19 Days in the PICU
In support of
Chelsea Brem and Family
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Chelsea Brem and Family
Nineteen days ago, our lives split into a before and an after. Since then, time hasn’t made sense. Days blur together and nights feel endless. The PICU has become our whole world—machines, monitors, numbers we’ve learned to fear, and silence that can feel louder than anything else. Chelsea has been here for 19 days, fighting in ways no one should ever have to. There have been moments when we were afraid to hope and moments when hope was the only thing keeping us standing. Some days felt unbearable, some hours felt impossible, and the uncertainty has been a weight we carry every moment. We’ve cried more than we thought possible, held our breath through updates, and learned how heavy waiting can be…how it settles deep in your chest and refuses to leave. There have been setbacks that knocked the air out of us and small victories forward that felt like miracles.
Today brought one of those moments that reminds us why we keep holding on to hope. We just returned from Chelsea’s swallow X‑ray test, and the word used at the end was EXTRAORDINARY! 🎉She drank barium mixed with strawberry qwik, barium with applesauce, and even tried a Nutri‑Grain cereal bar. After everything she’s been through, watching her do that felt almost unreal. Up next are smoothies and milkshakes, ordered by her dietitians. She’s not quite ready for Chick‑fil‑A or a Starbucks just yet…but she’s getting closer, and right now that feels like a huge win.
Chelsea doesn’t quite realize just how many people are cheering for her or how many prayers are being said in her name, including one directly , but she knows how to fight, and she has done that every single day. This journey has humbled us and broken us open in ways we never expected. We are exhausted. We are scared. We are hopeful. We are endlessly grateful for the PICU doctors, nurses, and staff who have cared for Chelsea with such compassion, skill, and vigilance, and to everyone who has checked in, prayed, sent messages, or quietly held us up from afar. Thank you. Even when we don’t have the energy to respond, please know we feel every bit of it.
As hard as these days have been, moments like today remind us that healing is happening, even when it’s slow and uneven. Chelsea is still moving forward. And we are learning to believe again and again that progress doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like a simple swallow test, a milkshake on the horizon, or one more good moment to hold onto. We are choosing hope, even when it feels fragile, and trusting that these small victories are leading us somewhere better. Please keep fighting with her and praying for her. We are. ❤️
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