Friday, October 3, 2025
Most of the day, Brennen would not wake up or respond much to stimulation. He rested quietly, moving only a little. His pupils are still reactive to light, and he’s still moving his arms and legs, which gives us some reassurance.
Today taught me a very valuable and lifelong lesson. I’ve always heard about having a medical power of attorney — or even just a power of attorney in general — but I’ve never set one up for myself or my family. After experiencing this firsthand, it will be a top priority when we return home to have one in place for myself, my wife, and my boys. The hoops, hurdles, and overall difficulty of trying to talk to or deal with anyone on behalf of a loved one are almost unbearable. If I can pass along anything from this experience, it’s this: please make sure you have these documents in order for the sake of yourself and your loved ones.
This afternoon, Brennen had the remainder of his abdominal surgical incision closed. The incision runs more than 14 inches — from his pubic area to his sternum. It’s staggering to see just how much damage his body has endured. They came to get him for surgery late, around 3 p.m. It was one of the hardest moments I’ve faced so far — as he woke up, he moved his hands and legs, eyes wide open, and the pain in his expression was unimaginable. I have not seen him this awake until that moment, and as they wheeled him out, his mother and I felt completely helpless. We called out that we loved him and that we’d see him soon, trying to reassure him it would all be okay.
The surgery itself went smoothly with no major issues. Chest tubes are still in place. They also removed his cranial pressure monitor bolt and did another CT scan last night. Then finally his first brain MRI scan. He rested through the night afterward. This morning, we’ve been waiting since 7 a.m. for neurology to round and update us.
“Today, I find myself very much in my own head — thinking about all the unknowns still ahead. The pain of the last few days feels different, heavier somehow. I feel lost, unsure of what else I can do to help, and just trying to hold on.”
I am forever grateful for everything and everyone. The amount of support is beyond my wildest dreams. But I will be cutting back on updates and try to do them once a day. It’s a lot to keep up with everyone, keep family advised and keep myself and mom informed with the revolving door of doctors, scans, and things. Know that even if I don’t respond right away or at all even that it does not mean I don’t care. I do. We do. The whole situation just is beyond overwhelming in a sense I can not even begin to describe. Love you all.
~ Dad