Posted on 04/16/2012 9:37:18 AM PDT by Kartographer
An Army soldier who lost his arms and legs during his third tour in Afghanistan last week underwent surgery Monday as supporters from around the globe offer prayers and messages of hope on a family website.
Army Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, of Vassar, Mich., was injured when he stepped on an IED April 10 while serving with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is recuperating at a hospital in Germany and hopes to return stateside on Tuesday, three days after his 25th birthday, his father told FoxNews.com.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Friday Prayer bump, with two updates from Kelsey.
Prayers lifting for strength Lord, for Travis and Kelsey as they make their way through this trial. Please guide Travis’ medical team as they search for ways to bring him some measure of relief from his pain. And Lord, thank You, for such good people like Travis and Kelsey, and all of those from near or far, who are moved to reach out to them.
Father, hear our humble prayer.
Tatt
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/3 @ 8:15PM CDT)
Hanging out with Travis. He’s very sleepy. He has been all day since they upped his ketamine (an anesthetic drug) because the pain was so intolerable. They have two more trials, and we will decide which route to take this wekeend. Monday morning the next trial will begin. Travis’s brother, Zach, and his wife, Kassandra, are leaving in the morning. They said goodbye to Travis tonight while he woke up to take some meds. We will see them again soon though!
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/3 @ 4:00PM CDT)
Here’s a picture of Chloe from earlier today, and one of Travis with Kyle Maynard yesterday!
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/2 @ 8:45PM CDT)
Travis’s pain trial today was another failure. They have two more they will try later in the week. We were both very disheartened that the trial didn’t work. However, when we were feeling down we were picked back up by a very inspirational visitor, Kyle Maynard. (For those of you who don’t know about Kyle, you should visit kyle-maynard.com.) Kyle has done so much and proven to so many that anything is possible. Seeing him and hearing his stories was so critical for Travis, and has really aided in his mental recovery. He was able to see first hand that this not slow him down or stop him from reaching his goals!
Latest update from Kelsey, from Yesterday - Prayers are needed, for the healing of Travis’ nervous system, and for strength for Kelsey, in the face of so much worry. It is going to be a long five days for this young wife, and I am praying for her to take care, and to be strong enough to place it all in our Lord’s Hands.
Dear Lord, hear our prayers.
Tatt
“We are currently back in the MICU. The next step that the doctors are taking is a “ketamine coma”, where Travis will essentially be in a medically induced coma for the next five days. The doctors hope that while asleep his nervous system and brain will reset in a way and he will wake up with dramatically less pain. This trial has an 80% success rate, and the pain team has run out of options, so this has to work. I believe it will work. For the next five days, I will be holding my breath.”
Thank you for letting us know. I join in earnest prayer for the success of this procedure.
Thank you! Here is Kelsey’s update from last night. Prayerfully, we will here more good news later today!
“”UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/8 @ 6:00PM CDT)
Travis is doing good. His vitals have stayed stable. He keeps running a low-grade fever, but it’s nothing too concerning. He is pneumonia free, which was a big risk. He is responding to commands, which is reflexive, and is able to shake his head “yes” or “no” correctly. He won’t remember, but that’s good. So far so good. We are all just anxious and nervous for tomorrow night.””
May God bless.
Tatt
Bump and prayers for Travis and his family.
Thank you for the update. Prayers continue...
Another update, with a prayer bump for Travis to recover from the ketamine therapy quickly, and emerge with less pain.
Heavenly Father, hear our humble prayers, to calm this young warrior’s mind, ease his pain, and heal his body.
In Your Holy Name.
Tatt
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/10 @ 9:00AM CDT)
Travis is awake and extubated. We are waiting for the ketamine to leave his system. He’s having a bad “trip” coming down. He seems to have calmed down slightly though. I’m sitting with him, reassuring him everything is okay, and that he is safe.
UPDATE FROM TAMMY BUCK (5/9 @ 8:00PM CDT)
Kelsey just called and said the doctors told her it would be about six hours before he woke up. Once again, Travis’s strength is underestimated. After only two hours, he was thrashing his head around and trying to push out the tube with his tongue. Kelsey talked to him and calmed him down. Now they’ve sedated him again (with a different drug). They will wake him in the morning when there are more doctors available to extubate and watch him. More to come in the morning.
UPDATE FROM TAMMY BUCK (5/9 @ 7:00AM CDT)
Today is the day we have been anxiously awaiting! Travis is going to wake up, face the day’s challenges, obliterate the enemy, and excel. I have great faith that his pain will be reduced substantially. There will be a hospital full of doctors, as well as his loved ones, there to witness it!
Hope I got everyone : o Long awaited update at 47!
Dear Lord, hear our humble prayers.
Tatt
Amen. Prayers up for Travis.
BTTT
Thank you both. Will definitely holler again, when next we hear from Kelsey or the folks.
May God bless and keep them.
Tatt
Thank you so much for the updates! Prayers continue...
Thanks so very much for the ping and the updates. Prayers continue of course.
BTTT
Thank you for the updates.
Prayers continue for Travis....
Thank you, to all of you! I have been checking and praying, and checking and praying. What it the saying? P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens.
Dear Lord, hear our humble prayers.
Tatt
P.U.S.H.ing hard here too.
Thanks so much, amom. Here is Kelsey’s latest update. so very glad and grateful, that Travis does not seem to be in as much pain, and am in awe of the strength of this young wife and mother.
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/11 @ 9:00PM CDT)
The ketamine is still leaving Travis’s system, so he is “tripping” hard right now. He’s made no complaints of pain yet, but he is very heavily medicated.
Dear Lord, hold them close, so they may rest easy when they grow weary.
Tatt
Happy Mother’s Day and Praise God! Ping!!!
Wonderful update, and a picture, but due to my poor HTML skills, a link to the site will have to do for now, laughs. If any one could post it to the thread, I would be FOREVER grateful :) And while we are at it, does posting “All” in the posting to box really work, or am I simply deluding myself, rather sheepish look.
Here is the link to a picture of this amazing young man, and his wonderful family. Thank you Lord, thank you, for young people such as these, and, for answered prayers.
http://travismills.org/Updates.html
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/13 @ 3:30PM CDT)
A great first mother’s day lunch in the courtyard. Check out the picture. Travis and Chloe also got me these beautiful earrings. And more good news... As of right now, Travis has had zero phantom pain as well!
UPDATE FROM KELSEY MILLS (5/13 @ 8:30AM CDT)
Travis is talking better today. He’s much more alert. He slept for two and a half hours but had an awful nightmare. He is still slightly hallucinating, but he’s much better than the past few days. He is wanting to get in his wheelchair and go down to the basement for lunch with me, Chloe, all of our parents, Josh, Deanna, and Reagan!
Thank you ALL for all of your prayers, and again, thank you Lord, for blessings where we least expect them.
Tatt
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