The last post - December 22, 2009

Well, folks, this is the last post about Marty. Basically, because he is HOME now and can talk to you on his own!!!

Yes, after 10 weeks and 5 days, he got sprung from the big house (a/k/a hospital) and is home and doing well. He was released on Friday, December 18th. He even made it to 2 family parties on the 19th!

He will be doing out patient rehab for some time, but is doing so well. It has been a long struggle, but he is strong and always had God on his side.

The Smith, Smith and Remington families want to tell everyone how very much they appreciate everything you all did for Marty and for the families during this difficult time. You were there with food, money and emotional support, not to mention the many, many prayers and prayer chains that went from Mannford to all over the US.

Please keep Marty in your thoughts and prayers, only now you can actually go visit him or call him on the phone!

Here is hoping that everyone has a wonderful Christmas season.

Brian, Rhonda, Matthew, Michael & Marty Smith

Sunday December 13th

Finally, praise God, Marty has a release date. He is being released this Friday, December 18th. He will have to continue with his rehab, but on an out patient basis.

It has been a long, remarkable road and the family could not have made it through without the help and prayers of everyone.

Thanks to everyone that brought food to the hospital. Thanks to everyone who visited these 10 long weeks. Most especially, thanks to everyone for their prayers and their faith that God can heal and miracles do still happen.

A special thanks to all of Marty's friends that continued to come see him, call him and later, text him. You all were such a tremendous help to Marty's recovery. You helped him remember when his memory was a little shaky. You helped him realize that he was still Marty and still your friend. You gave him hope that his life can get back to somewhat normal. Please do not think that you didn't do much, just went to see him a couple of times. Those times you came and sat by his bed and told him how much you cared for him and that it would be ok, that was a huge motivator in his recovery. You helped him keep the hope alive that he would be ok and could pick his life up again and go forward. For these things, his family can never thank you enough.

This will be a special Christmas in the Smith/Remington families. Marty will be able to participate in his annual family Christmas party and what a welcome home for us!

Thanks to everyone, and keep doing what you have been doing. You all are a huge part of Marty's recovery.

The Smith family

Tuesday, December 8th

Marty is headed to in house rehab today! They removed the trach yesterday and he is eating real food now. They have estimated he should be able to leave rehab and go home in about 14 days. What a wonderful Christmas present for our family!!

Marty still has a long way to go to get back to his life, but he is well on his way. He will still have to do out-patient rehab for an unknown period of time and job and school are not even on the horizon at this time, but his strong will and great attitude have helped him get far beyond what anyone expected of him.

Please keep this exceptional young man in your thoughts and prayers on his road to recovery. Neither Marty, nor his family, could have made it through this most difficult time without all of you.

We especially want to thank Marty's brother Matthew. Matt, what a wonderful young man you have grown up to be. Marty could not have a better brother.

Happy Holidays to everyone from the Smith and Remington families.

Wednesday, December 2

Marty had surgery yesterday to replace the piece of skull they removed 7 weeks ago. This is a tremendous sign of recovery, as it means all the swelling has gone down and they don't have to worry about the pressure in his skull anymore.

He was awake shortly after the surgery, talking to the doctors and responding correctly to voice commands. If all goes well, they will remove the trach 3-4 days after the surgery. He will be skipping his physical therapy sessions for 3-4 days also, in order to recover from the surgery.

We are so close to the in-house rehab. Once he gets there, the next step is home. This will probably take 3-4 weeks so we are hopeful he will be able to come home by Christmas.

All of Marty's extended family wants to thank everyone for all their prayers and concern. You all were a huge part of Marty's recovery.

The Smiths

Thanksgiving Day, 2009

What a wonderful Thanksgiving. Today, we want to express what we are thankful for. First and foremost, Marty's health and amazing recovery. Secondly, we are thankful for our families, for we would be nowhere without their love and support. We are also thankful for the community of Mannford and all our friends.

Marty is doing amazingly well. His physical therapists tell us every day how much improvement he is making. He talks all the time now and his memory is mostly intact. His reasoning skills are very sharp and he rarely gets confused or forgetful. For anyone not familiar with a brain injury, this is remarkable, especially in the 8 week time frame.

He is very quickly moving towards his in-house rehab program, and everyone is hopeful he will be home by Christmas.

Thanks to everyone for the continuing prayers, support and love.

The Smiths

Thursday, November 19th

Marty was out of bed today and in a wheelchair for over 1 1/2 hours. He is doing fantastic with his physical therapy. He is getting stronger every day and his right side is responding well to the exercise.

All of the Smith, Smith and Remington families want to express their thanks during this Thanksgiving season. Without family and friends like all of you, this would have been such a harder ordeal than it has been. We will have so much to be thankful this year and want to send out our good wishes to everyone.

Brian, Rhonda, Matt, Michael and Marty Smith

Wednesday, November 18th

Marty is making huge steps towards real physical rehab. They have been coming by twice a day now. They have gotten him to stand by himself, with no one holding his arms for balance, for 4 minutes before he gets tired out. He also took a step by himself.

They took off the vent and took out the trach. They have replaced it with a much smaller trach that can be capped off so he can speak. The speech therapist got him to say “Hi” yesterday. It is just a whisper at this point, but that is a huge step.

His motor coordination is improving rapidly. He was able to write his name on a sheet of paper. It is squiggly, but it says “Marty”. He is now able to raise his right arm to his shoulder height. He still can’t grasp anything in his right hand, but this is great progress.

The therapist has asked that they bring Marty’s shoes up so they can get them on his feet for therapy. They want to get him used to wearing shoes again in preparation for getting him walking.

The neurologist and therapists are going to begin meeting every Weds. afternoon to assess his condition so they can determine when he will be able to go to the in house rehab.

They are going to put the bone flap back in place the week after Thanksgiving.

Please keep saying prayers for Marty. He is healing rapidly, but still has a long way to go.

Also, PLEASE do not come visit Marty if you are ill. It would be devastating to his recovery for him to catch anything at this point. If you are ill, please either call the family or leave a post on this site. Rhonda and Brian are passing along any messages or well wishes to Marty.

Thanks to everyone for everything!

The Smiths

Thursday, November 12th

Marty is doing so much better today. They are really getting in to the physical therapy now and getting him upright and excercising every day more and more. He is starting to get his strength back into his arms and legs again. His motion on his right side is improving daily.

They have moved him to a private room now which is very small, so please be aware of this when you visit. Now that Marty is more aware of his surroundings, he will enjoy the visits more, but still gets tired out very easily.

Please keep Marty and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you!

Thursday, November 12

Marty is now settled into his new room and ready to get really started on his healing process. He will be in this room until he goes into the rehab center.

They are hopeful that he will have vision in his right eye, but won't be able to be sure until he gets the trach out and can talk to them. Keep saying prayers for this last miracle.

So far, Marty has responded correctly to every command given by the doctors and nurses. His spirit is good and he is more aware of his surroundings every day.

There is no doubt that the prayers and love that have been given by all of you have helped heal Marty and his family will be eternally grateful to have such wonderful family and friends.

The Smiths

Tuesday, November 10th

Another Red Letter Day for Marty! He is being moved to the Long Term Care Unit in the morning. He is also off the vent, which is so wonderful. The next step is to get the trach out so he can speak.

Even though he is blazing through all the phases of healing, he is still a long way from being ready to leave the hospital/rehab. Please keep praying for him to get his strength back quickly and heal completely. Also, please keep praying for Brian, and especially, Rhonda. Rhonda has only been away from the hospital a hand full of days since Marty's accident, almost 6 weeks ago. She is holding up like a champ and we are all so proud of her, but she is getting tired of hospital food and atmosphere. Please keep giving her the encouragement she needs to finish this marathon race.

Thanks to everyone!

The Smith, Smith and Remington families

Saturday, November 7

Marty is having a great day today. He has been sitting in a chair all afternoon and watched the OSU game. He is progressing well with his physical therapy.

More important, he is responding to questions. He is blinking his eyes to respond to questions.

His friends came to visit today, and he ended the visit by blowing them a kiss. He has truly turned the corner on the road to recovery.

He still tires out very easily and can be overwhelmed by noise and activity, so the hospital has requested that no more than two visitors at a time and when you visit, no more than one person speaking to him at a time.

The Smith and Remington families want to thank everyone for their prayers and help during this difficult time.

Friday, November 6

Marty is settling down well in his new room and new physical therapy regime. He still gets very tired out and sleeps alot, but he is making progress.

The hospital has asked that there only be 2 visitors at a time for now, so if you want to see him, please keep that in mind. He still gets overwhelmed by noise and activity, so the quieter they can keep him for now the better.

Thanks to all,

The Smiths

Thursday, November 5

Marty was moved to his new room last night This is an exciting step towards his recovery.

He still has a long road ahead of him, but it is wonderful to be through the first phase of his recovery.

The Smiths

Wednesday, November 4

RED LETTER DAY!!! They just told Rhonda they will be moving Marty to the Step Down Unit as soon as they get a bed ready for him! They are trying to accomplish this today.

He has been off the ventilator since 3:00 yesterday. He went for a CT Scan this morning and they are very pleased with his results. He has been doing so good, they feel he is ready to go to the next phase of recovery.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to everyone that has been praying for Marty and following his progress. The family can't tell you how much this means to them.

The Smiths

Wednesday, November 4

Great news! Marty was able to get off the ventilator for a couple of hours yesterday and sit in a recliner. They are going to slowly wean him off the ventilator until he can do without it completely. They are hoping he will be able to move out of ICU sometime this week or early next week.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers!

Monday, November 2

God is truly wonderful! Your prayers have been heard, and Marty has been healed. They removed his chest tube today and during therapy, he actually stood on his feet for a few seconds with the help of the therapists. The doctors, nurses and therapists are delighted with his progress.

He still gets worn out easily and has spent alot of his time sleeping. They are trying to build his strength up slowly and carefully, so he won't be skipping down the hall anytime soon but remember, slow and steady will win this race!

God in his infinite wisdom and mercy has heard our prayers. Please continue praying for Marty through the next phase of his recovery. The next hurdle is to get him well enough to go to the Step Down Unit.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and love.

The Smith Family

Saturday, October 31st

Praise to God, Marty has turned the corner finally. He is breathing unassisted and has been sitting up for 10-15 minutes every day. His infection has disappeared and he has been making great progress the last 2 days. The doctor has said that if this continues, he should be able to move to the next phase of his recovery and leave the ICU in a week or so.

This proves the power of prayer and Brian, Rhonda, Matthew, Michael, the entire Smith and Remington families want to thank everyone for all the prayers that have been said on Marty's behalf.

Now comes the hard part for Marty. He will be in continuing rehab for the next 6-8 weeks, if not longer. He is still in need of your prayers and good thoughts. Rhonda has been at the hospital day and night with only a short break since the accident, which was almost 4 weeks ago. Brian has been there as much as possible, while trying to continue working as much as he can. It has been a tough time for all of them, and your prayers, dinners and visits have really sustained them.

Thanks to everyone,

The Smiths

Tuesday, October 27

God is truly good. Marty still has an infection and they still need to find it, but he is slowly getting better, every day. So far, today has been a good day.

Brian and Rhonda want to thank everyone for hanging in with them during these long and difficult 3 weeks since Marty's accident. It is the love, support and prayers of everyone that has gotten them through so far.

If anyone would like to take pictures of things that are happening now, such as the leaves turning colors, football games, gatherings with friends, these would be a good way to help Marty understand what happened while he was asleep. When he is able, he will need things like this to help him get the time in perspective.

Thanks to all,

The Smiths

Monday, October 26

The family is requesting a special prayer request for Marty. He has an infection and the doctors have been unable to pin point the infection, so have been unable to treat it properly. They have to keep him sedated until they can find the infection and treat it, so please pray that the doctors are able to find and treat Marty correctly so they can allow him to wake up. Marty is doing amazingly well for the injuries he has sustained, and every good thing that has happened is because of the faith of his family and friends and the amazing prayer network that is going around the country.

Brian and Rhonda want to especially thank their extended family for all the support and love they have shown, especially their Aunts and Uncles located all around the country. Even though they can't be here in person, they have been here in spirit from the very first day.

This is Day 22 of Marty's hospital stay. Thank you to everyone for their visits, thoughts and prayers for the Smith Family. Just remember, Marty is healed by the grace of God, we just need him to get to the next step of his recovery.

Saturday

The doctors have decided to keep Marty sedated and allow him to wake up very slowly, so there will very little change in the next several days (we hope). Marty is still in intensive care and still needs all your prayers to help in his healing process.

Thanks to all the family and friends of Brian, Rhonda, Matt, Michael and Marty. The only way they have been able to get through this is with the blessings from God that your prayers have brought. Please keep praying for his continued healing.

The Smith Family

Friday afternoon

Just a quick update:

Marty's fever continues to stay down, which is great news. The doctors are keeping him lightly sedated this afternoon to help him rest.

Thursday, October 22

Marty has been resting quietly all day and his temperature is down. So far, the antibiotics seem to be working.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support and all the prayers that are winging to Heaven. God is surely hearing and answering our prayers.

The Smiths

Wednesday Evening

A late update on Marty. His temperature has been up and down all day, probably due to an infection of some sort. He was doing much better tonight and has been resting all day.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and thoughts.

The Smith Family

Wednesday, October 21st

Great News! They removed the monitor and drain from Marty's head yesterday. The doctor has been so pleased with his progress. His CT scans have been good and his vitals have remained stable. Marty is in the process of waking up, but this is a slow process.

The hospital again cautioned the family to ask everyone to please keep visiting to a minimum in order to decrease the chance of spreading illness. If you have been exposed to someone who is ill, there is usually a 72 hour incubation period before you get sick. You can pass along these germs during the incubation period, so if you are the slightest unsure of whether you have been exposed to illness, please delay your visit until you know for sure. We all need to work together to make sure Marty has the best chance of recovery possible and any illness would be a big set back.

Brian and Rhonda want to pass along how very much they appreciate all the love, support and prayers that have come their way. With God's help, and your prayers, Marty will make the hoped for 100% recovery. Thanks to everyone for being Marty's Prayer Warriors!

The Smith Family

Tuesday morning, October 20th

Marty is still doing very well, the doctor is very pleased with his progress. His temperature has remained near normal, which is very encouraging.

The nurses plan to get Marty up today and sitting upright in a chair, which is a huge step. At this point, his recovery will be measured in inches, not miles, so be patient because we are reporting his progress as it happens. We are now on Marty's time schedule, which is be a slow one.

The entire Smith family wants everyone to know how much the prayers, visits and dinners mean to them. Without family and friends like all of you, this would be a much more difficult time for them.

The hospital staff has asked us to remind everyone that with the flu season kicking in to high gear so early this year, to please stay away from the hospital if you, or someone you come in to contact with, is ill. Marty's immune system is in such a fragile state right now, that the slightest illness can cause devastating set backs. Brian and Rhonda want you to know that they appreciate your concern and willingness to come to the hospital to see them, but if you have been exposed to illness, please either leave a comment on this blog page or text them until everyone is well again. Thank you for your consideration.

The Smith Family

Monday Afternoon, October 19th

Today has been a busy day for Marty. He was awake this morning for quite some time and responded well to commands. He is resting this afternoon and evening so that he can build up his strength. Every day, they will try to keep him a little more active and awake. The next step is to get the trach tube out, but they have to work up to it by getting him more active and aware each day.

His fever has remained down and he is resting comfortably. God has truly answered everyone's prayers and Marty is getting better and stronger each day. Please continue to keep him in your prayers, for he still has a long way to go before he is back to our Marty.

The Smith Family

Update: Sunday Evening

We spoke with Brian & Rhonda this evening...Marty does not have pneumonia.

They are back to their original plan of slowly reducing the sedation meds to begin to allow him to wake up.

Please continue with the prayers. They are very obviously helping in Marty's healing & we only hope you can know just how much they mean to our family.

Sunday, October 18th

The doctors have told us that Marty has developed pneumonia. Your prayers are even more important now. They have changed his antibiotics and sedated him to keep him calm and quiet.
Rhonda asks that you include in your prayers "Pray for continued healing to take place in Marty's body. He is healed by the blood of Jesus. Amen"

Please keep Marty and his family in your prayers.

Saturday afternoon, October 17th

The doctors are still pleased with Marty's progress, but want him to get as much rest as possible, so today has been a quiet day.

He is still not out of the woods, and has a long road ahead of him, so please keep praying.

Rhonda was at the pancake breakfast today, and to say that she and Brian are overwhelmed by the love and support of the community is an understatement. The Brian & Rhonda Smith family as well as the Smith and Remington family are eternally grateful to have such caring family and friends.
We want to thank everyone that donated their time, food and money to make the breakfast such a success.

We will update again tomorrow, but please remember that progress is being measured in inches right now, not in miles, so you may hear the same thing over and over. Just remember that right now, that is a good thing!

Thanks to everyone....The Smith family

Update: Friday Afternoon

Marty continues to make great improvements. The doctor has said that Marty is right where he needs to be.

Now it's just a matter of waiting on Marty to wake up...it is completely on his own schedule.

Please don't forget...if you are hungry tomorrow, a benefit pancake breakfast is being held for Marty at the Mannford Elementary School cafeteria.

Update: Wednesday afternoon

Just got word from Brian...the doctors performed their first "commands test" on Marty & he responded to them & did very well. They are letting him rest for the remainder of the day.

Update: Thursday Morning

Friends & Family:

Thank you all for sticking with us through the past week & a half. It's been rough on all of us but it raises our spirits to know you are all thinking of us.

Now that the most critical days are over, we will probably only be sending out updates once a day. Marty continues to make slow & steady progress. Both our family & the doctors are extremely happy with this. As always, if you don't hear from us often, take it as no news is good news.

Also, we've been told that there will be a pancake breakfast for Marty's benefit on Saturday morning at the elementary school cafeteria. To the individuals who have come together to honor Marty this way, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. How blessed we are to live in such a caring community, one that does not hesitate to reach out & help support a family in their time of need.

We'll be back with another update tomorrow unless something drastic changes before.

The Smith Family

Update: Tuesday Afternoon

Marty continues to slowly & steadily improve. The outer bruising & swelling is beginning to go down & he's starting to look more like himself.

His numbers continue to stay strong & the doctors are remaining positive.

I know these last few updates haven't included many details but that is only because there are not many to give. Don't get me wrong-that is a wonderful thing!

As always-thank you for all of your thoughts & prayers. Remember...no news is good news!

Update: Monday Morning

Marty continues to show improvements. Yesterday was a quiet day in his room, which is why there were no updates.

The doctors are very happy with his progress & the way his numbers are looking. I don't know any specifics, other than he is doing great.

Keep up with the prayers & positive thoughts-we truly believe they are doing a world of good.

Update: Saturday Afternoon

First off...a message from Brian:

Hello everyone this is Marty's dad Brian.Just wanted to take time to thank everyone for their prayers and let you know they are being answered. We are so greatful to you for your love and support during this trying time for our family. Please continue praying for Marty as he makes his recovery and lift him up in the name of our Lord.Thank you again for everything and God bless you all.



Things are still going well for Marty. It's a quiet day with him, which is wonderful. I've been told that there probably won't be many, if any, updates for the rest of the day so if you don't hear anything else today, take that as excellent news.

Update: Saturday Morning

Good morning, everyone.

Marty had an excellent night. His intracranial pressure stayed below 10 all night. This morning while the nurses were working on him, it rose to 11 but that is still a good number.

They are starting to take away his blood pressure medications & his numbers are staying good, which is a positive sign. Before, when they would reduce the medication, his blood pressure would drop.

The doctors are positive about Marty this morning, saying they feel like he's turned a corner. Today is a big day for him & we should know more by the end of the day.

As always...thank you to each & every one of you.

Update: Friday Evening

Final check-in of the evening:

Marty continues to be stable. He is still in critical condition, though.

All of his numbers are looking great & his bodily functions are beginning to do their job.

Pray for a restful night for not only Marty but for Brian, Rhonda, Matthew & Mikey as well.

Update 2: Friday Afternoon

Just got off the phone with family...

Marty has been in very stable condition all afternoon. No changes at all.

Right now, please take "no news as good news:.

Update: Friday Afternoon

The doctor was in to see Marty around noon. Everything is looking good.

Marty is still in critical condition, however it is a stable critical condition. All of his numbers are looking good. The next two days are very important & should give better indication as to how things will turn out.

They plan to begin slowly taking him off of the sedation medications but there is no time being given as to when he will wake up.

Keep up the prayers & well wishes...you all are just as important to Marty's recovery as the doctors are.

Update: Friday Morning

Just a quick update this morning:

Marty had a good night. His pressure stayed at a decent level with little fluctuations so the doctors are happy with that. He did run a slight fever, so they're giving him medicine for that.

Back this afternoon with anything new...

Update: Thursday Evening

Marty is back in his room. The surgery was a total success!

His intracranial pressure is exactly where the doctors want it to be. All of his other stats & readings look great, too.

Even with this wonderful news, he isn't out of the woods yet. So please, keep praying!

Keep yourself safe in this terrible weather-please, stay home. We know that you are all thinking about us & praying & that is more than enough. We will let you know when we feel up to having more visitors.

As always...thank you, thank you, thank you.

The Smith Family

Update: Thursday Afternoon

For those of you that have not heard yet, Marty had a surgery this afternoon. They removed a piece of his skull to try & help alleviate the pressure & swelling.

The surgery went well & the doctors reported that there is no obvious damage.

They are now in the process of getting him back to his room & hooked up to all of his monitors. Once he is reconnected, they will be able to measure his cranial pressure.

He is not out of the woods yet, so please keep up with the prayers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to each & every one of you who have lifted up Marty, Brian, Rhonda, Matthew & Michael during this time. You are all making a difference & our family cannot thank you enough for your support.

Update #2: Thursday Morning

Family & Friends:

As stated in this morning's first update, Marty did not have a good night.

All the details are not known, just that this morning's status is critical. He is under constant monitoring & the doctor's are reviewing all possible options right now.

Please, no phone calls or visitors this morning. The family truly appreciates all of your thoughts & prayers but right now, all of their focus needs to be on Marty. We understand & appreciate your thoughts & concern & realize that you want to keep updated on Marty. Right now, though, the biggest help to the family will be your understanding that they cannot have any distractions.

As soon as we know anything, I will be back with an update for all of you.

Please. Any & all prayers are appreciated. This morning is a critical time for Marty. Please ask for wisdom for the doctors, that they will be able to make the correct decisions for Marty's care & that the answers come soon. Pray for peace & healing for Marty, that his body continues to heal & that he makes a full recovery.

You all are an important part in Marty's journey to healing & our family appreciates each & every one of you that are saying prayers for us & following Marty's progress.

Please feel free to leave any comments/thoughts/questions either here or at the email address we've set up for the family: prayersformarty@gmail.com. I will check this throughout the day & try to respond to all of you.

Cara

Update: Thursday Morning

I don't have a full update yet, just bits & pieces.

From what I understand, Marty did not have a good night. His intracranial pressure continued to fluctuate & rise overnight. They did an emergency CT scan around 4am. The results of the CT were good, however.

Because of all of the fluctuations, he is under observation this morning. If the fluid levels & swelling don't regulate soon, they will have to take more serious measures.

As always, I'll update when we receive any news.

Cara

Update: Wednesday Evening

More good news on Marty. The doctor has been slowly reducing the amount of meds that Marty is on, trying to see how his body will handle it.

This afternoon while examining him, Marty reached out & grabbed the doctor's arm. Matthew told us that this is a good thing because it means that Marty can localize & identify the pain.

His intracranial pressure is still high but today's CT scan came back looking much better.

As always, thank you to everyone for your thoughts & prayers.

The Smith Family

Update: Wednesday Afternoon

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick update. Marty is still stable, no changes from this morning. That is a positive!

His blood pressure is good, however they've upped one of his medicines to help keep the pressure & fluid down.

All in all, things are going well, Marty is quiet & stable, & that's all we can ask for right now.

We'll update when there is more to report.

The Smith Family

Update: Wednesday Morning

Marty had a stable night. The drain tube is doing its job well. He had a chest x-ray this morning which came back clear, so no pneumonia.

As of right now, Marty is stable & doing as well as can be expected.

The hospital has requested no visitors or phone calls to the nurses station. If you'd like to come visit the family this evening, please go to the 6th floor waiting room, not ICU.

We will be back throughout the day with any updates we receive. If you don't hear anything for the rest of the day, take that as good news!

Thanks again for all your love & support,
The Smith Family

Update: Tuesday Evening

Hi All,

Here is the latest news on Marty:

They placed a drain tube this evening. The fluid levels in his brain had been fluctuating since yesterday evening, rising as high as 40 at times when ideally, it needs to be below 20. The placement went well & he is resting now.

The doctors have stopped the sedation & are now waiting on Marty to wake up on his own. This could take several days to accomplish. He is on medications to help keep the fluid off of his body & required 2 units of blood.

As of now, Marty is doing as best as can be expected. Please keep up the thoughts & prayers-your support means everything to the family.

The Smith Family

Updates on Marty

Friends & Family:

We cannot tell you enough how we appreciate your thoughts, prayers, words of kindness, offers of help & support during this time.

As you all know, we are taking this on a day by day basis.

Brian & Rhonda are beyond grateful for all of your care & support. Right now, though, they need to focus all of their time & energy on Marty.

Please use this blog as a way to check in on Marty, keep up on his progress, & leave your thoughts & prayers.

Any time we have new information, we'll update the blog so that you can see how Marty is doing.

Love,
The Smith Family