2 weeks

We have been in the hospital for 2 weeks now. Brock was making such amazing progress and blowing everyone away with how well he was doing! He breastfed a couple of times, has really made huge improvements with being more alert and has had some really good occupational therapy sessions on learning how to suck and swallow correctly.

The neurosurgeon Dr. Gruber came in on Tuesday to talk with me and said he really thought that putting a drain into Brock's head to drain the blood and fluid out would be our best course of treatment for him at this time. He was going to wait 48 hours before doing anything but we got a call Wednesday morning that Dr. Gruber decided he didn't want to wait and that Brock would be having surgery that day around 12pm.
The procedure it self would only take about 20 minutes max. Getting Brock sedated and woken back up again would take the longest time. We got to take him down to the surgery level of the hospital, had to sign some paper work and talk with Dr. Gruber. He was super confident that this was the best course for our little man.
Once the surgery was over Dr. Gruber came and talked to us and said that he was really glad he hadn't waited because there was a lot of pressure building up in Brock's head and that a lot of fluid was in his ventricles.
The drain is sticking out of his head and drains into a little tube next to his bed. So far he has had about 1.7oz of fluid come out of his little head. He is under a little bit of sedation but is starting to wake up more and more with every hour. He is not fully breathing on his own right now but will be in about an hour or so.

We were transferred from the NICU to the PICU because the PICU deals with external head drains way more than the NICU does.

Yesterday was filled with tender mercies! I most definitely have needed them these last 2 weeks.
First of all, I wanted Brock to get a priesthood blessing before he went into Surgery but everyone we had called was at work already. Luckily my mom called my brother Jon, who we thought was already at work and he decided to take the day off to rest and help out with the family that day. He was able to get to the hospital and him and Deric gave Brock a very nice priesthood blessing! That was tender mercy number 1!
#2 Deric's mom was supposed to be working all day yesterday, she had an early meeting and realized that there was 1 to many people dressed for work at the meeting. One of her co-workers thought she was working but Kerry was actually supposed to be working but was able to take the day off since that lady thought she was scheduled.
#3 My friend Julie and her daughter are in the PICU this week as well for her daughter to have hip surgery.
When we got to our room in the PICU  we realized that our room mate was Julie and her daughter! How amazing is that! We have a friend in the PICU and we share the same room!!!!

I really needed all those tender mercies yesterday. Yesterday was stressful but somehow I stayed really calm. I know that this drain is exactly what my baby needed. I am so thankful for modern medicine and doctors who are in tune to their patients.
Deric and I can really feel the love and prayers that have been said on our behalf and on behalf of our adorable son. We are incredibly thankful for the support and love everyone is showing us during this rough patch in our lives. We really wouldn't be able to be doing as well as we are without everyones support. Thank you so much.
We are so thankful for our sweet boy who has showed us how to be strong and showed us how to love more deeply.