Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations A special request Please UPDATED

Glad to hear the surgery went well. I will continue to pray for him.

Moms update at CaringBridge sounds like good news to me

I log in several times a day waiting for an update. Looks positive to me.

God's speed Matt. The PB family is thinking of you and your family.

Well They didnt do the MRI today, He is responding to voice and able to move things around but he hasn't waken yet, I dont think they are concerned I think it is typical of such a long procedure. The doctor was able to get 75% of the tumor, of course everyone was hoping for 100%. The tumor that was left was tied up into too many blood vessels and un reachable I guess, But the doctor seemed very positive so we will see. I haven't talked to them in a while so they may have more news, The parents and family are exhausted and relieved that their son is still with us. I really do appreciate the opportunity to share this with you guys it seems to take the edge off my concern's, I cant even imagine how Bob and Shari are dealing with all this.

Take care guys and I will update when I know something
Bob

All good news I hope.

Thanks for including us.

Matt's mother posted this today:

"Update: Matthew is on day 2 of recovery. The 1st 48 hours are critical. He is still not awake, but he does respond by blinking his left eye and today has actually opened it more. He can squeeze his right hand when we ask him to. He really responds to Emileigh! He's had several cat scans and chest x-rays. Lots of tubes everywhere. Difficult to see and wish there was something Bob and I can do to take some this away from him. We are continuing to believe that God has a specific plan and we trust HIM with all of our heart and pray 24 hours a day for a miraculous healthy recovery!
Matt hasn't had an MRI yet because he needs to wake up 1st. When he gets that done, we will know how much of the tumor was removed. We do know that he couldn't get some of the tumor that is so attached to the brain stem. Right now Matt is listening to Star Wars Books on CD that the Dinneny's sent him, THANK YOU!!! Everyone - Thank You for all the cards and letters coming from all over! They are so wonderful to get and comforting. We have the one's Matt has gotten so far on the window ledge.

Bob and I are taking turns spending the night with Matt. Arkansas Children's Hospital is a great hospital and so is UAMS. Little Rock is a very friendly place and the people are so polite!

Whatever you believe - whoever is your HIGHER POWER - please keep asking for a miracle for matt! Matt has endured so much for a a teenager.

Also, sorry we haven't called. Please know - we appreciate all of you! I will do my best to update Carringbridge. An idea - might be to send an email or leave a voice message and we will try to respond when we can.

We love you all! - Peace-Light & LOVE!!!

Also, I know Matt would want to know that our friend Karen Camp (Miles for Matt) finished her first triathalon yesterday at Smithville Hospital! WAY TO GO KAREN!!!!!!!!!!!"

HE HE. thank you Sunil you beat me to it. You guys are the best!

Update from Matt's mom Shari.

GREAT NEWS TO REPORT: Matt got his breathing tube out this afternoon at 3:00 pm - he is breathing on his own! Also, he lifted his right arm in front of Dr. Al-Mefty - he said "it was the fruit of his day"!

Can we get a woo-hoo - amen - halleluah - thank God? Thank you all for your prayers, positive thoughts, calls, cards, etc... WE FEEL THE LOVE and WE KNOW - MATT HAS MANY ANGELS ON EARTH AND FROM ABOVE WATCHING OVER HIM.

PaPa, Nonnie & Emileigh left this afternoon. Bob and I will keep taking turns spending the night with Matt. Only 1 parent in the room over night. Tonight is Bob's turn.

I will update more later. We can't use cell phones in the ICU. So, if you try to call our phones, leave a message and we will try to call you when we can.
peace-light & love, FOR MATT - The Hernan's

Great to hear Bob.

Thanks.

absotootly!
Praise be...

I think this is real good considering his right side was being effected by the tumor and now he is moving it. I hope they have a long term game plan. I guess its a wait and see?

Good progress with Matt today he is able to now move his right arm which before the surgery it was very limited and he laughed and smiled, the smiling part thrilled the DR since he was concerned about the nerves that he had to re attach I guess were part of his face so things seem to be getting better,I didn't know you could cut nerves and then reconnect them, Amazing! no talk of what to do next about the remaining tumor. Matt may have to go through speech therapy but we will see. When Mom up dates I will let you know, I know family members are breathing sighs of relief.
thanks guys

Great news, thanks!

Great to hear. Wonderful progress already. Prayers from here.

Great to hear Bob. Thanks again for the updates.

Good news. I'll keep up with the Prayers!

Update from MOM! Sounds like great news to me,



Let me just say THANK YOU for ALL of the prayers - the Hernan's do Believe in the Power of Prayer and we are at Peace that everything is in God's Hands! So, with that, sit back, relax and get ready for A LOT of good news: MAINLY - MATT IS TUBE FREE! I was going to list all of them - and realized I didn't know what they were called! The only tube he has in, is the one he came with - that is his G-tube. So, everything is being administered thru that. Right now, he is only getting Tylenol. Amazing!

Monday night he was given a different bed that helps with circulation in his legs, arms and chest. It also moves him in positions to sit up like he is actually in a chair. The Doctors want him to be up right most of the day tomorrow.

He is continuing to receive respiratory therapy every 4 hours, this is to prevent Matt from getting pneumonia. Yesterday he received Physical Therapy, today he received Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

He is 'awake' so to speak. He just can't talk yet. He does squeeze our hands when we ask him yes or no and multiple questions and Matt blinks as well. Before surgery, Nonnie came up with some signs for each one of us - and Matt has been doing those. Nonnie's is the 'I love you' sign, PaPa's is the 'thumbs up' sign, Emileigh's is the 'pinkie' sign, mine is the 'Peace sign' (of course) and that only leaves 1 finger left for Bob as his sign - I'll let you figure it out! I've never seen someone so happy to get that sign as Bob is when Matt gives it to him! Here is my happy news - he can say MOM! YAHOO! Tomorrow the Doctor's are going to change the dressing on his head and check everything. Either tomorrow afternoon or Friday - he will be getting out of ICU! WOW - right!? Do me a favor, take a moment to say 'THANK YOU' to your higher being - ours is GOD! And, I want to shout to the heavens, THANK YOU LORD - THANK YOU ANGELS - THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, the Power of Prayer is working here!!

The next thing we need to pray about is Matt's MRI. When we find out just how much of the tumor Dr. Al-Mefty did remove. We do know that there is part of the tumor that is still on the brain stem - it is too compacted on the brain stem to remove surgically. So, that is the next piece of news we will be waiting for. Matt did have a few issues they were concerned about, but have been taken care of, one being high blood pressure and the other pneumonia and aspiration. We are learning to take everything one day at a time. Matthew has quite a lot of work ahead of him! I just wish all of you could have seen him last week, each day before his procedures and before going into surgery. Matt was so strong and so brave and we are so very proud of him.

I just want to say - Arkansas Children's Hospital is WONDERFUL! The Nurses are INCREDIBLE! ALL OF THEM! The Doctor's are PHENOMINAL. Dr. Al-Mefty, Dr. Dunn and Dr. Barr - they are top in their field and it shows. Yet, they are kind and comforting. Matt is blessed to be where he is. Bob and I feel so at peace that we are here.


Peace - Light & Love - The Hernan Family from Little Rock, Arkansas.

Awesome news, Bob. Praise the Lord for Matt's great progress!

Great news, we're all pulling for him, and praying for continued improvement.

What is the prognosis about the next step?

Fantastic to hear. God provides in miraculous ways.

I havent heard yet, I am thinking that they still want to have a look at the amount of tumor reduction to see what the next step is.

Mom update

"Baby Steps" - Matt is out of ICU and now is in Intermediate Care'. He got out of ICU Thursday. Matthew has a long recovery in front of him. Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy. He has started all of it here and will continue in KC at an in-house re-hab at Children's Mercy. Yesterday the PT team 'slid' Matt out of his bed into a special wheel chair to sit up for about an hour. In speech therapy Matt said the letters 'I' and 'A'. Last night it was my turn to stay the night at the hospital with him and he laughed in his sleep and had the most beautiful smile!

Thank you for the cards, messages and gift cards for Matt and our family. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers, as always, I would like to ask for continued prayers for Matt. Thank you for keeping your candles lit for him too!

Aunt Traci sent us a wonderful package of Willow Angels! Thank You!

We would like to ask for prayers for our friend Lily Preston. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilypreston

peace - light & love, the hernan family