I spent the afternoon with my good friend John at the Texas Children’s Hospital where John and his son are spending 18 hours a day this past week. John’s granddaughter, Hayden, is in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in an induced coma with significant brain swelling. The doctors have exhausted the types of medicines available to bring the swelling down; now only prayers and a miracle can bring her back.
It was heart-wrenching to walk into the PICU. Hayden was removed from full life support yesterday and is breathing on her own after the surgery this week to relieve the cranial pressure, but the doctors are not painting a bright picture for full recovery at this point. She still has wires all over her and her head is bandaged with tubes for a vent on top. The monitors to the right and left are silent, counting off the breathing, the pulse, the oxygen content, and who knows what else. The doctors and nurses are there around the clock; Hayden is getting the best care there is.
John says that her optic nerve, pupil response, kidney, liver, temperature and blood sugar are all looking good, but the cranial pressure is high; normal pressure is 5 (mmHg? I didn’t catch the units) with brain damage possible above 12. Hayden’s pressure has been above 40 since last Tuesday.
John has asked that her picture be forwarded to all to ask for prayers. John and his son are spending 18 hours a day at the hospital in the PICU; they can use your prayers, too.
Chasing the Wind 
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