Update on Dad and Justin (Monday Evening)

Dad and Justin are both out of surgery and recovering.

Justin’s surgery went very well. They put a screw and a plate in his ankle. The screw will come out eventually, and the plate may come out as well. The doctors were able to clean up any damage caused by the break. They feel as though everything will heal well on its own from this point on. Justin is being moved out of ICU and into a room right now.

Dad’s surgery was a great success. The doctors worked with skill and wisdom… our prayers for the Lord to guide the surgeons through the surgery were answered! The doctors were successfully able to stabilize the breaks in the pelvis area without making any large incisions. We will know more by this Friday about how long the external fixator (that is providing stability) will need to stay attached to provide the necessary support. Please pray against infection as Dad continues to heal.

His vital signs have been stable since the surgery, and right now we are praying that the doctors will be able to begin consider weaning him off the ventilator as he continues to improve.

We are continually grateful for the prayers and support from our friends and family. Tomorrow will bring new choices, decisions, and challenges. Please continue to pray that we will have the grace to walk in the Spirit and follow the promptings of the Lord.

It has been very helpful to have a waiting room upstairs where the family can retreat and find some rest and peace. We would like to ask our friends to continue to meet downstairs as you come visit and support the family. We want everyone to feel welcome to come and visit at any time during the day or evening. We value your support. If you could continue to serve us in this way, we would greatly appreciate it. As Dad and Justin continue to improve, we may be able to post some visiting hours.

Please feel free to direct others to this blog. Things are continuing to improve, but there are still several obstacles to overcome. Justin is awake and our prayer is that Dad will be soon. If you would like to send a card or note, feel free to do so.

This verse has meant something to me this afternoon: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind.” Continue to walk with us in truth and love. God has a plan and we will trust Him for it; regardless of the outcome.

Update on Dad and Justin (Monday Morning - going into surgery)

Dad and Justin are being taken back into the OR for surgery. Justin’s surgery should last about one hour, and we should be able to see him in two hours. If a room opens up, he will be moved out of ICU and into a room after surgery. If not, he will return to ICU.

Dad’s surgery is not as sure. The surgery should last 2-6 hours. He will need some down time after the surgery before he returns to ICU. We hope to be able to see him later this evening or tonight before visiting hours close in the ICU at 10pm.

The surgery plan is to repair his pelvis bone and provide the stability he needs to recover. We are hopeful that the surgeons may not have to make a large incision. However, if necessary, the surgeons may need to open him up to repair the damage. If they do, they will also repair his bladder. If they don’t have to open him up, the bladder will heal on its own over time (there has already been some improvement!).

The doctors say that if everything goes as planned, dad should be in the same condition that he was today by tomorrow morning… except his injuries would have been taken care of. That means we would be able to stop focusing on repair and start down the road to recovery! At that point, we would be able to start talking about timelines for removing the ventilator and sedation.

So here’s the deal, pray hard now. Pray that God would guide the hands of the surgeons. Pray that Jesus would bring comfort to Dad and Justin's hearts through the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that Dad would continue to fight and never give up. Pray that Justin’s surgery would be clean and allow for quick recovery. Pray for my mom as she deals with leaving my dad and brother and spends time with the Lord. And while you’re at it, pray for complete healing for my mom’s medical condition.

Prayer is critical right now. Please pray hard, and pray now. Don’t stop praying today. We can feel your prayers and we can see God move. We know that prayer matters, so please continue.

We will give an update after the surgeries. Until then, continue to pray.

We can add Australia to the list of international places of prayer for our family. Hannah Jernigan (sorry, I don't know your new last name) is there with her new husband. They and thousands of people at Hillsong are praying for Dad, Justin, and our family.

Update on Dad and Justin (Sunday Night)

What a day. This day had many ups and downs for me personally. It was very looonnng. God has been showing us the power of His mighty hand throughout the day. The Lord is so good.

I want to add Turkey, Belize, and South Korea to the list of places where people are praying for our family internationally. The list of churches, homeschool groups, families, and individuals praying for Dad, Justin, and our family in the States is growing rapidly. Please keep praying and passing the word… your prayers are working and making a difference!

We are so glad that our friends and family came to support us today. Thank you for demonstrating your love and support to us. We know many of you are planning to come tomorrow to pray for our family as both Dad and Justin face surgery (Justin’s ankle and Dad’s pelvis). Due to the scheduled surgeries, the family wants to ask you to help us maintain an atmosphere of peace and order. We would like to close the upstairs ICU waiting room to family only. For our dear friends who want to come and visit, we would like to ask you to use the downstairs waiting room and chapel. This will allow the family to have a place where they can retreat and organize in order to serve Dad and Justin in the best possible way.

We just finished our visiting time with Dad and Justin. ICU is closed to visitors for the rest of the evening. Justin is doing well and is looking forward to having a good night’s sleep. In his own words, his pain level has dropped from a 8 or 9 to a 4 or 5. He was able to drink water and eat some solid foods today. Justin said he feels like tonight is going to be a good, restful night. Please pray that his hopes become a reality.

Dad is still sedated and on the respirator. They have turned the respirator down so that he is doing more breathing on his own. He has responded to people talking and to touch several times today. If they did not have him sedated he would be awake, but in great pain. Some of the excitement he has experienced today has caused his heart rate to greatly increase. When I saw him, his heart rate was at 127. Please pray that his heart rate will go down overnight.

Justin is scheduled for surgery at 10am for his broken ankle. It should be minor and fairly quick. Dad is scheduled to have reconstructive surgery on his pelvis tomorrow at 10am. The RN said that this type of surgery normally gets pushed an hour or two past the scheduled time due to emergency surgeries the doctors must perform. Dad could be in surgery a while. This is the last VERY critical part to beginning recovery. There are many risks involved in this type of surgery. Please keep him in your prayers.

So, Rachael, Jon and I went to see the SUV (Ford Explorer) at Puckett’s today. It was in pretty bad shape (totaled to say the least). After seeing it, you realize that it was really a miracle that anyone survived.

The vehicle rolled at least twice. Dad was thrown during the first roll.

God certainly spared their lives. The wrecker said he had seen wrecks that had less damange where people didin't come out alive. God spared them for sure!

There is no way you would know this was a SUV! It was hard to recognize at first!

This was Justin's side of the SUV. He was hanging upsidedown in his seat. His seatbelt could have very well saved his life.

Dad's side was completely crushed.

As you can see, God really spared Dad and Justin. The outcome could have been much different. As much as we are facing now, we are grateful that they are still both alive.

Dad is certainly not through this yet. Please keep praying for him to fight and for his body to recover. The surgery is the next critical step at this point. Tomorrow will be a long day. Keep us in your prayers and pass this along to your friends.

Check back for more updates! Thanks again for your love and support. Remember to make today count... tell someone about Jesus' love today.

Update on Dad and Justin (Sunday Morning)

We just spoke with the doctor in charge of Dad’s urinary tract injury. He told us that Dad’s bladder has a perforation that is causing the blood in his urine. At this point, the injury is not severe enough to need surgery. If the doctors have to open him up for his pelvic injuries, they will go ahead and repair the bladder. Other than that, they plan to let his bladder heal on its own. This is a good report because it means that the condition is not urgent.

Dad’s pelvic injuries are somewhat extensive. The pelvic bone is fractured on the back-left side and in the front. He also has some ligament damage. The doctors are looking at possible options and are creating a plan that they will share with us tonight. Doc. Dellinger came home early from vacation and is continuing to offer support and wisdom. We are so grateful to have him here.

The injuries to Dad’s pelvis will require three months without walking. His bones will need time to heal and strengthen in order to make a full recovery. It was encouraging for us to see him respond to us a little this morning and even lift his arm, move his legs and feet, and open his eyes for just a second.

Dad is still sedated and on a respirator. Everything is looking good, and the purpose of the sedation is to keep him from moving around and causing greater injury to himself… and so he can rest. We plan to talk with a trauma doctor in a little while who will give us a timeline for sedation and for the respirator.

Please continue to pray. A lot of decisions will need to be made in the next 24 hours, and we want to make sure we make the best choices so that he will have the quickest recovery. We are excited about seeing him awake, but we also know that will bring pain, discomfort, and possibly cause him to react in fear. Please pray for peace for his mind and minimal pain levels.

As for Justin, he is continuing to improve. He will need a small surgery (outpatient type procedure) to help his broken ankle heal properly. He is hungry and thirsty, but has to wait to eat and drink until after surgery. AND A GREAT PRIASE REPORT – THEY HAVE JUSTIN SITTING IN A CHAIR!!!

We will keep you updated. Please feel free to share this blog address with all your friends and family. We want as many people to pray as possible. Your prayers are working. I received an encouraging email from Luke Hodges saying that we could add Japan to the list of places where people are praying for our family. People are literally praying all around the world!

I know many people are stepping up to help meet physical needs for our family. Thank you so much for your support and demonstrations of love. We will let you know what is happening and if any needs arise. We love you all and appreciate you so much. May God receive glory as we, His church, seek Him first!

Oh, feel free to comment with updates from the church service at Western Hills this morning. We would love to hear how things went! We missed being there with you this morning.

The Fact Is... We ALL Need Jesus

It is 2:36am and I find myself sitting in a hospital waiting room. Things can change so quickly. 14 hours ago I was eating lunch with my dad, mom, and girls. 12 hours ago we learned of the accident. A lot has happened… fast.

A lot of reports have been given, and some rumors have developed. To bring clarity, I want to share with you what we know so far. These are just the facts, and they are the only confirmed details. Please avoid speculation as best as possible. If you need clarity, refer to this blog.


All things considered, the reports are pretty good. Here is the story of what we believe happened – just the facts:

My dad and Justin were on their way to deliver boxes to a friend of ours from church – serving people, as usual. They were headed west bound on Airport Road when a tire suddenly appeared in front of their vehicle. My dad, one of the best and most confident drivers I know, swerved to miss the tire. According to the police report, a vehicle on the opposite side of the highway lost his rear tire for an unknown reason. When dad swerved to miss the tire, his tire went into the dirt and the dirt collected on the tire causing the vehicle to roll. Dad was thrown from the vehicle during the first roll, Justin was wearing his seatbelt and rolled with the vehicle at least one more time.

When the dust settled, my dad laid unconscious, face down, on the side of the road. Justin was awake and stuck inside in the SUV.

A family was right behind their vehicle and witnessed the accident. They immediately pulled over, dialed 911, and began to do anything they could to help. Justin doesn’t remember anything from the time the vehicle first rolled until he was inside the ambulance. However, the eye witness reported that Justin was calm and helpful. He provided the people helping with my mom’s phone number.

That is where I got involved.

I was at my dad’s house dropping something off he needed. Rachael and I were in separate vehicles, so I decided to say “hi” to Nathan and Jonathan before I left. I went out to Jonathan’s room after talking with Nathan, and we started visiting for a few minutes. I was just about to leave the house when mom came in to Jon’s room with a look of fear on her face. Dad and Justin had been in an accident.

I took the phone from mom and ran to my Expedition as quick as I could, with Jon and mom right behind me. We jumped into the car and the lady who witnessed the accident was very helpful in preparing me for the scene over the phone and giving me an update the best she could.

We arrived on the scene quickly. Jon got out just in time to see dad being loaded into ambulance #54. Justin was being loaded into a separate ambulance. The paramedics allowed Jonathan to ride in Justin’s ambulance. The ambulances took off code three, and I stayed right on their tale.

We drove 75-80 MPH all the way to the OU Trauma Center. When we arrived, we parked inside the emergency room parking area and rushed inside – and the waiting game began.

Jonathan, who arrived in the ambulance, was escorted into the waiting room to join Mom and I. We asked as many people as we could for details, but with no luck. All we knew was that dad was having a hard time breathing, Justin was in a lot of pain, and no one could confirm or deny if any of their conditions were life threatening.

Over the next 30min or so, several close family members and friends arrived at the emergency room. The Chaplin and several nurses came and spoke with us to collect information. Each time we feared the worse.

I worked hard to not let satan influence my thoughts. The truth was that Dad and Justin were both still alive. I needed to operate in that truth and trust God.

Eventually a nurse took us to an area back behind the ER waiting room. The doctor came out to give us a report. At that point in time, Justin was in stable condition. He had several injuries to deal with – the most concerning was a bruised lung. Justin’s conditions were not life threatening.

My dad wasn’t so lucky. His condition was listed as critical and he was unstable. They were working hard to assist him in breathing get a CAT scan done so they could take a look at the extent of the damage.

When we received the results to the CAT scan things looked dim. Dad had internal bleeding in his torso as well as bleeding and swelling around the brain. The internal bleeding would require surgery. Nothing could be done about the swelling and bleeding around the brain at that point. There was nothing left to do but turn to the Lord and cry out for help… so that is what we did.

A prayer chain was started in our church, as well as many others. People were praying across the US, and even in London, Africa, and Germany. In addition, a prayer meeting started in the hospital chapel. Odus Compton, a dear friend of the family, led the meeting.

When the meeting started I felt hopeless. There was nothing I or anyone could do. The results were in God’s hands. All we could do was pray.

We began to worship God in the meeting. We declared God’s sovereignty. We declared that we trusted in Him for the outcome. We even thanked God for the circumstances because we knew He would work them together for good and for His glory. By the end of the meeting, my heart was at peace and my mind was ready to face whatever would come next.

Shortly after our prayer meeting, we received a report. The swelling and bleeding around the brain was stable, and dad was being prepped for surgery to help stop the internal bleeding.

We waited some more.

A couple hours later, we received a great reported. The doctors told us that they took a second look at the CAT scan, and they believed the swelling and bleeding around the brain was lower than they originally thought. An answer to prayer!

Next, the doctors told us that the surgery to stop the internal bleeding was a great success. Dad’s spleen was damaged beyond repair, so it was removed in the OR. The surgeons were able to help stop the bleeding around the liver. As far as they could tell, all the internal bleeding had stopped.

Now it was time to focus on the next set of issues. Dad’s upper (cervical) and mid (thoracic) spine structures were stable. However, there was severe damage to the sacral and pelvic areas. The damage will require surgery and physical therapy at some point down the road. These injuries caused some bleeding in Dad’s urinary tract.

Recently, Dad was moved to ICU. Currently, doctors are testing the extent of the damage to his bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract. They also plan to test his lungs. Dad is still unconscious and on a respirator. They need to find out if his lungs will be able to support his breathing on their own. All these tests will happen overnight and into the morning. The results of these tests will tell us a lot more. At this point, doctors are hopeful that dad might be able to wake up in the next 12-36 hours.

As for Justin, he was moved to ICU just down the hall from Dad. Doctors were able to stabilize his right lung to limit the risk of a collapse. They had to repair part of the tips of a couple fingers due to injuries received in the accident. His ankle was broken in two places and they had to straighten his ankle and apply a splint. He may need a plate inserted later. He received some stitches for minor cuts, and a brace has been put on his arm (some bones may be broken; we haven’t heard this report from the doctors yet). Other than that, Justin is black and blue, on some pain meds, and doing his best to sleep tonight.

Please continue to pray for both of them… we are not out of the woods yet. I know that Dad’s condition is stable but still critical. Things could change at any time. Please continue to pray for recovery. Here are the greatest prayer requests:
• That the bleeding and swelling around Dad’s brain would go away completely
• That Dad’s urinary track will be able to be flushed out and that no surgery will be required
• That Dad’s injuries to his pelvic/sacral area would be minimal and have no long term effects
• That Justin would find relief from pain, get some sleep, and that his lung would continue to improve.

You can also pray for our family. Pray for strength and wisdom for us kids and my Grandma. Most importantly, pray for my mom. I know if dad was awake she would be his greatest concern. She is already dealing with her own physical condition. The stress and strain added by this ordeal could cause her great pain. Please pray that God would touch and heal her body. She is doing okay right now and is staying strong during this trying time.

So many people are stepping in to help. I want to thank Steve Prentice for taking initiative to contact Doctor Dellinger and get him involved. Doctor Dellinger’s expertise has been an invaluable asset throughout this entire ordeal. I want to thank Odus Compton for coming and stepping in to help meet needs (grabbing dinner, leading the prayer meeting, helping us deal with people, and much more). I want to thank the Myers family for all they have done today… especially Luke who stayed with Justin throughout many procedures today and Cyndi who is staying the night with Luke to serve our family. Sue Boone stayed the night with my Grandma. I also want to thank Pastor Wells and Saundra for the spiritual and emotional support they provided today. Aunt Tonya and Maw-Maw have also provided vital support for my mom. Roger and Kelli ran several errands for us (and continue to do so) so that we would have what we need. The Ruckels have our girls which gives us great peace of mind. Many people have brought food and gifts to the hospital. More than a hundred people came to visit us and pray with us in the ER. Dozens of people have offered to help clean our houses, watch the girls, provide resources, and more. There are so many people that I cannot possibly mention everyone. We are so grateful for all of you and for the demonstration of Christ’s love you have displayed. Thank you.

Know that if any public needs arise, we will make you aware through this blog.

In this situation I am challenged to think like my father (who happens to think like our heavenly Father). What would he say if he could speak right now? Knowing my dad, this is what I know he would communicate:

“If you do not know Jesus Christ, you need to meet Him. I met Him many years ago and He changed my life forever. My eternal future is secure because He died for me, paid my sin debt, and brought me out of spiritual death into life. The Holy Spirit has completely changed my life… He is the reason I am who I am today. He holds me together. You need to believe in Jesus, accept Him as your Savior, be baptized, and become His follower.

If you are already a follower of Jesus, then know this: Life is short. Take advantage of every moment you have now. Make an I.M.P.A.C.T. (I Must Personally Advance Christ Today). Go build a relationship with someone who is lost and lead them to Jesus. There is nothing more important in this life than fulfilling this calling. This is the mission Jesus Christ has put before us. Now go, and fulfill the great commission…”


We are looking forward to bringing more updates of God’s goodness. Right now, we want to encourage all of you to go to church tomorrow and pray for our family with your church family. If you don’t have a church home, please feel free to visit Western Hills Church tomorrow at 10am. We are having a special series of meetings at our church. I know satan would love to use these circumstances and others to stop what God is doing to bring revival in people’s hearts. Don’t let satan clam even one victory… Dad would never want his condition to hinder God’s plans. Please take advantage of this time to find Jesus. He loves you and He is waiting for you to come to Him. Don’t delay, trust me… life happens fast.

Update on Dad and Justin

We have been in close contact with Doc. Dellinger. Here is the report
right now:

Justin is doing well, all things considered. He is beaten up pretty
bad and in some pain, but doesn't have any life threatening injuries.
The greatest prayer request for him is that his injuries wouldn't
require surgery.

My dad is still unconcious. They just completed surgery to remove his
spleen and repair minor damage to his liver. The surgery went well and
all the internal bleeding has stopped. They have been watching his
brain swelling and bleeding closely. They took a second look at the
results from the CAT scan and found that the swelling and bleeding was
lower than they originally thought. He has some blood in his urinary
tract, but they are hopefully that they can flush it out without any
damage to his blatter. He has some serious injuries in his pelvic area
that will require surgery and physical theropy down the road. However,
there are no life threatening circumstances right now.

They are moving dad to a recovery room then to a specialized ICU area.
He is still on a respirator, and will remain so until he wakes up. The
doctors say that he should wake up within the next 24-72 hours. At
that time, we will know more about the extent of the injuries.

Please pray that the swelling and bleeding will stay down, and that
the long term effects will be minimal.

At this point, no report is a good report. We will keep you posted if
we hear anything. The family will be at the hospital throughout the
night. Please keep us in your prayers.

Sent from my iPhone

Thanks,
-Brandon

Pray for My Dad and Brother

My dad and brother (Justin) were in a bad wreck. My brother Justin is
stable and my dad is in critical condition. Please pray hard.

This is really unreal for our family right now. Please pray for my
mom. She is having a hard time.

I will update this blog everytime we have information we can share.
Thanks for your prayers.

Sent from my iPhone

Thanks,
-Brandon

Who Says 3 Year Olds Can't Get Involved in Missions?

Hope you are getting in on The Mission 2010! Who will you win in 2010? Get creative and go and make disciples! (Matthew 28)