A Massive Stroke

So I looked it up. An internet search defines a massive stroke as: A massive stroke, also known as a severe stroke, is a critical medical event where a significant portion of the brain is damaged due to a blocked or ruptured blood vessel, leading to severe disability or even death. It is characterized by extensive brain damage, intense symptoms, and a poor prognosis. 

So this is where we are. A massive stroke. When I see him, it's jarring BUT they say he's young and should be able to recover albeit recovery will be a long, hard road. But Kevin was a tough and determined soul, so I was sad but not unfaithful that he would pull through. They had him strapped down with these cloth "mittens" on. They said "he's a big guy and we want to protect ourselves just in case he wakes up angry. This was funny, because they were right. I was confident he would wake up swinging on these strangers. LOL.

On the second night after the stroke (Saturday, April 12), I was in his room chatting with a friend of his that had stopped by for a visit. A nurse had stopped in for a routine check, but after checking his eyes, she quickly called for another nurse. All of a sudden, there was a flurry of activity. Next, they turn to me and say his eyes are dilated.

I couldn't look it up then, but I just googled and it says:

Dilated pupils after a stroke can indicate a serious condition, potentially signifying brainstem dysfunction or compression of the oculomotor nerve due to increased intracranial pressure.

When is it a serious concern?

• Bilateral, fixed, and dilated pupils:

  This is often a grave sign, especially in adults, and may indicate severe brain damage. 

• In conjunction with other symptoms:

  If dilated pupils are accompanied by other symptoms like loss of consciousness, weakness, or difficulty breathing, it is a cause for immediate medical attention. 

They tell me they need to operate...IMMEDIATELY, or he will die. Die? This is the first time I experienced SCREAMS IN SILENCE. I'm in his hospital room, in ICU. I can't scream, but I'm screaming. I'm scared. No time, I have to give consent again BUT the birthday on his hospital bracelet doesn't match what he told them. Well, he could barely form sentences when they got to him, I'm not surprised he gave them a wrong date. But this is a BIG deal. I have to email a copy of his driver's license, but the email isn't going through. The need it to begin the surgery. I run through the hospital to the surgical center to show the desk his license, but they want the email for the file. Now I want to scream out loud. Will you really not save him because you don't have an email of his driver's license??? I get loud, they take him into surgery.

They removed some of his skull to give his brain some space to expand. His pupils were dilated because of the brain swelling. The brain was continuing to swell with no place to go. The doctor told me that as soon as he removed his skull piece, the pressure was released and his brained filled the space. The good news: they saved the skull piece and put it in a freezer. When the swelling subsides they can put the bone back and it will fuse back to the rest of his skull. Easy Peasy they said.

Ok.