March 10, 2008

March 10

As many of you now know, Garrett was released from the Children's Hospital today! He has been progressing so well, and after some minor communication issues with night nurses on the step-down floor, the transplant team decided that Garrett would be in a better situation away from the hospital right now.

Today they removed the last IV and told us that they wanted Garrett out of the hospital. The CAMPATH medication they have been giving him that causes his immune system to bottom out, puts him at extremely high risk for infections which would ultimately compromise his new heart. Too many kids have come to the cardiac step down floor with infectious viral infections that they felt it was in Garrett's best interest to move to a more isolated situation since he is no longer in need of 24 hour critical care. We were told to clean our hotel room as best we could and stay there.

We go back to the transplant clinic each day at 0730, then back to the room. I know what some of you are thinking....so did we. A hotel is not the cleanest place in the world. But Senator Tom Weins set this up for us and we scrubbed every spot with a special germicidal. We purchased a very good air purifier and we brought in healthy foods to snack on. Our window, which opens for fresh air, faces 2500 acres of grassland and coyotes and we use the back stair wells (much like 8 years ago), get exercise and avoid common areas, and back to the room where everyone uses hand sanitizers and masks if they come in. Here Garrett can rest quietly and heal further.

We don't run the air forced heater to prevent bringing in any common air and remind ourselves it's temporary. Soon we hope to be in a much better set up, but we are so happy and blessed to be a family together in the same room for the 1st time in 12 days. It's great! Our challenge will be to keep ourselves from any situation where we can bring any colds or flu, etc. back to our little fighter so that he may never have to do through this ever again.

Tonight at bedtime, I told Garrett to stay in bed and the rest of us would kneel and pray. He had none of that . That little warrior pulled himself up out of bed and with help, kneeled on the floor to pray and give thanks. One week after a heart transplant, he is kneeling on the floor of a hotel room, thanking God for all his health and the victories to come. He dedicated his prayers for the donor boy and his family, with special thoughts of Megan whom he will never let go, for the son of dear friends who is ill, and his horse Big Ticket, who was his best pal and died a year ago. (Gotta love a boy who puts horses right up there with people as most important in his life)

There are many roads yet to travel, and we will likely move a couple more times in the next few months as we progress to a place where we're more comfortable being farther and farther away from the hospital, but still isolated from germs that could cause him serious problems.

We continue to hold you all up in prayer also. In sincere thanks for the love and support that continues to humble us daily. We ask for no sympathy, only that this may light a fire in each of you to reach out and help someone, somewhere, who may not have the love of friends and family we find so bountiful. Most importantly, pray for those lost souls who have not yet found the Friend in Jesus, who is the ultimate physician and chooses the times and places where His mighty work will use us to bring His message of hope to a wounded world.

I am attaching a couple of photos. These are shots of a little boy who we recently found was ranked #2 overall in his little league tryouts just before finding out he was dying. In his tryouts, he beat 120 boys older than him. His 1st response upon hearing this from the league was "who was #1?" He never weakens!!! Always the competator

The photos show him just after transplant, his first walk, and then just 4 days later. WE SERVE AND LOVE AN AWESOME GOD!!!!!!!!

I'm going to join my peaceful family now, who have earned their rest. My prayer for each of you tonight is that you take just a moment out of your busy days to donate a pint of blood, sign up as an organ donor, throw the ball to that kid of yours, to call a family member you haven't talked to in a while, to remind your momma you love her, saddle up and go for a ride to appreciate the splendor of God's beauty, or to hit your knees and ask Jesus to lead you, so that you may lead others.

Stay strong, stay tactical and as a good buddy of Garrett's once told him "keep a rope in your hand and Jesus in your heart".

God Bless you all,

JD