July 11. 2010

It has been a short while since I've updated this site and quite frankly, was waiting for something happy to write about. Well, we have it! In the midst of the recent bumps in the trail we've been teetering a little and started having doubts. Not doubts about God's great will, but doubts about our own ability to handle yet another blow with the type of disposition and an upbeat spirit we expect of ourselves.

I’m proud to announce that we’ve pulled through and still see a shining light ahead of us. Just as any loving father does, our Father in heaven picked us up off the ground when we fell and dusted off our britches, set us back on the pony and said “ride”. We have, and it's a good journey.

Garrett’s check up on Friday was a blessing! His heart rate was 107, but has been as low as 92 recently. The real excitement came with the reading of the echo. The physicians told us that Garrett’s heart has “definitely improved” and looks “as normal for him as it can be at this time”. We’re super happy about this news. Garrett looks better, feels better and is healing better now. Garrett told me “daddy, my heart feels better when I’m out of this * place.” There’s something to be said about the healing power of home. We lost Noah, but Noah was the reason I brought Garrett home.

We still have a journey ahead because on top of the general healing still to come, Garrett has right ventricular hypertrophy. In layman’s terms, it means he has thickening of the heart wall in the right ventricle. Extreme cases of this are deadly. If his got worse, it would mean another heart transplant would be needed. For now, the doctors are not disturbed because they say Garrett’s had it for a while. But they’ll be watching it closely and we’ll be praying that it does not worsen.

The other great news we have to share is our house guest this week. We have a rare loving relationship with Garrett’s donor family since God saw to it that we all met when Garrett got his new heart. In the two years since, we have become extremely close. Garrett and Warren (Darren’s younger brother) share an incredible relationship and Warren has come to stay with us for a week. Just being with Warren brings Garrett great joy, and Warren is a tremendous role model for Garrett. He is a great young man for Garrett to emulate. As I write this, the two boys are asleep in the bed next to me. We're in a hotel in Denver because Garrett has a check up in the morning.

Meanwhile, Kathy and Warren’s momma are sticking their toes in the sand on a beach and getting some much needed relaxation. They’ve both been through so much and the kindred friendship they have helps them both heal. I pray with all my heart that Kathy's tender heart begins to heal with this trip.

We know we're not out of the woods. Even as I'm laying here writing, Garrett just woke a few minutes ago with a terrible nightmare. They are terrifying to watch and must be more so to endure. Thankfully, he does not remember them usually. This one was pretty nasty and for a minute I thought he couldn't breath.

But when I look overall at all we’ve been through, I can’t help but see the blessings each bump has produced. So we’re going to stay strong and try to give better than we get. Jesus taught us that for he who has been given much, much will be required. Well, I’ve sure been given a truck load of blessings so we’re going to stay on our toes and remember to give all the glory to Him. We just have to keep getting up and putting on our armor of God every day and stay prepared for battle.

Life has many challenges, but it is pretty dang good.

JD