Good news and bad news... (thursday update)

Well, today there is good news and bad news....
The good news is, he's not any worse. The bad news is he's not any better. His condition is still listed as 'unstable critcal'.

They were able to start the kidney dialysis (or CRT) at his bedside. He had the first "round" started in the middle of last night, and then the machine quit working properly. They thought perhaps he had clotted the catheter off, so they increased his dose of Heparin (a blood thinner) to 3,000 u/hr. They are still not pleased with his clotting times (the blood is clotting too fast). That's the way God designed our bodies to work at times of stress and shock/trauma, so they're essentially asking his body to NOT do what it was designed to do. After the first dialysis treatment, he was anemic, so they had to give him another unit of blood, which they had warned us would probably happen. His mom told me this is the 4th unit he's gotten, although I was not aware of the others.

For the second round of dialysis, they brought a new machine in, and started it up, but within 20 minutes it wasn't working properly. They were concerned he had again clotted it up. They called in the trauma surgery team, and they inserted a larger diameter catheter in the other groin. They checked the first one, and it wasn't clotted off, it had kinked! One piece of good news, at least I thought so. With the dialysis, he is slightly less acidotic, (was 7.17 last night, and is 7.24 tonight... headed in the right direction. Normal pH is 7.35-7.45 and the body can't tolerate it much higher or lower than that range. They expected that rebound from the dialysis. Also, his creatinine (level of toxins that indicate how well the kidneys are functioning) is going down. It was 5.35 last night, and was 4.37 tonight. I said to the trauma doctor (Dr.Juri) that things were looking up, when I heard those values, an d he scowled and said, "Ach, he's on dialysis. Means nothing." Alrighty then.


Also, they are still having so much trouble keeping his lung perfusion adequate. That's the blood flow to the actual lung tissue itself. They explained to me tonight that his lungs are very weak right now, and they need to strengthen. Part of that is the pneumonia, part of it is the PE (blood clot) and part of it is the systemic shock/sepsis. His ventilator settings are very aggressive, and they're having a hard time getting him off 100% oxygen. Even at 95% his oxygen saturation drops. For you medical folks out there, his PCO2 (or did she say PO2) is 65, and they'd like it to be higher. That's a number that shows how much CO2 (Carbon dioxide )is coming off his lungs in relation to the oxygen going in, I think. Perhaps Karen can correct me if I'm remembering that wrong.

They are giving him TPN, which is a systemic form of nutrition, because due to the strength of the pain meds and muscle relaxers he's on, his GI system is not fully able to work. The shock plays into part of that scenario as well. Dr. Juri and his day nurse, Anita, explained that his care right now is a minute to minute balancing act to make decisions to get him to the next minute. They are doing a great job. The only thing that raises our eyebrows, is that it being a teaching hospital, you frequently have students or residents/interns looking in at things, saying "I think this is what's going on.", or "I think this is what should be done next." That phrase, "I think", just drives Sr. crazy. He says, "Don't think, get someone who knows!" The students don't actually change things without the nurses or their instructors present.

He has these booties on to prevent 'foot drop' which is something that can happen as you lay and are unable to move your legs. They took those off for a few hours today to let his skin breathe. He is still breathing somewhat on his own, in addition to what the ventilator is doing, but it's not very productive breaths. His lungs just remain so weak. They are trying to buy time for him with all this other stuff to allow the lungs to strengthen. I'm thinking that right now that needs to be our primary focus and prayer.... for God to strengthen his lungs. Also, pray that the swelling begins to diminish to the point it is no longer affecting his lung function. Pray that his fever stays down. It was 98.5 tonight at 9:00 p.m. when we left, and the cooling blanket was actually set at 105 degrees! It was warming him and his temp was normal. That 5 antibiotic mix for sepsis they have him on must be doing something, althoug h they're still not sure it's getting in to where they need it to get. Once his lungs are stronger, they'll be able to take him for CAT scan and other tests, but until then, they are doing their best guesstimation.


His heart rate today was down to 92 bpm, (also probably from the dialysis). His pupils are equal and reactive to light. He still has a lot of fluid in his lungs, some of it the pneumonia and some of it the extra fluid from the edema (or swelling). His chest cavity drain is working appropriately. They have this really cool suction toothbrush sponge thingy that they use every 4 hours or so, to refresh his mouth. They dip it into mouthwash, and then move it across his teeth, and tongue, to freshen him up. There are no other outer signs of infection at any of his incisions.

I'm sure I missed some things here, but I'll add them tomorrow. This covers the major stuff. Please remember that 'Jr' is fighting for his life. We found out today that Sr's sister, Denise, in Phoenix, AZ, phoned a talk radio program (K-LOVE I believe it's called) and put him on their prayer list! Also, another friend of ours attends church in Leola with the president of the Christian Motocycle Enthusiasts' Club. She spoke to him about 'Jr's' situation, and he's added him to their prayer chain. We are so encouraged, and so blessed. He is still critical, and has not yet survived this severe trauma, but we believe God is at work revealing himself to many in the midst of this trial. We are praying there will be lasting fruit in the lives of those touched by Jerry, Jr.

I'm fairly exhausted, after two long days in Philly, back to back, so I'll head to bed now. The hospital knows to call us and 'Jr's' mom if anything changes for the worse, but hopefully he'll be stable tonight, and we'll rest soundly.

In Christs' love... Linda and Jerry, Sr. Hambleton

No calls = good news

Well, we received no calls overnight, and that's a good sign. Means he was stable as we left him. We asked that we be notified of any changes for the worse, even if it wasn't life-threatening at the time. Getting ready to head back down now.

Thank you all for the consistent prayers and well-wishes. The messages you're getting to me I'm passing on to him, although I'm not sure how much he can process yet. They'll also go into "the book" for later...

In Christ,
Linda

Record time.. post for Wednesday even though its Thrusday morning..EARLY

We made the trip down and the trip back today in record time. Jerry said his speed wasn't excessive but I didn't get a definition from him on what exactly excessive refers to in his mind. We made it home in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Jerry, Jr.came by his heavy foot naturally! :o)

We did get some good news today. 'Jr's' blood pressure has been stable since the middle of last night incident, where his oxygen levels dropped rather suddenly to the 55-60% range. When we arrived today, it was 90-91% Much improved! His temperature, in spite of the fact that he feels warm, was 98.9, but just before we left at 10:00 p.m. it was up to 100.1, and they had turned on the cooling vest and blanket again, at 40 degrees. They are being as aggressive as possible with his ventilator settings, and his oxygen levels are steady, which is good. He has sepsis, and they have a special combination of 5 I.V. antibiotics that they give in this situation. They are Flagyl, Merepenum, Zocyn, Vancomycin, and Amykacin (sp?).

Then there was the rest of the news. His kidneys are showing signs of even more strain (his creatinine is up to 5.35 and yesterday was 2.4), so they put a line into his femoral artery to prepare him for renal dialysis. The hope, and the usual circumstance, is that this dialysis is a temporary thing, but the doctor who gave us information was clear that there is no way to know at this point whether his kidneys will survive the stress they're under. I'm praying that they do. I'm also praying that his fever will break, and that the antibiotics would do their job. He has ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) which is something that goes along with the sepsis, I think, and is worsened by this pneumonia. The problem with his lungs is not getting oxygen into them to enter the blood stream, it is in getting enough perfusion, or oxygenated blood to the cells of the lungs themselves. Either there are blood clot issues in his lungs, or the pneumonia is not improving, or the fluid around his lungs in the chest cavity is pushing on the tissue, obstructing blood flow in the lungs themselves. This sepsis cocktail should help.

They will begin to evaluate him again after 24 hours on CRRT (continuous renal replacement therapy, or dialysis), to see if there's any improvement. They may have to give blood transfusions along with the dialysis, because the machine that clears the blood of all its toxins also can damage the red blood cells, causing a form of anemia. The trauma Fellow (a nice lady physician named Dr. Lee) said that side effect is common for most dialysis patients. They'll have a machine at his bedside that will do the work. His lungs are still not strong enough to transport anywhere.

They placed a chest tube in his right side during the night, to drain off extra fluid from his chest cavity, to hopefully decrease the pressure that the swelling and fluid is putting on his lungs, hypothetically decreasing their blood supply. They are getting oxygen into him, his levels are 91-94% this evening), but the trouble their having is with the actual blood supply to the lung cells and tissue itself. There's that area blocked by the clot, and the presence of the clot makes it even harder to deliver antibiotics to the area. They did an ultrasound to see if there was any sign of abcess or severe infection that they could go in and take out, but there was none! That's a good thing!!! Praise God! He is hearing our prayers and responding. Dr. Lee also reiterated that we need to be thinking in terms of weeks and months, rather than days and weeks, for his recovery, if he recovers.

She also made it very clear that he is still fighting for his life. He is not out of the woods. Currently, his prognosis is poor, and the picture bleak, but I know we serve a God who answers our prayers and cares deeply about the people we love. Let's continue to ask him for mercy for Jerry, and healing! When I was in the room today praying for him, I kept asking God to heal him. I couldn't find any other words to say, and was in faith, so I went with it!

Today, when we arrived, his heart rate was higher @ 123-129 beats per minute (bpm). Yesterday, when we left it had been in the 90's. His breathing rate was faster, 29-34/minute. The fluid draining from his chest cavity tube is clear yellow, and does not appear to contain infection, which is good. Some of his swelling has gone down, but not all of it yet. They actually have this machine that vacuums the fluid (and potentially any infection) out of the open wounds on his leg from the accident (I'm pretty sure I didn't bother to mention those wounds previously). Really cool! He is attempting to breathe some on his own, although it's not very full or productive breaths. His PO2 on bld gases is 88. He remains slightly acidotic, with a pH of 7.17 this evening, which was actually up from 7.14 earlier in the day. Some of that is from his kidneys shutting down and some of that is from his breathing, as I underst and it. The renal dialysis could help reverse the acidosis, but it will be a waiting game. The renal docs weren't sure they wanted to start dialysis yet, because Jr's still putting out urine, but the amount has decreased significantly since yesterday, and his creatinine has more than doubled. Some of the doctors were thinking that if his kidneys shut down, with his lungs currently so weak, (if not for the ventilator right now, his lungs would collapse) he'll not have much reserve to fight through that combination until the dialysis gets started. They said something about rechecking his creatinine around 2 a.m., and then deciding from there. I'd rather have him on it sooner than later, and was able to voice my opinion to Dr. Lee. She agreed, but apparently the orders will be written by the renal service physicians.... gets confusing!

They are concerned about possible permanent damage to his vocal chords from the ventilator tube, so getting the trach done is high on their priority list, but at his current ventilator settings, a trach wouldn't withstand the pressure. The respiratory therapist told me today that he's just not stable enough for a tracheotomy yet. But, it's been 10 days now on the vent, and I know they don't prefer to go over 10-14 days, if possible. So, we'll see. His CVP, (central venous pressure) was 17 just before we left, and that was down from 23-25 at about 5:00 p.m.

Like I said earlier, his temp was up a bit late this evening, and I asked about Tylenol. The nurse, Erin, said they weren't trying that anymore, because it hasn't helped yet. What has helped is the cooling blanket and vest, so they're utilizing those and they've been working well so far There are no other signs of infection at this point, but they continue to search for them, because he is so sick.

Bob, if you could send this to Tyler, I'd appreciate it, or get his email to me and I'll send it myself. Jerry, Jr's vent settings are: Peak: 37; Pmean: 27; PEEP: 8.9-34; I:E 1:3.9; fTOT: 29; VTE: 426-550; VE TOT: 14.8. I have some questions for him!!!

Also, I asked the nurse if Jr. was unstable enough that his life was in danger tonight. She felt he was stable enough with a steady blood pressure and good oxygen level for us to come home and rest. We'll be going back down tomorrow, or earlier if they call and say he's taken a turn for the worse. Dr. Lee also said that she is working hard to get him through the next 24 hours, but that at this point, anything can happen at any time. He is still fighting! We talked to him about how many of his friends are supporting him with their thoughts and prayers, and all of you who asked me to tell him you said "Hello", I did that today several times, and will again tomorrow.

Thanks for all the meals that have been brought by, and for the prayers for our finances, and other encouragement sent our way. God is faithful and is at work!

Love you all,
Jerry and Linda H.

"peace that passes all understanding".. post #2 for Wednesday

You know the bible talks about Christ supplying a "peace that passes all understanding?" Well, that's definitely what Sr. and I are experiencing. We are at peace, and we see that there is absolutely no reason to be there. We're grateful to our faithful God for supplying it.

We received another update by phone after Vicky and Darryl arrived @ 7:45 a.m. to hospital. They have not yet done the lung drain procedure, but are "putting a drain in his side?" (I'm thinking to drain excess fluid off). That's what Darryl said anyway. They currently feel the risk to move him or turn him (back to that) is dire right now.

Apparently, around 4:00 a.m. or shortly after, his oxygen levels dropped sharply. They attempted to adjust ventilator settings unsuccessfully, and so at that point the risk of turning him was less than the low oxygen level. Apparently then his oxygen levels improved, but I'm only assuming, since they opted to not do the procedure. The big thing they're concerned about is that with the oxygen levels dropping, he may have thrown another clot into his lungs. Wow. We could really use that CAT scan. He is not responding properly to the blood thinners, and he's on a pretty significant (but not real high) dose.

Jerry had a bit of work to do this a.m., and then we are going down to Philly today. We are at peace with waiting, and know each time we leave that he may not survive til the next visit. The staff has made that perfectly clear. But, we pray otherwise! So, please join us in that prayer for Jr's healing, and pray for God's grace for his family and especially his sisters, and please pray for abundant safety for Jerry and I as we drive down today. Thanks so much. In Christ, we are a family of believers. I look so forward to the time when this disintegrating earth is put behind us, and we are in His presence forever! Amen.

In Christs' love, Linda (and Sr.) Hambleton

Risky procedure this a.m. ... but the bible commands "do not fear"!

Morning, all. I know most of you are starting your day now, so I wanted to update you a.s.a.p. Jerry, Jr. is undergoing a risky procedure this morning. His Mom just phoned and said the hospital called her to let family know about it. Apparently they will be turning him onto his side to insert a tube to drain his lungs? I didn't speak with the hospital staff, that is just the message we got from Vicky. It is risky to turn him, but they must believe it to be necessary. Something was mentioned to us about the possibility of this the other day.

Vicky and her husband, Darryl are driving down now, instead of taking the train later, in case Jr. doesn't make it. We have turned him over to our loving and faithful God, for his support and care, and God's support and guidance to those performing the procedure. We know God will get us through whatever happens, however difficult, but we ask you to join us in praying for a smooth procedure where benefit would be Jr's.

God tells us 365 times in the Bible "do not fear", so there's one there just for today. Please be strong in your faith right now, for Jerry's sake. To you friends who've only recently learned of Jerry's condition, please feel free to call his dad or I today if you need to talk. We care deeply for each of you hurting during this time, and feel your support as well. We know Jr. is thankful that you're in his life in whatever capacity.

I'll be in touch when we've heard more. Thanks for being there with us through this entire time. It's made a huge difference to us. In Christ, Jerry, Sr. and Linda Hambleton

#10 Praise God, his blood pressure is normal..

Hello all. I wrote an update earlier, and when I hit send, got an error message. It was very frustrating and so I walked away from the computer for a bit.

Essentially, there has been no change in 'Jr.' since yesterday evening. The pneumonia is still very bad. They are still anxious to be able to take him for a CAT scan to check the area of his lungs where the clot is lodged. His kidneys are still showing signs of strain, and he is still very swollen. He is still basically 'asleep' from the pain medications. They were able to completely stop the medicine to keep his blood pressure up (Levophed), and, praise God, his blood pressure is stable. His temperature is still normal as of this evening.

His mom was down today, and will be going down to see him again tomorrow on the train. We are planning on going down on Thursday and Friday (well, Sr. will be going down Friday, but I'd like to but it's doubtful).

We are so thankful for all the encouragement you've been faithful to send our way. While Jerry is not out of the woods, we believe God is in control, and are believing for Jerry, Jr. to make it thru this. He is a fighter and is very determined, is young and physically fit, and we know God is on his side... we can feel His presence in the room with him! What a comfort. We are also holding Jerry, Jr's life in an open hand before God, knowing that if it's his time to go, holding on and begging will do no one any good. I was reminded by a very dear sister in the Lord of that today, and I thank her for her words of wisdom.

Please continue to pray against any and all infection. Pray his kidneys continue to work. Pray for no absess to be present in his lungs. Pray that the swelling will go down, and that his arms will work. Pray and believe with us for miracles. Ask God to work in the lives of his friends who don't yet know Him (some of them are reading this).

Be safe, and take care... In Christs' love... Jerry, Sr. and Linda

#9 we look forward to giving God all the credit and praise He is due!!

Hello again.
I'm sorry for the delay in getting this to you all... I would have preferred to be able to email from down at the hospital, but we just got home about 10 minutes ago (stopped and had dinner on the way home and it's 12:30 a.m. now). Jerry's mom was unable to make it down today so it was Jerry, Sr., myself, and Allie. We were delighted beyond words when we walked in and his temperature was reading 98.7 degrees! I wanted to telephone my sister to ask her to email everyone and encourage you that the prayers are working, and then his nurse walked in to introduce herself. We mentioned the temperature, and she said, "Yes, we're happy about that, but he still has very bad pneumonia and the PE (blood clot in his lungs), and he is not doing as well as we'd like with his breathing." I thought perhaps we still needed the urgent prayers, so I didn't make that call. We sat down as she explained a bit more to us. ***We found out later that to bring his temperature down last night they added a cooling vest to the cooling blanket. That worked. The cooling blanket was set at 45 degrees when we got there today, and they slowly raised it to 58 degrees by 8:00 p.m., (turned the cooling vest off at about 4:00 p.m.) and his temp was still 98.8 when we left at 8:05 p.m.) Thank you heavenly Father!!! In my opinion that means the antibiotic they have him on is helping his body fight the infection (and I believe wholeheartedly that God is assisting in answer to all your prayers!!!)***

* He is still on Levophed, which is to help keep his blood pressure up. They have begun to decrease it slowly with some success. His blood pressure was 96-124/46-62 throughout the day.
* Some of the indicators of his kidney function have elevated from his baseline (for you medical folks his creatinine is 2.4), which could mean his kidneys are struggling. They did an ultrasound on his kidneys this evening, but we don't yet have the results of that.
* He has a lot of edema, (swelling throughout his body), which can decrease circulation to vital organs and his limbs (that could be the issue with his kidneys). The amount of swelling is not unusual for trauma patients. It causes other entry points for infection, however, because wherever they stick him to draw blood, or start an IV, or wherever there was a break in his skin from the accident, he oozes a yellowish fluid. So, we need to continue to pray against infection as well as for his kidneys. I'll mention more about them later. Our bodies are so amazing!
* They have him down to one antibiotic (Zocyn?) which is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. There are no signs of antibiotic-resistant infection, (MRSA) which is very good.
* The trauma doctor told us that although he doesn't have an infection in his blood per se, he essentially is septic (or has sepsis), because of the combination of events going on in his body. Sepsis is very serious. He told us that if this was a regular 60 year old person, there is no way that he would still be alive. We told him there were many people praying for Jerry, Jr., and he told us that is the best medicine at this point! Praise God! We agree.

When we arrived today, they explained to us that the ventilator was doing all the work. Because of his need for the cooling vest, they removed the abdominal 'wrap' that was assisting his diaphragm in breathing, so his oxygen levels were low. They were giving him as much oxygen as they could through the ventilator (using a lot of pressure to really push it in), and keeping his lungs inflated longer than deflated to allow as much oxygen as possible to be absorbed. Apparently, the pneumonia is blocking a lot of his lung area from functioning (does that make sense to you?). His oxygen level was running 85-88% all day, and they were okay with that because it was stable. Like they kept telling us, the pneumonia is very bad. He is not out of the woods yet. I asked the trauma doctor (Dr. Uri - that's his first name, but he is foreign, and told us not to even bother with his last name!), anyway, I asked him what he meant by "very bad". Wh at makes this case of pneumonia worse than others? He explained that Jerry currently has 3 strikes against him, in terms of his breathing: #1 - He has something called ateletasis - which is a decrease in the overall volume or size of the lungs. This can happen when a person has to lie flat for periods of time, but is also occurring because of the amount of pneumonia present. #2 - There is lots of infection from the pneumonia. He has it all throughout both lungs, top and bottom. And, #3 - The pulmonary embolism (blood clot in his lungs) is present, which is blocking part of his lower lung (I'm not sure which side). The trauma doctor told us the blood clot hinders blood flow to that area of his lungs, and since there is pneumonia present, the antibiotic isn't circulated fully, so it's harder to treat.

The doctor also told us that we need to be thinking in terms of weeks, rather than days for Jerry's improvement. That wasn't easy to hear, given the distance to Philly, but, as Jerry, Jr. would say,
"It is what it is."
They are still planning to put in the traecheotomy as soon as possible, but as long as the ventilator settings are so high (as long as they need to force oxygen into his lungs) they are unable to trach him, because the trach won't withstand the pressures. (It would keep popping off and alarming - very annoying). As of today, Jerry is still very sedated, although he is only on pain medicine now (Dilaudid and Morphine) rather than the anesthetic (?Propofyl?) they had him on the last 5 days. The nurse said it's better for him to have his cough reflex, and to be somewhat more alert for them to better assess his status. The neurologist did stop by today, and told us that there is no way that 'Jr.' will remember any of this time on the ventilator. I do pray that is true.

His ABG (arterial blood gas) this afternoon, (for you medical folks out there) was:
7.42
49
131

Also, the nurse wanted to warn us that with any trauma patient, it is not unusual for the patients' kidneys to just "shut down". She said its like they say, "We're not gonna play anymore for now." and just quit working. They put the patient on dialysis (temporarily), and then at some point the kidneys say, "Okay, we're ready to play again!" and they start up and remain functioning. She said in severe trauma, it happens so regularly, they almost expect it. So, we may have to face that. (But God could spare him!) I was soooo grateful to her for the warning, because as she stated, normally, "on the outside", dialysis is a very dire stage for patients, and is usually not reversible. A little knowledge in the right areas is a very good thing. :o)

Also, thanks to all of you for the positive feedback to these updates. It is so much easier and far more accurate than trying to repeat all the information many times on the phone. We know how beneficial specific prayers can be, and we're humbled by your faithfulness to this task on 'Jr's' and our behalf! We thank you all for your prayers for his family as well. Please continue to pray for his sister Jennifer, that she would be upheld in God's hands until and after she is able to see Jerry (she and the baby are still doing well).

The trauma doctor also explained that they had wanted to transfer him to Medical ICU (he's currently in the Surgical/Trauma ICU) because that unit regularly treats more severe cases of pneumonia and cases of pulmonary embolism like 'Jr.' currently has, but instead they did the less risky and more simple thing, and that was to transfer the physician in charge of his treatment from neurology to the trauma service. Apparently, neurology operates out of an entirely different building, and 'Jr.' needed more hands-on attention, so the trauma doctors are in the unit where room 5011 is all the time, so it made more sense for them to take over. It appears they are doing an awesome job, and please continue to pray for wisdom and guidance from God for them as they make decisions regarding 'Jr's' care and treatment. Also, please pray for the nurses to continue the excellent care they are giving him, and that they would have the ability to see the overall picture, and not just focus on a single aspect of his care (like breathing, or blood pressure). When there are so many issues, it can be easy to have tunnel vision, unfortunately.

It is so much easier to be down there with 'Jr.' than to be in Lancaster "waiting and wondering". Dr. Uri made it very clear that Jerry, Jr. hasn't survived this yet, and is still not out of the woods by a long shot, but his youth and fitness going into this are to his benefit. Please pray for God to show mercy. Please pray for God's grace to be with each and every family member who is unable to be in his room on any given day, that they would feel God's presence and comfort, too. God is definitely in that room with Jerry. It is such a comforting presence! His entire family needs to not only pull together, but to remain strong for him, so to pray for sound rest and sleep for all of us would be appreciated, too.

Jerry, Jr. is so blessed by God, not only with his abilities and gifts, but also to have so many faithful and true friends as you all out there. I will be asking LA Fitness (at the Golden Triangle/Lancaster) (sorry, Lori, but you'll read this before I can ask in person) if I can place a notebook at their desk for members and staff to write notes to Jerry, Jr. As soon as we can read them to him, I know he would be blessed by hearing everyone's hopes for a speedy and full-as-possible recovery! And, hopefully, a little humor will be included as well. :o) So, for any of the rest of you who would like to contribute, the book will be there. Or, you can send an email, and we can print it out and we'll include it with the other messages. We have a week or so before we'll be at that point, unless God really wants to glorify His name by healing Jerry sooner! Amen!! We are believing that Jerry, Jr. will pull through this, even though we need to approach it realistically, and we look forward to giving God all the credit and praise He is due!!

May the God of our salvation and the author and perfector of our faith keep you in perfect health until we can see or meet each of you... we are truly blessed.... may we each dedicate every moment to that which matters for eternity.

Jerry, Sr. and Linda Hambleton

#8

Hi all.
Jerry, Sr. returned home tonight just slightly before 10:00 p.m. After I spoke with him earlier, I didn't want to be alone, so I phoned my sister Joanne and she came over and spent the evening keeping me company. I thank God for her presence here. It was comforting, rather than being here alone.

Like I said earlier, at 12 noon today his temp was 103.4 degrees. The physician is concerned that the pulmonary embolism (blood clot) killed part of his lung and that's a good environment for germs to germinate and multiply. They are also concerned about infection in his neck. Dead tissue could cause absess either in his neck or lungs. A CT scan would show any bad areas, but he's not stable enough to move for the test because of the blood clots in his legs. His pneumonia remains "bad". At 2:00 p.m. his temp was 104.1 degrees. They wanted to move him to neurological critical care, but were unable to, so that team of caregivers is going to him. At 5:30 p.m. his temp was up to 105.7 degrees. At 6:00 p.m. they put him on a cooling blanket (set to 41 degrees) to assist bringing his temp down. He is in a bed that rotates slowly and gently from side to side (slight angles only). On his left side his oxygen level would read 89-91 %, and on his right side it decreases to 86-88 %. Jerry, Sr. pointed this out to the nurse, so he reset the bed so that Jr. wouldn't roll as often to the right (would remain on his left side longer to keep oxygen levels up). At 7:00 p.m., his temp was 106.4 degrees (wow, that's hard for me to even type!).

In spite of the cooling blanket, his temp hadn't decreased much by 8:00 p.m. when visiting hours were over. His critical care team for the night is Michael and Kelly.&nbs p; His respiratory rate has been running 9-11 all day, which basically means the ventilator is doing the breathing for him at this time. That is to be expected with the drug-induced coma, His heart rate is high (most likely from fever) at 112-125 beats per minute. For you medical folks, his CVP was 12-14 all week and today is reading 20. (That's central venous pressure for the rest of you. His blood pressure remains stable (126/47, mean pressure 74). At least that's something. With a fever that high, seizures are a concern. Pray against those.

We are so encouraged and blessed by the responses we are getting from you out there. Please don't hesitate to share anything that you feel God has laid on your heart. We are trusting Him, and want His will to be done above all else, because He only wants what is best for us. We've been told by some family members to "not share too much". How do I do that when 'Jr.' is in a fight for his life? Tell you he's okay and then suddenly drop a bomb shell? Not my style. I believe specific prayers are most beneficial, and prayers from the soul/spirit are even better. Please keep lifting Jerry, Jr. (and Sr. for that matter) up to God's capable hands, and ask for God's will to be done. We love each of you, and are praying God's loving care over each of you. Please feel free to ask questions as you have them. ' Jr.' couldn't be at a better place in terms of hospital care. They are doing an awesome job overall. We are so blessed in so many ways.
In Christs' love, Linda and Jerry, Sr. Hambleton

#7 God works all things together for those who belong to Him..

Hello all.

I just got off the phone with Jerry, Sr. who is down in Philadelphia with Jr.
Jr.'s mom, Vicky, and her husband Darryl are also there, but had just taken a dinner break, so Sr. is alone with his son.

Jerry, Jr. is not doing well. They still have him in a drug-induced coma. They have been unable to reduce his fever under 103.4 today, and it was 104.1 at the last hourly check. The blood clot, now lodged out in the lung tissue, although small, will cause loss of lung tissue, or "gangrene", or "infarction" of tissue. That would most likely lead to sepsis. They are suspecting that and also some type of infection in his neck area related to the trauma and length of time before treatment. The physician's have ordered a CAT scan, but he is too unstable to move to the facility on a different floor. With blood clots in his legs, an elevator ride or any movement could be the end.

They also need to transfer him to Critical Care from Intensive Care. Apparently, that area is in the same unit, it would involve a special medical team assigned just to him. Since he is too unstable to even move his bed across the unit, "they are bringing the team to him". So, his room number is unchanged for now.

Please continue to pray against any and all infection in his body and around him. I'm home today because of a case of the sniffles. Pray for strength, both mental and physical, for his parents and siblings (2 sisters). Pray for guidance and correct decisions to be made by this special critical care team. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I'm not feeling too hopeful right now, so pray that God will give us hope and strength to face whatever lies ahead. God works all things together for those who belong to Him. Amen.

In Christ... Linda Hambleton

#6

Hello all... I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this to you. It was a long day yesterday, and I was just able to get up about 30 minutes ago. His mother, Vicky, was down to see him from 11 a.m. to 5 yesterday, and we got there @ 4:45 p.m. and stayed til about 8:15 p.m. When Vicky arrived in the morning, his temperature was 105 degrees, probably from the pneumonia. His body had really swollen (a lot of edema), which was expected from the effects of the shock on his system and the spinal injury, but his mom said he just looked horrible, which was hard for her. They gave him Tylenol (a liquid form) and his temp came down to 99 degrees (but I don't think it was right away) and his color improved. Then they checked him every hour. For awhile it was down, and then it began to creep up again. 101.5, 102.1, 102.4... that was the readings while we were there, and then they were trying to keep it down, but the pneumonia is pretty bad. That was the nurses term, I'm not sure exactly what that means. I do know that I'm glad he's at U of Pennsylvania Medical Center. They have such extensive experience with this type of severe trauma, and the AACN (American Assoc. of Critical Care Nurses) named the m the Unit of the Year in 2006. Pretty impressive to me. Anyway, back to Jerry, Jr.... Jerry Sr. spoke this a.m. to Vicky, who is down there, and his temperature was 104 degrees this a.m. They gave him more Tylenol to bring it down. He is still heavily sedated, which is a blessing. It seems that they are going to put the feeding tube in anyway, since he needs the calories to fight the disease, but they are still hesitating right now about the tracheotomy. His dad is concerned that they'll wake him up before the trach is in, and Jr. will get frustrated again about not being able to communicate with us and the staff, but they will get to the point, even with infection, where they'll need to do the trach regardless of the risk. A tube can only stay in so long without its' own complications. This is all a tedious balance between risk and benefit, so please pray that the nursing staff and the doctors will have God's wisdom through it all. Please pray that his family and friends also have patience with this whole process, and that, as always, God's grace will be with us all. Please pray that He will, in His goodness, turn His face towards Jerry, Jr. and us, that we would have all we need to get through this, in every way, especially financially, since his mom and his dad are paid job to job, day to day. Any time missed is money missed. Anyway, God will provide and we know that. Finances are the one area that Jerry, Sr. has perfect peace about, and that is totally God's grace, because his normal stance would be to be stressing about money right now (a guy thing, I think). But he's commented many times that he can't really believe how calm he's feeling. God is at work. I was praying for Jr., laying hands on him yesterday when we were there, and I really had a strong sense of the Holy Spirit there in the room with him. It was comforting and calming. The next big challenge, according to the neurologist, would be if he develops sepsis, which is an infection in the blood, and can be very life-threatening. Please pray against any and all infection, especially the ones brought into the room by staff and family. Please pray protection over him in that regard. Please pray he stablizes so that they can place the tracheotomy, although I'm aware that that being in place has its' own risks. Right now, Tiger (our male cat and Jerry Jr.'s buddy) is in his room sleeping on his bed. I think he's wondering where Jr. is. He always spoiled him with so many treats!! :o) Audrey is doing well, and has been doing a good job of holding down the fort for us. I have to finish laundry I started yesterday, and there's another load to do. We are taking today off from Philly to make the trip to York to see our 6 day old new baby granddaughter, Olivia Leigh Baker. She cried for the first time yesterday! She seems like a very content little girl, which we pray to be the case, for her mom and dad's sake. Jen, (Jr's very close sister) hasn't been down to see him yet due to Olivia's arrival 7 days late, and she is a bit anxious about it. Please pray that our presence with her will be a comfort, and that she'll feel our love for her, Jared, and Olivia, in spite of our 6 day absence. I would have loved to make the trip ove r by myself last week, but I just needed to rest my body. Can't push it too much right now, with all the mental stress.

But, God is good, and I'm - so far - doing fine. Continue to praise God on our behalf for all He has done so far, and for carrying us through this valley. Life is so tedious and fragile, and yet the body can take so much! Let's all ready ourselves and our hearts for Jesus' return, 'cause I believe it's close.

With much love, Linda and Jerry, Sr. Hambleton

#5

Well, Sr. made it home okay early this evening. Today was a very busy day for Jr., and consents were signed for the traecheotomy and they are also going to insert a feeding tube into his stomach from around his waist, instead of the one he has going into his nose and down to his stomach. So, Lord willing, (and we're praying it be His will), those procedures will be done tomorrow. In spite of the pneumonia, it is a greater risk for problems with the tube down his mouth. He will be on I.V. antibiotics, (which can have their own horrible side effects), so they'll already be treating him for infection. This whole focus is a delicate balance of risk and reward, all focused on saving Jerry's life and giving him the best quality of life down the road.


His oxygen levels were decreased this morning, and his resperations were higher, so they checked and found the PE this morning. It is on the small side, and has not lodged out into the lung tissue, but is in the main Pulmonary artery, (sort of at the bifurcation, for you medical folks out there). It was significant enough to cause symptoms. They have him heavily sedated, and I'm told he looks very peaceful... more than he has since the accident happened. They also have signed consents to insert an IVC filter tonight as soon as possible. That's a metal screen type device placed in the largest vein just below the kidneys that traps any blood clots travelling back from the legs towards the heart and lungs.


So, the good news is, that since he's communicated he wants to fight to get better and come home, he is strong and has determination (some might call it stubbornness) of spirit. But, there is still a long road ahead for the next few weeks. He is still in critical condition, and faces many known and unknown challenges. His vital signs (blood pressure and hrt rate) are stable, which is a blessing.

Thanks again for all the support and prayers. Jr's family is so aware of God's grace with us during this time, and we praise Him for it. Give Him praise for His faithfulness at every opportunity, to everyone you meet.


In Christ, Linda and Jerry Hambleton

#4 The roller coaster begins...

Hi everyone. I was unable to go to Philly today, so it's just Jerry, Sr. and Jr's best friend Bert with him. Apparently it's been a fairly hectic one. They found on this a.m.'s chest x-ray that he does have "pretty bad pneumonia". They started him on 3 different I.V. antibiotics, because it will take 24 hours for the lab cultures to come back so they know specifically which he needs. I guess it was bad enough for them not to wait, although given that he had a cold last week when this happened, we're not terribly surprised.

They have also discovered a PE (pulmonary embolism - or blood clot in his lungs) today. Okay, so he's now developed the two things I understood to be his biggest risks. At the same time. They have started him on a blood thinner called Heparin, injected sub-Q (under the skin). They are evaluating him for an IVC filter (it's kinda like and expandable screen that fits in the large vein below the kidneys to catch blood clots from his legs before they get to his heart or lungs). I guess that means that they will be doing that later today.

One of the bad things about pneumonia is that they won't put in a tracheotomy if he has pneumonia, due to the almost certain infection at the trach site that would develop. For you medical people out there, he is being sedated with Dilaudid and Proprytol (?sp), and they'll keep him heavily sedated for 48 hours to really let his body and mind rest.

Please pray that Jr. will not lose heart when his sedation wears off if the tube is still in place in his mouth. Please pray for his body to be able to withstand all the assaults (present and future) that he's facing. Please pray for all the staff caring for him... for their knowledge, ability, and observation to all be in Jr's best interest. Please pray for God's grace for all of us as we journey through this dark valley. Thanks.

Linda & Jerry Hambleton

#3 HE is ABLE!! Amen!

Well, it's Wednesday night, and I'm about to do my thrice-weekly shot, but have about 30 minutes before it warms to room temp.

We left for U of P this a.m. about 7:15, wanting to get in to see Jerry asap. Wouldn't you know it? Monday thru Friday there is a strict 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. visiting policy. Apparently, in the first few days Jerry was admitted, they waived that rule for us. But today, there was a fire in the hospital. Jerry is on 5th flr, Rhodes building, and in another building on flrs 3 & 4 there was smoke. Didn't hear how much fire, but they had to pull staff from all over the hospital (including SICU/Trauma) to help move pts out of harms' way. There were fire trucks, ambulances, and police all over the property when we arrived. We thought it was an emergency drill, til we heard later from nurses that there was apparently an actual fire. Just too much excitement for my taste.

I didn't get to update you yesterday, as I spent the day in bed, unable to make the trip to Philly. I was honestly too bummed to be on the computer. I knew my vision wouldn't take much to get really blurry, so I stayed off it. But, after a day of rest, I was better today (praise God) and am hoping to also be able to make the trip tomorrow with Jerry, Sr.

We met Jerry Jr's (hereafter referred to as 'Jr.') neurologist today. She took over for the neurosurgeon in overseeing Jr's recovery. Her name is Dr. Park, and she'll be his doctor for the next 7 days. She is wonderful, taking extra time to answer our many questions, in spite of constant demands on her time. She explained the surgery on Jerry's neck for us better than the neurosurgeon had. He actually has a plate and screws joining his neck to the rest of his spine (fused, they called it), and he really has a lot of swelling in his spinal cord, which was expected. The severed area is between C6 and C7, but he has significant swelling starting at C3 and proceeding past the severed area just as far down. Miraculously, although C6 controls triceps and forearms, and that appears to be above the break, he has use of those muscles. His hands he is unable to move at this time (can move his wrists, but not his fingers), but he has feelin g in them, so it seems likely the movement may come as swelling goes down. (Please pray for it). The difference between having is arms and not having them is huge.


Today, when asked if he wanted to live (by a pyschologist), he nodded 'yes'. He also reported that he wanted to work to get better and return home (although it will be quite awhile before he needs to decide where that will be). He doesn't want to see a photo of his beautiful new niece, because he wants to see her in person. His spirit seemed strong today. Quite a contrast from when I last saw him on Monday, and really drastically different from Saturday before he was on the ventilator, when he told us all that if he couldn't use his legs, he wanted to die. He was so despondent then. The overall picture hasn't changed since then, we've just added the prayers of all you warriors out there across the country! Thank you so much!!! ... God is really at work in Jr.'s life.

We found out today that he will need a tracheotomy. We all agreed, and informed the physicians that the sooner the better, because the ventilator tube going in his mouth to his lungs is just so uncomfortable/painful. Part of the problem is that so often when a patient has traumatic injuries this severe (Karen may disagree with the 'often' part of this with her trauma experience) there are also head injuries, a concussion, or some memory loss involved. He has none of these. He flew over 75 feet through the air, hitting a guardrail, and tumbling along the ground during the distance, and he broke no bones and has no head trauma. His helmet was cracked open, but no head injury. He remembers 6 hours of laying out there, unable to move, having trouble breathing, wondering where his friend got to, in pain and hypothermic. So, the problem is since they are currently hesitant to sedate spinal injury patients, (due to frequent complications with breathing, pneumonia, etc.) he lays there, aware of every minute, VERY MUCH in pain from the actual tube, and the coughing it causes (he has that torn muscle in his right shoulder under the collarbone). They have a abdominal 'wrap' (I can't think of the word they used) around his upper abdomen to support his diaphragm and breathing. His oxygen levels went up 10 pnts with it on, but he feels as though it is hindering his ability to breathe, since it's rather tight. After the physician explained why it was on, he seemed to tolerate it better. He's also looking forward to the tracheotomy, since he'll be able to communicate better. The staff had been telling him multiple times a day that "in a few hours" or "tomorrow morning" they would get the tube out. Well, with his alert mental state, that was only frustrating him, because he was tracking the hours, remembering what they said, and getting very impatient and frustrated. Today, we were able to explain that no one can say how long the ventilator will be needed, but he
will get off it it. And, in telling him about the tracheotomy, he also seemed to feel that would be more comfortable for him. He'll be able to rinse his mouth, brush his teeth (well, we can do it for him), and shave, and he'll feel more like himself.

I had a few moments alone with him today, and I explained that even though, for now, his life wasn't looking like he had planned, and even though he must now move in a different direction for his life, his life still has value. He overcame tremendous odds to even survive Friday night/Saturday morning, and I told him God has a plan for his life, and his life still has purpose and meaning. It will just be different than he had planned, and look different than he thought it would. I also reminded him that I know how hard that is to accept such a life change, and that it really doesn't seem fair or even doable, but reminded him we can do all things with Christ's help. I told him things were going to move slower than he'd like, just like me with my MS, and he just took a deep breath, kind of like a sigh, but he seemed calmer after that. (He has seen firsthand how impatient and frustrated I am with my own med ical team. Everything just takes so long to sort out!)
I asked him, since he remembered laying out there after the accident, in pain, if he wanted to die that night. He shook his head "NO"! I said, "Well then, since you didn't want to-- and didn't-- die, you may as well move forward from here with what you have to work with. He nodded.

We still haven't gotten to the conversation where he's told "it's permanent". We're all praying for advice and wisdom for that moment. We think he knows inside, but no one has actually said it to him. We pray for grace from God, and for resolve on Jr's part to face it with strength from above. The physician had talked like maybe she'd tell him today, but then only spoke about the trach he needed, so perhaps it wasn't the right time. On Monday, he told his Mom that he wasn't "doing" a rehab place, in response to something she said, but he won't have a choice about it, so please pray that he'll accept what is ahead. We are also praying that if it is better for him to die now, that it would happen quickly, and not be painful and drawn out. He agrees with that.


Please pray against ANY AND ALL INFECTION, against the lies of the enemy in his thoughts, against depression, against condemnation and shame. Please pray that God's perfect will in his life come to fruition. Please pray for safety for his family as we travel back and forth to be with him, and for all financial needs to be met. That's all I can think of for now. Jerry tells me I'm rambling, so I apologize if this has gone on too long. I just want you all to be able to pray specifically for his needs. Please encourage our brothers and sisters who are also praying, but may not see this, that God is at work in all our lives during this difficult and emotional time, and especially at work in Jr's life..

We love you all, and consider it such a blessing to have you in our lives. Thanks for all the cards, emails, monetary donations, scriptures, and words of encouragement that have been sent our way. We delight in telling Jr. how everyone is pulling together on his behalf. May God bless each of you in personally rewarding ways, in ways far above that which you can imagine or for which you can think to ask. HE IS ABLE!! AMEN.

Jerry and Linda Hambleton

GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD, EVEN AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DON'T DESERVE IT!!

GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD, EVEN AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DON'T DESERVE IT!!

First of all, thanks to each of you who are taking the time to pray and add Jerry to prayer lists on his behalf (and ours). I don't remember a time, even through the death of my mother, when I've been so aware of the awesome grace of God to help His children (Jerry Sr. and I) through difficult circumstances, and we've had them.
Jerry, Sr. and I drove to the crash scene today. Jerry Jr. ended up flying approx 72 ft. from his bikes' impact with the guardrail, but moved more parallel to the guard rail rather than over it, and we're thinking that would be because he tried unsuccessfully to stay on the bike. It's hard to describe, but impressive in person. I saw the photos taken yesterday, but it's really more dramatic in person. It was 30 feet to where his helmet initially hit, and another 42 ft. (approx) to where they found him. We're interested to know exactly what direction his head was, but don't know if we'll ever know that.

Yesterday they did find a piece of his leather jacket that had been ripped off (long and narrow), and some of the missing pieces of his helmet. Today we measured the different distances between the visible impact points and made notes and a map for insurance. The location in which the bike was found was on a bend of an on-ramp to I-95, just at the point 2 lanes merge into 1. The traffic was moving pretty fast (it seemed) and it felt very dangerous to be there taking photos, etc., but even though the merge is not well marked, no one came near hitting us. We could tell they would brake as soon as they saw us, but it wouldn't have mattered much if they'd have had to swerve to miss side-swiping another vehicle. We found a total of 4 spots that the bike probably slid along the rail before it fell over (the 1/10 of a mile or so from initial impact and where he was found the next day.


Then we left to go to the hospital to see Jerry. We knew there was a chance that he'd be taken off the ventilator today, and we wanted to be able to speak with him and hear what he'd have to say after surgery, or if his Mom add a talk with him about the paralysis. Things didn't go quite like they had planned, (he started hyperventilating after 20 minutes), and so they quit trying for today, mostly 'cause he also had a follow-up CAT Scan scheduled at 4:00 p.m. He is still on the ventilator, and the plan is to take him off on Tuesday (tomorrow) between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., or when they can get everyone there. They can't really give us an exact time. They are not anticipating any problems.

We expected to find him in a drug induced coma, but he had his eyes open and he was alert and communicating with two of his friends. He seemed glad to see us, and the nurse came in and was telling us about the new brace that they placed on his neck/chest this a.m. And - PRAISE GOD - when they were examining him this morning, they realized that he not only has feeling in his hands and forearms, but can move his hands and can push off with his hands, which means he still has use of his triceps AND he can move his hands at this point. Since it's so early after surgery, they've not changed their official diagnosis, but apparently at this point, the only "paralysis" is from the bottom of his chest bone (sternum) down. His arms seem fine. This is HUGE!!! This is AWESOME!!! This is a miracle from God!!! Praise Him!!!! This, like, triples the amount of independence he will have in so many ways!!

Also, Jerry, Jr. spirits seemed good. Jerry Sr. seemed uncomfortable, with all the tubes and stuff, but that's understandable. Jr.'s urine had a lot of sediment in it Saturday, but is now clear. He is having a lot of pain in his right shoulder, and is still unable to even try to turn his head, but they turn him in bed every hour or so. Allie is back in his life (as of Friday night, they were still not together, but she wants to be there, and for now he says she can stay). She is again calling herself (with his approval) his 'fiance'. We (his parents) aren't sure she'll be around for the long haul and are just praying for clarity for them both. They have a very contentious relationship, and it has not been healthy for either of them, but there is such a bond since the 'heavy' things they went thru during and after Aiden's birth, life, and death. (She was not Aiden's mother) . Anyway, Jr. is 31. We support him in his decisions, and voice our opinion when we don't agree or have concerns, but he rarely listens to his parents. It seems no matter what his family has said, in the end, he's just done what he wanted. :o/ Just like a kid. :o)


We are also talking about starting some fund raisers (which would go directly into a bank account/fund) for his medical expenses. We'll know more about what his needs are after I speak with the insurance company. He has Aetna, and they're known as a very good company, but I'm not familiar with his policy YET. I will be shortly. Also, I have to contact SSA and make them aware of his disability status. Talk about deja vu!!

So, for now, I ask you to keep praying that his injuries will diminish, rather than worsen, that his wound healing would be swift and complete in spite of the presence of spinal fluid, and that he would draw close to Christ. Also, he needs determination of spirit and his will, and for depression, bitterness, and anger to have no root in him. We, as parents, need wisdom in handling his financial needs and insurance issues, also disability issues... such a shame none of us have any experience with that!! ;oO (total sarcasm there from me, the current disability queen of the family)!!! So, tomorrow a.m. we'll have some phone calls to make on Jerry's behalf, and then we'll head down to the hospital again. We also need prayer that no anger or bitterness would take root in us, as it is so hard to deal with the fact that the State Police never followed proper protocol on the scene when they responded, which resulted in him l aying out there for 6 hours... with a severed spinal cord, unable to move, in the cold... Ugh! It's horrifying to think about, but it's like an accident scene where you can't look away... our minds keep going there. We're trying to not get our hopes up too high with his apparent 'progress' today. He's still on Levophed I.V. for his blood pressure and heart rate, which are low, and he's got a feeding tube in (yummy -- NOT!!) through his nose, and the vent tube, but otherwise... other than the neck and leg thing, he really seems to be improving and hanging in there. We'll definitely know more about his mental state after the tube comes out tomorrow, and he's less sedated. They're giving him Fentanyl, (a sedative) which means he probably won't remember any of this week, but he 'said' (well, he nodded when asked) today that he was awake all night when he was laying out there next to the road, and that he is remembering more about the accident. W e don't yet know exactly what that means, either. It seems from being at the scene that something or someone prevented him from turning into the corner soon enough (his riding buddy? another car? an animal?). He was a good enough rider and the corner was not that sharp, that even at the speed he was going, he should have been able to make it. There are so many questions and so few answers. And that is hard.


On the Jen front, I just spoke with her Mom, and she's at the hospital. They gave her the labor-inducing med this morning at about 9:00, and as of 3:00 p.m. she was 3 cms dilated. We figure she'll wait til we're all sound asleep tonight and then deliver. :o) Her and Jared (her husband) are also experiencing God's grace, in that they are convinced it is best that they be by themselves at the hospital, which frees us as "Moms" to focus on Jerry, Jr. right now. We are also praying that everything goes well with Olivia's birth, and thank you for joining us in that prayer.

Please praise God for His goodness and provision on our behalf! We are so thankful to Him, and desire to let everyone know just how good He is! We are so thankful for His grace during this difficult and trying time. Hope all is well with each of you...

Linda Sue and Jerry, Sr. Hambleton

#1 Jerry Jr's motercycle accident... "...you have always been my God. Don't leave me now, for trouble is near and no one else can possibly help."

Hi all. Okay, as you can see from the time, it's been a long day for us, but we did make it home tonight.

We had left for "Colorfest" in western MD very early (for me, anyway -- 7:00 a.m.), and had a beautiful morning walking around and enjoying all the crafts. We bought a pretty terrific "log cabin" style bird feeder at an incredibly good price, but now it just seems so unimportant.

Around 12:10 p.m., we received the 1st call from Vicky ('lil Jerry and Jen's mom), that there had been an accident and they were on their way to U of P Hospital ER, and the only information they had at that point was that Jerry was alert and talking. He had rode his motorcycle down to the Phillies game Friday night with a friend. We left Thurmont, MD right away and jogged over Rt. 70 to 95 and up to U of P. We felt fortunate that I've been there to see the neurologists, so we knew our way to the hospit al and our way around.

About 1/2 there, we received another phone call from 'lil Jerry's step-dad, Darryl, who told us they were in the ER waiting room and had just been updated by the trauma doctor. At this point, Jerry was getting an MRI to see the extent of his injuries, but they knew for sure at that point that he had 100% severed his spinal cord at C-6/C-7 (or right at the base of his neck). There are many questions about exactly how it happened, but the only thing we know for sure is that if he hadn't had a helmet on, he'd be dead. He did end up laying unconcious in the median on I-95 for 6 hours +, and it was a passing postal truck driver who initially reported an abandoned motorcycle, and then another motorist (kind stranger) who phoned in his location after daylight. His motorcycle is only lightly scratched, and there is one dent, but it is driveable, and the state police told us it star t ed right up at the scene.

At the ER, they couldn't find any other life threatening injuries, so they took him to surgery almost immediately. The trauma doctor also stated that with the extent of injury to his shoulder and if it hadn't been as cold as it was the hours he laid unconsious, he may have bled to death (he did tear the muscle on the front of his right shoulder and had bleeding into the chest cavity from that, but it essentially sealed itself off. But, due to the length of time he went untreated, there was also a lot of spinal fluid that leaked out into his chest cavity/back area, and so that apparently hinders the bodies ability to heal wounds, so they have a special drain into the area to drain that fluid off, so hopefully his wounds from surgery will be able to heal.

We did get to say some prayers with him and over him in the trauma unit before hand, and he kept telling us he couldn't feel his legs, and asking if he would be able to walk. We told him that we would know more after the surgery, and he stated numerous times to many of us that if he couldn't walk, he couldn't go on living. The ironic thing there is that with no use of his hands, even if he wanted to, it would be almost impossible.

Jerry, Jr. made it through the surgery okay, but there was much more damage to his spinal cord than originally thought. (It was essentially 'blown out' to the point that there were loose pieces of nerve floating around outside the cord and lots of 'fraying', to use the surgeons words. The medical term for his current state, (permanent, barring intervention from our loving God), is a "C-6 quadraplegic". That means that he has no manual dexterity, or use of his hands and forearms, but he can use his biceps and deltoids (shoulders). He has no feeling in his hands or forearms at this point, but that could change in the months to come. He will not be able to use his tricep s, which are paramount to moving from a chair to a bed, or a toilet, or into a car. He is not going to take any of this well. With his history of depression, and the loss of Aiden 1 1/2 yrs ago, it seems insurmountable to us, as his parents. We are totally and completely dependent on God, which I know is an okay place to be.

Please pray (and, if you could, add him to any pray list or circle that you are aware of) that we, as his parents, would be given grace beyond that which we currently have to communicate with Jerry our love and care through this tumultuous change in his life, and that he will find determination and strength, in Christ, and HOPE in his spirit. Much of his recovery will be determined by his attitude and response to therapy. It will be a long road ahead. We are committed to having him living here with us, if he desires that, or to support whatever his decision will be in that regard, but we also know that those decisions are months away. Right now, I'm going thru his room to try to find insurance information. He didn't have his entire wallet with him to the Phillies game Friday night, and there are some questions we have about his coverage. I think he went with the most basic coverage since he was so healthy and fit.

He is in the Trauma Unit, Rhoads bldg, 5th flr, Rm 5011 at the Univ. of PA hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 19107. We don't have a street address. While in ICU, only family can visit him, but cards would be very welcome. Thanks for all your support and prayers already. I'm doing fine so far, but will be staying in York most of my waking hours with Jen, who is 9 months and 6 days pregnant, and if she doesn't deliver tomorrow, will be induced on Monday. I'd appreciate prayers for that time as well. She doesn't know how she'll have the physical strength to go thru the delivery with her brothers' current condition. They are so very close, and it's hard for her to not be able to travel down to the hospital, as you can imagine.

On Sunday, we are so sorry to be missing Jared's ordination! We talked about staying in Philly tonight and going to the service tomorrow, but Audrey was at home and was looking forward to it also. Jerry and his brother will be going to impound lot #1 to retrieve Jerry's bike. Then, there's the Phil. police department to contact about the investigation of the accident. There are also people like his bowling team and other friends to contact. Jerry is very well-liked... 4 of his friends drove down to the hospital from Harrisburg area, just to bring cards for him right away, even tho' they couldn't see him. He'll have lots of support, and the nurses said he'll take many of his cues from how we handle this situation, so God give us wisdom! As we know from Esther's experience in these deep waters, we are not out of the woods, as they say, with the surgery over. The journey is just beginning...

When we were in the waiting room, there was a Bible there, and Vicky opened it up and looked down... Ps. 22:11 jumped off the page... "...you have always been my God. Don't leave me now, for trouble is near and no one else can possibly help." Amen.

I'll be with Jen tomorrow, but can be reached at 717-951-5859 if you have any encouragement, words of knowledge, insight, hope, or support... we welcome it all.

In Christ's love, Linda and Jerry Hambleton

don't hesitate to call if you have any questions, either! Love you all, and be safe out there!