Tuesday night.

Dear Burk,
Mom and dad got to the hospital around 9am. Your night went okay. There is a small hole in your ventilation tube. They didn't want to change it before surgery (because the more you mess with that stuff the more you increase chance for infection). It doesn't compromise your breathing but it allows fluids in so they have to keep suctioning out the tube. Kinda gross.
Surgery was scheduled at 4. Turns out mom is married to a surgeon and she immediately said "it won't be at 4". Surgery schedules always run late.
They decided to stay for the day. Mom was worried they would come get you and she wouldn't be there. So they waited it out. She said you were "awake" some of the time and she communicated with you a little.
When you open your eyes, they only stay open for about 30 seconds. The first fifteen seconds we try to ease the terror and assure you you'll be okay. Then we talk as fast as we can to find out anything we can.
There are a LOT of people following your progress and concerned for your well being. I've had discussions with you before about how the choices of one person can have a profound affect on many others. You once argued that wasn't really true. "no man is an island Burk" you gave me a disgusted look I remember. Turns out this is having quite an affect on a lot of people. The biggest being mom and dad.
That also reminds me. Dad talked to the driver of the car that hit you. He called him to update him on your progress and to try to assuage any guilt the man may have. I hope it helped him. We've thought of him often and how this will be something with him the rest of his life.
4pm came and went. At 5 they came and said you would go at 7. They finally took you back at 8:30. Mom and dad were still there.
Kelli brought them dinner and her usual comic relief. I wasn't able to come today. Carter and mya are both sick and my babies needed their mom.
There was no indication how long the surgeries would go. The orthopedic surgeons are brothers and were planning to operate on your shoulder and ankle simultaneously. From the stories dad tells us about the OR I imagine that is quite the room. Hopefully they both stay awake.
Mom and dad are waiting until you get out. Very long day for both of them.
So now, we wait. I've put my cell phone right by my head in case I dose off.
You're a fighter so I'm pretty confident you'll be okay. You did get hit by a car and are still alive after all.