Solidarity with Tristan Anderson

Since last update a new theory has emergerged to explain the deteriortion in energy level and ability which we have seen in Tristan in the past three months: Tristan has a condition called POST-TRAUMATIC HYDROCEPHALUS.  We can see it on his CT Scans.

Hydrocephalus is a blockage of the VENTRICLES, open spaces in the brain, which causes poor circuation of CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) in the head.

The internet is full of scary things about the dangers of hydrocephalus, mostly as it relates to hydrocephalus causing increased pressure on the brain, which is a condition we’ve taken measures to prevent.

The good news about the hydrocphalus is that it should have caused no additional permanent damage to Tristan’s brain, although the doctors are unwilling to promise us that after treatment Tristan will just bounce back to his old improved condition from before onset.

In Tristan’s case, treatment of the hydrocephalus is a two step process: first a CRANIOPLASTY to restore functionality to Tristan’s skull, followed by a permanent internal SHUNT which will drain CSF from Tristan’s head to the lining of his abdominal cavity for the rest of his life.

On MONDAY AUGUST 10, Tristan underwent Step One of the process, the cranioplasty.   During the cranioplasty, plastic moldings were fused with Tristan’s existing skull.  Though the cranioplasty involved neuro-surgeons, they did not touch Tristan’s brain.

The cranioplasty was a large and intensive surgical procedure which took several hours. Since Monday evening, Tristan has been recovering in the Neuro-Surgical ward of Tel Hashomer Hospital.  He is recovering slowly but steadily.  He has suffered no complications.

In the coming days Tristan will be treated with Step 2, the internal shunt.  The shunt is a much more minor procedure.

Both the cranioplasty and the shunt carry significant risk of infection.  In the coming weeks we will be watching Tristan very closely for any signs that things could be going awry.

So far, so good.

**In other good news, Tristan has not visibly leaked CSF in several weeks.  It seems that Tristan’s body may have repaired the CSF LEAK itself, which is excellent.

This has been a very trying time for all of us. Tristan’s recovery has not followed a straight linear path of “better-better-better”, but rather has gone up and down. He has suffered and come back from several very serious complications including hemorrhaging, pneumonia, swelling, meningitis, and unusually large leak of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); as well as periodic fevers and more minor infections.

Tristan is conscious. He understands what people are saying around him and can respond. He recognizes the people and objects around him. He is responsive and affectionate with those he loves.

Tristan can not speak. As of writing he still has a tracheotomy, which means that he is physically unable to make vocalizations. When he transitions out of the tracheotomy, we will know more about his status with regards to natural speech. In the mean time, Tristan communicates with hand signals, gestures, and “selection”: we write choices on a dry erase board and Tristan points to the correct or preferred one. We also use real object selection, whereby he points to or reaches for a preferred object.

Tristan is easily tired and overwhelmed. In the last two and a half months, his energy level has dropped significantly. Our doctors are unsure exactly how the CSF leak is affecting him, but we understand that at the very least there is a strong correlation between this period of extreme tiredness and the period of the CSF leak.

A surgery is planned for the coming weeks which we hope will stop the leak.

Tristan suffered serious brain damage as a result of being shot. He faces deeper obstructions than the fatigue alone. However, until we can move past this time of extraordinary tiredness, it is unclear how far we can go with the rehabilitation. We, like everyone here at the Rehabilitation Center, hope for a very good recovery. We expect this process to move very slowly.

Tristan’s family is still closely guarding information about his health, but we are able to give limited updates.  He is currently out of intensive care, and in a regular ward. He is semi-conscious and responsive.  His health is improving day by day, but his condition is still considered critical.

Hey Friends,

Two weeks ago we traveled across two borders (one of which is the most illegitimate in the world) to see Tristan in the hospital. We feel tremendously grateful that it was geographically possible for us to make this trip. For us, it’s a place so close, but sometimes feels like a world away. We know we were there representing many, many people that love and respect Tristan and are fighting along side him from afar.

Tristan is receiving wonderful care and is surrounded by loving family and companions. Tristan’s mother and father, Nancy and Mike, flew in two days after the incident. They are incredibly strong and grounded people and it helped to be around them.

Even in the worst possible circumstance it was a joy to meet Tristan’s partner, Gabi. Her experience under stress shines through and her coping skills were astonishing. We just hope that by this time she has taken a few minutes to step outside of the hospital walls to enjoy a few minutes in the sun!

We spent two days in the hospital pacing circles in windowless corridors, curled up on couches, eating ridiculous quantities of
hummus, and drinking coffee from a machine.

We also spending hours sitting in silence, holding each other while we cried and barely exhaling while Tristan underwent an emergency surgery.

The anarchists that Tristan and Gabi are friends with are phenomenally devoted. They arranged for fresh food to be brought everyday, drove us to and from the hospital and were always there, around the clock, with new people coming in when others had to leave. If there’s one thing that gave us hope during our visit to an occupied state it was them. It was inspiring to see so much heart in their movement. They have been through this kind of thing many times, and know how to take care of each other.

On the Friday after Tristan was shot, a bunch of people went back to the same place, where people protest every Friday against the construction of the wall that is cutting farmers from their land. They held signs with Tristan’s face on it, saying things like, “We will never forget what you did to Tristan” and “I am an American and you shot my friend Tristan.” They told us later that, unlike usual, this time the soldiers didn’t laugh at them.

In the hospital, we sat around telling stories about Tristan’s childhood dirt collecting, desert trips with his dad, his ability to live off those gross plastic wrapped sandwiches that are ever floating around Berkeley, his punctuality smashing banks in Argentina, and amazing dumpster dives and feats of daring. Being together made us deeply appreciate how much so many of us have been inspired by Tristan, and how valuable every long conversation with him has been, and how naturally he melts away the barriers between our personal and political lives. We all admired his commitment, and the way he laughs, and talks about the beautiful things in our world.

It wasn’t until the last day that we actually got to see Tristan and he was still heavily sedated at the time. There is no way that we can say it was easy to see our strong, beautiful friend lying immobile in a hospital bed. It wasn’t. But it was still Tristan and that part was reassuring.

Since we left he has been recovering slowly but steadily. He is still unconscious, as far as anyone can tell, but last we heard he was starting to move his limbs slightly. Before they put him under heavy sedation for his second brain surgery, he was answering questions with hand movements and trying to pull the tube out of his throat. He has had part of his right frontal lobe removed and both sides of his skull to relieve pressure. He had internal infections, but last we heard, they were going away. The doctors say that if he makes it through this, he will be there for at least a few more weeks, but probably a lot longer.

Many of our friends in the Palestinian neighborhood where we live knew about Tristan’s injury before we told them. They share our sadness and anger over what happened to him. One friend showed up the night before we left town with a shoebox full of roses to bring to him, another started a local online campaign at http://www.ajras.org/en (warning: there is a disturbingly graphic image of Tristan when he was injured on the front page.). Their support shows us how much Tristan’s actions are valued by people who don’t even have the freedom to see their homeland.

Keep sending your love to Tristan, Mike, Nancy and Gabi, they need it! The doctors stressed that things always go up and down, and the road ahead is long. Everything Tristan’s friends have been doing from afar makes a difference.

The International Solidarity Movement is collecting donations for Tristan’s medical expenses here.

Much Love,
Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Nora Shourd

We are currently figuring out the best system of updating the public on Tristan’s health.  He is in stable but critical condition currently.  Doctors are guardedly optimistic, but caution that his injuries are still life theatening.  He has lost portions of his frontal lobe, and may lose vision in his right eye.  More detailed updates will be posted as soon as possible.