Here is a brief update to catch you up to speed on what has happened with Buddy Ellis in the last couple of days.
SUNDAY (July 16)
After preaching twice at High Pointe Church on Sunday morning, Buddy sat down and put his head in his hands. He attempted to stand up and passed out. There were nurses in attendance that attended to him immediately. He was taken by ambulance to Good Samaritan Hospital and then by LifeFlight to Harborview Medical Center, the top neurology hospital in the NW.
Doctors have determined that Buddy collapsed due to a burst aneurysm that caused bleeding against his brain. The pressure caused Buddy’s brain to press against the skull, leading to unconsciousness.
The doctors are conducting a series of tests and procedures to aiding in the relieving of pressure and to prevent recurrences of the bleeding. The hospital is monitoring Buddy’s progress closely over the next couple of weeks.
SUNDAY EVENING (July 16)
Buddy's 1st surgery went well. The neurosurgeons at Harborview Medical Center* put a stint in Buddy's skull to drain the fluid and relieve the pressure. According to the surgeon, the surgery went well. The draining process will take all night, however. They have to go slowly so as not to start the bleeding again.
There is a possibility that Buddy may regain consciousness from this procedure, but it could also take several days. Because of where the blood has gathered (not the other fluid), they are unable to drain it. The blood will need to dissipate on its own over time.
If all goes well, Buddy is likely to be in ICU for a couple of weeks and the recovery will continue after that. His chances of survival are 50-50 at this point. His chances of returning to completely normal are 5-10%.
Trish and the family have expressed repeatedly how grateful they are for everyone's prayers and encouragement.
MONDAY (July 17)
Buddy's conditioned remained stable. This allowed doctors to wait until evening to do the angioplasty. This was a good sign because Buddy’s condition was not more critical, which would have required a morning procedure. Buddy's angioplasty went well. The doctors were able to insert a coil that is reducing the risk of additional internal bleeding. The surgeon was encouraged by the outcome. The process toward healing is still quite slow. However, if the results of this procedure remain positive, Buddy will not have to have a much more invasive procedure.
TUESDAY (July 18), 6 AM
Great news! This morning at around 6 am, a nurse was taking X-rays of Buddy. Buddy raised his arms as if to put his hands behind his head to recline. Seeing this, the nurse yelled, "Buddy," to see if he would respond. Buddy opened his eyes and looked at her. He was not just opening his eyes, but clearly looking in her direction. She told Buddy what had happened and where he was. She said, "If you understand me, squeeze my hand." He did. She said, if you REALLY understand me, "Let go of my hand." He did this as well. The hospital staff immediately woke the family (who have been staying at the hospital around the clock) and had them come in to see Buddy. They were able to get some similar responses for a little while before Buddy was too tired to respond.
TUESDAY (July 18), afternoon
By God’s grace, Buddy continues to defy the odds. Buddy's son, John, was in sitting with Buddy. Buddy started moving around and John stood up so Buddy could see him and said "Hi, dad." Buddy answered, "Hi."
Trish came into see him and Buddy said a couple more words to her...something like "Hi, Babe." Although the family is trying to remain cautiously optimistic, they are actually very excited at this point about how rapidly Buddy is progressing.
The feeding tube is still in, but they hope to remove it in the next 24 hours.
Thank you for your continued prayers. Don't stop.