Dewey’s condition upgraded

Family considers it a miracle

Christopher Dewey, the Mahnomen County deputy who grew up in Isanti County, is doing better than his doctors expected he would after being shot in the abdomen and head on Feb. 18 while on duty.
His condition has been upgraded from critical to satisfactory.
Dewey remains hospitalized at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, N.D. He was expected to be released late this week or the beginning of next week. From the hospital he will be taken to a rehabilitation facility.
MeritCare surgeon Robert Sticca labeled his progress “remarkable.”
His family feels it is nothing short of a miracle.
“He’s out of danger at the present time,” said Sticca.
Status
On Sunday, he was transferred out of MeritCare Hospital’s critical care unit into a private room in the surgical unit. He began physical therapy.
According to MeritCare critical care specialist Dr. Frank Sepe, Dewey is now moving his left side (he has been moving his right side all along), and is consistently following commands. He is able to stand with assistance, but is not yet walking.
He has limited use of his left arm, but has good function of both legs.
He is able to talk, and, as of noon on Saturday, he has been able to eat soft foods.
Dewey was taken off the ventilator on Friday, and has been breathing on his own.
Sticca said, “Chris is now out of immediate danger and has done great so far, but he will undergo more surgery, and there’s still a long road ahead for him and his family because of the injury to his brain.”
“We’ve had some good, encouraging early signs,” said Dewey’s father-in-law, Ross Boulden of Princeton, speaking on behalf of the family during a news conference on Feb. 19.
He added, “We have such a strong faith; we know we will get through this.”
Injuries
Dewey was shot on the right side of his head. Inside the skull, the bullet split into several fragments; one continued out through the right frontal lobe. During a four-hour-long surgery on Wednesday, MeritCare Dr. Justesen cleaned up the brain fragments that had shattered, some of the damaged brain under the bone, and the contaminated wound.
He expects Dewey to need at least one more brain surgery. The skull defects will need to be repaired, as will the lining of the brain.
Dewey will also need to undergo several months of rehabilitation.
Sticca expects Dewey to suffer from various neurological deficits due to the injury, but hopes that with intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation that he can regain most, if not all, of his functions.
He’s in good spirits
According to his wife, Emily (nee Boulden), Dewey has been in good spirits. The two are high school sweethearts who wed three years ago.
On Saturday, he was joking with his partners from the sheriff’s office about how he “should have ducked” and “it isn’t like the movies.”
Two members of the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Captain Carlos Perez, and his wife, Deputy Kelly Perez, have donated a home they own for Dewey’s family to use while he is in the hospital.
“Our goal is that they have nothing to worry about except taking care of Chris and Emily,” said Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney.
A fund has been set up to benefit the Christopher Dewey family. Donations may be sent to: Deputy Chris Dewey Fund, PO Box 378, 103 N. Main St., Mahnomen, MN 56557. Or, call (218) 935-5251.
The family would like people to know that they are continuing to update Dewey’s Web page on caringbridge.org; Web site name: chrisdewey.
Additional updates will be posted online at www.isanti-chisagocountystar.com.