After some thought we decided to have it back in Ohio. There will be a service to celebrate Brooke’s life on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 1:30 PM at Boyd-Born Funeral Home led by Pastor Tim Miller in Marion, OH. Burial will follow in the Marion Cemetery. Greeting hours will be from 12 noon until the time of service at 1:30pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Brooke may be made to the family in care of Boyd-Born Funeral Home
There is also a Memorial Service for Brooke in Illinois. It will be held at Immanuel Church 2300 N Dilleys Rd Gurnee, IL Saturday October 10th at 4pm.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Goodbye Brooke
Today God took our gorgeous little Brooke to heaven with him. For a reason we can't understand she was chosen to go with him. Brooke passed away very peacefully & comfortably with her mommy and daddy laying by her side. We like to think she is in a better place now but we wish more than anything she was here with us happy, healthy, & full of life.
Brooke suffered from an abrupt illness that she just couldn't recover from but was a great fighter through the whole ordeal. From the day it started & for the rest of our lives we will be asking ourselves how & why this happened to such a healthy, wonderful little girl. We will never get over the loss of Brooke but we are very happy for the 2 years of joy & happiness she brought us and everyone she knew.
We plan on remembering her in a very special way, more details will be posted when I get them.
Brooke suffered from an abrupt illness that she just couldn't recover from but was a great fighter through the whole ordeal. From the day it started & for the rest of our lives we will be asking ourselves how & why this happened to such a healthy, wonderful little girl. We will never get over the loss of Brooke but we are very happy for the 2 years of joy & happiness she brought us and everyone she knew.
We plan on remembering her in a very special way, more details will be posted when I get them.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Bad news
Yesterday we got the results of the MRI. Not good. Brooke has substained a significant brain injury. This is from the lack of oxygen from when she was in cardiac arrest, and her low oxygen levels on the flight up to Childrens Hospital that night. It is still to early to tell the extent of the damage, but the neurologist is very concerned. We might know more in a week, with another MRI, and even more in 2 weeks. Until then the Dr's are ramping up the seizure medicine to get those under control. She hasn't had one in about 16 hours, so maybe this trial medicine is working- who knows.
This is very devastating of course for us. Please forgive me if I do not update the blog everyday. I will do my best. This has been extremely hard news to swallow. I don't even feel like it is my life.
We can only pray for a miracle.
This is very devastating of course for us. Please forgive me if I do not update the blog everyday. I will do my best. This has been extremely hard news to swallow. I don't even feel like it is my life.
We can only pray for a miracle.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Still waiting
Tuesday Sept. 29th
Well we are just sitting her just waiting. Brooke had an MRI today, hopefully to give us some more answers on what is going on in her little head. The seizures are still happening, but they can't been seen just by looking at her. The way they are monitoring them is by having an EEG hooked up to her for a long period of time. She is being given a couple of different seizure medicines that are making her very sedated at the time. We are hoping that these will work, or get them under control.
We currently are just waiting to talk to the neurology team, about the results of the MRI. We have no idea of what the future will hold.
Well we are just sitting her just waiting. Brooke had an MRI today, hopefully to give us some more answers on what is going on in her little head. The seizures are still happening, but they can't been seen just by looking at her. The way they are monitoring them is by having an EEG hooked up to her for a long period of time. She is being given a couple of different seizure medicines that are making her very sedated at the time. We are hoping that these will work, or get them under control.
We currently are just waiting to talk to the neurology team, about the results of the MRI. We have no idea of what the future will hold.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Still waiting
September 28, Monday
Yesterday Brooke was extubated around 5:00. She is still extubated as of now, but isn't breathing as well as we had hoped. She is on a nasal cannula with high flow, and getting breathing treatments given by a respiratory therapist. Her chest is still working hard to control the breathes. We think that she will be able to manage on her own, but only time will tell.
Beside that we are dealing with the possibly that Brooke might have sustained some neurological damage to her body. When she went into cardiac arrest, she was low on oxygen, and during the lifeflight she had trouble keeping her oxygen up. We know from the results of a CT Scan that she did not suffer a stroke, or bleeding in the head. She does suffer from some swelling of the brain. This is causing the body to respond the way that it is today. The dr's think that the brain is having some neurological storming going on, which means it is not telling the body the correct way to respond and heal itself. She also is having small seizures, which are trying to be controlled with medicine. We are waiting for this storm to pass, hopefully. We have no idea how her body will react now, that the sickness is leaving her body. We simply just have to wait it out, everyday and see how she does.
This is very hard, not knowing what the future brings. It is going to be a long road ahead for Brooke.
Yesterday Brooke was extubated around 5:00. She is still extubated as of now, but isn't breathing as well as we had hoped. She is on a nasal cannula with high flow, and getting breathing treatments given by a respiratory therapist. Her chest is still working hard to control the breathes. We think that she will be able to manage on her own, but only time will tell.
Beside that we are dealing with the possibly that Brooke might have sustained some neurological damage to her body. When she went into cardiac arrest, she was low on oxygen, and during the lifeflight she had trouble keeping her oxygen up. We know from the results of a CT Scan that she did not suffer a stroke, or bleeding in the head. She does suffer from some swelling of the brain. This is causing the body to respond the way that it is today. The dr's think that the brain is having some neurological storming going on, which means it is not telling the body the correct way to respond and heal itself. She also is having small seizures, which are trying to be controlled with medicine. We are waiting for this storm to pass, hopefully. We have no idea how her body will react now, that the sickness is leaving her body. We simply just have to wait it out, everyday and see how she does.
This is very hard, not knowing what the future brings. It is going to be a long road ahead for Brooke.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Extubation Day
Sunday Sept. 27
Last night Brooke had her eyes open more. She was moving her arms and legs, when the nurses would reposition her. It would look like she would try to move her arm up towards her face. We can only assume she is trying to reach towards the tube in her nose(ventilator) to get it out.
This morning when we got to the hospital, she had an Elmo video on to entertain her. The nurse knew that Brooke likes Sesame Street and trash (I know weird obsession for the little girl) Brooke had been opening her eyes and responding alot more over the course of the night. So we hope that the video is providing alittle normalcy for her. Ironically I had just bought the same video for her birthday, and had it wrapped up in the car.
We arrived here in the morning just in time to hear the rounds with the Dr's. Overnight they had decreased alot of her meds. even more, and lower the levels on her ventilator. Todays plan is to do a test where they turn off the ventilator, but still leave it in on the lowest setting to test her ability to breathe on her own. As of right now at 12:00, she is doing great. So the team is planning on removing it around 3:00. It can't be soon enough, because poor Brooke is waking up and getting agitated that something is going on. They have to wait a required 6 hours from when they stopped the feds before they can remove it. So the count down is on.
Last night Brooke had her eyes open more. She was moving her arms and legs, when the nurses would reposition her. It would look like she would try to move her arm up towards her face. We can only assume she is trying to reach towards the tube in her nose(ventilator) to get it out.
This morning when we got to the hospital, she had an Elmo video on to entertain her. The nurse knew that Brooke likes Sesame Street and trash (I know weird obsession for the little girl) Brooke had been opening her eyes and responding alot more over the course of the night. So we hope that the video is providing alittle normalcy for her. Ironically I had just bought the same video for her birthday, and had it wrapped up in the car.
We arrived here in the morning just in time to hear the rounds with the Dr's. Overnight they had decreased alot of her meds. even more, and lower the levels on her ventilator. Todays plan is to do a test where they turn off the ventilator, but still leave it in on the lowest setting to test her ability to breathe on her own. As of right now at 12:00, she is doing great. So the team is planning on removing it around 3:00. It can't be soon enough, because poor Brooke is waking up and getting agitated that something is going on. They have to wait a required 6 hours from when they stopped the feds before they can remove it. So the count down is on.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Mom and baby get discharged
Saturday Sept. 26th
Well the baby and I are getting discharged from the hospital today. We are not going very far though. I got to stay here 4 days from the section, and have used the last 2 days basically just for room and board. The nurses here have been great, and I feel like the whole hosiptal knows our story. They have let me take the baby to the nursery when she is sleeping, so I can walk down to see Brooke. Glad she is sleeping alot. Oh and I realized I might have not posted the name we decided on. Paige Addison Lerner. Brooke will be soooo excited to see her sister, although it will be awhile. I am going to print off a picture and hang it on the end of Brookes bed so when she wakes up, she will be able to see a picture of mommy, daddy, and baby. Brooke has been so into babies lately. She couldn't wait to see the new baby, and feed it, and give her lots of hugs and kisses.
Brookes move up to the 5th floor went well. She is in a nice large private room, painted the color yellow. It is very similar to the color yellow we just painted her new room at home. We are hoping today, she will be moving around alittle more. Late last night, when the nurses were repositioning her, she moved her arms up, and bent her legs. You could also tell her eyes were moving around alot when we talked to her. This was very encouraging to see. She still has a one on one nurse taking care of her too. Her feet are getting stiff from laying there so long. She is getting PT to help this and OT on the way.
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been praying for Brooke, and thinking of her. We have heard so many people we don't even know are following Brookes story and are praying for her even. We are very touched by this, and appricate it greatly.
Well the baby and I are getting discharged from the hospital today. We are not going very far though. I got to stay here 4 days from the section, and have used the last 2 days basically just for room and board. The nurses here have been great, and I feel like the whole hosiptal knows our story. They have let me take the baby to the nursery when she is sleeping, so I can walk down to see Brooke. Glad she is sleeping alot. Oh and I realized I might have not posted the name we decided on. Paige Addison Lerner. Brooke will be soooo excited to see her sister, although it will be awhile. I am going to print off a picture and hang it on the end of Brookes bed so when she wakes up, she will be able to see a picture of mommy, daddy, and baby. Brooke has been so into babies lately. She couldn't wait to see the new baby, and feed it, and give her lots of hugs and kisses.
Brookes move up to the 5th floor went well. She is in a nice large private room, painted the color yellow. It is very similar to the color yellow we just painted her new room at home. We are hoping today, she will be moving around alittle more. Late last night, when the nurses were repositioning her, she moved her arms up, and bent her legs. You could also tell her eyes were moving around alot when we talked to her. This was very encouraging to see. She still has a one on one nurse taking care of her too. Her feet are getting stiff from laying there so long. She is getting PT to help this and OT on the way.
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been praying for Brooke, and thinking of her. We have heard so many people we don't even know are following Brookes story and are praying for her even. We are very touched by this, and appricate it greatly.
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