We Are Home!

First and foremost I want to thank each and every one of you who have prayed for us over the past week. Not one prayer was wasted! God most certainly heard and we could feel your love and support. Thank you also for all of your texts, emails and phone calls. I tried to respond to each one but sometimes Tanner’s needs didn’t allow it. Please know that I appreciated every single one!

As I mentioned in the first update post, each day brought its own challenges and our God was so good to us! I am overwhelmed by His kindness. We are so thrilled to be home. Dr. Vegunta came in Friday afternoon and told us that we had the choice to stay one more day or try to go home that day. They had done another x-ray which showed only a small amount of fluid in the lungs and his fever had broken so the doc thought he would get the rest of it up on his own. He has an incentive spirometer and an acapella (2 breathing devices) to help open the lungs and then to help him cough the junk up. I have to take his temperature here and so far so good! I had mentioned in the last post that his right pupil was enlarged and they had called in a neuro consult. They did determine that it was from the medication they were giving him to clear the lungs (concern was that a nerve was hit in surgery or the epidural). Praise God that it cleared within 24 hours of stopping the medication! I told my husband that since Tanner reacted to nearly every drug they gave him, hopefully this is huge deterrent to ever trying street drugs!

It is a bit like having an infant all over again. The doc has him rotating 3 pain medications so I set the alarm in the night to dose him…3 times last night. I am NOT complaining! It is so worth it and he is doing so well. He has cried twice from the pain while home (unusual for a 12 year old boy to break down as many of us moms know) so it is very important to stay ahead of it with the meds. At his 2 week appointment, they hope to be getting him off the Percocet (not to be graphic, but those narcotics keep us from going ‘poop’ – he really needs to go – it has been a week and it is very uncomfortable – dare I ask you to pray for that – I dare). It takes Denny and I both to get him around. Denny had planned to work Monday while Hunter was in school but now he is not. There is just no way I can get him up and down for the bathroom alone.

I did not know what to expect from St. Francis Children’s Hospital as we headed off on Monday morning. I must say that the care there was outstanding! As we left on Friday, I threw my arms around a handful of the nurses we had come to know and love over the course of the week. I had only left the hospital twice to pick up Hunter, once to shower and once to sleep at home for about 6 hours. All times when Denny could be there of course. I spent day and night with the nurses and staff. Got to know everyone from the floor nurse manager to the meal coordinator to the lady who cleaned our wing each day…not that any was more important than the other. I can honestly say that I am thankful that all of our paths crossed. I enjoyed talking to each and every one and looked forward to the time they would be coming around as I knew their schedules. They are exceptional people. Gifted in caring for others. I was humbled by them and grateful to God that they had touched my life.

The week was such a journey…one, by God’s grace, I will not soon forget. The first room we were assigned was in the pediatric wing that houses the St. Jude patients that come to receive their chemo treatments locally. Dax was to our left (and shared the same nurse team with Tanner for 3 days and nights). To our right was a 3 year old who was admitted for a round of chemo. He was so smart, so funny and so full of joy. He brightened my days and nights. We can be such whiners as adults. These kids have an inner strength that is indescribable. I saw those who were coming in just for outpatient treatment. One little girl struck me so. She had a beautiful bald head, a long red winter coat with a black fur collar and shoes with furry tufts and a kitten heel. She was maybe 3 feet tall and 4 years old but a giant in spirit and heart. She said hello to us all as she made her way down the hall.

This week gave me some long needed perspective. I got to meet parents with so many situations that were so much more severe than ours. I would walk the pediatric halls in the night and pray for the children there. Some doors never were opened and I would wonder what their situation was, how their family was and how long they would be there. I will tell you that on those quiet nights I could feel the manifested presence of our God. I have no doubt that Jesus walks those halls and intercedes for those children. Never have I thought I would say that I would be thankful that I spent a week at the hospital, but I am…I really am.

Tanner’s surgery has forced our family to slow down. Something that was also much needed. After last week, I am even more in awe of God than I was before. He is amazing, merciful, full of truth, loving and sovereign. He truly only has good plans for us. I would not trade the rocky moments of our week for anything. They only drew me closer to my God and King. He is everything and this Christmas I have a greater appreciation for the only gift that really matters…the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I love Him so very much.

My battery is about to die and you may have stopped reading already! Tanner is almost due for medicine so I have to run. Keep praying for us…the recovery road will be long but good, whatever it may bring. One funny thing…if you have company that has the tendency to stay a tad too long, you just need to get some of those chairs that I slept in at St Francis. They are horribly stiff chairs that pull out into a bed – if you can even call it that. One night on those and all company is guaranteed to leave the next day. Each morning on shift change at 7am, the nurse would come in and ask Tanner for his pain number on a scale from 1 to 10. Mine was usually a 4 after sleeping on that thing…ha!

Again…a huge thank you to our PCS family, our Harvest Bible Chapel family, the Bible study ladies and all of our other friends and family! We love you all so much and so appreciate your care and concern. You are the best! Merry Christmas!

Love,
Karessa