Special Visitors

Friday

10/9/2015 9:30 pm

We had some special "care takers" today! I don't think Feng Yu was impressed with the Badger team, but so nice they came by to lift everyone's spirits on these rough days. We had a swim team, hockey player and then she said a football player, well yeah, Ron Dayne, of course!

The last few days have been filled with Breathing issues, pain, pain management and more procedures to alleviate pain and breathing issues. Yesterday they placated his left diaphragm which moved in the opposite direction (upwards) instead of downward when he breathes, due to possible nerve damage. His breathing was so labored (70-80) it wiped him out making recovery impossible. Pray for that nerve to be restored. After the procedure, he was in unbearable pain and would not put any pressure on that site, which kept him from laying down (again exhaustion). Meantime his chest tubes (in the front) are draining and of course, from what I hear, have been in for 11 days are beyond uncomfortable. The little guy would just moan with every labored breath until pure exhaustion took over and gravity made him tip to the side. We had him propped up with pillows from every angle but even then he did not want the pillows to touch him. Today, the resolution for pain was to do a nerve block where they placated his diaphragm. Again another procedure and again it took longer than expected. But the good part was he is now finally resting with a good pain management plan. We have started feeding through the feeding tube tonight and pray for tomorrow to be a new day for him to be out of the acute post op phase and into recovery. It will be day 12!

I was able to hold him for a few hours tonight which was very nice. He had an episode where he began to choke and panic on his own secretions because he could not breathe. Pray for his ability to clear his own lungs through coughing (yet painful to do)) He is very traumatized at this point with all the procedures and pain. Pray for his spirit to begin to trust me and others again. He would not let anyone near him for the last two days without getting very anxious and upset. Yet as I sit near him by the bed, he will still reach for my hand. (Thank you Lord!) After holding him, and since his pain was more in check he allowed his night nurse to give him medication, check temp, etc without fussing. Trust is a fragile thing for anyone with a broken past. Pray he will know this was for his good and I only want the best for him.

On a funny note, during his coughing spell he broke through the common morphine side effect with a blast of poop! I asked the nurse does that ever happen to someone who is on narcotics for 11 days to really have diarreha? With a surprised face she said "that's kind of opposite!" I laughed so hard! To think how many times I have heard the perplexity in people's voices in caring for him. Yep....he's so unique and special, there's only one FENG YU!! And I get to be his Mommy smile emoticon

Thank you to all that have visited or wanted to come recently, but he is just too overwhelmed with trauma for more people right now. I have enjoyed the meals dropped off and the family at home has been blessed with delicious homemade meals. It takes a community for us to get through this and we so appreciate the love and prayers.

And with joyful tears, I write to say Jayni and her family (our hospital bosom buddies!) were discharged today from the hospital. Her benign brain tumor was removed, she rocked her PT and is one her way to recovery. Pray for all the little final pieces of her recovery to be just as smooth so they can return to their faithful mission! We will miss them very much as God placed them in the waiting room at 10 pm on a Tuesday night 11 days ago, as we both anxiously waited for our children to come out of long dangerous surgeries. We were the last ones left and now bonded together for life as only God would see fit! (The last picture is us with the friends after we had all went to church together last Sunday.)

Thursday 10/8/2015  9:23pm

Prayer for tonight. Pain management!!! He is really having a rough time between the chest tubes from the OHS and today's surgery he cannot get comfortable. He has been trying to sleep sitting up for the past 3 hours. I think he had built up a tolerance to the narcotics over the last 10 days. Pray for rest so his body can heal and he will regain his appetite.

Thursday 10-8-2015 4 pm

Surgery is done. Longer than I thought but done. Feeding tube could only go as far as stomach, without causing too much irritation, due to malrotation of the intestines, so it is placed in the stomach . He has had some apple juice and our prayer is for his appetite to return and feed himself the caloric intake necessary to recover. Until then we will supplement to keep his strength up. His lungs looked pretty good per the pulmonary Dr. His test was performed after the diaphragm was repaired. The body is amazing at restoration. Our God is an amazing healer! We rejoice in our small triumphs forward towards his recovery.

Thursday, 10-8-2015  6:50 am

Anesthesia will begin to prepare Joseph around 8 this morning. The feeding tube and PIC line will be placed first and then he should head to the OR around 10:30. The procedure to tack down the diaphragm should take about 1.5 hours. They will also be doing a broncopsipy (sp) where they will clear out the fluid in his lungs. Our prayer is, despite being another surgical intervention, this will get him ahead in the long run and help him turn the corner and start the road to recovery!

Side note--Today is bring your Bible to school day! Yes it is legal!