Friday, December 14, 2007

Day 7

Brent is awake!! They have taken him off of the ventilator and he is fully breathing on his own, awake, talking and is as sharp as a tack. During a breathing test he said "I've done this before, during an appendectomy when I was fifteen." So we are thanking God that he has absolutely no brain damage. He didn't remember anything about Saturday, but Pete reminded him that he went out to the racetrack with Jay and had a bad fall. Brent then remembered going to the track but fortunately didn't remember the accident. Brent wanted to know everything that has happened so Pete gave him a brief summary and they are telling him a little bit at a time the extent of his injuries. He feels pain in his right shoulder but Pete assured him that it would be fine. He asked about his left shoulder and Pete told him he would have surgery on it on Monday. Brent wanted to know why he had to wait so long. He now knows what day it is and exactly where he is.

Pete and Kathy have been provided with an apartment through Little Rock Church that is less than ten minutes from the hospital. They will have this apartment through January 8th and they will work on something more long term in the few weeks to come.

For those of you wanting to visit Brent and his family they are at UAMS. To get there you will need to take 630 to the Fair Park exit. Head North on Fair Park. You will pass the Stadium on your right and be at the Markham intersection. Take a Right. You will pass Wendys and Backyard Burger on your left before you get to Hooper Dr. Take a Right. Follow directions for Visitor Parking. It will loop you around the drop off site but will bring you back to the top of the parking garage. You will need to have cash with you to pay for parking. Enter in the Main Hospital Entrance. You will walk all the way down the hall towards the Information Desk. Take the Elevators on your Right right before you get to the desk. Brent is on the 6th floor. Out of the elevator take a left. The family is in the Family Room second door on your left.

Update: 6:30pm
Brent has been in and out all day. When he is awake he is very alert but also very aware of his pain. Right now Brent doesn't know the full extent of the injuries.

Please continue to pray without ceasing. Prayers are being answered every day.

17 comments:

kristen said...

Wow! This is awesome! Good morning, Brent! We think of you constantly. Love, Kristen and Nate Wiewora

Laura Day said...

Dear Family,
We are praying for you all constantly! We are also so encouraged by all God has accomplished so far through this. HE IS FAITHFUL! We love you all so much and will keep Brent on our minds and in our hearts as he continues this path of recovery.
God Bless You all,
Robert and Laura Day and family

Natalie Wade said...

Brent,
There are so many people praying for you everyday. We all know that you are such a fighter! I can't believe you have already made such progress! I'm so PROUD of you.
Natalie

JennSale said...

I am so happy for Brent and his family. Our God is an awesome God. FYI, I grew up w/ Rebekah Kuepker; & Meg Wiewora was my suitemate freshman year of college. Also, I'm very good friends w/ Amanda Slayton & my aunt & her family go to PV. So small world when it comes to the church. I will continue to keep yall in my prayers.
Love your sister in Christ,
Jennifer Goff Sale

Amanda S said...

PRAISE GOD! THIS IS SO AWESOME TO HEAR THAT BRENT IS FULLY AWAKE! PRAYER IS SUCH A POWERFUL THING.

Shane said...

Dear Uncle Pete, Aunt Kathy, Bryan, and Amanda

It's so awesome to hear Brent is doing better. Me and Sarah have been praying awful hard. Dad has been keeping us informed. Please give Brent our love. And we hope to see yall soon.

Love, Shane

Lynnetta said...

Pete and Kathy and family
I have thought for days about our families and how many years we have been neighbors and friends. We have shared so many happy times and we have shared some equally sad times. I have always known that if there was anything that I ever needed ya'll would be the ones to respond first. Kathy, I can remember in 1979 sitting out in a lawn chair at my Mothers house and you standing there with tears running down your face and you said "I just wish there was something I could do." Well, that is how I feel now. I just wish there was something I could do to bare some of the load that ya'll are having to bare right now. I know the waiting from day to day is torturous. Isaiah 40:29-31. Justin called a little while ago to tell me the good news about Brent being awake and alert. That is wonderful!!!!!! I was looking at pictures last night and Brent was in Justin's very first birthday picture. I have so many pictures of them growing up together. They go back along way. 13 years of school and all their college years. I just wanted to let you know that I think about ya'll constantly and pray for ya'll and Brent to have the strength that you need for the days ahead. If there is anything we can do, please let us know. We love ya'll Lynnetta and Benny Isaiah 40: 29-31

David Bowers said...

Hey Sparky,
Gald to hear you are awake!look forward to seeing you soon.

Anonymous said...

Dear Brent,

I have such great memories of you at Harding, and I praise God that I got to know you. You've got such a wonderful heart and I know that your faith and love for life will help you through your recovery. It is so amazing that you have already come so far. I'm lifting you up to the Lord, and I have confidence that he is right there with you, strengthening you in mind and body. I'm so proud of you and how you've stayed strong!
Grace and peace,
Jessica Woodlee

Nathan said...

Brent, please know that we are praying daily for you.

Nathan and Jennifer Bland

Unknown said...

We are thrilled to hear that Brent is awake! We praise God for that and are continually praying for all of you. We are confident that God will continue to bless you all as Brent recovers.

Love,
Robin, Kathy and Christopher

Fran Mitchell said...

What great news - off the vent and awake! Praise God.

Brent - stay strong and keep fighting. You have come SO FAR already. All your friends in Lake County are thinking of you and praying for your healing. Hope you feel our love.

Cass said...

We are so glad to hear this amazing news!! You are in our prayers daily & we know that God has His healing hand on you!

Cassandra

Anonymous said...

I am a Harding alumni and wanted the family to know you all will be in our thoughts and prayers. My wife Gina was in a serious car accident this summer and was on the same unit Brent is on. I want to assure you that miracles can happen and that he is great care. I was comforted during the time we spent at UAMS, knowing that there were Harding alumni working in the ICU and many other believers. God bless you all...Sincerely, Jim Ward

Anonymous said...

What an AWESOME God we serve! He has answered sooo many prayers on Brent's behalf. It is always great to logon and see wonderful updates, it gives me the chills to know how much God is working. I continually prayer for healing and comfort for both Brent and the entire crew that is gathering around him at the hospital.

In HIM,
Cynthia

Anonymous said...

Dear Pete, Kathy and family,

Since the accident, both Brent and your family have been in our prayers. As I follow the blog, I am truly touched by the support and love of the family of God as they reach out to you in this trying time! This technology richly serves its purpose to keep up up to speed on Brents' progress. Thanks for the frequent updates... an hour doesn't pass that I don't think of Brents' situation and ask God to be with him.

God be with you...
In Christian Love,
Rich& Jana Countryman & family.

Anonymous said...

Pete and family,
Pete, for years I’ve looked up to you as one of my spiritual examples. You know that we think of you as an “un-appointed” elder in our life group and we gain great strength from knowing you. And here God is, making you and your family stronger. It makes the parable of the talents even more real to me. You have taken the talents God has given you and multiplied and multiplied and now God will bless you and give you more talents through this tragedy.
And what a delight it is to see the “spirit of Pete” in feminine form from Amanda. Her updates on the blog are so Pete-ish, so mature, so spiritually focused.
I join the hundreds of others who are in constant prayer for Brent and your family. I’ve been asking God for a miraculous healing and He seems to be doing it in gradual steps. His wisdom is so far from ours! Hundreds, if not thousands of people are being drawn closer to God through your experiences. The hospital staff is seeing God’s family caring for each other. We all wish we could take some of the burden off your shoulders and give you some relief.
Brent is an awesome young man and SO loved by so many. He is God’s child. God is not looking away. We can’t fully see things from God’s perspective, but we know that God is love. Assure Brent, as I’m sure you are doing, that we love him and are constantly holding him up before God in prayer.
We love all of you so much and miss you!
Doug and Sue