The Long Road Is Behind Us!

Hello, everyone! Hope you are having a WONDERFUL Tuesday!! I know we sure are!

Britton and I just got back to Cookeville from his second follow up with Dr. McDowell. They did an couple xrays, they came back looking GREAT! There is one little crack left in his collar bone! He said his pelvic was also looking good and told him he could start walking WITHOUT his crutches or the walker!!! =)

Britton immediately stood up without the crutches and took off walking, he is doing well without them! As soon as we got home he raced out of the car to go check the garden! He is sooooooo excited to FINALLY be walking on his own again. But there is a downside to all of this for Britton, it now means he is no longer dependent on everyone to get things for him! So he no longer gets to be constantly catered.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers! It has been a long road of recovery for him, but he is doing well and has this behind him!! I greatly appreciate everyone's constant concern and prayers for him! It means so much to have such a wonderful group of friend and family!

We love each and every one of you!!!

God bless,
Ashley

God Is Good!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor day and three day weekend! I LOVE three days weekends, but I do not love returning to work on a Tuesday!! It throws remainder of my work week off, and I just feel like I am behind. That is impossible because if the consultant isn't there, no patients are seen! Alright, enough about me, let's move onto Britton!

 Britton has been doing great since my last post! He has now figured out how to walk with his crutches, and is doing an awesome job on them! The only down side with the crutches is if he stands or walks too long, they start to bother his sides. He is now getting up and down the stairs MUCH easier and quicker, still scooting up and down, but he is still improving!!!

He has been out of the house four nights in a row! Thursday night he and I test drove a car for a couple hours, Friday was dinner at El Tap, Saturday he and his Dad had lunch together and he and I went on a date Monday!! After four times of getting up and down the stairs, getting in and out of the car, and walking, and on the ride home Britton started to get a little sore in his ribs. Three weeks ago he could not go up and down the stairs without getting completely worn out! 


 I am amazed and VERY impressed with how far he has come within the past week! He still has high expectations for himself and very good spirits! I am looking forward to his upcoming doctor's appointment! Hoping and praying the doctor decides to allow him to start putting weight on his leg so he can start walking again.

 That makes me think. We should ALL be thankful for TWO legs that work, I know I am. We can walk normally, come and go as we please, walk up and down the stairs. All without having to worry about having a walker, crutches, or a cane. Watching and assisting Britton throughout this has opened my eyes a lot. I know I will never run another 5k without thanking God for my two legs and the STRENGTH to walk and balance on them.

~Ashley
 

First check up- A SUCCESS!!

Good Monday morning, everyone!!

Let me start off my warning you, I am posting from my blackberry so please excuse any spelling errors or characters that are misplaced.

As promised, I am writing following Britton's follow-up. Dr. McDowell took an xray of Britton's shoulder and pelvic fractures said everything was looking good! The doctor also said he can start touching his toes to the ground and walking a little in a pool. So when Britton is ready for that, YMCA memberships, here we come!! We go back on Sept 28 for another follow up.

Hope you all have a great day,
Ashley

My Two Steps to His Half

Hello to all my precious "Blog stalkers"!

I an getting random text messages, emails via facebook, and in person comments insisting I update my blog with Britton's current condition! Britton is also insisting I update, he is loving all of you reading about him! =)

To be honest, not much as happened within this past week. We did go back to the doctor Friday after to have his stitch removed. His skin has nicely grown back at the incision site, so the stitch was removed! The doctor got a kick out of he and I talking while she was taking it out, our topic was "Sharks and Minnows". =)  I had never heard of this game before, so he was having to take the time to describe exactly what it was.

Britton is getting around MUCH better! He is staying upstairs unless we have to leave, so Friday was his first time down stairs since the previous attempt to the doctor the Friday before. By the time he could get sat down on the stairs, and I fold the walker, get down the stairs myself and unfold the walker at the landing, Britton was at the foot of the steps ready to stand up! As we were walking into the doctor, he was walking at a normal speed and things are back to normal, I was taking two steps to his one trying to keep up! (As Britton just said "Considering I am on a walker, you are taking two steps to my HALF since I am only walking with one leg..") LOL! I told you his sense of humor was back!

Just a reminder, Britton does go back to the doctor in Knoxville tomorrow morning. I promise, I will update again tomorrow night! As the appointment is quickly drawling near, our excitement is continuing to grow about hearing what the doctor has to say! Britton has improved tremendously within the past two weeks of being home!


To everyone that has put him on their personal and church prayer list, I would like to thank you and your congregation from the bottom of my heart! From the beginning prayers is all we were asking, and I appreciate everyone's sweet prayers and God's grace!

God Bless,
Ashley

Amazing Improvements!!

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all have had a good week, and all came out OK after the flooding Cookeville experienced Wednesday. Remember to keep the ones who were not as fortunate in your thoughts and prayers.

Britton has been doing very well the past few days! He is walking a lot better with hardly any pain in his left hip. He still has some occasionally, but not as often or as bad as it was earlier this week. Slowly he is doing things by himself, but with supervision. He is trying to prove to himself that he is still capable of doing minor tasks on his own. He decided he was ready to test his skills with the crutches, a few steps later, he decided the walker was best for him! =)
UT was saying within seven to ten days the stitches from the chest tube needed to be removed, so today he and I take off to have them removed. The doctor he saw said to give them a few more days, the skin is not completely healed. Planning on trying again next Friday. He does have a follow up visit with the doctor that was treating him while in Critical Care ICU on the 30th. I am anxious for him to see how well Britton is improving.

 I am truly amazed by Britton! He has been through so much during his twenty years of existence, and he fights his trials with good spirits, high hopes, and determination! He is a very strong man, and I am so grateful to have him in my life!


I am so thankful we have such an AWESOME God who has been standing beside all of us. I know we could not have made it through this as well as we did without him! 

Sweet dreams,
Ashley

Baby Steps.

Hello all! Hope you and yours are having a wonderful rainy Tuesday!

Britton is doing a lot better today! Monday he was wore out, he over did himself on Sunday. When we got home he scooted up the stairs and came back down Sunday and back up he went Sunday night. Monday morning, he was feeling that workout. His hip was bothering him pretty bad. So today and yesterday he was restriced to stay in bed and relax!! For those of you that know Britton, his arm was not twisted for him to reach an agreement on that one! =)  He is sleeping a little better now, learning how to be comfortable on his right side and not sleep on the left side. He is still doing the breathing exercises, and getting the ball up to 4000 out of 4000! So am I concerned about the left lobe of his lung? Not really, he is doing fine, THANK YOU, LORD!!

Britton still has his good spirits, constantly thanking his mother and myself for all we are doing for him. He is loving all the attention, and plus getting EVERYTHING done for him. He was quite a little spolied brat to begin with, but it is safe to say he is rotten!! =)  I am thankful to still be able to spoil him!

Thanks again for all your prayer and love shown toward us within this past week! I can NOT say thank you enough!!! We are very blessed to be surrounded by caring friends and family who are truly amazing!

Love you all,
Ashley

There's no place like home, there's no place like home!!

Britton was FINALLY discharged from UT hospital about 9:15 p.m. on Satuday and arrived home around 12:15 a.m! Being a mile away from the house I noticed the street lights were out, needless to say the power was also out at the house. We managed to get Britton into the house, up the stairs, and into his bed with a flashlight. He has almost mastered the stairs, scooting up and down on his bottom and pulling up on the walker. He slept OK last night, woke me up at 6:30 this morning needing help up and more medicine. He is so relieved to be home, as we all are!

Thank you all for the constant prayers, God is good!!!

1 Corinthians 10:13

Hope everyone had a good Friday the 13th! =)

We are still at UT. The conditions of Britton's discharge was him walking fifty feet with his walker. When the physical therapist came in this morning, he said the nurses would get him up and walk with him, they have not. The nurses were saying physical therapy would come in twice a day, they came once. So whenever he is ready to get up and try to walk, the nurses are going to come assist him. He has been up twice today, both times he did great. He just has problems when he is trying to adjust himself while laying down. He was sitting up strait and it did not seem to bother to bad.

He is a trooper, my sweet angel. I am very proud and impressed with his improvement. We can only hope and pray he continues to improve with the determination and good spirits that he is currently showing.

There are a few things I have learned during all of this.

1) I knew this before, but I understand it more now.  
NEVER take things or the people you love for granted.
I left for work Tuesday morning just like I do everyday, talked to Britton several times throughout the day. By the time I hit Monterey I knew in my heart he had been in a wreck, shortly after arriving in Cookeville, that was confirmed. He could have been hurt a lot worse, by the grace of God, he was not.

2) Live everyday to the fullest.
I now realize how fast something can happen, and it crush your entire world. It did mine until I received word that he was OK with no severe injuries.

3) God is in charge.
1 Corinthians 10:13 "God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength but with your testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it"
Within the past four days, I have prayed harder than ever before. God had this hand on Britton at the time of the accident, and I prayed that he would continue to help him throughout the remainder of his journey. As I knew he would. Both of our eyes have been opened. We have both agreed we need to become more serious about finding a church we love and become involved in. Britton said "God saved my life, again!"

4) Family & Friends!!
We have had so much support, prayers, and sweet visits while here at UT. We met an ex-coworker of my step dad's who heard about Britton and came to check on him after we was transferred to a room! Britton and I have never met or heard of this man before, but he was kind enough to pop in for a little while to talk with us. We have also met several new friends while staying in the ICU unit, friends that we will continue to touch base with after our loved ones are discharged. And for my sister and her girlfriend, Ivy and Angel, they have came by everyday to check on him and us! God works in mysterious ways, you never know who he will put in your path when you are in need. We met two of the sweetest ladies while in CC ICU, Joyce and Brenda, they were a constant ray of sunshine for us!  Everyone who we have come in contact with the doctors, the surgeon, all the nurses both in Critical Care ICU and on the floor, they have all been an amazing blessings!

Please keep praying!

Goodnight,
Ashley

He's walking!!

 Just wanted to give everyone a very quick update on Britton. Physical and occupational therapy just came for a visit. They checked his shoulder, he can move it just fine! He had  no problem supporting his weight with his left arm. As soon as he gets used to walking with crutches and walks fifty feet with the walker, they will send him home.

Keep praying =) Prayers are working!!

Ashley

My Little Trooper!

Britton is continuing to improve. He is now staying awake a lot more, but he is still in quite a bit of pain asking for medicine when it is time. He is joking and acting like his regular ole self!  =)
His attitude throughout this has been amazing!! As soon as the nurse took the ventilator out, he took my star necklace in his hand (it is his St. Jude end of treatment star) and looked at the nurse and said "I have already beat cancer, I will beat this too!"
The nurses are saying that tomorrow the physical and occupational therapist will come in to work with him, if he can do what they are needing him to do, they will try to discharge him tomorrow! Pray hard for that! He is so anxious to get home- those of you that know Britton know he is a home body!

Thanks again for all your love, concerns, prayers, encouraging words, phone calls, text messages, and emails, we ALL greatly appreciate them!

Keep your eyes out on the page, I am hoping to share the news of going home soon! 

Goodnight and sweet dreams,
Ashley

On the road to recovery!!

Well... This morning the doctors took a chest x-ray and decided to release him from ICU to the step down unit. They have removed all of the tubes, including taking him off oxygen. He was put on oxygen as soon as they took him off the breathing machine. They gave him something to suck on that will tell them how he is progressing, and he can get a 3000 out of 4000!! The doctors are hoping to release him by Saturday, but it will depend on his OT and PT.

God bless,
Ashley

Miracles Happen

As most of you may know, Britton was in a wreck on Tuesday, August 10 around 3:20 p.m. As he was turning onto Gainsboro Grade from County Farm, someone came speeding towards his car and t-boned him in the driver side. There were a few witnesses of the wreck, several were almost ran off the road by this man who had made an illegal u-turn seconds before hitting Britton. 

After EMT's arrived they proceeded to cut the rear passenger door and his console out to drag him out of the car. Britton was taken by ambulance to Cookeville Regional Medical Center and shortly airlifted to UT Knoxville.

It was after he had arrived in Knoxville his mother was able to get an answer on Britton's cell phone, only to realize, it was not her son it was a nurse at CRMC. It was then, two hours after the accident, we learned about his condition. She was told he had been in a bad wreck and was airlifted, but at the time of leaving CRMC, he was stable.

After several tests and scans the results were in... A broken collar bone, two broke ribs, multiple fractures in his pelvic, the lobe in his left lung is collasped, and both lungs brusied. YES!! THAT IS IT!!! No head or spinal injuries!! God's hands were on his car with angels in the backseat!!!

On Wednesday, he got the breathing machine taken out, FINALLY! He was so happy about that, and I was so happy that he could talk, and the fact that he looked like himself again!

So from the bottom of my heart, THANK  YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRAYERS!!! There is power in prayer!! God is so good!!