Thanks to the doctors, David’s strength and all of the love and support from family and friends David is out of the ICU. One step backward and now he is on the way to recovery once again. He is able to sit at the table and eat, even walk short distances with his new crutches Jane picked up yesterday. All good news!
Reporter Olivar Leite was there to mark this big step forward in the organization of Brazilian Muay Thai this last weekend. Check out the photos on Leite’s blog: Fightecia
While in to scan his lungs and diagnose more accurately David’s condition at ProEcho, the doctor on hand supervising was able to clean out his lungs, making breathing a lot easier. The breathing tube is back as a precaution, in form of a tracheotomy but there is no blood clot in his lung and his brain is ok. Hopes are that he will be out of the ICU this week and return to his room with the view of Sugar Loaf.
Always working reporter/Journalist Olivar Leite added a highlight reel of Zen Mario Sperry to his blog: fightecia , check it out!
David, in an unexpected chain of events developed difficulty breathing Monday and was admitted back into ICU (now in the clinic). The doctors discovered fluid in his lungs, a low red blood cell count and a blood clot. None of the discoveries are pleasant to hear, however it is better to know about these obstacles in order to overcome them. He is stable, taking medication for his lungs (also has a tube inserted directly into his lung through the ribcage), medication for the blood clot all after another transfusion. With hope the medication will work and he will not need surgery to remove the blood clot.
Clinica Bambina
Seeing David at the Clinica Banbina Saturday was very uplifting. He is talking, slowly and really able to communicate…”Bring me pizza”, was an urgent request sent out to everyone visiting him. With his broken femur healing he is still in bed but moving and ‘awake’.
Visiting family, friends, or loved ones in intensive care uses a lot of energy, in both seeing them in that state and willing them back to health with all of one’s energy. Going in to visit David now that he has been released from the ICU is a relief. The strength that David’s mother, sister and fiancee have shown throughout this time, waiting for visiting hours, sleeping at the hospital, and giving their emotional support to him, making the difference in his recovery to this point…Very admirable.
Today via Jane’s (David’s mother) cell phone I spoke with David in the ICU. Telling him I would be there to visit on Saturday he slowly but consciously responded to my presence on the phone, then asked what day it was today. It was shocking and very relieving to hear his voice, with the ability to communicate. He ended the conversation with “Saturday, I’ll be there”.
If all goes well he will be in the private clinic Bambina this weekend.
Yesterday an email came in asking me if I would be competing again…Although my blog has been dedicated to my good friend David Mills this past month, yes I am still training and yes I will be competing soon. The next championship will be the Brazilian Nationals of Jiu-Jitsu this May, said to be the toughest there is. To date there has been only one American to take gold in his division. My focus is on this championship.
Training photos will be up soon.
Early Saturday morning David suffered a large seizure and was again admitted into the ICU under a watchful eye. Bethany and I where able to visit him Saturday, Lani and Jane Sunday. Saturday David was feeling the effects of the very powerful anti seizure medication and was minimally responsive, unable to completely open his eyes, calling out in a moan through the majority of the visit. I brought some reggae music for him to listen too and he seemed to enjoy it. Sunday he was sleeping peacefully. The next step is to put him directly into a private hospital upon his release from the ICU.