ATLANTA - Tripp Halstead continues to recover in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Tuesday morning, Stacy Halstead, Tripp's mother, said he had a "great night" with no alarms, meaning his oxygen never dropped too low and his heart rate never went too high.
Stacy also said they are waiting to learn more from Tripp's doctors.
Tripp was flown by helicopter to the hospital after doctors said he got Rhinovirus, which is a common cold. Tripp is considered "medically fragile", so a cold can be significant. Relatives said Tripp was having some difficulty breathing, and his heart rate was elevated.
"Honestly he's been fighting pneumonia for the last couple of months," Stacy told FOX 5 on FaceTime. "So we take him in and we get the antibiotics and we get the shots and it just doesn't seem to be clearing up."
Stacy said she thinks Tripp had a really bad virus on top of his pneumonia this time.
"A few people asked about the helicopter ride from Athens Regional to Atlanta. I was as surprised as you," Stacy said Tuesday on Facebook. "I was sitting in Tripp's room hanging out waiting on the ambulance and they told me that the flight team was here!"
Stacy said Tripp is expected to remain at the hospital for some time. The family said they are prepared for a hospital stay of at least a week.
"It's just always so stressful, especially coming back to Egleston and the same PIC unit because that's where it all started," Stacy said. "It brings back some memories."
She said the comments and prayers on Tripp's Facebook page have been her rock during hard times.
"It's my therapy. I've said it before I just get on there and I get to vent or, you know, say the good that's going on," she said.
In 2012, Tripp was outside his Winder, Georgia daycare center when a tree limb fell on him. He suffered severe brain injuries and spent months recovering at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta after the accident. Since then, the 7-year-old has been making great progress with his loving family by his side.
His story quickly went viral and his family set up the Facebook page Tripp Halstead Updates to keep all the well-wishers up-to-date on his progress.
As for this most recent visit to the hospital, Stacy said her son is a fighter.
"He's doing good. He's a trooper. He's hanging in there like always and we'll come through it just fine I'm sure."