This Time, I Know

In December the orthopedic back specialist called and told us the date of Isaiah's VEPTR surgery.  February 27, 2012.  As soon as I heard the date, I knew that I wouldn't be able to attend my grandpa's 90th birthday party on February 25, and I felt really sad.  Changing the date really wasn't an option, as we needed to have this surgery as soon as possible; and when a doctor tells you the date, you usually don't have many options.

Saturday, February 25 came and I was feeling a little sorry for myself not being able to be with family I dearly love, but I kept busy and reminded myself of the importance of this surgery for Isaiah.  The kids and I had a great day making and cleaning up messes.

Thomas, Isaiah and I arrived very early at Batson Children's Hospital.  We were amazed at the speed of his pre-op process.  Isaiah was taken to the OR by 7:30ish.  

The surgical waiting room is always an interesting place.  Parents and family come and go as their children are taken to surgery then brought to recovery.  Some families keep to themselves, and their body language communicates clearly that they wish NOT to be disturbed.  Other families are open and chat a bit from time to time.

Today we casually chatted with another family as we took turns answering the phone in the waiting room, hoping that it was news of our respective child.  We learned a little bit more about this family every time they got the hourly call from the OR.

Their daughter E is 14, for example.  She's been sick for several months, and at the prompting of a school nurse, came to Batson to get things checked out.

By the end of the day, we had several talks with this family from The Delta.  I have permission from E's grandmother to share with you a little bit of their story and beg for you to pray.

E has cancer.  If they had found it a few months ago, they could have helped her.  E's grandmother is a believer in Jesus.  She believes E is a believer as well.  They spend a great deal of time together and worship their LORD every Sunday (and every other day, too, of course).  E's parents are very kind and sweet people but their story is a bit different than E and her grandmother.  They still need to know Jesus.  Before E's cancer was discovered today, she and her grandmother talked about why she was sick.  They decided they thought it was for E's parents.  E and her grandma want E's parents to know Jesus, too.

Please pray for this family.  E's grandmother told me that she believes God had our family and a dear pastor friend of our's in the hospital today to help her family.  Please pray for healing for E, but please also pray for her parents to have healing in their hearts.

So, today I found out why God scheduled Isaiah's surgery for today.  Please pray for us to faithfully and wisely tell the good news that we treasure.

Vote Now! (and tomorrow and the next day and the next day....)

So, I posted this on my Facebook page, but I'm trying to create a link from my blog to make it easy for people to vote daily for a good cause!

An insurance company is going to donate $200,000 to a non-profit charity, if that charity gets the most votes in their contest.

Naturally, we would love for Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital in Jackson, MS to win!  This hospital is where Isaiah gets all this treatments and therapies.  Please, please, please vote for Friends of Children's Hospital!

And you can vote every day until October 8!  I'm working on a sidebar link now to make it easier for you.

Thanks!

(And the link is up on the right sidebar.  Click the picture of Isaiah using his spoon, and you can vote for Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital every day, so that they can win $200,000!)

Resistance Is Futile

Last week seems really far away and really near at the same time. Isaiah and I are getting used to him having a catheter hanging out of his belly. I call him my little Borg.

It's really not that bad, and it is temporary. In 6 weeks when his hole is more permanently fixed, the catheter will be a thing of the past, but he'll still have the "implant" in his belly, so I can still pretend that he's trying to take over the world.

But he doesn't assimilate in his take over. He's way too cute for that. He simply charms the pants off of you!

Here's Isaiah and his favorite toy pals (McQueen represented on the shirt) waiting to get things rolling after we checked in.

All of Isaiah's nurses and doctors were quite taken with him while he was in the hospital. Several nurses would make their rounds much more frequently to our room. The cleaning lady would come by to chat.

I had to get my post-op snuggles from my groggy hero who told me that Kermit did very well but his tummy hurt.

The floor doctor called him a rock star because of how tough he was. And boy was he tough!  I think I would have cried much more than he did with all that he had to endure before surgery, let alone having surgery.  

After surgery he was told he could have "anything his heart desired", so thanks to our friend Anna, he chowed down on some cheetos puffs.  Thanks, sweet friend!

When his first nurse said goodbye, she promised that should would always remember him.

See, resistance is futile.