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rwedgee
Ice climber
CA
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[photoid=425738]updatefrom David's mom:
update on David
His Trauma and Neuro team have determined through an MRI that David suffered a potentially devastating brain injury affecting his entire brain in the accident - and not just a local bleed in his frontal lobe.
They have removed the bolt which measured the ICP and are currently tapering him off the sedatives so that they will be able to do an assessment of the extent of brain damage - which they intend to do next week (it takes time to get the high doses of Versed and Fentanyl out of your system).
------------------------------------------------------------ Diffuse axonal injury isn’t the result of a blow to the head. Instead, it results from the brain moving back and forth in the skull as a result of acceleration or deceleration. Automobile accidents, sports-related accidents, violence, and falls, are common causes of diffuse axonal injury.
When acceleration or deceleration causes the brain to move within the skull, axons, the parts of the nerve cells that allow neurons to send messages between them, are disrupted. As tissue slides over tissue, a shearing injury occurs. This causes the lesions that are responsible for unconsciousness, as well as the vegetative state that occurs after a severe head injury. A diffuse axonal injury also causes brain cells to die, which cause swelling in the brain.
DAI is a stretching injury to the neurons (the cell bodies of the brain) and axons (fibers that allow for communication from one neuron to another neuron). Everything our brains do for us depends on neurons communicating. When the brain is injured, axons can be pulled, stretched, and torn. If there is too much injury to the axon, the neuron will not survive. In a DAI, this happens to neurons all over the brain.
You cannot go back in and connect these neurons microscopically so what you hope is that the diffuse axonal injury, a disturbance to the microscopic structure of the brain, is a physiological disturbance. In other words, you have rattled it so the nerve cell is unconscious, and not cut, because the brain has very little capacity to re-grow its axon.
----------------------------------------------------------- We do not know if David is going to wake up, or what level of functioning he will have. We have been told that they are very concerned with the MRI, but patients with this type of injury can make a recovery. It is however also possible that he might not wake up - it all depends on the amount of damage which was done to his brain in the accident.
Please bear with us as we are anxiously awaiting the result of the assessment. Please also know that we are NOT giving up, we remain fiercely positive and are embracing him with all our love and strength, hoping and praying for the best. We refuse to allow the fear of what the outcome could be to overshadow our determination to help him pull through.
This is David - with the biggest heart, contagious in his positive attitude, loving life and freakishly strong, if anybody can pull this off it will be him
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rwedgee
Ice climber
CA
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Take as long as you need David....we need guys like you.
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susu
Trad climber
East Bay, CA
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Pulling for him. Sending him hope and prayers.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Love and Light surrounding him, praying for the best possible outcome. Love and support to his loved ones.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab or In What Time Zone Am I?
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So very heartbreaking.
Sending my love and prayers to him, his family and friends.
Susan
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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Very sorry to hear this. I was involved in Formula racing for some years so am aware of head injuries and consequences. This is a link to a blog by Gary Hartstein, a former F1 doctor and brain injury specialist:
https://formerf1doc.wordpress.com/
Gary is very informative about brain injury, recovery, and consequences. His blog really worth a look.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Awww kiddo. Fuuuuuuuuu.
Let his family be released of their pain, and let this boy's axons rebuild.
Salamander self-replenishment bump for the damaged brother.
Consider tossing some coin for this man's bills. At least so his fam can see that the tribe exists. And respects, cares.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, oh my... thanks for the update, and i WILL be sure to pray even more, now...
to his family, hang in there, as you have been... time will tell, of course,
but, be thankful, for each new day...
god bless...
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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At least so his fam can see that the tribe exists
Thank you BraveCowboy, that is a wonderful sentiment.
Bump to keep this on the first page for a little while longer, and in our thoughts.
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jlecorps
climber
Bishop, CA
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Our thoughts are with his family in this incredibly difficult time. Although I don't know David, I know he is one of us and it pains everybody who's ever touched a rock to see him in this state. lot's of love!!
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enjoimx
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Sending prayers and good vibes.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Positive thoughts bump
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karen roseme
Mountain climber
Bishop
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I'm so sorry things like this happen. I'm sending luck and good mojo his way!
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L
climber
California dreamin' on the farside of the world..
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Didn't want to click on this thread because there's just so much hurt in the world already...but now I'm glad I did.
Sending more healing vibes and heartfelt prayers for David's full recovery, regardless of what the MRI shows right now.
And thanks for posting the GoFundMe link. That's one of the best donation sites on the Internet.
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Fishcake
Trad climber
SANTA ANA
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FANTASTIC news this morning: David is awake and responsive!!!
Here's the latest from Dave's mother:
Our prayers and hopes have been answered: David will not spend the rest of his life in a vegetative state due to his brain injury. David gave his nurse a 'thumbs up', and then another 'thumbs up' with both thumbs. This means his brain is working for him to understand what she asked him to do, and then to actually do it. BEST NEWS EVER. We could not fathom losing him, and we were struggling to accept the dire prognosis he had been given. We literally could not be happier - and we know that you feel the same. The mood in the Trauma ICU is downright giddy, the nurses and respiratory therapists are all smiling at us. Everybody has been pulling for him. Thank you for all the love and support you sent to him and extended to us. He has a long road ahead of him - but whatever will come next will be a piece of cake - compared to the fear and sadness of the possibility of losing him.
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L
climber
California dreamin' on the farside of the world..
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This is such incredible news!
Go David!
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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That's so great to hear, best to David and his loved ones.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Wow!!
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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I opened up my email this morning and that update was there. Amazing news! A great way to start the day. Way to go David.
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