Alex's Story

Well hi everyone, I'm Alex, Hunter's brother. You all know that Hunter was badly hurt and is in the hospital. Well this is how it happened...

Hunter, I, and some of our friends were at the Whipple chapel playing some basketball Thursday night. We were done around 4:30 and we were hanging out by the cars just goofing around, one by one we started to leave. Hunter, Sam, and I were the last to leave. I got into the passenger seat and Sam in the drivers, Hunter was already sitting on the trunk of Sam's car when we got in. Sam waited a minute for Hunter to get off and get inside the car, seeing that he was staying there we knew that he wanted to ride there to our house. I almost opened my door to tell him to get in but I didn't since I didn't want to fight with him and it was just down the street to our house. Sam’s backed out of the parking spot and moved forward. I watch him as he bounced on the car over the speed bumps. I also watch him as we turned left on to the small road that links the church parking lot, 1st North and 2nd North together. After that point I looked down at my cell phone at a text message. We took a right turn onto my home street (2nd North). We got as far as 20 feet from the turn when I felt Hunter moved off the car. Sam kept moving for another 20 feet till he slammed on his brakes. I looked at Sam as he jumped out the door and ran towards Hunter; I climbed out of the car to see Hunter on the road lying on his side facing away from us. Sam ran up to Hunter and yelled "He's Bleeding". I was still confused at what was going on as I watched Sam running to my house to get my parents. I ran to Hunter and asked if he was OK, he was unresponsive. He was breathing pretty hard so I knew he was still alive. I saw that he had a gash on the right side of he's head right behind he's ear, blood was coming out at an alarming rate. I tried to get him to lay on he's back so he stop sucking in his own blood but he is a big kid and I didn't want the blood to come out faster. The only thing I remember from scouts is to keep him calm so I talked to him till my parents came back with Sam. At this point there are two things I regret, being an eagle scout I should have known to 1. Call 911 since I was first one able to; and 2. I should have somehow tried to slow the bleeding. I know that it is not a big deal since the medics got there so fast but I'm ashamed of not thinking to control the bleeding. When my parents got there I kind of backed up to let them in. My mother told me to get her shoes so I ran home and got them and came right back. Very few minutes later the medics came and took over. After this I just stood around being helpless. Hunter now looked responsive and pretty bloody up. He was trying to sit up and it took around 4 people to keep him down. They took him to the hospital in Mesquite and my parents went home to change and leave to the hospital. Sam and I stayed behind to fill out police reports. When we got done with them about 30 minutes later we went to the hospital to join my family. After this it was all about waiting game…

I don't know much of the conditions of Hunter, but the timeline we are looking at is that he will be in heavy sleep for around a week. Anywhere from a few weeks to a few months he will be able to come home. I was told he will have short term memory problems for about a year.

There is irony in a situation like this. I am very lonely, my family has been in Vegas since Friday, but many people have come to see me, and frankly I’m sick of it. I am sick of people asking if I’m okay, I’m just fine. I wasn’t the one hurt. But it hurts every time someone asks me if I’m okay. I want you to know that I am grateful for you caring and it has helped me to know that but at this moment I rather talk about something else.

As of how I’ve been dealing with all this is that I have been blocking it all out. I must be doing a good job of it because sometimes I forget what even happened, I forget that the rest of my family is staying in Vegas with him and not up there for the day, I forget that Hunter was lying on the road and I was crying, watching, being totally helpless. I moved the memory of that night so deep in my head that it cuts my heart when I remember it. I’ve never cried this much in my life. When I saw him today, in his hospital bed, my bones and joints were stabbed with pain. It is like someone cutting thin slices off your bones. The pain was very clear and sharp. I wanted to leave but my muscles were weak, I had no strength. All I could do was look at him and asked why him and not me. I feel like a terrible brother for not staying in Vegas, but I’m sure he understands my choice to stay away from him right now. I don’t want the memory of him in the hospital bed. He was a very active and happy young man and that is the memory I will keep of him till he is better.

I want everyone to know that I am grateful for everything. People have brought me dinner, bishop has given me a ride to see Hunter, and Caleb and Sam have been keeping great company. Thanks to my other friends and family for checking up on me. Thanks for all the prayers and fasting for Hunter

FAST FOR HUNTER

Fast for Hunter is tomorrow. If you know anyone that would like to join in on the fast please forward the information.

Grandma T, Dori & John

Grandma Thurston, John & Dori went to visit Hunter at 5 p.m today. They were able to sit with Hunter while the family went to dinner. I just talked to Dori and Hunter seems to be doing well. The pressure has gotten as low as 6 and was up to 15 while I was talking to her; but for the most part it has been low and that is very good. His heart rate was 90 and his temperature was at 98. Dori said all the numbers looked good.

Cat Scan moved to tomorrow morning....

The Cat Scan will be done tomorrow morning instead to see if the swelling on the brain has gone down. If it has gone down and there is enough room they may be able to put something in there to drain fluid off the brain as well, besides just monitoring pressure. They are carefully watching the next 24-48 hours because this is the most critical part. The fever is down to 99 and pressure is now around 16. They have started him on antibiotics incase of any infection and they are upping his medication from every 6 hours to every 4 to try and keep the pressure on the brain more stabilized then it has been. Family is taking a few things down to Kim and Duane right now that they need. Kim will have her laptop and will try to post anything when she can! They are very grateful for all the family and friends that have been able to visit them already! Thank you!!

Saturday 1/24/09 3:30 p.m.

Grandpa and Grandma Laub visiting Hunter. Talked to Duane he is extremely tired and can't sleep. He and Makayla are sitting with Hunter. He is so tired he can't find the words to even talk. He mentioned Bishop Peterson bringing the kids to the hospital was very nice. Alex and Sam are on their way back to Mesquite and Makayla is staying a while longer. Duane said they had a family prayer and a nurse came in to talk to the kids to explain what is going on. They moved the CT-scan up to tomorrow. Hunter has been doing well all day with the pressure being under 20. Alex texted me and told me that Hunter could be in the hospital for a few weeks to a few months. He probably will have short term memory problems for a year.

To clear a few things up....

There is no bleeding on the brain. At the time the injury first occured they had said something about bleeding on the brain, but it is just bad bruising and swelling. That's all it still is. The pressure on the brain spikes up when the medication wears off. So, they keep giving him more medication when that happens. They will continue to do this because they don't want it to spike back up and have a 2nd injury to the brain to occur. They are not sure how long they will have to continue to give him medication for this. Once his body can keep the pressure down on his own, that is when they can start to take him out of the drug induced coma. So, as for now it's all about the pressure on the brain and trying to keep that down. Once Hunters body can handle that and keep it down on his own, then we can move on from that. He will for sure have another Cat Scan on Monday. The pressure hasn't been going up anymore when nurses and others are talking around him. But, when Kim talks, he has a reaction. Maybe that is a good sign. A sign he can hear somebody familiar even though he is in a coma. Also, when the accident first happened, (although the situation is still very bad) how he was fighting back before he went completely out could also be a good sign! Keep Praying! Thanks guys!

More of your questions answered.....for now...

I know some of you are wondering what Hospital he is at. He is at Sunrise Children's Hospital in Las Vegas. I know a lot of you want to do something to help. But, please don't send anything to the room right now and please don't call the hospital. The best thing you can do as of now and for this whole experience is to PRAY!! Pray for Hunter and pray for the family! Thanks! We'll keep everybody updated the best we can! Thanks for all your thoughts already! Kim and Duane really appreciate it all!!

9 - 10 am Update

Spoke with Kim and she confirmed that the only injuries to be concerned with are the fracture to his skull and related head injuries (there are no injuries to Hunter's back or vertebrae, which is good news).

Last night was actually pretty rough. While they anticipated the coma to be induced in about an hour, it was nearly 4 am before the monitor showed the brainwaves as a flat line, indicating a comatose state. During the night, the pressure actually went over 50 on a few occasions, which the doctors were cleary trying to avoid.

Jessica and Kim were heading back to the hospital at the time of this update.

At 10 am, Alex and the bishop were on their way to the hospital as well.

A small update.....

I just got off the phone with Kim. Hunter is hooked up to about 8 different machines right now. And like a cooling system to try and keep his temperature down. The brain pressure is at 23 right now but it had shot up to 50 during the night! Their Bishop, Bishop Petersen and his wife are headed down there right now and taking Makayla, Alex & Sam down.

7:30 am Update (1-24-09)

Talked to Duane this morning. They have some friends that were able to help find them a timeshare in Vegas through Monday, for which they are very grateful. Duane left the hospital at 11 pm, then came back at 4 am to switch with Kim, Jessica and Jared.

Hunter seems to be doing well. His current pressure reading is at 14, and below 20 is the target. He has 24 separate probes measuring brainwave activity and nothing alarming is happening now.