I don't even know where to start with this post. About an hour after my last post this afternoon, the doctor came out and said she was sending Lynn down to get a STAT CT scan because she didn't like the looks of his pupils. I wasn't in the waiting room when she came out and told the family so they came and got me and of course the nurse in me, said "what didn't she like about the pupils? Were they dilated? Pinpointed? unreactive? (they always have been since this started) etc." So I went and looked and they were fixed and dilated, a change since this morning when they were small. So of course I knew that this was a very bad neurological sign and waited to hear the results. She told us the CT scan showed significant swelling of the brain and pooled blood in both the subarachnoid space and surrounding the outside of the brain. All of a sudden, the whole room was filled with neurosurgeons and nurses and respiratory therapists and lots of packages of equipment. They wanted to insert an ICP bolt to measure his intracranial pressure. Then the neurosurgeon came out and told me that his PT and PTT were to high and that it was against their protocol to place an ICP monitor because it could most likely cause a bleed that would :do him in." They wanted to give him FFP's but the lab said that they couldn't have them ready for an hour and a half. So I was told that I could either choose to wait and chance the pressure building and "doing him in" or I could take a chance on placing the ICP and "doing him in" What kind of choice is that? Our attending physician who is the most awesome person in the world called the lab, told them that was unacceptable and personally went down, picked up the blood, and raced it up to the room. Meanwhile, the neuroteam had gone ahead and started inserting the ICP anyway figuring either way was risky. She had also already increased his dose of Manitol (works against brain swelling) and other interventions. During all of this, we had a family prayer with the few of us that were there. We told Heavenly Father that we wanted whatever was best for Lynn to happen and that it was in His hands. I want to clarify that this is not the first prayer that has offered, but this one was being offered during all of these interventions. Once they got the ICP placed, the doctor comes out shaking her head and says, "I don't get it", the CT scan shows definite swelling and blood. The ICP shows normal pressures. They even changed out the catheter and tried a different monitor to make sure it wasn't an equipment malfunction. Same result. So evidently, Lynn has enough empty space in his head that it can accomadate swelling of the brain. Yes, you all have permission to tease him about that later. Also, about 2 hours later, his pupils were back to the smaller size. Evidently the added Manitol and other measures were effective, not to mention the faith of many people. He remained pretty much the same the rest of the afternoon but about an hour ago, I went to his room to see him and his doctor was in there. She says "I dont' get it, but he's overbreathing the vent." He is still being very heavily sedated because he is not up to temp yet but he is beginning to breathe on his own. Another tender mercy. We are still cautious about being optimistic, but we can't deny the power of the priesthood and prayer. Please continue your prayers and support. I'll update tomorrow.