An account of Brett’s time in the hospital following his accident and head injury on September 26, 1978 by his mother, Marilyn.  This is taken directly from handwritten notes made at the time, with a few clarifying changes.

October 11, 1978

I am going to try to put down feelings and events for the time since Brett had his accident and then to keep it current from then on.

On Monday, September 25, 1978, about 7:30 p.m., Brett was riding a bike down the new overpass by our home due to be opened the next day.  He had borrowed a bike because his wasn’t working right.  The brakes of the borrowed bike weren’t working and he couldn’t stop.  He went to the right and went over an embankment and hit his head on the corner of a cement wall on the back of the Phillip’s 66 gas station.  He landed on his back on top of the bicycle and vomited into his lungs.  One of the people working at the station performed CPR on Brett until the police arrived.

The police were called and when they got there, they called an ambulance and sent some of the kids Brett was playing with to get me.  As soon as I heard, I jumped in the car and hurried to the station. 

I saw an ambulance pulling away and asked if they were taking a little boy away in the ambulance.  Someone said yes, so I jumped back into the car and followed the ambulance to the hospital. 

I saw Brett being taken to the emergency room (blood was trickling from his ears).  I asked them to call Dr. Obray. 

I was then taken to the waiting room and called Jeff.  He was working a second job at Stoor’s Grocery.  Jeff was able to get to the hospital within 10-15 minutes.  I also called Brenda Jacobsen and asked her to go get Anne and Ryan from our house.  (I had left them in their bedroom when I went to find Brett.)

After about 10 more minutes, Dr. Obray came out and said they were going to rush Brett by ambulance to the hospital in Pocatello because he was very critical and they couldn’t help him in Soda Springs.  He apologized for being blunt, but he told us the chances didn’t look good for Brett to make it that far and he had to get back to him in the Emergency Room.

Jeff and I were totally bereft.  We couldn’t function for a minute or two.  Then I called Bishop Conlin’s house.  (The Ward had just been divided the Sunday before but I couldn’t remember our new Bishop’s name.)  Bishop Conlin was at Mutual, but Sister Conlin said she would get a hold of him to have someone meet us in Pocatello to administer to Brett since there wasn’t time in Soda Springs.  He called Bishop Winward, an acquaintance he had through business (CPA) in Pocatello.

Jeff and I hurried from the hospital to get gas and make a few telephone calls.  Kent Powell (owner of Stoor’s Grocery) insisted on driving us since we were so upset.  His wife, Raelene stayed to watch the store.  (He had to get gas also.)  He had a CB in his car and contacted the police; they gave us an escort up to the back of the ambulance.  We followed behind it the rest of the way to Pocatello.  It seemed to take forever.

We got to the hospital in Pocatello at 9:40 p.m., and Brett wasn’t doing very well.  Dr. Obray did say that he was considerably improved, but still very critical.  The emergency room staff worked on Brett for a while and then let Bishop Winward and his counselor in to administer to him. 

Jeff and I got to go in with them, but only as far as the door.  We couldn’t hear because we were too far away.  Afterward, the Bishop told me that he had a very strong feeling about Brett… the fact that he would get totally well and be as he was before.  He said normally you don’t promise people things like that, but he did to Brett.  He also said it was one of three times in his life when he felt so strong about something like that.  I felt considerably better after that, but was still very nervous.  (The Bishop gave Brett another blessing the next day, because he had to go through such a long surgery, and he said he felt just as strongly about promising Brett he would get well.)

Jane Michaelson, Mary Jo Aland, (Jeff’s aunts) and Rose Humpherys (Jeff’s grandmother) came in about 20 minutes after we had gotten there.  Kirby Martineau (our neighbor) and our new Bishop, Bishop Eliason, came about an hour later.  Bob (Jeff’s brother) called several times to see how Brett was doing.  He let Jeff’s mother, Elizabeth, know the progress. 

At about 12:30 a.m., Dr. Lansche took Brett into surgery.  There had been a delay while they tried to stabilize Brett.  At 3:30 a.m., a nurse came out and said we could go to the waiting room by ICU because they would be bringing Brett up.  They brought Brett by about 3:50 a.m. and we saw him for a few minutes. 

The doctor originally said from the x-rays that it looked like Brett’s skull was depressed in one area above his right ear.  When they actually got in, they found that the bone had shattered; it had slivered off some pieces of the brain and had damaged a major vessel.  They cleaned it up and repaired the vessel.  There is a section of skull missing.  (I later found out they wanted to see if the skull would mend itself by growing back together).

Jane, Mary Jo, and Grandma Humpherys left to go back to Soda Springs at this time.  Jeff and I spent the rest of the night waiting and dozing in the ICU waiting room. 

Wednesday, September 27th:

Dr. Lansche (neurosurgeon) checked Brett in the morning.  Also Dr. Egan (internist) checked him.  They were both impressed with his improvement.  The doctor stressed the fact that Brett’s lungs were dirty was a real danger.  They were damaged when Brett vomited into them.  The stomach acids burned them quite badly.  He also told us that Dr. Obray had done two things to keep Brett alive long enough to even make it to Pocatello… he had administered a drug to slow the swelling in his brain and on the ride up in the ambulance, Brett quit breathing and Dr. Obray had put in a tube (through his nose).

While Brett was in Intensive Care, we could go in for 10 minutes each hour.  Most of the rest of the time, we stayed in the waiting room by ICU.  Kirby and Judy Martineau came and took us to lunch that day.  We were gone about 45 minutes.  When we got back, we found out that Brett’s blood pressure had gone up and his pulse rate had gone down; this sometimes indicates internal bleeding (in his case in the brain). 

They had to wait until we returned to sign a form for them to be able to do a test.  They rushed him down for another CAT scan (he had one in the emergency room).  This would indicate whether there was bleeding or a clot in the brain.  The test came back alright, however, and they really weren’t sure what caused the change in blood pressure and pulse rate.  That really scared Jeff and I.  We were afraid to leave the hospital for quite a while after that.

That night, when Dr. Lansche checked Brett, he said Brett’s brain was still swelling.  He increased the medication to slow the swelling down. 

After that, the days kind of blurred together at the hospital.  Family and friends called to check on Brett’s condition. 

The people in Soda Springs and Pocatello were all so kind and thoughtful.  By the first weekend, people from all over town (Soda Springs) went to our house and painted it for us (we had just started the project before Brett’s accident).  They also split the pile of wood that Jeff had gathered, and loaded most of it into the garage for us.  Some of the people were also trying to arrange for a small camp trailer to be brought up to the hospital for us to use.

My work (Becker Industries) called and said that I could take as long as I needed, but that whenever I was ready to come back, my job would be waiting.  They even paid me for a full month, even though I had only worked there a short time.  Jeff’s work (Mountain Bell) paid him for the first week.  Then he had to go back to work, so I stayed at the hospital without him.

People in Pocatello, whom we didn’t know prior to this, offered to let us come over to sleep or shower or eat… anything we needed.

Jeff’s mother flew into Salt Lake City, Utah about noon.  Jane, Mary Jo, and Grandma Humpherys went to pick her up.  My mother, Lola Rowley, and my sister, Lola Anne Barlow came up the same day at 1:00 a.m.  They stayed about an hour, went in to see Brett for a few minutes, and then went to our home in Soda Springs.  (They had Lola Anne’s youngest son, Scott, with them.)  They helped us a lot… they took care of Anne and Ryan and cleaned my house.  Marjorie also came up, but I am not sure if she arrived with Mother and Lola Anne or if she came later.

The respirator was taken off Brett on Friday or Saturday.  He had oxygen through a mask now.

On Sunday, October 1st, Lola Anne went home to be with her children. 

Brett kept improving a little each day.  Monday night (Oct. 2) he got to start on glucose through his stomach tube.  Tuesday, he started on some food through the tube. 

Tuesday (Oct. 3) at 11:30 a.m., Brett was moved from the main ICU to ICU in Pediatrics.  He no longer needed to be on the heart monitor.  Tuesday or Wednesday, they started his medication through his stomach tube.  Then they removed his IV and his catheter.  He still had the oxygen mask, but looked so much better with all the other things gone.  The nurses warned us that quite often head injury patients would have periods of time when they had uncontrollable tempers and lashed out at whoever was close.  They also said they could have a severe personality change.

Brett has been slowly progressing every day.  He has been responding with his hands a little bit more each day.  On Friday (Oct. 6), before I left to go home overnight (for the first time since his accident), Brett opened his eyes about half way.  When we got back to the hospital on Saturday, he was opening them better, but not really focusing very well and was unable to move his eyeballs. 

Saturday, October 7th:

My Relief Society President arranged with Kathy and Mike Low to bring their camp trailer up to the hospital for us to use.  She also contacted the hospital and arranged for us to park the trailer on their property and hook up to water and electricity.  It made it so nice to have a bed to sleep in.  Up to that time, I had only slept on a couch or in a chair.  Jeff stayed with me in the trailer on Saturday so he could be with Brett on Sunday. 

Monday, October 9th:

My birthday… better by far than it might have been.  Brett has been doing better… a little every day.  My mother and sister, Marjorie, came up to Pocatello and took me to lunch.  Marjorie brought Brett a book, The Little Prince.  That evening, Jane, Conrad, and Jill Michaelson stopped by.  Some friends from Soda Springs, Lloyd and Linda Rasmussen, came by.  Jeff came back in the evening also.  Deon and Ineda (Jeff’s uncle and aunt) came to visit with their children.  Judy and Kirby Martineau came and took Jeff and me to dinner for Chinese food.  Judy also made me a cake.  Raelene Powell sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Tuesday, October 10th:

Even though Brett is still improving daily, nothing much new has been happening.  I help to bathe him and change his bed.  I also read to him a lot.  Tonight Brenda and Kevin Jacobsen (friends) came to visit.  They brought their sons, Trevor and Tyler.  They wanted to take me out to dinner for my birthday, so we went and had pizza.

Marjorie and Mother left to go to Lola Anne’s today.  They took Anne and Ryan with them.  They stopped by Pocatello to see Brett and say “Good-bye” to him and squeeze his hand.  Mother and Marjorie took Anne and Ryan on to California.  Mother took care of them at her home for the rest of the time Brett was in the hospital.  It was such a big help to me, knowing that my other sweet children were being cared for during this trying time. 

I felt it was so important for me to stay with Brett.  Along with helping with his physical needs, I read to him, turned the television on to programs he liked to watch, we brought some of his records up and I played them to him.  They say you don’t know how much gets through to someone while they are unconscious, so I tried to do as much as I could to have him hear familiar things.

Wednesday, October 11th:

Brett is becoming more conscious every day.  He doesn’t like me to go anywhere.  He is communicating more every day (hand squeezes, mostly).  I go out to the trailer about 10:00 or 11:00 at night and come back in at about 7:00 in the morning.  I stay with Brett all day, except for meals.  I use the showers in the hospital, or occasionally go to Bishop Winward’s home to shower.

Thursday, October 12th:

Dr. Schosberger said the swelling in Brett’s head has gone down considerably.  He seems to think Brett is a little more responsive today. 

I left Pocatello about 3:30 p.m. to go home to do some wash and get some more clothes.  I saw Lloyd and Linda Rasmussen later that day.  They said they stopped by and the nurses were starting to feed him a little by mouth.

Friday, October 13th:

I got back to the hospital about 12:30 p.m.  Brett had a tray of food in his room, so I tried feeding him.  He ate some cream of chicken soup and drank some milk and juice.  I had to help him open his mouth.  He is still being fed by the tube, too. 

When the physical therapist (PT) came in, she helped him with his left side.  She talked with him this morning about leaving his head (where he had a stocking cap over his stitches) and feeding tube alone.  If he would, he could have the strap off his hand.  (Brett’s hand had been strapped to the bed rail because he would pull at the cap.)  Normally he would grab at his cap immediately when they would remove the strap from his hand.  He seemed to understand her, and is doing well with it.  If he forgets and starts to move his hand toward his head, we just remind him not to and he puts it down.  Maybe his hand can be left untied now. 

He can say “uh huh” and “uh uh” and is trying to say yes and no.  He signals “yes” with one finger and “no” with two fingers.  When Jeff came in, I tried to get Brett to say “Hi.”  Instead he waved at him. 

One of the student nurses was feeding him some chocolate milk.  We were talking about Brett sneaking to make chocolate milk at home.  First (with his fingers) Brett said “No,” then “Yes.”  We all laughed and he smiled.  Brett smiled two more times after that.  He watched the Donny and Marie show and said he could see it.  These small steps were very exciting after he had been unconscious so long.

Saturday, October 14th:

Brett started saying “Yes” and “No” during the first part of the day.  Later in the day, he started saying a few more words.  Before lunch, the nurses took his stomach tube out now and he gets to eat totally with his mouth.  For dinner, he had some vegetable soup and he said vegetable… separating each syllable… veg-et-a-ble.

Sunday, October 15th:

This morning when I came into his room, Brett said “Hi Mom” to me.  That was great.  All the nurses are so excited.  He is really talking a lot today.  Sometimes it is hard to understand some of his words, but he is trying and doing quite well.

Brett developed a rash on his left leg and some on his arms.  His right arm and elbow are really itchy.  In the evening, the therapist and nurses sat him on the edge of the bed.  Brett doesn’t like it, but he needs to start doing it. 

Jeff went home this afternoon.  Brett watched Hardy Boys and Battlestar Galactica, two of his favorite television shows.

Monday, October 16th:

This morning at breakfast, Brett used a straw for the first time since his accident.  He did very well with it.  He can drink as fast and as much as he wants now.  He drank a carton of chocolate milk quite fast. 

Dr. Lansche came back this morning.  I think he was pleased with Brett’s improvement.

Dr. Fishel, a pediatrician, came in to check about the rash which was a little worse.  He thinks it might be a reaction to some of Brett’s medication. 

The PT came in and worked with Brett and sat him up twice.  His neck isn’t very strong yet, but he is doing better.

Brett loves chocolate pudding and asks for it all the time.

Gloria and Micki came to see us.  Brett told them “Hi.”  They took me out to dinner—Brett didn’t want me to go.

Tuesday, October 17th:

Brett is doing better, although his rash is worse.  They are giving him something to help stop the itching.  The PT sat and stood Brett up this morning.  He did quite well.  His neck is starting to get a little stronger.  He is also getting a little more control over his mouth and tongue.  Brett is feeling better—he likes to watch television all the time.

Wednesday, October 18th:

The PT (Sue) stood Brett up again this morning.  They have been working with his speech and memory while he has been sitting and standing.  Brett has really been doing better with moving his left leg.  (He is partially paralyzed on his left side.)  He can pull it up by himself (lying down, his knee in an inverted “V” position).  His left hand is starting to squeeze harder, too. 

While I was picking up the car (I had taken it to be worked on), the nurse got Brett up and took him for a ride in a wheelchair.  They even went down to the third floor.  He ate some of his dinner by himself. 

Brett also talked to his dad on the telephone while I was gone.

Thursday, October 19th:

This morning Brett ate his cooked cereal and egg by himself.  He also sat up in the wheelchair for about 25 minutes.  Then Kathy and Sue (therapists) came in and worked with him for a while. 

Kathy had him try to draw lines from one object to another.  He did pretty well.  She has also been doing tongue exercises with him.  He has trouble raising his tongue. 

Sue had him stand for a while.  She was also pleased with how strong his left leg is getting.  His left arm is starting to respond a little bit more. 

Brett helped feed himself some of his lunch and dinner.  Since he has been eating real food, he has had problems with heartburn.  They give him Mylanta when he asks.  He will take his Jawa (Star Wars figure—toy) and “jump” it up and down on his chest.  He says it helps.

Friday, October 20th:

Sue and Kathy (PT) were both off work today.  Mike and Valerie have been working with Brett.  His rash is cleared up now.  His neck isn’t nearly as sore either.  If you hold his left arm above his head and bend the elbow, he can straighten his arm.

Brett is really kidding everyone a lot.  Mike (PT) was talking to Brett about his dog, Barney.  Brett wanted to see it.  After Mike was finished working with Brett, he went and got a picture of the puppy out of his truck and gave it to Brett.  That really pleased Brett.

Jeff came tonight and Brett was excited to see him.

 

Saturday, October 21st:

We promised Brett another Jawa when he can move his wrist around and another one when he can move his fingers all around on his left hand.  When Mike comes in to work with Brett, Brett asks him to exercise his wrist for him.  Brett has also taken a few steps (with support).  Brett likes to get in the wheelchair and go for rides. 

Tonight he showed us how he has been trying to learn to sit up.  He does pretty well.  He is talking all the time now.

Sunday, October 22nd:

This morning Brett showed Dr. Lansche how he likes to sit up.  Dr. Lansche thought that was very good.  Brett had two bowls of Cream of Wheat, an egg, chocolate milk, and grape juice—pretty good appetite.

When Alan (PT) came up, he walked Brett out to the nurse’s station and back.  Later in the afternoon, Brett walked all the way up and down the hallway (with support and balancing, of course). 

Jeff left to go home about 10 minutes before Jane and Conrad Michaelson and children came to visit.  They visited for about a half hour. 

Brett has named his Jawa “George.”

Monday, October 23rd:

Brett was moved from room 401 to room 408 (in pediatrics) today.  He is improved enough to be out of pediatric intensive care.

Today, for physical therapy, Brett went downstairs to Rehab.  He has still been walking up and down the hallway.  Brett showed Sue (PT) how well he could sit up by himself.  She was impressed (she had a three-day weekend so there are a lot of improvements since she left). 

The doctor decided to change Brett’s Phenobarbital to 45mg. at noon and midnight.  They started it at noon and Brett was so zonked out he slept all afternoon and evening.  They couldn’t do much in therapy because he was so tired, so the doctors decided to make it 30 mg at noon and 60 mg at night.

Tuesday, October 24th:

This morning, after breakfast, Brett got to walk down the hall to the room with a bathtub and have a real bath, rather than sponge baths.  He said it felt really good to him.  Then, he went down to Rehab with Sue for physical therapy. 

Brett has been working with puzzles with Kathy (PT).  He has eye problems and attention-span problems. 

Brett also got to go into the bathroom for the first time today instead of using the bedpan.  What a great improvement.

Brett got a new Jawa that he named Susan, for moving his hand better.

Wednesday, October 25th:

Brett is improving every day.  It sometimes seems slow, but in reality for the severity of his injuries, it is actually quite rapid.  His balance is getting better.  He can hold his own weight but still can’t totally balance himself. 

Tonight Judy, Kirby, and kids (Martineau) came to see Brett.  They visited about a half hour.  While they were visiting, the First Ward Mutual came up in costumes and sang Pumpkin Carols.

Thursday, October 26th:

Brett tried to take a few steps by himself today and almost fell flat on his face.  Sue (PT) said she just managed to catch him.  Kathy (PT) said the left side of his face is responding better today.

Brett is getting a roommate today named Wayne.  I am going home tonight to do some laundry.

Friday, October 27th:

I got back to the hospital about 2:30 this afternoon.  It was nice that Brett had a roommate to keep him company.  Wayne had his tonsils out.  He went home later in the day (about 5:00 p.m.).

Brett’s left arm is better than when I left.  He can lift it up off the bed.  When he is sitting up, he can get it up to a “square” position (level with his shoulder and then raised up at the elbow).  His hand is opening better, too. 

Brett was very glad when his Dad got here tonight.

Saturday, October 28th:

Brett is still improving.  His arm moved better today.  In therapy, Brett has to pick up M&M’s with his left thumb and forefinger and put them in his mouth.  He did pretty well.  Also, for the first time, Sue wanted him to walk down to therapy.  He walked downstairs to the ground floor, went outside and around the building partway and then up to the second floor for the rest of his therapy.  After that, he walked the rest of the way up to the fourth floor.

Gloria, Eldon, Mickie, and Randy came tonight and took Jeff and me out to dinner at Jakes.  It was very nice.

Sunday, October 29th:

Brett watched television, ate breakfast, had a bath, and went to therapy this morning. 

Brenda, Kevin and kids (Jacobsen) and Chet, Robin and David came and brought Halloween goodies. 

In the afternoon, Brett ate lunch, had a nap, and went for therapy again.  Then he watched more television.  I read a story to him.

In the evening, Brett ate dinner, I read him more stories, he went for a couple of walks, and he watched more television.  Uncle Arlen, Aunt Colleen, Boyd, and Ryan came for a visit and brought Brett a mix and match storybook.  After they left, Brett watched some more television and went to sleep.

Monday, October 30th:

Sue (PT) was surprised how well Brett can walk by himself (after she had been gone for the weekend).  She tried to have him run a little.  His left arm is doing better and getting stronger.  I was gone for a while and he got himself up, got a drink, went to the bathroom, and took himself for a ride in his wheelchair down the hall.  He met some nice ladies.  One of them came in later with her husband and they visited for a while.

Brett did some dot-to-dot puzzles in a book Raelene Powell sent to him.  He also read some in his mix and match storybook.  “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “Puff the Magic Dragon” were on television and he watched both shows.

Tuesday, October 31st:

It’s Halloween.  People have been very nice by coming to the hospital dressed up and giving the children candy.  Kathy (Speech Therapist) gave him a tube with candy corn and with a skull head on top.

The Great Pumpkin gave him a Jack-O-Lantern.  In the evening, Brett dressed up like a Jawa and went backward trick or treating.  He gave out some Fruit Stripe gum. 

Sister Winward came by with her children and brought Brett a treat.  Brett seemed to enjoy his Halloween night.

Wednesday, September 1st:

Brett woke up this morning and watched Mickey Mouse Club.  He took a walk to the nurse’s station, and then watched more television.  He ate breakfast and had a bath.  Dr. Lansche came by and talked to us.  Brett gets to go home on Friday!

Then, Brett went to therapy, watched television and walked around some more.  He ate lunch, had more therapy, and took more walks.  We finished The Boy Who Stole the Elephant.

Brett ate dinner and went downstairs for a few minutes and rode the bike in therapy.  He was pretty tired and went to sleep.

I didn’t make any more notes between Tuesday and Friday, when Brett got to go home.  I am not sure exactly which day it was, but an ophthalmologist came by to check Brett’s eyes.  If the right eye looked at you the left eye looked off to the side.

The first night we brought him home, (maybe because his lungs were still sensitive) he smelled smoke.  He kept complaining about it.  We soon discovered we had a fire in the wall behind our wood-burning stove.  (We later found the stovepipe in the wall had not been properly insulated.)  We took him to the Martineau’s house next door until the fire department had put the fire out and the smoke had cleared from the house.

Jeff left a short time later to go to California and pick up Anne and Ryan from my mother and dad.  It was so nice to have the family together again.

(SIDENOTES):

At some point during his hospital stay, Brett made up a silly sentence using his doctors’ names:  “A man from the Garden of Egan went to Lansche and had a Shossberger.”  He would to tell this to the doctors, nurses, and physical therapists and make them all laugh.

Brett knew the alphabet backwards from before his accident and impressed doctors, nurses, and therapists by reciting it that way for them.  He would do it very fast.

He changed the “George of the Jungle” song (from a cartoon) to George of the Jawas:

George, George, George of the Jawas, strong as he can be (then a Tarzan yell), swinging thorough the rocks on laser beams.  (Brett said there weren’t any trees or vines where Jawas come from.)

Brett also changed the words to “I’m a Little Nut of Brown”: 

I’m a little nut of brown, (instead of sitting on the coca ground) I rode a 10-speed down the overpass and crashed into a brick wall, that is why I’m cracked you see.

In January 1979, I took Brett back to see the ophthalmologist who saw him in the hospital.  He was amazed at the change in Brett’s eyes in so short a time.  He said if he hadn’t been the one to see him in the hospital and make the notes, he would have thought there was an error.  He said Brett’s vision was back to 20-20.

Brett was also released by the therapists in the Spring/Summer of 1979.  Other than being careful not to participate in something that might give him a direct blow to his head, they said he should be able to accomplish anything he wanted.  He had no adverse affects remaining from his accident.  They were all pleased and somewhat surprised at his recovery.

When Dr. Lansche checked Brett in April or May 1979, he thought he might have to go back in and do a bone graft in his head, as it didn’t seem like his skull had started to grow together.  (He would remove a part of a rib, split it, and then graft it to Brett’s skull.)  We arranged to admit him to the hospital when he got out of school. 

We admitted Brett as arranged.  When Dr. Lansche came in and checked him, he sent him home.  He said it appeared in that amount of time Brett’s skull had started to grow.  When the Doctor checked him at a later time, he gave Brett a clean bill of health and released him, without the need to do the bone graft or put a plate in his head.