Day 1 - Work Release

Today marks a new chapter in our story. Last night we were paroled to a half-way house about twenty minutes from here (if all other drivers stay home...45 minutes in normal traffic). As much as we wanted to escape the hospital, that first few days out is a little spooky. No monitors, no nurses, no doctors, no IV's....it's good, but a little spooky. Although this isn't our first rodeo, the situation is different this time and it will just take a while to adjust.

Garrett started crying last night again and it took a few minutes to find out why. Turns out he was just happy to be out of the hospital. After talking with him for a few minutes, I learned that when he first found out how sick he was, he didn't think he'd be leaving....ever. Do you ever wonder how many kids up here might think that way? And yet us "big folks" still find time to complain about our work load, or an extra bill in the mail.

That's sure one of the things that has been driven home, again, as I walk around this hospital. No matter how scared I might get, no matter how sick Garrett might be, it only takes a turn here or there to realize how incredibly blessed we really are. For example, our next door neighbor in the Cardiac Unit was a little baby girl with a severe heart problem. Her mother is a just a teenager who was there only once, and her "dad" was a teen gang banger who came by twice. I saw no other family support. When she cried, or needed held, it was a nurse who responded. Through the night, there was no one talking or singing quietly to her, or gently touching her tiny hand...just to let her know she is loved.

Garrett has had his struggles, trials and bumpy trails. No one can question that. It's been tough on the family in so many ways, financially, emotionally, spiritually, relationship challenges, work challenges, logistical challenges, horses go un-ridden, home problems, animals.......the list goes on. But when I sit and really look at all we truly do have, the support system and the faith we're blessed with cannot be matched, I don't believe, anywhere. I'm more grateful that I can express, and entirely humbled. Not for Garrett's pain and fear, but for the love and support that blankets my family. And for the family I have who love me. It helps make a very difficult journey one that becomes a true learning experience. I've grown and matured (sort of....I'll never completely grow up) and I love my family more today that I did yesterday. I'll love them more tomorrow that I did today. I can, because I understand that's where I gain my strength. Even Jesus told us that "the greatest of these is love". We pray for them all and hope that little girl's world changes for her.

Garrett got a pretty cool treat yesterday afternoon. Charles Sampson, the 1982 World Champion Bull Rider, stopped by with his son LC to visit Garrett. Garrett and Charles have met on several other occasions, so it was pretty neat for him to remember Garrett and come by. We got some neat pictures with the three of them. LC is a miracle boy, too. He was severely injured as a child and suffers to this day, but has recovered remarkably. Their experiences with Children's Hospital back then has kept Charlie committed to this day. He spends a lot of time visiting kids here.

I don't want every update to be a downer, so unless it's really serious, I won't say much other than it's been "about the same". We've figured out the new medicine schedule, though I still need to print out color photos to help us keep all the pills straight, and we have a safe place to rest. We're going to focus on the positive! We all know this will be a long haul, so we're cinching up tight and setting our feet. The benefits of being away from the germs in the hospital outweigh the risks of being away from emergency staff. A few more days on this round of infusions and he gets a break for a while. Just stay close and check in with the "parole office" a few times a week. As long as good luck still follows and we stay the course, we won't be remanded back to solitary. House arrest seems pretty cool right now.

As my good friend Fr. Mike Fones wrote to me "We have already won. Jesus has won the victory for us". And he reminds us that our Father in Heaven did not keep Jesus from suffering, even though He did nothing to deserve it. Our discomforts can benefit those who don't know Christ's love by offering our suffering for them. Tomorrow in Paradise, there will be no more suffering!


God bless and stay safe. Remember, everyday is a victory so Hug your kids!

JD

Ps - here's a link to a Garrett video several folks have asked to see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV4GZCuE0TQ