My Brother Caylub

Yesterday afternoon, my 12 year old brother Caylub, was crossing a busy street with a friend, and was struck by a car. When the car hit him it threw him into the other lane of traffic and he was hit a second time.

Throughout last evening, we weren't sure that he would live through the night. Among all his injuries, the most severe was a head injury that caused some swelling of his brain.

He was rushed by ambulance from Merkel, TX, to Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene. Abilene currently doesn't have a neurologist, so he was flown by helicopter to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, TX.

When he arrived there, they rushed him in to operate and relieve pressure from his brain. His forehead had a golf ball size injury that was crushed near his temple, they cleaned that well and placed a steel plate in. He had a small amount of spinal fluid leaking and they stitched that injury.

Among the other problems was a bad cut to his knee, cheek (almost to the bone), above his eye and the back of his head. He also had bad bruising to his chest and at first we were told a lung collapsed, which it did not.

They got him all bandaged and stitched, the surgery went well and at the current time we're waiting to know the extent of the damage.

This morning, early, he awoke and my sister and father were with him. He immediately recognized them both, knew who he was, how old he was, all the facts and figures. He didn't remember the accident, but did remember the helicopter ride which he thought was exciting.

Above all, he wants to go home! We are now waiting results of the latest CAT scan, and if they're good he'll be removed from ICU today. Last night he was on a respirator, but not life support. He is now off the respirator and functioning by himself.

The doctors are "cautiously optimistic" that he will be OK. They are saying that the first 72 hours are most crucial and swelling to occur again anytime. They have drilled a hole in his skull and have a monitor to keep constant check on the swelling, if any.

They are hopeful that there is little or no brain damage, as he is responding so well to all stimuli.

We are so thankful to our Lord for His great mercy toward us all, but especially toward Caylub. Caylub is a very sweet boy, as far as I've seen has never caused our parents any real trouble, and has a genuine love and meekness that I should more closely emulate.

Our family is grateful to those who have prayed, and we ask that you continue to pray especially over the next two days. Our Father who has delivered from so great a death, we trust is delivering and will yet deliver. We deserve not His grace, but yet our hearts yearn with thanksgiving for His mercy thus far.

Please pray for the man who hit Caylub also. My cousin works for the insurance agency where the man has his insurance, and immediately after the police released him, he went to the agency requesting a check be made right then so our family wouldn't have any worries. He is a 73 year old man, and she said he was crying like a little child and so scared for Caylub. It was simply an accident, certainly not the fault of this dear man. This morning, we were able to contact him to let him know how well Caylub is doing, and he let us know that his prayer group from the local Baptist church was meeting at 10 this morning for specific prayer for Caylub. I am thankful for this man's faithfulness, and I know he also stands in need of the grace of God.

May our great God be praised, for his mercy endureth forever.