for that long. Normally they would “call it”. Nobody did. Let them shine. One courageous doctor continued to perform chest compressions without radiation protection throughout the scan. Let them do their finest work.

My parents arrived with Grace, Isaiah and Noah. I broke down in my father’s arms as I haven’t since I was a small child. “It’s bad dad. It’s really bad. She was without oxygen for a really long time. It’s so bad.” I held no illusions. I was certain that I had lost her. Everything that I knew about human physiology told me that my wife was gone. And then I had to explain to my children how their mom was very sick and that she might not live.

From the CT she went straight into surgery. The heart surgeon just happened to be there. He had actually been on his way to another hospital to perform a surgery but that patient expired. He was ready to go as soon as the CT was finished. The Pulmonologist was also there. And the Hospital’s entire team of Perfusionists (These are the people that run the heart and lung machine) was onsite for training. As I understand it, under normal circumstances it would have taken about 4 hours to organize the people necessary for the type of surgery Brynn underwent. They were all ready in under an hour. Let them shine.

69 minutes on the heart and lung machine…69 minutes to crack open her chest, open her heart remove the clots and sew her back up, check for any leaks. 69 minutes. Many doctors approached me afterward to sing the praises of the heart surgeon for having been able to this in 69 minutes. Let them be amazing.

A doctor…“Mr. Ervin, we’ve done what we can. They are trying to wean her off the heart and lung machine now. The good news is she’s survived the surgery. The bad news is she’s been without oxygen to the brain for around 45 minutes.”

A nurse… “Mr. Ervin, we’d like to try a hypothermia treatment for your wife. What happens with the brain when it is without oxygen is that a chain reaction occurs. It’s kind of like a wild fire in the brain. Cooling her body will help to reduce or even stop that fire.”

There are two nurses in the entire Hospital that have been involved with hypothermia treatment before. One of them happened to be on duty that night and was now talking to me.

“Where do I sign?”

“Well you need to know the risks involved. Blah blah …bleeding out…blah blah… we don’t have the high tech equipment but we can do it with cooling blankets…blah blah…”

All I kept thinking was My wife’s been without oxygen to her brain for 45 minutes…If ever there’s a time to take a risk it’s now.

“Where do I sign.”

“Right here.”

Here is where the story gets really cool (Pardon the pun)… The manager of the Cardio Vascular Unit or CVU(The unit my wife will go to post-operation) is cousins with the CFO at Mission Hospital. MISSION HAS THE HIGH TECH HYPOTHERMIA EQUIPMENT. She gets on the phone and tells him about this mother of four that has just suffered a pulmonary embolism. Mission agrees to allow Anaheim Memorial to use the equipment and also provides support in the way protocols and advice. The nurse I mentioned before, drives to Mission that night to pick it up.

For three days Brynn was in a medically induced coma with a core body temperature of 32°c or about 90°F. On the day they brought her into the CVU her pupils were (As the nurses say) 8 and fixed…or large and non-reactive to light. On day two one doctor saw no pupil reaction but another saw a sluggish reaction. I’m going to believe the ‘sluggish’ reaction and live on that for today. By day three her pupils were (as the nurses say) 5 and brisk…or normal sized and reacted to light quickly. That’s the news I’m going to live on today.

They began to warm her up and bring her off sedation on the 3rd day. It was on this day, (and I can’t even remember the circumstance) she opened her eyes for the first time. Unfortunately, she had a seizure and they had to sedate her again. She opened her eyes! That’s all I needed…she opened her eyes.

On that Saturday I spoke to a neurologist on the phone. He had seen the first CT scan of her brain and the most current EEG. And he was very blunt. He told me there were three possible outcomes…1) That she could die. 2) That she would remain the same (no significant recovery). Or 3) Miraculous recovery. He was not optimistic of the 3rd option.

However, the very next day the same neurologist came into the hospital to see her follow up CT scan. My dad and I sat in the hospital waiting room talking to him and we were both encouraged by what he had to tell us…he had fully expected to come to the hospital that day to deliver horrible news. He could not deliver that news because he could see no signs of ‘significant’ brain damage. He added that the CT was limited in what it could see, and we were still a long way from any sort of substantive recovery, but from what he could see there was not the mass destruction he had expected. I’m living on this today…baby steps…baby steps.

On the sixth day of this ordeal they attempted to bring Brynn off the sedatives again. She was now on seizure medication but we were fretting over her EEG that was showing signs of ‘chaos’. Another neurologist said that on a scale of 1 to 10 he was ranking Brynn at a 1 or a 2. This was incredibly discouraging news for me. My wife, the love of my life, who had opened her eyes not 3 days before, was being ranked as a 1 or a 2 for brain function. This news forced me to contemplate the most awful possibility… that at some point in the very near future I might be forced to cease life support for my wife.

Brynn and I had discussed situations just like this. Neither of us ever wanted to live in any sort of vegetative state. Neither of us ever wanted to live dependent upon machines. But having had the discussion didn’t make the decision any more possible to make. I knew what I was supposed if she did not progress from this point. But my wife HAD JUST OPENED HER EYES. How could I do this after she had opened her eyes?!

I had so much fear about this possibility…fear of losing her…fear of the responsibility of letting her go…fear of what her family might think of me if I had to do this. I prayed… “God, either take her or heal her. But none of this middle of the road bullshit.” Perhaps it’s blasphemous to cuss at God but at the time he was not on my ‘good’ list. In fact, I was so incredibly pissed off at God that if I had seen him walking down the street I’d have walked up to him and punched him in the face.

At some point that same day, it came to me…and whether it was my own imagination working feverishly to keep me in a positive mood or an angel whispering in my ear I couldn’t tell you. But the truth of that really doesn’t matter. What matters is, it came to me. And what came to me was this…

I had already known that we needed a miracle. I knew this the moment I was told she had been without oxygen for 45 minutes. To be truthful, I knew this the moment I saw her, laying on her hospital bed, purple from her chest up. And I finally realized a very simple truth… this would not be a miracle if she was not defying all of the odds. This would not be a miracle if it was not absolutely clear to all involved that she SHOULD NOT SURVIVE. God was going to have to write this story with a very bold stroke. This is the thought that kept me going that day.

The days rolled into one another, blending into a surreal amalgamation of suffering, prayer, defeat, hope. And almost every day, another tiny detail of God’s miracle was revealed. First she opened her eyes. Then she was moving her legs…then her arms…opening her eyes when I asked her…Blinking to communicate…smiling…sitting up…mouthing words…talking…walking. One day at a time, one inch at a time the progress kept coming. It’s hard to say where in the timeline that it happened, but at some point I just got this feeling that it was inevitable that she would be OK. And even with this feeling of inevitability it was incredible to watch and to see each step….each baby step.

As I sit here and write, this miracle is still unfolding before me. Tonight I got to lie next to my wife, in her hospital bed and fall asleep while watching a movie. I look forward to doing that many more times throughout our lives together.

OK – Not that I want everybody to ball their eyes out but if you don’t have at least a tear in your eye right now, you might want to consider ‘Stone Cold Assasin’ as your next career choice. I hear the money’s good. That being said, I can’t end this letter with a bunch of people crying soooooo…….

ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE WE WILL START FROM YOUNGEST TO OLDEST…
Anthony is doing amazingly well. While at the NICU he got the nickname Benjamin Button because he had absolutely zero fat, so his skin just hung on his skeleton and he had an uncanny resemblance to the ‘baby’ in the movie. But my newest son is packing on the pounds like a Sumo Wrestler prepping for a big competition. He’s also figured out how to find his way into his old man’s good graces by pooping for everybody but me. I swear I’ve only changed one poopy diaper since he’s been home. That is nothing short of FABULOUS. His nickname now is Squeaky McSqueaks because he grunts and squeaks just about 24-7. Poor aunty Katie is getting introduced to the realities of parenthood in an extraordinary fashion. I’m beginning to think she’s might be feeling a bit nostalgic for the ridiculous grind of trying to get a PhD in Chemistry.

Noah, as I have been told by my mother ad nauseum, is the carbon copy of his old man at the same age. He is full of piss and vinegar and charming smiles. His old man (having played that game) doesn’t fall for the charming smile quite so easily and so his favorite things to say to me are… “You be nice a me! You be nice!” And “Meany!” These exclamations usually follow an argument over whether he can wear his Star Wars underwear AGAIN. He just simply not accept the fact that he cannot wear the same pair of underwear day in and day out. But overall, he is a very sweet boy and has taken on the BIG BROTHER role with open arms.

Isaiah is my sensitive shy guy. But boy does he come alive on the soccer field. I was amazed at how seriously he took his role. You see, His team was not very good (it was mostly 4 year olds whereas the other teams had many 5 year olds). I think they won one game all season. But Isaiah’s defensive prowess, at the very least, kept the scores respectable. The pressure did get to him at one point though. At half time of one game, he came off the field, his face bright red with exertion and said, “I’m tired of doing all the work!” I just had to smile. He’s definitely got some of his old man’s competitive nature. From his mom he got the ability to say just about anything with his eyebrows. The other day, he said to Holly, “You know Nana, when boys see pretty girls they do this with their eyes.” And he raised both eyebrows up and down like the wolf in the bugs bunny cartoons…Friggen hilarious.

Grace has been fortunate enough to find an excellent program in the school she’s at. The program is a K-3 combined class that she has been in since Kindergarten. The first two years were great but it is becoming apparent in her 3rd year just how special this program is. The teachers are nothing short of remarkable and she is thriving in the environment they provide. She will be playing the Goose that laid the Golden Egg in their upcoming class rendition of Jack and the Beanstalk. It is a singing part and I can tell you with no small amount of fatherly pride that SHE KILLS IT!!!! I cannot wait for the recital. Beyond that she has now learned to spell all the good cuss words. Growing up in our household, She may end up lacking decorum, but, by God, she won’t be illiterate!

As for me…I’m tired of writing so I’ll just say…I’ve been incredibly blessed. Few people get the opportunity to learn just how loved they are. Brynn and I have now had the opportunity (though neither of us would have wished for it) only to find that we are loved beyond measure. The outpouring of support has been tremendous and we are so thankful.

So I end this year with a mighty thankyou…thank you for your prayers, thank you for your help, thank you for all that you have done to help me an mine get through a most trying time.

We love you.
The Ervins
Brynn, Kyle, Grace, Isaiah, Noah, Anthony

BRYNN'S updates from Facebook 1/13/10 (Wednesday) @ 3:04 pm

2010-01-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

hi everyone miss you! thank u for your prayers. i am back!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/12/10 (Tuesday) @ 6:23 am

2010-01-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

I spoke to Brynn’s Case Manager today. They are thinking of sending her home NEXT TUESDAY!!!! This will be exactly 2 months and 2 Days from the day she was first admitted. She will be coming home with a walker and using a wheelchair for distances….but who gives a s#!+…MY BRYNN IS COMING HOME:-)

Recent Pictures of Brynn and Kids

2010-01-12T09:40:00.001-08:00

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/11/10 (Monday) @ 6:29 am

2010-01-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

The Tracheoscopy just came out yesterday!!!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/9/10 (Saturday) @ 4:40 pm

2010-01-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

OK - I think it's finally time to open up the door to visitors. Please just keep in mind that her job is rehab so be mindful of her energy level. Visiting hours are from 9 to 8 every day. Much Love.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/8/10 (Friday) @ 5:08 pm

2010-01-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

Had Anthony in for his one week follow up with the Ped. He's doing great - weighing in at 5 lbs 4 ounces and 17+ inches. He's not even on the charts yet but he'll get there. I had an excellent afternoon with Brynn yesterday. We hung out in the sun on the patio and chatted. She is really looking forward to coming home and we're planning a trip to Monterey with the kids.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/8/10 (Friday) @ 6:10 am

2010-01-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

Dawn's Update 1/6/10

2010-01-06T16:24:00.000-08:00

I was FINALY able to upload Kyle's video's to the blog. Please check them out! I added video's on 12/30/09, 1/1/10 and 1/5/10.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/5/10 (Tuesday) @ 10:32 pm

2010-01-06T08:16:00.001-08:00

Yep...that's her...eating some oatmeal. She's gone south paw but there she is doing it all on her own. This is huge, not just for her dexterity with the spoon, but more importantly because she is able to swallow well. It means her tracheoscopy will be removed soon!!!! Kinda makes you look at the simple act of eating breakfast in a whole new light though huh.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/5/2010 (Tuesday) @ 7:21 am

2010-01-05T11:19:00.001-08:00

OK - not that we ever stopped praying but it's time to get specific again. Brynn is finally experiencing chest pain due to having her rib cage cracked open for the heart surgery. Why it's taken this long for her to be able to feel it I have no idea...but It hurts like crazy when she coughs. So if we could pray for relief from that pain I would greatly appreciate it.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/4/10 (Monday) @ 8:38 am

2010-01-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hello all - I'd like to make a small request. I am hoping I can get some of you to send a message to Brynn. You can tell her whatever you like and the two of us will read them together. I'll be working on her reading comprehension but I'd also like her to know how many lives she's touched through this ordeal. Just send me a message with whatever you'd like her to know. Much love-Kyle

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/2/10 (Saturday) @ 7:37 am

2010-01-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Hello all, I’ve gotten numerous requests to visit Brynn and I look forward to the day when I can say that visits are unlimited. However, despite her incredible gains over the past few days, she is still in quite a vulnerable state...see below

Kyle's Notes:
She still has some cognitive deficiencies that might be embarrassing to her. i.e. she might not remember your name even though she KNOWS what it is. And though you may not care whether she remembers your name or not, she cares and will feel bad for not remembering. So please hold tight and know that we are ever so thankful for your support. The way she is going, it won’t be long before she’ll be able to see everybody and I know we are all eager for that day to come.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/1/10 (Friday) @ 7:43 pm

2010-01-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

SHE HAD SOME COFFEE! Just a little tiny bit, but she got some. She also got a shower today. She was extremely pleased with that. She's cognizant of the fact that her brain doesn't quite work the way it should but she has a sense of humor about it which is fabulous. She's working hard and is super determined and does it while putting a smile on all of our faces. Simply put...SHE AMAZES ME.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/1/10 (Friday) @ 5:41 am

2010-01-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

She met with the Occupational, Speech and Physical Therapists today. Overall it was great. She was finally able to suck on some ice chips, and get a small sip of cranberry juice and a taste of apple sauce. But what she really wants is SOME COFFEE:-) That is our goal.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 1/1/10 (Friday) @ 4:29 am

2010-01-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

First day of rehab Dec 31, 2009. I know we've seen her walking but it is no less a miracle today than it was yesterday. She's chatting up a storm which is wonderful but She still has many cognitive issues...couldn't remember 3+2 etc. So if we could pray for these functions to be restored I would greatly appreciate it.

Aaaannnddd SHE's UP!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/30/09 (Wendesday) @ 10:56 pm

2009-12-31T00:47:00.000-08:00

It was a GREAT day today. She got to see and hold Anthony (there were about ten or more nurse and doctors there all with tears in their eyes), she's talking like crazy, she moved to the rehab facility and Anthony came home, what a day...what a GREAT FREAKIN DAY.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/30/09 (Wendesday) @ 9:56 pm

2009-12-31T00:45:00.000-08:00

Momma and Baby...A month in the making but finaly here. She had a huge smile that we missed on video...but she was so glad to be with her new baby.

Short but Sweet

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/30/09 (Wendesday) @ 9:25 pm

2009-12-31T00:37:00.000-08:00

For those who need proof of miracles but mostly for all of you who helped to bring this miracle to fruition. THANK YOU ALL!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/29/09 (Tuesday) @ 6:10 pm

2009-12-31T00:24:00.000-08:00

OK Everybody, are you ready for this??? SHE TALKED TODAY!!! Honest to God real words. Her best friend Phaidra was visiting her and showing her a picutre of Anthony and she said "I want to see him". She also said, "let's Go" and when I asked her if she wanted to leave she said. "YES". A miracle is in the works people. Thank you all for your continued prayers.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/29/09 (Tuesday) @ 12:08 pm

2009-12-29T12:23:00.001-08:00

Baby Steps are no longer just a figure of speech!!!!! She's got some help but YES!!! SHE'S WALKING!!!:-)

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/28/09 (Monday) @ 10:45 pm

2009-12-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

Every day I get something to hold onto. Brynn mouthed the words "cold" and "mom" to me today. But to really get her talking she needs to be able to tolerate a special valve that they put in the trache tube. So if we could pray for that. i'd love to hear my 'chatter box' chattering again. Also, it looks like she'll be moving to a rehab facility this week. If we could pray that goes smoothly it would be appreciated.

Side Note from Kyle:
On another note, it looks like Anthony's coming home soon too...maybe tomorrow or wed.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/27/09 (Sunday) @ 10:25 pm

2009-12-28T11:23:00.001-08:00

Just dropped 200 bones on The Handbook of Neurological Rehabilitation, 2nd edition. It's study time!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/27/09 (Sunday) @ 10:00 pm

2009-12-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

Up on her Own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Please Keep the Prayers coming.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/25/09 (Friday) @ 8:43 am

2009-12-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Had a great and also difficult 5 hours with Brynn last night. On the great end she was more full of smiles than I’ve seen her. We joked about all sorts of things for a good long time. I also figured out that one of the reasons she was aggravated was that her foot was itchy. On the rough end, I was there until 1:30 AM ‘cause she wouldn’t go to sleep and would cry when I tried to leave.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/24/09 (Thursday) @ 18:08 am

2009-12-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

We were, of course, a little worried about the visit. We knew that the kids seeing their mom in such a state could have some negative consequences but we figured that for the long run it was the best thing to do and for the most part it all turned out well. The nurses had her sitting in a chair next to her bed, but she was sleeping. The kid all got a chance to kiss her, but Noah didn't want to....I think he was a little scared. Isaiah kept climbing on the bed to give her kisses. It was very sweet.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/23/09 (Wednesday) @ 10:09 pm

2009-12-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

So we got the kids into the hospital to see Brynn for the first time since her PE. She was super sleepy (She's basically been up for three days straight) and I'm not sure she realized they were there, but it was good for the kids to see there mother.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/22/09 (Tuesday) @ 11:30 pm

2009-12-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

Brynn was able to sit up today!!!! The PT sat her up and she was able to keep her head up and stay upright for about 15 minutes. Someday, she's going to kill me for publishing this photo, but I wanted y'all to see what your prayers and positive thoughts are helping to do. She does still very uncomfortable though-mostly from skin rashes.If you could all pray for greater comfort for her that would be sweet. Much Love.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/21/09 (Monday) @ 10:00 pm

2009-12-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

Let me just say that you all ROCK! They turned the ventilator off entirely today. She's been doing well. We just need to see about tonight if she's able to maintain her O2 levels while she's sleeping. So now we're back to praying for increased motor control. She also has some pain when we move her left leg (probably stiffness) So if we could pray for that to go away that would be sweet.

Side Note from Kyle:
BTW it looks like Anthony's coming home Wed:-)

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/21/09 (Monday) @ 7:52 am

2009-12-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

Man yesterday was crazy. With the help of some great people we got Andy and Katie moved out of their place in San Diego and back up here. I didn't get to the hospital until about 8 pm but Brynn and I had a nice visit. We hugged and I kissed her and she was full of smiles for me. They are weaning her off the ventilator so we're praying for strong good functioning lungs.

Side note from Kyle:
I sometimes feel that we (meaning you all) are putting her together piece by piece with prayer and good will. Thanks so much for helping me with this.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/19/09 (Saturday) @ 9:16 pm

2009-12-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

It looks like we are entering a challenging portion of this whole endeavor. Brynn is more cognizant of what is going on, which is great. But that cognizance is accompanied by extreme frustration. She wants to move but can't very well. The worst part is that she keeps trying to yank out her ventilator tube because it is very irritating. It is so hard to watch her suffer and be able to do absolutely nothing.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/19/09 (Saturday) @ 3:44 pm

2009-12-21T09:41:00.001-08:00

So I don't have a slab leak....but I might have a mold problem. So the flooring job is put on hold until tues., I have all my furniture on my back patio and a child coming home from the hospital - maybe on the same day. I feel like Lt. Dan from Forest Gump in the middle of a storm shouting up at God...COME ON IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT!!!!! Gotta Smile.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/19/09 (Saturday) @ 8:35 am

2009-12-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

Hey God...can I get an F'ing break??? We're putiting in new floors to reduce the possibility of allergens in preparation for Anthony's homecoming only to find that we may have a slab leak. This camels back can't take much more straw.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/19/09 (Saturday) @ 10:00 am

2009-12-19T11:17:00.001-08:00

Hey there everyone. I know everybody is extrordinarily eager to visity with Brynn especially now that people are on Holiday. However, We need to limit visitors to family for a little while. She is in a new unit where infection is more of an issue and we need to be wary of overstimulation as well. Thank you all for your understanding.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/18/09 (Friday) @ 7:48 pm

2009-12-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

She smailed at me. Not quite the million dollar smile that we all know and love but a beautiful thing non-the-less. Then a little later I was standing over her bed and she moved her arms. It seemed like she wanted a hug. Soo I took her arm and put it over me, and hugged her. She looked at me in the eye and smiled again. So if we could please pray for even greater motor control I would be grateful to you all.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/18/09 (Friday) @ 1:01 am

2009-12-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

I got to kiss my wife on the lips today. I don't think I ever took this for granted before...but still something I will treasure even more dearly now. She had the tracheostomy completed and now no longer has any tubes in her mouth. She also FINALLY opened her eyes and moved her hand upon request in front of one of the Doctors.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/16/09 (Wednesday) @ 6:19 pm

2009-12-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

SHE SMILED TODAY!!!!!!! The nurses and a doctor from labor and delivery were visiting with her and joking about how they and the NICU nurses had nicknamed anthony Benjamin Button 'cause he looked like a little old man. She smiled at that. Then they told her my response to the name which was 'That's great so long as he ends up looking like Brad Pit'. She smiled bigger...A great day.

Dawn's Update 12/16/09

2009-12-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

I just got an email from Alan (Brynn's dad) saying that Brynn opened her eyes and smiled at the Dr. and the nurse when asked today. Another big step!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/15/09 (Tuesday) @ 5:08 pm

2009-12-15T21:08:00.001-08:00

So little Anthony is doing so well that the Dr. says he might be home in 7 to 10 days! This is, of course, great news. But also a little disressing. I thought I might have a little more time :-) Thank God Auntie Katie and Uncle Andy are moving in to help out.

Dawn's update Tuesday 12/15/09

2009-12-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

I got to see Brynn today and I was amazed by her progress! Her coloring looks great and she was able to open her eyes and look at me. I shared silly stories with her and she seemed to enjoy them. While listening she moved her arms and head, which the nurse said was a great sign.

I also got to see baby Anthony and boy is he handsome! Look out world in 18 years!!!!! They say he is doing great and he might be home for the holidays!

I stopped by and visited with Kyle, Grace, Isaiah and Noah as well. Grace is sooooooooo excited about her new bed, Isaiah loves that he will be sleeping next to big sis and Noah is super stoked about having the bottom bunk. They miss mom dearly but are doing ok.

Please keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming as we are awaiting a true Christmas miracle!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/14/09 (Monday) @ 3:02 pm

2009-12-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

It was a tough day for me today. Brynn did open her eyes and looked at me but that was about it. The worst part for me is that usually when I have a rough day she is the one that puts me back together again. I thank you all for your support...it is what keeps me going especially on days like today.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/13/09 (Sunday) @ 9:00 pm:

2009-12-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

Spent the day with great friends getting my house in order for the eventual return of my wife and baby. Got some skin to skin time with Anthony...poor little guy's gotta deal with dad's hairy chest, but he seemed comfortable. I'm sitting in Brynn's room right now and seeing much more arm movement and I think she tried to grip my hand when I asked her. It was ever so slight but I'm pretty sure she was trying.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/12/09 (Staurday) @ 3:45 pm:

2009-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

Big day today...She's in there and recognizing us. I asked her to blink if she wanted to listen to music and she blinked! Actual identifiable communication...amazing. Please continue with your prayers and positiive energy. Much Love.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/12/09 (Saturday) @ 12:00 pm:

2009-12-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

Things were pretty quiet this morning when I arrived at the hospital. I was beginning to think that today would be the first day that we didn't see a marked improvement. That was until 11 when she woke up with a cough, she hard sharp eye blinks and her eyes tracked to her brother who was standing by the bed. She's looking at us in the eye and moving to our voices. Please keep it up everyne.....IT'S WORKING!!!!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/11/09 (Friday) @ 11:01 am:

2009-12-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

So I walked into the Brynn's room this morning to see her with her eyes open looking at her mother. She hadn't been provoked by anything...she just opened them on her own!!!! And She kept them open for quite some time. Her gaze is still a bit dazed but we're getting there. I thank God for all of you and all of your help in bringing our Miracle.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/10/09 (Thurs) @ 6:18 pm:

2009-12-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

What we're asking for now is for Brynn to have the strength and the will to repeatedly succeed in these small trials. We are getting our Miracle-slower than I'd like but IT IS COMING.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/10/09 (Thurs) @ 6:09 pm:

2009-12-11T09:35:00.000-08:00

Brynn is opening her eyes more frequently usually when they suction her chest of flem (it's very uncomfortable) and once she does she will open and close them for me. She is responding to requests and trying SOOOOO hard to do what I ask her. I'll ask her to move her hand and her arm will twitch. I'll ask her to open her eyes and her eyelid will move ever so slightly.

Saturday 12/05/09

2009-12-10T13:24:00.001-08:00

My two oldest childern were able to see baby Anthony today. They had smiles from ear to ear!

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/10/09 (Thurs) @ 9:08 am:

2009-12-10T13:20:00.002-08:00

I got to feed Anthony for the first time last night. Feeding such a young one was a new thing for me as all my others were breast fead. I know I have a lot of firsts ahead of me. And though this is not an adventure I wanted, I know I am up for it because of all of your support. Thanks again everyone.

Kyle’s updates from Facebook 12/8/09 (Wed) @ 3:25 pm:

2009-12-10T13:20:00.001-08:00

So today I took Isaiah to school and then out to lunch and to get a haircut. It was nice to spend time with my big guy. Got to the hospital about 2:30. Brynn opened and sort of closed her eyes for me. She's still not really focusing but baby steps. She's still running a bit of a temp so if we could pray for her temp to come down and for her to respond to verbal stimuli more often that would be huge. Much Love – Kyle