Wednesday. Day 7

Dear Burk,
Your surgery ended around 11pm last night.  The ankle surgeon came out first and said everything went well.  He removed a piece of bone you chipped off.  He also re-attached some ligaments you had torn off a bone.  I believe he had to cut through some tendons to get to the bone chip.  You won't be able to bare any weight for at least 6 weeks.  Now that you can't bare weight on either leg, it makes things a little more complicated.  You aren't small.  Still not sure who's going to lift you in and out of bed to take care of "business".  Another detail we'll worry about later.
The shoulder doc came out a little after 11.  He said it was a hard repair but he thinks you should "still have a good shoulder".  I'm not sure how long that arm will be out.  So for now, you have one functioning limb. Thankfully it's your right one.
Mom and dad got home very late last night.  Mom sent out a text at 1am letting us all know you had made it through surgery.
Kelli was the first at the hospital this morning.  She has been there every day since the accident, sometimes multiple times a day.  She has been your second mother through much of your adult life.  And though the two of you show your affection for each other in the form of bickering you know more than anyone she would do just about anything for you.  You are really lucky to have her as your sister.  But you know that already.
While she was there, they decided to extubate (take your breathing tube out).  It didn't go well.  Your vocal chords have swollen and you panicked.  You couldn't breathe.  Kelli said it was awful to watch.  you thrashed around in bed (which couldn't have made all your broken limbs feel good).  She tried to calm you down.  you just kept saying "help, help"  "I can't breathe".  The nurses tried everything they could to get you to calm down and to help you breathe.  Nothing work.
They made Kelli leave while they re-intubated you.  Apparently that's not something a sister would want to watch.  I'm guessing it took a lot of man power to get it back down you as you would have fought like hell to keep it out.
In my book, it's worrisome they had to put it back in.
Mom and Dad are with you now at the hospital as well as Uncle Brent.  Con and Craig both came to see you yesterday.  Marge and Trevor have been by as well.  I also talked to Seth B. on the phone for 45 minutes.  People care.  They really do.
Dad was pretty bummed they had to put the tube back in.  Ever the optimist I think he thought you'd be out of the ICU sooner rather than later.  Doesn't look promising as of now.
Mom is having a really hard time watching you today.  She says you are very anxious, very distressed, and seem like you are in a lot of pain.  She has tracked down nurses more than once to try to get them to help you.  Mom has always been your biggest defender.  She's always been very protective of you, even as a grown man.  When she sees you like you are, she definitely goes into "mama bear" mode.  I wouldn't mess with her.  Hope the nurses don't either.  You're really lucky to have her too.
Mike is coming home from work early so I can relieve mom and take care of the afternoon shift.  I have been warned that today is "not roses".  Pretty sure none of the days have been but I guess it's even harder to see you today than it has been other days.
I'm gearing up.  See you soon.