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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"
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
May 21 - Finally Some Answers
The day we’ve been waiting for has now come and gone. We now have some answers to lingering questions. While some still remain, mercifully it's obvious that Garrett's heart is healing and now, so is mine and Kathy's. Today, he Cowboy'd Up and then some. This boy has GRIT!
Tonight folks, we are faithfully confident that we have received what we have been praying for. Today was victorious, but not perfect. While we have a journey yet to complete the outlook is good. Garrett is now asleep once again beside me, and for the first time in a few weeks he doesn't have to worry about the biopsy. It's over. He is real uncomfortable with a lot of pain from the incision but his mind is quiet allowing him more peaceful rest when he can sleep. At least for now, he's not scared and I am grateful.
I woke Garrett at 4:15 this morning to let him have something to eat so he wouldn’t have to be so hungry all day. 5am was the latest he could have anything in his stomach before surgery. Of course that had to have a funny twist to it, too. Garrett and I were both up past 1am and our brains were moving like molasses in February. I poured him a bowl of cereal and being in an unfamiliar kitchen, grabbed a bowl of what I thought was sugar, putting a healthy dose on top of his snack. After taking one bite, Garrett’s face contorted to look like a freeze-dried shar pei puppy. I had unwittingly dispensed salt over his rice krispies instead of sugar! After we got the nasty taste out of his mouth, we both laughed our tails off. Anyway, he eventually got a “real” snack and we went back to sleep.
At about 8am the hospital folks called and told us they had an earlier cancellation and asked us to come in right away. This was good news! We hustled around and as we were heading out the door Garrett gave a big sigh and firmly stated “Well, daddy. I’ve got another bull to ride. Let’s go.” What a warrior attitude!
During the preparation he began to show his trepidation in earnest as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek and he said again that he just wanted to go home. But true to form, he stayed the course but demanded that he had his Ralph bear and something of Jessi’s with him when he went in. He said he wanted his baby sister by his side.
One of the surgical nurses came in and gave him a cocktail to settle his nerves and that helped. She told us that Garrett is well known there and they have discussed his distaste for needles. Apparently, during a past biopsy, Garrett came around as they were about to start the procedure and “decked” one of the operating room staff. She laughed and said “that boy really hates to see anyone come at him with a needle”. Garrett never remembered that and none of us knew that story until today. Wow! Now that’s a warrior mindset. Folks, it's just not safe to approach a wounded bobcat! Ok, nurses. Whadyalearn?
I gowned up for the trip into the surgery room and we made the long, short walk. When I laid him on the table today and they put the sleepy mask over his mouth, he looked up at me and the tears flowed. I leaned in very close, took that first tear and softly sang “I can only imagine” to him until he fell asleep. It never gets any easier.
When Kathy and I walked out into the waiting room we were met there with a beautiful surprise. Nicholas Greenwood’s mom and dad had come down from Ft. Collins to be with us. This is the incredible family I’ve written about in the past, who lost Nicholas in 2008 and unselfishly donated his organs to other children. We spent the next few hours with them catching up and were so very blessed by their company. Nick’s dad, Bill, joined us all in prayer for Garrett and it was truly a “God” moment. They are so inspirational. They started a non-profit, Christian based athletic program to honor Nick and call it G.R.I.T. See it at http://www.gritwrestling.com/
We're truly grateful for their company today. What an amazing family.
When the procedure was done, the doctor came out to us. The fears we had were calmed when she spoke, and Kathy finally stopped shaking. Garrett did great, and his heart is healing. The coronary arteries look fantastic and three chambers of his heart are functioning very well. One of the left chambers is producing really high filling pressures, which over time if not corrected can cause issues with his lungs. But the doctors are not surprised, because he was so sick. They think he would have registered at about a 21 pressure a month ago, but they couldn’t do the cath then as it was unsafe. Today he was measured at 14. The target range is 3 to 4. This could explain the still increased heart rate. She said it could take up to a year to recover fully based on what they see, and reiterated that he was very sick when we first came in. They don’t even do a biopsy and cath procedure as a general rule for most rejections, but Garrett’s was so significant that we needed to do this to be sure he is healing.
All we’re waiting for now are the results of the biopsy itself. That will tell us how the cells look microscopically and let us know the damage the cells may have, and/or if the lymphocytes are playing nice now. We’ll know maybe as early as tomorrow, but no later than Monday. Again, we are faithfully confident that the results will be positive.
When Garrett came around today he was in a lot of pain and had a very sore throat from being intubated. He threw up really hard and that didn’t make it any easier on him, but all he could muster to ask was “what were my numbers” and “when can we go home”. I’m very proud of his demeanor today. He just doesn't weaken. He really is a tough little cowboy. When he was awake later and understood what the doctors saw today, he said “well, I guess I scored a 99 on Bodacious today”. Bodacious was the badest of the bad rodeo bulls for many years.
After 2.5 hours in surgery and several more recovering, Garrett was able to keep food down and get released to go back to his aunt’s house. He has to wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours. It’s a portable device about the size of a walkman that records electrical impulses of his heart function because there’s still the chance that his heart rhythms were disrupted by the procedure today.
Just before he went to sleep tonight, Garrett asked me “daddy, why wasn’t I born normal”. That’s another one of those questions I just don’t have answers to. No earthly man does. Only God alone knows the reasons for the way things are, and the way they will be. Why did Darren go home? Why did Nicholas go home? Why was Megan go home? All we can do is to be committed to the belief that God’s plan is perfect. Garrett was chosen to be a very special child for reasons only known to God. When he then asked if being special meant having to go through pain, all I could do was relate the pain that Jesus went through for us and how He is the most special man who ever lived. He never promised it would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.
My son is traveling a trail that most will never know. I'm blessed to follow him because I do believe God is using him for something truly great. He has already done more for God in his short life than I could ever imagine. The blessings we’ve received throughout the journey, the support system, spiritual connections and miracles are often more than I am really able to comprehend. It hasn’t been all fun, but it sure is a remarkable voyage.
When we know more, I promise to share.
JD
Tonight folks, we are faithfully confident that we have received what we have been praying for. Today was victorious, but not perfect. While we have a journey yet to complete the outlook is good. Garrett is now asleep once again beside me, and for the first time in a few weeks he doesn't have to worry about the biopsy. It's over. He is real uncomfortable with a lot of pain from the incision but his mind is quiet allowing him more peaceful rest when he can sleep. At least for now, he's not scared and I am grateful.
I woke Garrett at 4:15 this morning to let him have something to eat so he wouldn’t have to be so hungry all day. 5am was the latest he could have anything in his stomach before surgery. Of course that had to have a funny twist to it, too. Garrett and I were both up past 1am and our brains were moving like molasses in February. I poured him a bowl of cereal and being in an unfamiliar kitchen, grabbed a bowl of what I thought was sugar, putting a healthy dose on top of his snack. After taking one bite, Garrett’s face contorted to look like a freeze-dried shar pei puppy. I had unwittingly dispensed salt over his rice krispies instead of sugar! After we got the nasty taste out of his mouth, we both laughed our tails off. Anyway, he eventually got a “real” snack and we went back to sleep.
At about 8am the hospital folks called and told us they had an earlier cancellation and asked us to come in right away. This was good news! We hustled around and as we were heading out the door Garrett gave a big sigh and firmly stated “Well, daddy. I’ve got another bull to ride. Let’s go.” What a warrior attitude!
During the preparation he began to show his trepidation in earnest as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek and he said again that he just wanted to go home. But true to form, he stayed the course but demanded that he had his Ralph bear and something of Jessi’s with him when he went in. He said he wanted his baby sister by his side.
One of the surgical nurses came in and gave him a cocktail to settle his nerves and that helped. She told us that Garrett is well known there and they have discussed his distaste for needles. Apparently, during a past biopsy, Garrett came around as they were about to start the procedure and “decked” one of the operating room staff. She laughed and said “that boy really hates to see anyone come at him with a needle”. Garrett never remembered that and none of us knew that story until today. Wow! Now that’s a warrior mindset. Folks, it's just not safe to approach a wounded bobcat! Ok, nurses. Whadyalearn?
I gowned up for the trip into the surgery room and we made the long, short walk. When I laid him on the table today and they put the sleepy mask over his mouth, he looked up at me and the tears flowed. I leaned in very close, took that first tear and softly sang “I can only imagine” to him until he fell asleep. It never gets any easier.
When Kathy and I walked out into the waiting room we were met there with a beautiful surprise. Nicholas Greenwood’s mom and dad had come down from Ft. Collins to be with us. This is the incredible family I’ve written about in the past, who lost Nicholas in 2008 and unselfishly donated his organs to other children. We spent the next few hours with them catching up and were so very blessed by their company. Nick’s dad, Bill, joined us all in prayer for Garrett and it was truly a “God” moment. They are so inspirational. They started a non-profit, Christian based athletic program to honor Nick and call it G.R.I.T. See it at http://www.gritwrestling.com/
We're truly grateful for their company today. What an amazing family.
When the procedure was done, the doctor came out to us. The fears we had were calmed when she spoke, and Kathy finally stopped shaking. Garrett did great, and his heart is healing. The coronary arteries look fantastic and three chambers of his heart are functioning very well. One of the left chambers is producing really high filling pressures, which over time if not corrected can cause issues with his lungs. But the doctors are not surprised, because he was so sick. They think he would have registered at about a 21 pressure a month ago, but they couldn’t do the cath then as it was unsafe. Today he was measured at 14. The target range is 3 to 4. This could explain the still increased heart rate. She said it could take up to a year to recover fully based on what they see, and reiterated that he was very sick when we first came in. They don’t even do a biopsy and cath procedure as a general rule for most rejections, but Garrett’s was so significant that we needed to do this to be sure he is healing.
All we’re waiting for now are the results of the biopsy itself. That will tell us how the cells look microscopically and let us know the damage the cells may have, and/or if the lymphocytes are playing nice now. We’ll know maybe as early as tomorrow, but no later than Monday. Again, we are faithfully confident that the results will be positive.
When Garrett came around today he was in a lot of pain and had a very sore throat from being intubated. He threw up really hard and that didn’t make it any easier on him, but all he could muster to ask was “what were my numbers” and “when can we go home”. I’m very proud of his demeanor today. He just doesn't weaken. He really is a tough little cowboy. When he was awake later and understood what the doctors saw today, he said “well, I guess I scored a 99 on Bodacious today”. Bodacious was the badest of the bad rodeo bulls for many years.
After 2.5 hours in surgery and several more recovering, Garrett was able to keep food down and get released to go back to his aunt’s house. He has to wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours. It’s a portable device about the size of a walkman that records electrical impulses of his heart function because there’s still the chance that his heart rhythms were disrupted by the procedure today.
Just before he went to sleep tonight, Garrett asked me “daddy, why wasn’t I born normal”. That’s another one of those questions I just don’t have answers to. No earthly man does. Only God alone knows the reasons for the way things are, and the way they will be. Why did Darren go home? Why did Nicholas go home? Why was Megan go home? All we can do is to be committed to the belief that God’s plan is perfect. Garrett was chosen to be a very special child for reasons only known to God. When he then asked if being special meant having to go through pain, all I could do was relate the pain that Jesus went through for us and how He is the most special man who ever lived. He never promised it would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.
My son is traveling a trail that most will never know. I'm blessed to follow him because I do believe God is using him for something truly great. He has already done more for God in his short life than I could ever imagine. The blessings we’ve received throughout the journey, the support system, spiritual connections and miracles are often more than I am really able to comprehend. It hasn’t been all fun, but it sure is a remarkable voyage.
When we know more, I promise to share.
JD
Thursday, May 20, 2010
May 21st, 1:00 a.m.
Garrett is finally asleep. He's been pretty keyed up all day, worried about tomorrow. He called me at work today and his tone was different. He started to cry and said "daddy, I need you". Say no more. I cut out of work early and got to him by about suppertime. He ran to me and nearly squeezed the air out of me, and didn't let go for the longest time.
We grabbed our gloves and threw the ball around for a bit and then he just wanted me to hold him. We laid in the hammock for a long time and then he got a call from his beloved teacher who has been so incredible to him this year. Her timing was perfect, as were "auntie Barb" and a few professional bull riders who called to pray with him and offer encouragement. Those calls helped a lot.
We later retired to the basement to watch baseball highlights together, which is what we've always done at times like this. Baseball and rodeo have always been a part of our therapy. After a little while though he finally turned to me, told me he was so scared and started to cry. He held on to me, and I comforted him while he whimpered and said "daddy, I just want to go home". Kathy and I both just held him and tried to love the bad feelings away. We said our night prayers and in the midst of his overwhelming fears his prayers were not for himself, but for his cousin Levi, who is in stage 4 cancer. Levi is like a big brother to Garrett and also very, very sick.
It really pulls at my gut to see him go through this all over again, but these are the cards we're dealt right now. We prayed and talked for a long time about how much he is loved, and how so very many folks are praying for him. Everything is in God's hands, and there is no more perfect place for us to be.
By 10am we'll be checking in. By 1pm he'll be in surgery for the 24th time in his short 10 years. We will claim victory in the name of Jesus our Lord. Everything will be just fine. Our little gladiator is ready for battle.
JD
We grabbed our gloves and threw the ball around for a bit and then he just wanted me to hold him. We laid in the hammock for a long time and then he got a call from his beloved teacher who has been so incredible to him this year. Her timing was perfect, as were "auntie Barb" and a few professional bull riders who called to pray with him and offer encouragement. Those calls helped a lot.
We later retired to the basement to watch baseball highlights together, which is what we've always done at times like this. Baseball and rodeo have always been a part of our therapy. After a little while though he finally turned to me, told me he was so scared and started to cry. He held on to me, and I comforted him while he whimpered and said "daddy, I just want to go home". Kathy and I both just held him and tried to love the bad feelings away. We said our night prayers and in the midst of his overwhelming fears his prayers were not for himself, but for his cousin Levi, who is in stage 4 cancer. Levi is like a big brother to Garrett and also very, very sick.
It really pulls at my gut to see him go through this all over again, but these are the cards we're dealt right now. We prayed and talked for a long time about how much he is loved, and how so very many folks are praying for him. Everything is in God's hands, and there is no more perfect place for us to be.
By 10am we'll be checking in. By 1pm he'll be in surgery for the 24th time in his short 10 years. We will claim victory in the name of Jesus our Lord. Everything will be just fine. Our little gladiator is ready for battle.
JD
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
May 20. 2010
Today, like many others lately, just couldn’t end without some minor catastrophe of sorts. Keeps us from getting bored, I guess. But like the others, big or small, we beat the odds.
Jessi had spent the afternoon with our wonderful friend and neighbor lady with whom she has grown a very beautiful relationship. Christina and her family have been a God-send to us during this part of the journey. She takes care of Jessi when I cannot be around and Jessi loves her dearly. They build projects, play with dogs, and conduct reproductive studies of the barn cat’s springtime ritual and groom horses. Today they decided to surprise daddy by cleaning the house for me. This was after Christina shadowed Jessi at her school “field day” activities and watched while Jessi won 5 ribbons.
When I arrived home, Jessi went out to check on the horses while we visited. Moments later, my Tinker (Jessi’s pet name) came limping and whimpering into the house. She had stepped on a nail in the feed bunk when feeding carrots to her horse. It was a pretty good wound, too. She was bleeding from the hole in her foot and quite scared. Christina sprung into action immediately, which allowed me to sneak out of earshot to call our pediatrician. Dr. Gilroy is the only children’s doctor I know today who allows me to call her at home. She saved Garrett’s life two years ago by discovering the enzyme imbalance that led to the discovery of his advanced coronary artery disease, and has stayed in close contact with us since. She is a gem! Well, she understood that Kathy and Garrett are in Denver and I didn’t know where the shot records could be kept. This angel of mercy did some research and called me back assuring me that Jessi’s Tetanus shot was up to date.
Needless to say, Jessi will have a sore foot for a few days, but after a good cleaning out and lots of soaking; I’m hoping it won’t get infected and need another trip to the hospital.
It’s amazing the thoughts that can race through one’s head at times like this. I have to be with my boy on Friday morning. He has his double biopsy surgery and I promised him I would be there as I always am, to wipe away that first tear, to be the last person he sees when he goes to sleep, and the first one he sees when he wakes up. But I couldn’t turn my back on my little Tinker, who is the most loving child I’ve ever known. If she needs to go to the doctor and required follow up because the wound was worse than we thought, it would compromise my commitments to Garrett. But somehow, I’d make it happen. I can promise you that!
The days lately have been filled with trying to stay busy enough at work to keep my mind from racing. My nights are rarely for sleep, and mostly for praying, thinking too much and hoping. Knowledge can be powerful, but then too; too much knowledge and not enough at the same time can be terrorizing. Garrett is feeling good, and that’s good enough right now. But I’ve also noticed a very subtle change in him when I was there last. That, coupled with the poor blood work and no change in the echo gets my mind racing. DANG IT! I’m the one who knows we have to ride this bronc one jump at a time. Yet my mind keeps sneaking in what I’ve learned recently about medical statistics regarding similar cases. I just have to know that Garrett has never followed the “statistical line” his entire life. I know that God has blessed me tremendously with the willpower to stay this fight and never quit. The doubts and fears that sneak in are hateful and even in the darkest moments of this fight, when I feel like I’m out of ammunition and have no place to hide, I have called out to my God for guidance and help. I’ve prayed until the world around me became no more. I was completely alone, if for only a moment, with my entire spirit, body and soul beseeching God Almighty to raise us from this battlefield to victory. Never once have I heard his voice, not as the voice of a human telling me what to do. But He has opened my eyes to see His mercy and love. I also know for certain that He has not abandoned or forsaken me. And He knows that for me and mine, we work for Him.
Friday late we will slowly begin to get answers to what seem like just so many questions. How much damage has been done? Has the rejection been caught, and killed, in time. Do the new lymphocytes rebuilding his immune system have and understand the new battle plan and recognize that Garrett’s heart is an ally and not an enemy? We will not weaken. We enter into this new mission completely convinced that God has given us everything we need to be successful for Him. This next week will be filled with emotion. One of great joy and hope, or one of being momentarily stunned and needing to gather our thoughts for the next phase of the battle. Either way, I will be with my family through the week. I will not leave them. We will accept the results, knowing there are but two or three options to continue the fight, and believing, as I do now, that we will be victorious.
When I know more. I will let you all know. Your prayers help sustain us, and for that I'm very grateful. I have a feeling though, that this tough little warrior will put on his coat of God’s armor as we pray prior to surgery, and he will emerge triumphant.
You give me your shield of victory,
And your right hand sustains me;
You stoop down to make me great." Psalm 18
JD
Jessi had spent the afternoon with our wonderful friend and neighbor lady with whom she has grown a very beautiful relationship. Christina and her family have been a God-send to us during this part of the journey. She takes care of Jessi when I cannot be around and Jessi loves her dearly. They build projects, play with dogs, and conduct reproductive studies of the barn cat’s springtime ritual and groom horses. Today they decided to surprise daddy by cleaning the house for me. This was after Christina shadowed Jessi at her school “field day” activities and watched while Jessi won 5 ribbons.
When I arrived home, Jessi went out to check on the horses while we visited. Moments later, my Tinker (Jessi’s pet name) came limping and whimpering into the house. She had stepped on a nail in the feed bunk when feeding carrots to her horse. It was a pretty good wound, too. She was bleeding from the hole in her foot and quite scared. Christina sprung into action immediately, which allowed me to sneak out of earshot to call our pediatrician. Dr. Gilroy is the only children’s doctor I know today who allows me to call her at home. She saved Garrett’s life two years ago by discovering the enzyme imbalance that led to the discovery of his advanced coronary artery disease, and has stayed in close contact with us since. She is a gem! Well, she understood that Kathy and Garrett are in Denver and I didn’t know where the shot records could be kept. This angel of mercy did some research and called me back assuring me that Jessi’s Tetanus shot was up to date.
Needless to say, Jessi will have a sore foot for a few days, but after a good cleaning out and lots of soaking; I’m hoping it won’t get infected and need another trip to the hospital.
It’s amazing the thoughts that can race through one’s head at times like this. I have to be with my boy on Friday morning. He has his double biopsy surgery and I promised him I would be there as I always am, to wipe away that first tear, to be the last person he sees when he goes to sleep, and the first one he sees when he wakes up. But I couldn’t turn my back on my little Tinker, who is the most loving child I’ve ever known. If she needs to go to the doctor and required follow up because the wound was worse than we thought, it would compromise my commitments to Garrett. But somehow, I’d make it happen. I can promise you that!
The days lately have been filled with trying to stay busy enough at work to keep my mind from racing. My nights are rarely for sleep, and mostly for praying, thinking too much and hoping. Knowledge can be powerful, but then too; too much knowledge and not enough at the same time can be terrorizing. Garrett is feeling good, and that’s good enough right now. But I’ve also noticed a very subtle change in him when I was there last. That, coupled with the poor blood work and no change in the echo gets my mind racing. DANG IT! I’m the one who knows we have to ride this bronc one jump at a time. Yet my mind keeps sneaking in what I’ve learned recently about medical statistics regarding similar cases. I just have to know that Garrett has never followed the “statistical line” his entire life. I know that God has blessed me tremendously with the willpower to stay this fight and never quit. The doubts and fears that sneak in are hateful and even in the darkest moments of this fight, when I feel like I’m out of ammunition and have no place to hide, I have called out to my God for guidance and help. I’ve prayed until the world around me became no more. I was completely alone, if for only a moment, with my entire spirit, body and soul beseeching God Almighty to raise us from this battlefield to victory. Never once have I heard his voice, not as the voice of a human telling me what to do. But He has opened my eyes to see His mercy and love. I also know for certain that He has not abandoned or forsaken me. And He knows that for me and mine, we work for Him.
Friday late we will slowly begin to get answers to what seem like just so many questions. How much damage has been done? Has the rejection been caught, and killed, in time. Do the new lymphocytes rebuilding his immune system have and understand the new battle plan and recognize that Garrett’s heart is an ally and not an enemy? We will not weaken. We enter into this new mission completely convinced that God has given us everything we need to be successful for Him. This next week will be filled with emotion. One of great joy and hope, or one of being momentarily stunned and needing to gather our thoughts for the next phase of the battle. Either way, I will be with my family through the week. I will not leave them. We will accept the results, knowing there are but two or three options to continue the fight, and believing, as I do now, that we will be victorious.
When I know more. I will let you all know. Your prayers help sustain us, and for that I'm very grateful. I have a feeling though, that this tough little warrior will put on his coat of God’s armor as we pray prior to surgery, and he will emerge triumphant.
You give me your shield of victory,
And your right hand sustains me;
You stoop down to make me great." Psalm 18
JD
Monday, May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010
Jessi and I got to spend a couple days with mommy and Garrett this weekend and are now back, getting ready for work and school again. It was a good few days, though, but just too short. We took a little walk at a nearby pond and just enjoyed being together while he's feeling good. He had some pretty wicked nightmares again this weekend, but we worked through them by watching baseball or rodeo like we always have until he could fall back asleep. As the week progressed, he's bound to get more anxious about the procedure/biopsy surgery. I'd sure be grateful for any extra prayers you have laying around for him, Jessi and Kathy. This will be a long week and weekend until we get the results early next week. Garrett made me promise at least 4 times that I'd be back with him in time for surgery.
His last checkup before surgery was this morning. Everything still looks pretty good. He's lost a little weight, but not much. Although there was no change in his echo, it's good because it didn't get worse. His bloodwork is still all over the map and while we want to know why, we're hoping it's just because his body is trying to heal. When they run the double biopsy this week, they'll get a real good look at this kidney function and we'll know more.
I tried to break up the monotony this weekend by building the kids a roping toy from PVC tubing. It'll give him something to do in the backyard. But I don't think it was near the hit that his other surprises were. He got a box full of goodies from some great folks, including a bunch more baseball cards (he loves those), books, signed Boston BBall and even a rugby ball from a couple in Australia! The love this little guy has garnered is really amazing. Folks are so kind.
When we know more, I'll be sure to post something. I've added a picture tonight of the bracelets his little friends Chris and Joe designed. I'm told they are a big hit in the area and really make Garrett feel "special" to know folks are wearing them for him until he can come home. He really has some tremendous friends, all good soldiers of the Cross, too.
While you're taking time to pray this week, please ask God to comfort the family of Dale Goodell. Dale was a good man and friend of mine whom God called home early this morning. He and Garrett shared similarities, too, as Dale was a bone marrow transplant recipient. He finally lost a lengthy battle that he fought so well for so long. He's at peace now, but those of us left behind will miss him dearly.
This week is a big one. There will be lots of big prayers for the King of miracles to heal a little cowboy so he can come back home with his family. The victory is His, and we ask for understanding and grace as we try to accept His will.
God bless,
JD
His last checkup before surgery was this morning. Everything still looks pretty good. He's lost a little weight, but not much. Although there was no change in his echo, it's good because it didn't get worse. His bloodwork is still all over the map and while we want to know why, we're hoping it's just because his body is trying to heal. When they run the double biopsy this week, they'll get a real good look at this kidney function and we'll know more.
I tried to break up the monotony this weekend by building the kids a roping toy from PVC tubing. It'll give him something to do in the backyard. But I don't think it was near the hit that his other surprises were. He got a box full of goodies from some great folks, including a bunch more baseball cards (he loves those), books, signed Boston BBall and even a rugby ball from a couple in Australia! The love this little guy has garnered is really amazing. Folks are so kind.
When we know more, I'll be sure to post something. I've added a picture tonight of the bracelets his little friends Chris and Joe designed. I'm told they are a big hit in the area and really make Garrett feel "special" to know folks are wearing them for him until he can come home. He really has some tremendous friends, all good soldiers of the Cross, too.
While you're taking time to pray this week, please ask God to comfort the family of Dale Goodell. Dale was a good man and friend of mine whom God called home early this morning. He and Garrett shared similarities, too, as Dale was a bone marrow transplant recipient. He finally lost a lengthy battle that he fought so well for so long. He's at peace now, but those of us left behind will miss him dearly.
This week is a big one. There will be lots of big prayers for the King of miracles to heal a little cowboy so he can come back home with his family. The victory is His, and we ask for understanding and grace as we try to accept His will.
God bless,
JD
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