Dear Phil,

Well, I'm still praying and I won't stop praying.

This sounds scarey to me, and you've been there, as far as the 
hospital stay goes, so I'm glad you can relate to his fear. I know 
what fear is like, I have it a lot. Vernon doesn't understand my 
fears and why I have them.

I'm praying for a complete healing  and for everything to turn out 
normal and for him to be healed right away.

I'm also praying for Gretchan, as I know this is hard on her as well.

Praying for you and Sandy.

Blessings,

Pat Ferguson

At 12:01 AM 5/23/2013, you wrote:
>I went with Gretchen, and Big Everett met us up there 
>tonight.  Little Everett was playing basketball with his nurse, a 
>female, in the gym when we got there.  We had a plan as a family we 
>talked over with the nurse and she was very helpful and 
>agreeable.  Sandy and I told Gretchen she had to stop sleeping all 
>night up there.  He is well enough, and old enough, to sleep on his 
>own but he is scared.  No, he won't admit it but as we talked it 
>through with him tonight, he began to cry.  Crying, I learned a long 
>time ago, is ok and even medical science has figured out crying is 
>good for a person when needed.  I told little Everett about my 
>experience being alone as an 11 year old and they didn't allow 
>family members to stay with kids back then. Little Ev was wearing 
>some glasses tonight, one side covered, to try and force his double 
>vision back to centered vision.  No, it isn't known yet how that 
>will turn out so it is something to continue to pray about.  Of 
>course, violent blows to the head resulting in brain damage can even 
>cause a retina to detach.  Normally double vision isn't conducive to 
>double vision as a side effect but it isn't all that uncommon 
>either.  I saw a frightened little boy there tonight.  The routines 
>they put him through today seemed largely classroom school work to 
>find out where he is as far as cognitive thought and puzzle solving 
>is concerned.  I reminded him, although this probably didn't help, 
>he was never alone even if his family wasn't right there with 
>him.  He has been wearing an I D ankle bracelet because they 
>consider him to be a flight risk.  He's been trying to call his 
>friends to come and pick him up.  He isn't violent but they said he 
>is highly demanding, swearing and cursing at times, to some of his 
>family and hospital staff when he gets tired or afraid; like staying 
>alone this first night.  He keeps saying he just wants to come home 
>and get well there.  He said tonight, "I don't know when I'll get to 
>come home."  I said, "Everett, I was in the hospital for 6 months 
>and I never knew what I was coming home and I was just 11.  He knows 
>he won't have to stay long but we keep telling him, he needs to know 
>he is safe when he does come home and we need to know our 
>responsibilities then, too, to help him remain safe.
>
>Phil.