Monday Morning Update

Hi Everybody,

From Helen Bess

A small step back today, but there is still very good news. Courtney isn't awake as of yet, she was off of the sedatives for a few hours until she had some twitching leg movements early this morning, not violent seizures, but small rhythmic motions that the doctors found to be irregular. They've put her back under sedation for the time being to keep her safe.

The results from her CAT scan could not have been better, her brain stem is right in place, plenty of fluid around the brain and no swelling at all. So we're taking all the news in stride and look to meet with the team of doctors some time around 2-4 p.m. today.

Thank you to everyone for the prayers to Courtney at 7 last night, maybe we make this a regular thing, when the big hand hits the seven let's take a moment to reflect and send our love.

Another day, another batch of embarrassing pictures of Courtney, and you guys haven't even seen the bulk of them, I'll post a few more later this evening. I'm glad we can all get a chance to see her in all her Mainer glory, she can still make us laugh through images even when she's asleep in her bed right now. Again, my e-mail is seancooley@gmail.com, if you want to send something in, I'm happy to post.

It's funny for me to see Courtney's childhood pictures, they certainly fit the mold of the beautiful girl that I now know today. She's told me about her passion for horses, the times she's spent back home sailing or going to the fair.

We all know she's the outdoorsy type and that makes up a big part of what I know about her. We had been hiking a few weeks ago (I had a great time and am looking forward to doing it again) and afterward she tells me how wants to hike the Long Trail, Vermont's most popular trail that takes several weeks to hike through. Sure, take a month off work ... go hiking. She had already made plans to hike the Appalachian Mountains in New York (later those plans fell through yet she still hiked one of the Appalachian peaks that week and still wanted to topple another mountain went she went home to Maine). What's better than hiking one of the Northeast's highest peaks? ... hiking two of them, of course, and doing it in a ten day span for good measure. I think her outing club friends would agree that's totally gnarmax (they apparently speak their own language.)

But these regular passtimes for Court: she hikes mountains, races bikes and rides horses. She's an incredible girl. She's even breaking through obstacles right now, she's got her blood pressure up, she's fended off a fever and any other potential illnesses. She's been strong like we all knew she would be.

I'll be sure to post again later in the afternoon and look forward to seeing more pictures (I'm a newspaper photographer for anyone who doesn't know, so seeing these images of her makes me happy).

We Love you Courtney and we can't wait to have you back safe and sound.

-Sean