Back In The Hospital

Life is a conundrum. It surely is full of questions.............

I'm at a loss again. This is tough to write, but so many of you are waiting to hear. I have told only a few that I had a sixth sense that something was up with Garrett, as I've noticed some very minor changes since I saw him last week.

We found out this morning that the biopsy came back and it is not good news. Scoring the numbers from 0-4 with 0 being perfect, Garrett's tissue pathology scored at 3+. We have had the wind kicked out of us right now and are trying to catch our breath. While the coronaries look very good, the rejection has not been stopped. In fact, it is very bad they said. Garrett was admitted to the hospital again and must undergo another series of anti-rejection infusions plus a process called plasmaferesis, which is like dialysis. We don't know how long he'll be in this time, but it looks like at least a week. He has to undergo another surgical procedure, this time to put a large shunt line in his neck, directly to his heart. The infusion meds they're going to use are stronger than last time and we can't forget how bad he reacted to the last one.

We'd asked if he's safe to wait until Monday, and they initially said yes. They can't do the surgical implant until then anyway. He's been sick today from yesterday's biopsy and we were hoping Sunday he'd feel better. I just wanted him to have one more day of not being afraid before we jerk the rug out from under him again.

We weren't going to tell him until Monday morning. He was fortunately sleeping when they called this morning, which gave us time to dissolve and re-build our composure. But, he’s been throwing up all day and running a low grade fever and that tipped the scale. They believe the rejection is coming on very fast with a fervor right now. This will surely break his heart because he thought the worst was passed this time.

By 6:30pm we were headed back to the emergency room. It took a little longer to get going because I was trying to get our things together in between holding him while he threw up. Once here, it took 4 tries in different locations to finally get an I.V. started because his little veins are so scarred. He gave a "Cowboy Up" bracelet to the nurse who finally hit home. She was the third one to try. It's 11:30 now and we finally got settled back in to the cardiac critical care unit. Kathy and Jessi had actually headed home this afternoon to see Levi and let Kathy spend the night in her own bed for the first time in a month and a half. It wasn't to be. She scooted right back up here and met us at the hospital.

He got round number one tonight. He was very scared and cried like he had a right to. He told me again that he doesn't want this to be his time. He wants to get well and go back home. But like the little fighter we all know he is, he told me "daddy, I'm not going to quit! We're going back into battle again."

I know that God has something very, very special planned for this little boy, I just don't know what it is right now. All he wanted was to go home for his birthday in June. Now he'll be deep into round 2 of a very nasty fight.

When I find the words from God to explain further, I'll put something on this blog. We just ask for continued prayers for patience, strength, wisdom and grace. We are still in this fight and will NOT let the bastard (satan) win.

Thank you for your blessings.

JD

"evil prospers when good folks do nothing"