Brothers

This past Tuesday, my father and I traveled to Atlanta to pack my brother's belongings into a U-Haul truck. It felt as though we were haphazardly putting Michael's life as he knew it into storage, unsure of whether he'd ever be able to reclaim it completely. The experience was unsettling. Thank you Pat and Brandon for helping, and those who offered to do so.

Michael has shown steady improvement in several areas. His brain is splintered into areas of normalcy, and areas of infancy. At times I speak to him as if he's child, and he surprises me with his trademark wit and awareness, mocking me at the relative absurdity of my question or comment. Moments later, he fails to comprehend a basic function or distinction. Honestly, much of it would be very humorous if we were assured of a complete recovery (it's often humorous regardless : ). However, we are not assured of anything, and the prospect of the worst is increasingly burdensome on my family, despite our hope and optimism for the best. We hope that after the infection and inflammation subside that the areas most affected return to normal. Wait and see, wait and see, wait and see. A shitty proposition to say the least....

Michael called me last night and this morning. T'was (inside joke between him and I) incredible.

Michael has incredible friendships. Tonight, eight of his friends gathered for the UT bowl game. People were seated on the floor and staircase in what can best be described as uncomfortable conditions. At one point it struck me (and I commented as much) that we were watching a UT bowl game, and not one person had so much as cracked a beer. It was inspiring to see that amongst a group of die-hard Tennessee fans the game really didn't matter. A frustrating defeat didn't so much as register, and all that mattered was that everyone present wanted to be there for their friend. This is a tribute to Michael as a person, and those who he has chosen to befriend. Thank you to everyone who was there and has been there since this began, and everyone who wished they were (I know that there are many, and you are no less appreciated).

Everyone who contributes to this blog wants to keep all apprised of Michael's improvements, but often the message is misleading since many are unaware of his condition. I'm glad that Maisie and my dad do as much, because often the grief clouds my recognition of the real progress Michael is making. We report the positive, because despite our doubts we believe that Michael will be one hundred percent again. Michael is still Michael. Whatever damage has been done to his brain will not change that. He still has the ability to make all around him laugh and smile, and his aura is no less charismatic or inspiring. The healing process is continuing and full of uncertainty, but I see him fighting daily to reclaim his life and intellect that all who know him respect and admire. He is constantly on the cusp of grasping a word or concept that is just barely out of his reach.

Michael will return, and be a force to be reckoned with and loved. Hell, we all love him just the same.

Michael is my best friend. I can relate with him unlike anyone else, and those who know us both understand why. But this isn't about me. My grief is immaterial compared to the prospect of Michael not dominating life as he was meant to. Keep the prayers and support coming. I believe Michael will day read this one day soon and mock my over-dramatic prose, and share a laugh with me at his predicament. When doctors can give us no reliable odds on the outcome, I go all in on the Sludog Millionaire. I think everyone who has spent time with him would agree.

2011 will be the year of the comeback.

10 little things... :)

1. Yesterday morning, Michael walks into the living room, realized the movie that had been playing was paused. He picks up the remote, presses play, and turns the volume up.
- two days ago he didn't show any interest in the remote. He would just ask someone to turn the volume up or down

2. Michael said, "I'm thirsty." (!!!)

3.Last night he tried to walk outside but the door was locked- he unlocked it.

4. I pointed to a picture of his brother, Jordan, in a scrapbook and asked Michael, "Who's this guy?". After a couple stutters, he said, "That's Jordan."

5. I pointed to a picture of Landon and asked Michael if he recognized this "crazy guy". He said without hesitation, "Who Landon?"

6. Rajib held up a picture of Michael's face, Michael said laughing"Who's that fool? That's me!".

7. Last night Michael turned to Mr. Sluder and began asking him if he remembers a certain person (from work I think) from several years ago.(!) He said, "It was a long time ago I don't know if you remember, but it was around the time me and her (and pointed to me) started,"
-He's still having trouble articulating his thoughts, but we are seeing small signs that his long term memory is there

8. I was playing with his miniature basket ball, he pointed to the ceiling and said, "Hey look up there!" I looked, .. he snatched it from me and laughed. This blew my mind.

9. When Mrs. Rosi walks into the room, Michael often says, "Hey Mama!"

10. Majority of the time, Michael says "please", "thank you", offers others food when he's the only one in the room that has some, always makes sure I have enough room on the couch , shares his blanket, and frequently thanks Mrs. Rosi and Mr. Mike for taking care of him. :)

Thank God for these little things.

Much love
Maisie

Friends

Our family is blessed with a lot of loving friends. So many have reached out and helped or offered help it is truly humbling. And this is a family crisis. I see the stress and worry in all of us, so the help we are receiving is really a help. If I began to list you all it would be a long post.
Michael is doing OK and we see small improvements every day. He still cannot connect words with thoughts. The brain is working on reconnecting its pathways and it will take patience.
Jordan and I are going to Newnan tomorrow to move Michael's furniture here. Anyone around Newnan that wants to help..... Its not a chore I am looking forward to, just knowing Michael was in his apartment for days suffering makes it difficult for me.
Things are coming together here as far as Michael's care. It has been a struggle cause going state to state with health care is probably harder than coming in from Russia! Although I must say the folks at Michaels employer (Sears) have been helpful and good. And thanks to OBama I can also now add Michael to my healthcare (cannot believe I said that).
Please continue to pray for Michael. I believe that is where the healing will come from.

Day by Day

It is difficult to explain Michael's condition. I have no baseline, so day by day we take it as it comes. It appears that improvements are going to be small and incremental, and will take a fairly long period of time. Right now he still cannot put together his thoughts and words, and we have to maintain a 24/7 watch over him for his safety. He will be working with the Vanderbilt doctors, so they will have more to say when we can get him seen.

Home

On the drive back from Atl to Nashvegas Michael wanted me to drop him off along the way because he wanted to go back (somewhere), but he said he would still come hang out with me sometime!
Its Christmas morning and its white outside. We have a bed set up in our room for him and this is all a bit overwhelming, but he is doing OK. He wanders around some and says "What the hell" a bit, but seems better with it. After Rosi fixed him some breakfast he told her thanks for taking care of him. His soft side is really coming through during this time, and we get to see a lot of it. Good stuff. Merry Christmas everybody. He will be back,and I think your prayers have a lot to do with it.

Classic

So I'm up eating a bag of Doritos and watching Slumdog Millionaire (the actual movie) on my laptop while Michael is sleeping. He wakes up and asks me if I'm snacking. I offer him some chips, he accepts and then uses the restroom. After telling him that I'm watching the movie he says that "maybe I'll join you." I remove the headphones and place the laptop on a chair in-between his bed and my recliner, and we watch Slumdog Millionaire together for about ten minutes (before he pushes the chair in my direction and tells me he needs to sleep). Apparently I had a big smile on my face while we were watching the flick, because he tells me (in an almost mocking voice) that "you're one happy person." I couldn't even begin to explain to him why. Unbelievable.

Last night

Not too much to report tonight. Michael was awake almost all day, and seemed to have more energy than any time since his arrival (the fact that he's been eating like a champ has probably helped). He's been sleeping like a baby since about 10 p.m. The big news is that we're heading home tomorrow, so this is my final report from Emory University Hospital. I look forward to making the next entry in the comfort of my parents' house in good ole' Gallatin, TN. For everyone who has been wanting to visit Michael, we'll make in happen in the coming days. Good night, and good luck.

Coming Home!

Looks like Michael will be released tomorrow morning. Apparently his improvements yesterday have made the doctors feel comfortable sending him home, where we will have nursing services provided. A couple of Michael's friends are helping me get the house ready today. It is amazing the support that has been offered, especially this time of year. Lisa Payne is going to coordinate meals once they get home, if you are local and can bring a meal at some point over the next few weeks, contact her.

Again, he is not "all better". There will be a process of recovery that can take weeks or months. But he will get to do it at home with all kinds of people loving on him, and  for that we are amazed and thankful.

bad boy look

Pops relieved the night shift, ie jman, and had a good visit with Michael. Some improvement. His mind is sharp but he just cannot find the right words. We did a sink side washing and he is now sporting a goatee. If u know Sluder men that is not easy. Mostly our face just looks dirty. But his is not bad. I will ask someone less technology challenged to take a pic and post. Pops.

More on yesterday. ..

Yesterday was huge! Michael laughed (at his own jokes..), asked the questions, "How long have I been here?", and, "How old am I?". Like Jordan and Loren said, he's showing emotions other than frustration and anger. For example, I began to cry a little when Michael woke up and started talking so clearly, he put his hand on my knee and said in a concerned (and confused) voice, "You're upset..?". I explained to him that I'm not upset, I'm happy because he's getting better- to which he replied, "This just doesn't make any sense..".
We proceeded to have a conversation about how he got there, when, why, etc.. He would ask the same questions again a few minutes later. Like Jordan said, his short term memory will come back over time. BUT, it was a coherent conversation. :)

Michael decided to go for a walk up and down the hallways. When the doctor saw him up and walking around his jaw dropped. Michael looked at him, stuck his hand out and said, "Hey man what's your name? I'm Mike." The doctor introduced himself and just stared.. Michael said, "What..?" Doc said, "You look great! You weren't doing this well a few days ago and I'm so pleased!" Michael smacked him on the back, laughed and said, "You're just messin with me man."
At some point on our stroll he asked, "Where's Dad?". First time he's said Dad :))

We got back to the room, Michael laid down and I was sitting at his bedside. We were just talking, he was trying to make sense of everything. I told him my name, he looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "Ugh, I know that." Then he held his arms out for a big hug and I dove in. He could tell I got super excited, kinda laughed at me and gave me a "there there" kiss on the head. .. so sweet. As Jordan and Loren mentioned, vocabulary is still a struggle and it's often a guessing game on my end. But sometimes, whether the words are right or not, he gets his point across clearly (adding to Jordan's comment on his healthy interest in the opposite sex).

Like I said, yesterday was huge! It's hard to remember all that happened. We were all pretty overwhelmed. I felt like a took a few shots of espresso by the time Michael got back in bed! So pumped!
I'm no expert, but from what I've read about Michael's condition, the bulk of recovery takes place during the first few weeks, and can last for several months. Seems like he's right on schedule.

Maisie

Overnight update and (excessive use of parenthesis)

Today/tonight was pretty eventful for the Sludog Millioinaire, but unfortunately I'm too tired and scatter-brained to cover everything. So here are some highlights (in addition to his conversation with Loren mention in the previous post and his interactions with my parents and Maisie-I'd be surprised if Maisie doesn't post something when she gets a chance):

1. Michael is conversing in a much improved manner, even though his vocabulary is still jumbled. It seems he could carry on a normal conversation if he could just find the correct words. This frustrates him because often we can't understand what he's trying to say (so we guess), which leads to our responses also making little sense to him. Just pray that the vocab continues to come back to him. If it does, I seem him being able operate on close to the same high level we're all accustomed to.

2. Michael is now showing more emotion than just frustration. He's smiled and carried on at times, shown a genuine interest in the well-being of those around him, and has expressed a healthy interest in the opposite sex (In addition to his interactions with Maisie, and I won't go into detail on how I brought this out of him). I can't be sure, but based on our conversations I think he's concerned about his employment, and what all is expected of him right now. He talked about how "he didn't do anything" to get to this point. We (Landon, Corey and I) explained to him that he did nothing wrong and there was nothing he could have done to change his current predicament (obviously I didn't use those words). I explained that all anyone wanted was for him to rest, relax, and get to feeling better. He seemed to accept this.

3, Along with the vocab, the biggest issue is his lack of memory. It's very hard to gauge what he remembers about his life; whether it was this morning, yesterday, 2 weeks, or 10 years ago. He's still struggling with names but seems to recognize some of us. You can see him trying so hard to remember words, events, names, places, and things. Hopefully his memory and vocab will continue to return as the inflammation and infection in his brain subsides.

4. All in all, today was the biggest step we've seen Michael take. His capacity to understand has increased dramatically. I'm excited and hopeful of what the following days will bring.

5. As Loren mentioned in the previous post, the doctors will discuss discharging Michael in the very near future. This certainly doesn't mean that he is "cured" or "ok", but it makes sense since his all vitals are (and have consistently been) stable and he can take his medication from home. The only other treatment he is truly receiving is a heavy dose of help and love from his family and friends. I think the comfort of convalescing in a familiar atmosphere will benefit him greatly. Obviously he still has a long ways to go though.

6. Finally, I was in the corner of the room when Michael looked over at Corey and asked "where's Jordan?" This is the first time I've heard him speak my name (just this morning he looked at me and asked, "I'm sorry, what was your name?"). I went to him and told him that "I'm here", that "I'm Jordan." He said he had to make sure something (I can't remember his exact words) was getting taken care of. I told him not to worry about that, that I was going to take care of all of that for him, and that he just needed to rest and I was on top it. I told him "I got you brother." He nodded his head and said, "ok" before he rolled over and went to sleep.

Definitely the highlight of my week.

Make my day, why don't you?!

Tonight I was eating with a friend before the Garth Brooks concert when my phone rang. Dad calling. He told he to hold on and then I heard:

"Hey, I need some glasses."

I then proceeded to have a coherent conversation with Michael. Dad admitted that he coached him as to who he was talking to, but I don't care. It was the best thing that has happened to me in a week, so I will take it. He said my name, said "I love you", named others in the room. Again, prompted, but awesome to hear that voice. Dad said Michael woke up this afternoon very curious, asking a lot of questions about what happened and why he was there and how long he had been there, etc. A doctor rushed to get him on video so they could review his progress.

The doctors are talking home health and a release as early as Friday. Maybe, maybe not. Either way, he is making some good progress. He will not come home 100% healed, but we will get there eventually. Happy.

Night shift update.

Tonight has been a mixed bag for the Sludog Millionaire. The good news is that Michael has been as coherent as I've seen him to date. He still can't articulate more than a simple phrase or two, but he's able to converse in a more focused, deliberate manner. Several times he's woke up to find me looking at him and asked, "what's up?" or "what're you doing?" in his natural tone. He asked me if "is any way to turn these off (pointing at the lights above him)." When I asked if I could keep one side light on (so I could keep an eye on him or navigate him to the restroom) he replied "yeah, that's fine." This back-and-forth is definitely progress. There is also more focus in his eyes which seems to indicate an increased awareness.

The bad news is that he seems to be suffering from a killer headache. He also managed to express concern that he might get sick (not in those words), so I had the nurse give him some Tylenol and anti-nausea medicine. He's been sleeping for the most part since then. I plan on speaking with the doctor tomorrow to see if he can prescribe something stronger just in case the pain persists.

All in all, tonight was far better than last night, when Michael was determined to remove his IV and became quite angry when I physically prevented him from doing so. I'm always careful about thinking that we've turned a corner since there has been a good deal of two-steps forward then one-step back from the beginning. However, progress is progress, and from what I can tell he is heading in the right direction. The most important thing is that he keeps moving until he reaches the finish line.

The Sluder family will be spending Christmas in Emory University Hospital, and we've greatly appreciated everyone's interest and support throughout this ordeal. I would like wish everyone a merry Christmas, and encourage all to try to experience a greater level of love and appreciation for those who are close to us this holiday season. I know I will.

Please hold

Today, Michael was supposed to start a new job here in Nashville. This past weekend, he was supposed to be moving here and hosting a bachelor party for a good friend. Last night, he was supposed to be a groomsman in the wedding.

We are determined to stay optimistic about Michael's condition and have faith that he will recover, but if there is anything to learn in all this, it is that there are no guarantees. Jordan and I talked tonight about how hard it is to see on facebook or attempt conversations about normal life with people. It is not their fault, but people do not understand how an event like this puts everything else on hold. I am home now, because I have two little boys who need their mommy to celebrate Christmas the way they deserve, a job that I am committed to, and a home to take care of. But my heart is not in it. I am living hour to hour, day to day, praying without ceasing that my baby brother will be himself again. It is not guaranteed.

We have attempted to fill this blog with stories of progress and optimism, because that is all that we can do. There are positives to focus on:

Michael was found before he slipped into a coma and died.
His condition was detected quickly enough to begin treatment at a hospital that specializes in neurosciences.
He has a great support system of family that has never left him alone and is staying on top of his care (just ask Dad about how I "fired" one of the nurses...)
He continues to make medical improvements daily.
We are seeing slight improvements in memory and speech and thought processing.
Michael is young, strong, and a fighter.

But, to be honest, there are a lot of uncertainties, a lot of scary outcomes, and a long road ahead of Michael to get him back where he was. This is not an overnight thing. Please pray for Michael. I am a believer that God has a plan, that he works for our good in all things, and I know from experience that He can turn any bad situation into something miraculous. But it sure doesn't hurt to keep asking. Until then, we are holding.

Ladies, try to keep your jealousy in check...

Maisie and Mom just called and asked me to blog this.

This afternoon, Michael was chatting with Maisie and she gave him a kiss on the cheek, earning a big smile from Michael. He said "Thank you. You like my lovin?" Of course, who wouldn't? The nurse left the room and he said "Thanks, Grandma." He does have a way with the ladies. He patted the bed and said "You gonna get up here?" Maisie climbed in bed next to him, and he pointed to the pillow next to him and said "You have enough of this?" He grabbed her hand and fell asleep. :) LOVE THIS! I have read that encephalitis patients are sometimes lacking in affection, this is a good indication that Michael will be an exception to that.

He also talked about Landon again today, saying "You gotta love Landon." Landon Hollins, get thee to Atlanta!

Tuesday morning

Michael is about halfway through with his treatment. He went a few days without food but most all tests have been made and he is allowed to eat. Problem is, he never has been a big eater. We are trying to get him what he likes so he will eat. He sleeps a lot but overall looks good. We have a small basketball in the room and he asked what it was for. We told him you try to throw it through a hoop and he said that was really stupid! I guess it is. Pops

"Thank you, sir"

Apparently Michael cared as little about the Bears-Vikings game tonight as the rest of the country. He woke up mid-way through the second quarter and listened to me ramble about the game without commenting. After about ten minutes he told me, "Alright, I'm ready to leave", and started fiddling with his IV's. I told him to stop and explained that he couldn't leave. He looked at me like I was a moron, and said "but I'm going to leave right here (pointing at his bed)." I said, "Oh, sleep", to which he said yeah and told me to "just turn it down." I got up and turned down the volume on the TV. He rolled over on his side and said "thank you, sir", before letting out a long exhale. Michael and I both say "thank you, sir" to each other on a regular basis. He said it in the same manner he's always said it.

It's amazing how something as small as this makes my day.

Thank you, sir.

A little walkin and talkin today

Today was an improvement to say the least. 

Michael did sleep most of the day, but he perked up around 5:00pm when Mr. Mike arrived. He sat up in bed and downed a whole glass of tea without taking a breath. And who knew he liked chocolate pudding so much?? Mrs. Rosi fed him a few bites and he said "mmmmmm". 

After he'd had enough, "That's enough Mom". (!!!!!!) Yes. He called her Mom. 

(woohoo Michael is allowed to eat again, CT scan he had this morning showed no tears in his esophagus) Jordan wasn't in the room at the time and Michael noticed. Like yesterday, he was trying to say "Where's Jordan" but didn't manage to get it out. We knew what he meant. Seems like he always notices when someone is missing from the room.

Michael and Mr. Mike played with the mini-basketball for a little while today. Michael shot a few times and missed, was about to give up until the nurse insisted he try one more time. He made it. I'm pretty sure we were more excited than he was.

Around 7:00 he decided to go for a walk out in the hallway. First time he's left the room since Friday! He was looking around for his "Camry" (he drives a Camry) his keys, and wallet. 

He also wanted his "nasses" for his "reyes". (which we interpreted and glasses for his eyes)

Michael is improving steadily. He still gets very frustrated when he struggles to find the words to express himself, or can't answer the doctor's questions- but this is to be expected. Although we hate seeing him so frustrated, it just means he's becoming more aware.

Today was a good day.

Maisie

Moving forward

Michael is getting a PICC line put in now. This means that all his meds and nutrition can go into one place, rather than two IV's (that he wants to pull out anyways). This is a good step moving forward.

Also, he did well on the test for pneumomwhatchamacalit. So, he can start on a liquid diet and progress from there. No hole in his esophagus. Good news for a guy that has not eaten in way too long!

Just saw that we have had over 1200 hits in less than two days. Amazing. Thanks for caring.

Some progress..

I'm on the midnight Sludog Millionaire shift. Michael's been sleeping for most of the night, but he got up to use the restroom a few minutes ago with almost no assistance. He told me he had to go, went, and even flushed and put down the toilet seat after he was finished. He's still can't find the right words to express himself, is confused as to why he's at the hospital, and is anxious to leave (yet calm). I explained to him why we had to be there and that I wasn't sure when we would leave. After I finished, he rolled over, closed his eyes and said to me loud and clear: "It's not fair."

No, it isn't. Hang in there broheim.

Michael's sweet side :)

Medically, today is not much different than yesterday. But behaviorally, Michael was more aware and a tad sweeter than yesterday (in between naps..still sleeping most of the day). The first time he woke up, he looked at the TV and said, "uhh... let's turn this up." -a complete, coherent, relevant sentence. Then I handed him the basketball and asked him to throw it back to me, he did so in a shooting motion :))

Later in the evening, Michael scooted over in his bed and invited Rosi (mom) to lay down with him!! And the waterworks began..
Rosi:"You know I'm your Mamma right?"
M:"yeah"
Rosi:"You know I love you right?"
Michael grinned and said "yeah", and put his arm around her and rubbed her back.

Jordan (brother) was out of the room for about an hour and Michael tried to ask for him by name. He looked around and said, "Where is he? Where's (and made some words that start with the J sound). Rosi said "Jordan?" He said "yeah".

He's getting so close.

Around 10:00pm I gathered my things to leave, walked over to his bedside to tell him goodbye.
I leaned over, grabbed his hand and told him I'm leaving but I'll be back tomorrow. He said "ok", and went back to sleep. I tried to walk away but he wouldn't let go of my hand. This lasted about 15 minutes.. every time I'd try to leave he'd squeeze my hand. Precious right..

Docs say he will improve very slowly and steadily. Patience is key. He's doing great.

Maisie

Thank You

Although Michael is agitated and confused, he is a gentleman through and through. The nurse just gave him some ice chips and he kindly said "Thank you." I have not heard him use this phrase. A friend posted this on Michael's facebook this morning, I am copying because I love it.

"ESPN BREAKING NEWS: Michael Sluder = Class Act. BAMF. Fighter. Persistent. Full of Life. Curious. Independent. Dubious at Times. Humble. Comedian. Intelligent. Vivacious. Reliable. Energetic. Athletic. Spirited. Family First. Traveler. Life-Long True-to-the-Bitter-End Friend. Period." -Kyle Davis

EEG is being removed right now, which is a relief because it is driving Michael nuts. Also a good sign of improvement. His language is improving (although coming out a bit colorful...), but memory is lagging. Will update when I get more info.

Mad Michael

Michael woke up a wee bit agitated (that's an understatement...) from his 26-hour slumber. He is not happy about being in the hospital. Jordan had to seriously talk him out of yanking the IV's and hitting the road. Can't blame him. He did ask what time it was, what day it was, and said a few other things that made sense. I had a conversation with him that went something like this:

Me: Hey Michael, can I ask you a question?
Michael: Yeah.
Me: What's your name?
Michael: You know my name. (such a smartypants)
Me: I know I know your name, but do you know it?
Michael: Yeah, it's Mike. (obviously, strange lady.)

Good job.

He is sleeping again, the two of us are hanging out tonight. Mom and Dad are staying with Lisa Payne's sweet parents, who offered to let them and Jordan stay as long as needed. Thank you to Lisa, Corey, Brandon, Maisie, and everyone who has been so sweet and helpful. Signing off, will update again tomorrow.

Pneumomediastinum

This is one of the concerns that the doctors have at this point that they are monitoring. Don't ask me to spell it ever again! Basically, it means that his chest cavity around his lungs and heart have air in them that shouldn't be there. This showed up on the body scan. It could have been caused by vomiting (which he apparently did quite a bit of before he was found) or by a foreign object that he attempted to eat in his delirium that punctured the esophagus. Because of this, Michael is not allowed to eat or drink anything stronger than a few ice chips. This may be the case for up to a week. (Basically, he will not be able to eat for a week.) This is a bummer because we believe he probably has not eaten all this week either. But we do not want any further complications with his heart or lungs, so...

A few moments of lightness have happened over the last few days. He really enjoyed having Maisie here (his childhood friend and, I have decided, future wife.) He flirted with her even without a language anyone can understand- it only takes that trademark Michael smirk. He got a credit card from his wallet this morning (during one of his few minutes of wakefulness today) and asked me to get him a "fritter", which I interpreted as "burger". Sadly, I could not comply. The first night I was here, he found my purse on the floor, dug through and examined all the contents, picked it up and announced he had to go. I think he is making plans in his head to get out of here. When Mom, Dad, and Jordan were all here, he patted Dad's back, looked around, and said "I like you guys." We like you too, Michael.

The beginning of the story- read first if you have not been getting email updates

Starting at the beginning..

Thursday December 16-

Michael had not reported to work all week (week of December 13) and nobody had heard from him. He lives alone in Atlanta. Friends had tried to contact him, cell was dead.  A neighbor (Brandon Hively) went to check on him Wednesday afternoon and found him incoherent, babbling, hallucinating, apartment in complete disarray. They called an ambulance, took him to the hospital where they ran tests for drugs, came back clean. They did an MRI and found a "spot" in his left temporal lobe that they said might be a brain tumor. He was moved to Emory Hospital Wednesday night. Mom, Dad and Jordan all arrived early Thursday morning. 

Thursday December 16, 8:15 am-

Mom just talked to the doctor, he said that it is either a brain tumor or a brain bruise (whatever that it, I am hoping for that). He also said that whatever it is, it has been there for a while. They are doing more tests this morning including a full-body scan, and have him on  an IV. He is very emaciated and out of it, can not use the correct words. Seems frustrated, but recognizes Mom and Jordan. Whatever it is, they will wait for surgery until tomorrow morning. I will keep everyone posted (because that makes me feel useful). 

Please pray. Pray for Mom, Dad, and Jordan, they are all emotional. Pray that they will feel His presence and pull together. Pray for the doctors. Pray for Michael. 

Friday December 17, 7:30 am-

GOOD morning!

I say that because things look much brighter than they did yesterday at this time. They have tentatively diagnosed Michael with herpes-related encephalitis. You can read about it here: http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/herpes_encephalitis.htm Basically, Michael is a carrier of Herpes Simplex 1 (cold sores). This is super common, in fact my dad and I both carry this. In 2 people out of a million every year, this will travel to the brain and cause encephalitis. The good news is that it is treatable, with Michael's age and health status, he should recover (we hope) completely fairly quickly. It is treated with IV antibiotics (acyclovir) for 10 days (or longer dependent on how he is doing). It still has risks, but we are way excited when comparing it to the possibilty of a brain tumor. They did a spinal tap early this morning and just did an EEG. These will help confirm the diagnosis and give us an idea of what to expect. He also ate breakfast like a champ. He is still not making sense, but we are hoping those symptoms will clear up in the next 2-3 days.

Again, Thank you all for your prayers and concern. We feel incredibly blessed that he was found in time by his friend Brandon. Encephalitis can be fatal if it is not caught in time. Just feeling grateful!

Friday December 17, 7:40 pm-

The doctors are being very cautious and thorough, which means they can be a little scary at times. this afternoon the neuro team took over his case, so we have had to repeat the same stories and listen to a complete prognosis ranging from good to very bad. we hope to get some test results back tonight which will let us know what type of encephalitis michael has. we are hoping for herpes simplex encephalitis. this is the most treatable. other types are not treatable. I see that God had provided several blessings already in this, so I have to believe He will again. please continue to pray.


Michael is currently hooked up to a permanent eeg so his head is wrapped. he is in restraints because he wants to pull things out. he had his first shower in probably a week today, and is resting now. he will not be able to eat for 2 days because they are concerned about some air around his lungs. we want to avoid further complications. thank you again for your prayers. keep it up!

Saturday December 18, 1:00 pm-

Just got the news that it is confirmed as Herpes Simplex Encephalitis. This news is twofold- positive because this is the treatable type of encephalitis, and we were told yesterday that there are other types that are not treatable. Thankful he has been diagnosed and is on the correct course of treatment.

There is still a chance of long-term effects such as memory loss, tremors, weakness, trouble with speech, vision or hearing, loss of muscle control, depression, etc. We are not guaranteed anything at this point. (But really, when are we ever?) 70 percent of people with untreated encephalitis die, so again, we are so thankful he was found when he was. There are three stages- the first being flu-like symptoms (that Michael had last week), the second stage is confusion, hallucination, speech problems, etc. He was found in stage 2. The third stage is coma, then death. He does not appear (from his EEG) to be having seizures, which is good because that can complicate things further.

This is a lot of info, I know. At this point, the bottom line is that we know what it is and he is being treated for it. We can not look back or change anything, just pray, watch and wait to see signs of the Michael we love coming back. It will be a process of weeks. He will be here for a while. A few of you have asked, here is the hospital info:

Emory University Hospital

Room # G356

1364 Clifton Rd. NE

Atlanta, GA 30322

Mom does not really want visitors at this point. I will let you know if that changes.

We believe that he is going to recover and be himself again. As you all know, he is a pretty outstanding guy, and has a lot of fight in him. We have to believe that will make a difference and trust God for the timing.