On June 26, 2008 my brother Kyle was riding his long-board home around 6pm. The accident was at the intersection of 600 South and 1100 West. We don't know if he was swerving to miss a car or if he hit an obstacle. All we know is that he flew off his board, hitting his head full force on the pavement, causing a depressed skull fracture on the right side.
When we got there, people were standing everywhere and a group was huddled around him. Kyle was on the asphalt, thrashing and moaning, in and out of consciousness as bystanders held his hands and spoke encouraging words to him. Soon after, the ambulance arrived and we went to the emergency room in Cedar where we were informed that Kyle would need to be life flighted to Salt Lake, and that 50% of these types of injuries were fatal. As soon as he arrived in Salt Lake, Kyle was taken into brain surgery. After three hours they gave my parents the diagnosis: The brain surgeon used titanium plates to piece together and secure the skull, they removed sub-dural and epidural hematomas, the brain was bruised but the surgery went well. Kyle came out of surgery and they were able to see him.
Day 1~Ventilator
~Neck brace
~Feeding Tube
~Central Line to heart
~Five IV sites
~Compression boots to help prevent blood clots
~Oxygen monitor on finger
~"Bolt" drilled into head to monitor pressure on brain
~"Bolt" drilled into head to monitor pressure on brain
The staff was worried about the pressure on Kyle's brain, any stimulation would elevate it. Too much pressure would be fatal. They wouldn't let my parents talk to or touch Kyle. They kept the room dark, cool and quiet except for the humming of life support. The days dragged on with no sign of consciousness, the medical staff hovering over him, trying to outsmart his body with this drug and that, and keep it from doing what it wanted to do....... shut down completely.
Day 6: Ventilator Tube was replaced by a trachiostomy, Kyle looked so much more comfortable with the intubation tube gone and his swollen lips finally able to close. Just having him look better cheered my parents up. The doctors wouldn't say much about his recovery, every case it different. My mom kept asking "Are we out of the woods yet?" And every day they would say "No".
As the staff had warned, Kyle developed blood clots in his legs. For a few days they were in only one leg but then he got them in the other leg too and they took the compression boots off altogether. He also developed a severe case of pneumonia which, they had warned my parents, was expected. We kids (4 of us) visited as often as we could. (Our other older brother was out of the country serving as a missionary in Spain.) It was hard for us to see Kyle like this, but we had great faith. Slowly things improved.
About this time Kyle started having periods of intense sweating, shaking, and thrashing around in the bed. The staff assured us that is was normal with a brain injury. I was visiting when these episodes started. My mom and I stood on either side of his bed holding his hands as he twisted and thrashed and soaked up one paper towel after anther with the sweat from his face and neck to try to keep him comfortable. He was still on life support and unable to communicate. It was hard to watch, but helping him through it at least made us feel like we were helping him.
Soon after, the respiratory therapist put a speaking valve in the trach so Kyle could whisper briefly. His words were random but it was good to hear his voice. He was still mostly asleep. But things kept improving and after two weeks in the Intensive Care Trauma Unit, Kyle was moved to the rehab floor.
Rehab was exciting. It meant he was working toward getting home. My mom was able to stay with Kyle all the time. She slept on a couch in the room. She untied his wrists and made sure that he didn't pull his tubes out. She worked with the nurses and assistants learning how to take care of him and help him take care of himself. Since Kyle's injury was on the right side of his brain, it affected the left side of his body most. His left foot dragged when the therapists tried to walk with him, his left shoulder drooped, and his left hand was weak, he didn't have much control of his body. He couldn't talk because of the trachiostomy. Kyle was tired all of the time.
Progress is remarkable. In Kyle's first therapy session he couldn't put an oversized pre-school peg into a pegboard or do a preschool puzzle. He couldn't tie a bow or even sit upright without being strapped into his wheelchair at his waist and chest. But each day the improvements were visible and he progressed rapidly.
Day 6: Ventilator Tube was replaced by a trachiostomy, Kyle looked so much more comfortable with the intubation tube gone and his swollen lips finally able to close. Just having him look better cheered my parents up. The doctors wouldn't say much about his recovery, every case it different. My mom kept asking "Are we out of the woods yet?" And every day they would say "No".
But today, the Brain surgeon and the trauma doctor both said they think Kyle will make a full recovery. Though we had felt this way from the beginning, it was comforting to hear them say it. It was a good day.
As the staff had warned, Kyle developed blood clots in his legs. For a few days they were in only one leg but then he got them in the other leg too and they took the compression boots off altogether. He also developed a severe case of pneumonia which, they had warned my parents, was expected. We kids (4 of us) visited as often as we could. (Our other older brother was out of the country serving as a missionary in Spain.) It was hard for us to see Kyle like this, but we had great faith. Slowly things improved.
His eyes were mostly closed. He would have to re-learn all his motor skills: sitting, standing, walking, body movement, balance and coordination. All the "easy things" we take for granted every day were now impossible for him to do. It was hard for us to believe that this was our Kyle who just a few days earlier had won eight swimming medals at the Utah Summer Games. Life can change so quickly, and we never now what lies ahead.
This was the first day they got Kyle out of bed. There he was with all the muscle of his swimmers body, unable to control those muscles because his brain could not communicate with them. He couldn't even hold his head up.p.
About this time Kyle started having periods of intense sweating, shaking, and thrashing around in the bed. The staff assured us that is was normal with a brain injury. I was visiting when these episodes started. My mom and I stood on either side of his bed holding his hands as he twisted and thrashed and soaked up one paper towel after anther with the sweat from his face and neck to try to keep him comfortable. He was still on life support and unable to communicate. It was hard to watch, but helping him through it at least made us feel like we were helping him.
Soon after, the respiratory therapist put a speaking valve in the trach so Kyle could whisper briefly. His words were random but it was good to hear his voice. He was still mostly asleep. But things kept improving and after two weeks in the Intensive Care Trauma Unit, Kyle was moved to the rehab floor.
Rehab was exciting. It meant he was working toward getting home. My mom was able to stay with Kyle all the time. She slept on a couch in the room. She untied his wrists and made sure that he didn't pull his tubes out. She worked with the nurses and assistants learning how to take care of him and help him take care of himself. Since Kyle's injury was on the right side of his brain, it affected the left side of his body most. His left foot dragged when the therapists tried to walk with him, his left shoulder drooped, and his left hand was weak, he didn't have much control of his body. He couldn't talk because of the trachiostomy. Kyle was tired all of the time.
Progress is remarkable. In Kyle's first therapy session he couldn't put an oversized pre-school peg into a pegboard or do a preschool puzzle. He couldn't tie a bow or even sit upright without being strapped into his wheelchair at his waist and chest. But each day the improvements were visible and he progressed rapidly.
A good friend, Ashley, visited often, Kyle called her Amber every time, but she didn't seem to mind. Amber was a cousin who was in Kyle's long term memory. Ashley was in his short term memory and that was not intact. There were lots of funny things Kyle did in rehab, and they were typical of his type of injury. We tried to laugh and have fun with him. Humor was and still is a huge factor for him in his frustrations.
Lots of different therapist worked with Kyle. Kyle didn't ever have any trouble with speaking, but the speech therapist worked with him on cognitive tasks. He really didn't like them, the speech therapists or the tasks, cognitive tasks made him see his deficits. What he did like was eating. The first day he was able to eat real food (after 3 weeks of a feeding tube), he consumed over 6000 calories. Watermellon was his favorite.
After moving to rehab my mom started taking Kyle places in his wheelchair. They saw Dr. VanBorum (Trauma Team doctor) in the cafeteria, he was amazed at Kyle's rapid progress.
My parents made a "Shrine to Kyle" in his room with lots of pictures to remind Kyle of who he was. Therapists and visitors asked him questions about his life. The pictures taken after his accident reminded them of how far he had come in so short a time.
Lots of cards and good wishes from friends and family kept everyone cheered up. Many people sent money to help with gas and food. The younger kids missed Kyle and were worried about him, they drew pictures to hang all over his walls.
Day of Discharge was one month to the day after Kyle's accident. It was much sooner than the doctors expected, but much longer than we had imagined. We appreciated visits from family and friends who supported and encouraged us during that hard month. Though Kyle remembers very little about who came and what happened, we, his family, remember every detail.
Kyle has many challenges but they are coming along. It is easy to see physical progress as his balance and coordination improve. It is harder to see the progress in other areas. He is aware that he is different than before his accident and worries that people will think less of him. We assure him of the opposite, that he will be an example to many and he will be forever changed for the better by having gone through this experience.
Recovery continues. It is a challenge, but we know that Kyle's life is a miracle. It is our testimony that Heavenly Father can make good things come from bad things, and that "all things work together for our good". We have learned to "Go forward with Faith", to "Choose faith not fear". We have learned that "We can do hard things", and that we need to "Trust in the Lord", He wants what is best for our eternal life, not just our mortal life.
