11/27 - We are Thankful

Courtney had a quiet evening last night despite a very high respiratory rate. Respiratory therapist Paul came to the rescue this morning by adjusting her ventilator settings. This is allowing her to breath easier.

Courtney's blood pressure was high throughout yesterday and last evening which is a sign that her brain is waking up.

Her white count remains high this morning as she is still fighting the pneumonia. Hopefully today will be the day the antibiotics start working on eliminating this infection and her lung will heal.

Thanksgiving:
We are thankful for fire, rescue and police who responded to the scene of Courtney's accident and worked swiftly to remove her from the wreckage and get her to the hospital.

We are thankful for the staff at South County Hospital who got Courtney breathing again and quickly transferred her to RIH.

We are thankful for the nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists at RIH who have from the very minute she arrived, worked to save Courtney. They have cared for her with such skill and compassion it overwhelms our hearts.

We are thankful for the cleaning staff who daily stand for a brief moment to pray over Courtney and whose eyes filled with tears the first day she opened her eyes as they said "we love you Courtney."

We are thankful for friends and family who have, day after day, sat with us, consoled us through heart wrenching moments of indescribable pain and fear.

We are thankful to other friends, former teachers and supporters who have reached out to us and are praying for Courtney. Their support has lifted us and carried us through these trying days.

Most of all we are thankful that God has answered our prayers thus far. He spared Courtney's life that Saturday night and has saved her so many times over the past 12 days. God has opened the eyes of the staff here to see things they would not otherwise have seen. He has stirred their hearts and given them the fervant desire to work together to save our Courtney.

Lastly, we are thankful to Courtney, our fighter, who has endured such pain and suffering. We know that she hears us and feels your love and prayers. We pray that God will give her strength of mind, body and soul to recover fully. We pray that God will touch her heart so that she may always know the power of His love and all the love you have poured out to her.