Home at Last

We are safely home tonight. Samuel had a rough first night at the hotel, but he is better now. We learned the hard way that tiny meals are all he can really handle right now. Kim was quite the trooper and I am so thankful for a friend like her. Having her travel home with us was very helpful and we enjoyed visiting. When we got to the house, we were immediately greeted with lots of beautiful smiles and hugs from the kids. Samuel and I spent the evening walking around with the kids seeing all the animals and feeding the catfish in the pond. Samuel put on a pair of jeans on for the first time in over a year. The positioning of the tubes is much better than before. As nice as it is to wear pajamas, I'm pretty sure he's sick of them by now!  Talking with Kim today, gave me such a reminder of what all God has brought us through as a family and how often times situations in our lives have seemed impossible, but God provides a way. Sometimes the outcome isn't always what we had hoped for, but somehow He gives us the strength to persevere.  

Day 17 - Samuel Update

Samuel is doing well.  They are planning to remove one of the JP drains and take out every other staple today. They are also going to take him off the TPN's, pull the central line and let us go stay in a hotel tonight. Kim is on her way to the hospital. She will stay with us and we will fly home on Tuesday. I cannot wait!!!  I miss my family so such. Thanks for all the prayers.  Please continue to pray that Samuel heals well and that he eats so he will gain weight before his next surgery in a couple of months.  Blessings!

Lost Tortoise Found!!

I have some time sitting here in the hospital, so I decided to write about something neat that happened at home.  A few years ago, while visiting the YO Ranch, we fell in love with a Sulcata Tortoise.  Last summer, while we were there we got to visit him again and Gabriella, Sophia and Caleb loved him.   He would eat vegetables from their hands and enjoyed the attention.  I’ve always loved tortoises….not turtles, but tortoises.  For Christmas, I got a large Sulcata Tortoise that someone could no longer have because of his size.  Gabriella also got a little one who lives in her room.  Hers in named Franklin and mine is named Theodore (Theo).   Mine is really large and lives outside in our barnyard until we can finish his special enclosure.  Sulcatas cannot handle cold weather, so we give him a heat lamp on cold nights. 

Franklin and Theodore

Theo is found!

One day in late March, Theo was missing from the barnyard.  We could not imagine how he escaped, but he did.  We walked every day for hours for the first week he was missing, but we could not find him anywhere.  Every once in a while we would find a trail where he had flattened the grass, but it always disappeared.  You are probably thinking, “How can someone lose a 60 pound tortoise and not be able to find it?”  Well, tortoises are actually faster than I ever thought they were and they hide quite well.  Searching for him was like looking for a giant camouflage Easter egg that has legs and can move.  Even with more than a dozen of us searching for him, we could not find Theo anywhere.  We knew he had left our property and was on the land that surrounds the lake, but he was no where to be found.  After a few weeks of looking for Theo, we finally gave up and assumed he was much further from home than we even realized he could go.

Then on Mother’s Day, while we were here in Baltimore, Miriam Grace sent me a picture of Theo!  Lydia was riding horses in the back and there he was grazing in the middle of the path.   She went back to the house to get some help to bring him home.  The kids took a wheel barrow and brought him back to the house.  I’m not so sure he is really happy about being home.  I’m sure he enjoyed tortoise paradise and all the weeds and grass he can eat!!  We know he couldn’t survive out there during the winter when temperatures get really cold, so it is best that he is home where we can keep him safe.  It was an awesome Mother’s Day gift too!!!    

Day 16 - Samuel Update

Samuel had a good day yesterday. He is really happy to be able to have clear liquids. They removed his nephrostomies yesterday. It is the first time he's been without those two tubes in a year!   Yesterday, they removed four of the five tubes we were hoping for.  Samuel looks like he feels so much better than he did just a few days ago.  The TPN's seem to make a huge difference for him. 

Yesterday we had a dear friend who we met here in Baltimore 16 years ago come and visit us. It was really good to get to visit with Paige.  We had a good time catching up on what all has happened in the last sixteen years.  It was a reminder to me of how God has worked in our lives over the years. I can't say it has been pain free, but I know He has a plan and a purpose in everything. 

We are starting to work on a plan to leave the hospital and go home. My friend, Kim, is in DC and will be flying home on Tuesday morning.  Her flight to west Texas has a layover in Houston. If everything goes as planned, the doctors are talking about releasing Samuel by Monday so that I will have help getting him home and maneuvering the airport. Getting in and out of the seats on the plane without using his tummy muscles will be a big challenge.  Having Kim there would be very helpful. Samuel is making good progress, but he has a few more milestones to meet before they will release him from the hospital.  He will have to return for another surgery, very minor compared to this 18 hour one, in about six weeks or so. Until then he will be treated by a doctor in Houston. It is really exciting to be reaching this point!  I know he is a long way from being his old self again, but I feel like we are well on the road to complete healing.  Praising the Lord for bringing Samuel this far!!!

Day 15 at 9:00 am - Samuel's Update

Samuel did well yesterday and even got to take a ten minute walk outside with a nurse with us. It was really good for him, but even the short walk made him very tired.  We are hoping to try it again today, but it is raining.  The tests went well and Samuel has already had a good start to the day.  At 5:45 this morning, the plastics team came in and removed one of the JP drains from his abdomen.  At about 6:30, they removed his NG tube. They will be starting him on clear liquids today. He can't wait!  They will be taking it very slow because we don't want him to end up sick again.  He doesn't have a fever.  If things go well, he will be heading downstairs to IR at some point today to get three more tubes removed. Praising Him for progress made and praying for complete healing. 

Day 14 - Samuel Update

The morning has started out with giving us great hope of a day of progress.  The doctors capped the nephrostomy tubes this morning to see if Samuel's body can handle working properly on its own. His liver levels have come down closer to normal.  They also capped his NG tube to see if his tummy is awake enough. If he becomes nauseous, they will have to uncap it. We are praying that everything works well today.  If it does, then tomorrow they will take him downstairs for interventional radiologists to start removing the tubes. They would be removing the two nephrostomy tubes, two JP drain tubes, and the NG tube. That is five tubes that could be gone in one day!  He would still have three other tubes, but he will go home with those.  

We also received a box of delicious goodies from John Marshall and his daughter, Jennifer, today. The box was filled with all kinds of great things, but Samuel has his eye on the homemade oatmeal raisin cookies. As soon as he saw them, he perked up and said he really wished he could eat.  If they are able to pull the NG tube without him getting sick, he may be able to try a couple of cookies tomorrow!  Please pray that all goes well and that today Samuel will leap forward on the road to recovery. Praising Him for progress!!  Blessings!

Day 13 - Samuel Update

I haven’t posted an update because Samuel really hasn’t had any changes.  He seems to be in kind of a “hold steady” pattern.   He is not any worse, and he isn’t any better.  He still has the NG tube because 13 days after surgery his tummy still has not woke up yet.  He is on TPN lipids for nutrition.  He still has all his drains and tubes, nothing has been pulled yet.  They did a nephrostogram test today to see if they will be able to pull the nephrostomy tubes, but we have not gotten the results yet.  His kidney levels are coming down closer to normal, so that is good news.  He is still on IV antibiotics for pneumonia.  Today he is reading a book by one of his favorite authors, Nick Vujicic.  We are thankful for no setbacks in the last two days.  Continued prayers appreciated.   Blessings!

Day 11 - Samuel Update

Sorry for not sending an update sooner. Kim and I went to dinner and I had decided to take a break from Facebook for the day.  I was really surprised and touched by Samuel's beautiful Mother's Day post.  He's an amazing kiddo and I am so thankful God made me his mom!  Samuel had a very good day yesterday (Sunday). He told Kim and I to go enjoy dinner while he watched Duck Dynasty!  They were able to take him off the oxygen yesterday afternoon. They tried stopping the NG tube to see is he could tolerate it, but he became nauseous within a few minutes. They said that the nausea is caused by the fact that his tummy still is not completely awake after the 18 hour surgery. It is hard to believe that it could take 11 days to wake up, but apparently that isn't unusual after such a long surgery.  For now he will need to keep the NG tube, which he says is so much better of an alternative to the vomiting. The incision and everything seems to be healing well and there isn't any visible damage caused by him being so sick for those two days.  They are not going to be able to remove the nephrostomy tubes because he has developed kidney stones now. They are trying to come up with a plan to take care of that problem. His kidney levels have been extremely elevated and they are trying to do whatever they can reverse any damage done. This came on very quickly, and the levels tripled three times the normal levels overnight.  They have been questioning whether or not a central line was the right decision for Samuel because of the risks and the type of infections he has. This morning they went ahead and put in a central line to his heart and they are starting him on TPN lipids today. He really needs the nutrition. Kim was pretty surprised by how much weight he has lost since surgery.  He looks very frail.  Right now, Samuel is having an ultrasound done so the doctors can decide how to proceed with treating the kidney problems. He has not had a fever since yesterday. He seems like he is back on the road to recovery and taking those baby steps towards complete healing.  He was able to shave yesterday, which really made him feel better too!  Jacob and Joshua would have been so envious of his full beard!   Samuel's pain seems manageable too and he is no longer on the narcotics or PCA pump.  His attitude is much better also and he seems to have the will to fight again. God is certainly answering many prayers. Saturday was the scariest time we've had in many months. It is hard to believe he is so much better today, which is a testimony of God answering the prayers of so many people praying for him.  

Day 10 @ 9:00 am - Samuel Update

 God is answering our prayers and things have improved somewhat since yesterday.  The doctors seem to have the NG tube in the right place and working properly, and Samuel has not thrown up in over 12 hours.  Whew….you can’t imagine what a relief that is after two full days of it!  Samuel didn’t sleep all night, which is surprising because he is physically exhausted.  He just says he can’t sleep.  We watched the TLBAA 50^th Anniversary Longhorn Sale on my laptop last night.  We really appreciate all our longhorn friends who have prayed for Samuel over the last year and are still praying for him now.  It was good for Samuel to get to see a glimpse of his life before the accident.  I know he misses being deeply involved with the cattle. 

Samuel still has a high fever today and his white blood cell count is elevated.  Last night the doctors decided to skip a dose of the Vancomycin because the blood tests showed that the levels of it in his system are too high and it can cause organ damage.  After they get new bloodwork today, they will adjust the dosage and restart it.  Samuel has also developed a yeast infection in his kidneys.  They are starting him on IV meds to treat it too.  There are times when things just feel like they are spinning out of control, and that is exactly what the last two days have felt like.  Today, even though things are not resolved, it seems like the doctors are managing it again.  Samuel remains on oxygen and he still has a rapid heartbeat, but he is not in much pain and he doesn’t have that short fast breathing.  He listened to music on my iPad for a couple of hours this morning.  I am hoping that he will get tired this afternoon and sleep good tonight.   His body needs rest.  Kim arrives this evening and we are going out to dinner tonight.  I am really looking forward to it.  It will be the first time I’ve left the hospital in ten days.  I’m missing my family today….and Texas!   Thanks again for the continued prayers!

Samuel Update - Day 9

I had really hoped today would be a turning point and Samuel would be improving, but that's not the case. Samuel has gotten much worse. He is now on oxygen, has a high heart rate and still has a high fever.  He is still vomiting every few minutes, even though he's on strong IV meds to try to stop it. They placed an NG tube in his stomach this morning, but it coiled up and went back up his esophagus.  They did several x-rays and attempted to reposition it several times with no success. They pulled the NG tube and attempted it again, but had the same problems. After several more attempts and x-rays, it looks like it is finally in place. He is scheduled to get a central line also, and they are going to start him on TPN's. He needs nutrition. He hasn't had but half of day of of nutrition in over ten days. He is withering away down to nothing again.  The fever could be caused by the pneumonia, but they are running tests to make sure there isn't more going on being that he is on massive antibiotics and still gets a high fever every time the IV Tylenol is out of his system. He has rapid, shallow breathing too. He is not complaining about being in pain at all. He just feels terrible.  Tomorrow evening, a close friend from Texas is coming to visit us. I am looking forward to seeing a familiar face and spending some time with her.  With Samuel so sick, our room is constantly busy with doctors and nurses coming in and out, but it is very quiet too.  Samuel has a rough road to recovery, and at times I get really scared. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.  I will post another update tomorrow. 

Day 8 at 9:00 pm - Long Day!!!

Today has been a very difficult day.   Samuel went down for the CT scan, but blew the last working IV.   The doctors and nurses attempted to start another IV about 20 times, but no one was able to get one started.  They ended up sending him back up to his room to talk about starting a central line.   They decided against it because of the kind of infection he has.  One of the doctors came and tried several more times to get an IV started and finally got one working.  They don’t think it will last, but it was good enough to do the CT scan.  His veins are so scarred up that it is very hard to get an IV started on him. When he returned to the room and they took his vitals, he had a very high temperature, high heart rate, and a low oxygen level.  The results of the CT scan showed that he does not have a blood clot in his lungs, but does have pneumonia.  He continues to have nausea and vomiting, which is horrible when he isn’t supposed to be using his tummy muscles at all.  It is very painful for him.  They put him on IV antibiotics for the pneumonia and we are continuing with the other antibiotics too.  The CT scan also showed a collection of the fluid under the skin that the JP drain is not draining.  The plastic surgery team looked at it and they feel like we need to just leave it alone for now and see what happens.  It is going to be a long night here.  Thanks for praying for Samuel. 

Day 8 - Rough Start to the Day!

For it only being 11:00 AM, we've already had quite a long day. At 6:00 AM, the first team of doctors made their rounds.  They said that if Samuel continued to do well and got clearance from the other teams, that he would just need to stay on IV antibiotics for a few more days and then we could start making plans to travel home. As soon as they walked out the room, Samuel started throwing up. As you can imagine, this is the last thing his abdomen needs right now. They've given him IV meds for it, but he has continued to throw up all morning.   He is complaining that his chest hurts too. They just did an EKG on him. He has a high heart rate and is in a lot of pain.  His oxygen level is low. They just took a blood sample from a main artery.  They are about to do a CT scan of his chest. They suspect that he could have a blood clot in his chest. We are praying they can figure out what is going on soon so we can get him back on the road to recovery.  

Samuel Update - Day 7

Well....Samuel is still making progress on his road to recovery.  It is slow, but at least he's moving forward and not back. Samuel took two short walks today. It is very hard for him to get up without using his tummy muscles at all. He has to depend on a lot of other people to help him. He is able to eat soft foods today, but he is struggling with nausea and pain in his abdomen.  He is still on the PCA pump, but sometimes the IV Tylenol seems to do more to help him. Honestly, right now Samuel's biggest battle is in his mind.  We are looking at this situation and seeing it as a huge step towards a full recovery, but he is seeing this as twice as many tubes and bags as he came in with and more pain.  He seems to tend to focus on the negatives. He sees the cup as half empty while we see the cup as half full.  Please pray for clarity, healing, perseverance and a willingness to continue the fight. 

They Hatched!!!

I love living on a ranch and enjoying all the little critters. Last year we gave the kids five little Mallard ducklings.  They all turned out to be drakes except for one little hen.  This year the hen made a nest by the trunk of a giant Live Oak tree. The mama rarely ever left her nest, so Rachel started feeding her and watering her nearby. Today, was the big day when all the babies hatched.

The kids had quite a day at home.  They started the day off with picking up the little kitten they've been waiting for.  They played with her all day with her.  Then Miriam's favorite cow, Bonita Leigh, had a baby calf.  They ended the day with seven little ducklings hatching!   Beautiful!

I can't wait to get home and back to life in the country!  Sometimes I think we take for granted what blessings we really have.

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?  In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."  
                          -- Job 12:7-10

Update on Samuel – Day 6

Today was definitely a day of progress here at the hospital.  We started off the day with all the doctors coming by.  Then the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy teams came by.  They worked with Samuel and we were able to get him into a sitting position without using his tummy muscles at all.  Then we got him onto his feet and we went for a short little walk down the hall and back.  Samuel is using a walker, but he did much better than I expected.   I am so proud of him.   His tummy also started to wake up and he got to eat some broth and jello for lunch and dinner.  He says it is difficult to eat because his abdomen feels so tight that there is not room for the food.   The doctors said it will take a lot of time for that to change and it has to heal before he can exercise enough to get things to stretch and expand.  

This afternoon the infectious disease doctors came by and explained what is going on with his bloodwork.  He has a bacteria that is somewhat similar to MRSA, but grows on all of our skin, so it is considered a contaminant.  The problem is that they think it has gotten into Samuel’s bloodstream.  They have him on the right antibiotics to try to take care of this kind of an infection.  He did not have a high fever all day today.  He gets easily exhausted and wants to sleep a lot.  Dr. Wright came by this evening and we talked for a long time.  He is going to help us find the right doctors closer to home to help us with the minor bumps along the road ahead of Samuel.  It makes me feel really good to know that we will have a doctor in Houston or closer that can help Samuel when things don’t really go as planned.  That doctor will also help with removing some of the tubes and drains he will have to go home with.   I feel so blessed to have found such an awesome group of doctors here. 

This evening, we had a little surprise.  Jill Kitzman, Kamala Kitzman’s sister came by to visit and brought her three children.  They brought me homemade chicken, potatoes and carrots for dinner.  I enjoyed the visit and it was nice to get to laugh a little bit.  

Day 5 at John Hopkins Hospital at 7:00 pm

Today was a difficult day due to some other situations in our family, but thankfully it was a good day for Samuel.  His fever has been managed and is not very high.  He still sleeps a lot and his tummy still is not awake so he can’t eat anything yet.  He had a sponge bath today.  We were expecting physical therapy to come by today and help him get into a recliner, but they didn’t come by.  The doctors said they will make sure they come by tomorrow.  All of the doctors here have been wonderful and we could not have asked for any of them to be any better. 

Dr. Wright came by and stayed for a long time talking to Samuel.  I told him that I got worried that after ten hours of working through the scar tissue that they might have given up hope that anything would be useable.  I told him how I also worried that they would just get exhausted and feel like it was a mistake and want to give up.  He said that to be honest there were times when those conversations did take place during Samuel’s surgery and they had to keep reminding themselves and each other that this was not about them and all about giving Samuel a better life.  He said it has been a long time since they had worked that many hours on one patient.  I thanked him for never giving up, even when it looked hopeless.   He agreed that in the end it was all worth it and we got the best results possible.  He said that going into the surgery, he didn’t really think it was possible and he was prepared to go with a different plan. 

I really believe the outcome was what it was because so many people have been praying for Samuel for so many months, and especially during this surgery.   God has a greater plan for this kiddo and he is back on the track to healing.  We still haven’t got the results back from all the tests, but apparently the brigade of antibiotics he is on is making a difference.  They took more blood cultures today too.   They are not going to take him back to ICU.   I think today was definitely a step in the right direction.  We are praying that each day brings baby steps to complete healing.

The highlight of the day was getting the picture of our three youngest children, Gabriella, Caleb and Sophia.  Thank you so much, Rachel, for sending it to us.  It made my day!!!

Prayers Appreciated

Day 4 @ 7:30 pm

Samuel had a rough day. His fever spikes each time the IV Tylenol wears off. He mostly just sleeps. They have him on an array of antibiotics including Vancomycin. They are not fooling around and went straight to the strongest antibiotics in hope of stopping the infection before the cultures even tell us what kind of infection he has. His heart beat is elevated still, but not as high as it was earlier today. His eyes hurt and they had an ophthalmologist come by and look at his eyes. They think they may just be dry from the fever etc.  Today they took the wound vac off because they want to see the wound and watch it closely for infection. He has staples down his entire midline. There must be close to 100 of them. I guess I should have been expecting that, but I wasn't. One of his IV's stopped working today too. They are going to use the other two until they have to put this one back in again. His tummy still hasn't woken up yet, so he has not been able to have any food or water by mouth yet. He's very swollen, but because he was so thin he actually looks kind of like he did before his accident. It makes him look healthy again, but it is just fluids from the surgery.  The doctors come in our room every few minutes. If he doesn't take a turn for the better, we will be returning to ICU.  Your prayers are greatly appreciated. Obviously the battle is not over, but Samuel is continuing to fight with everything in him.  We appreciate all the prayers. 

Prayers Needed!

Monday @ 4:15 am (Day 4)

Samuel was taken from ICU and moved to the surgical floor last night.  It is much quieter and we are thankful for that. He has now developed a high fever and a high heart rate though. They just did an EKG and they're about to do blood cultures.  They are very concerned. Please keep Samuel in your prayers. 

Day 3 at JHH

Samuel is doing well. He is still in ICU, but making a lot of progress.  They took him off the ventilator and he breathing on his own. He had a hard time at first and every time he would fall asleep, the alarms would go off. They put him on oxygen for a few hours and that really helped.  This morning they removed his NG tube.  He is on Fentanyl and Dilaudid for the pain. He sleeps most of the time, but wakes for short periods of time.  For what he's been through, he's doing really good.  Thanks for the continued prayers. 

Samuel is out of surgery!

Samuel was in surgery for over 18 hours.  I was not able to see him until this morning.  He remains in ICU and is still on the ventilator.  They are keeping him heavily sedated so that he doesn't try to move at all.  His arms are tied and he has many tubes again.  His heart rate has been high through the night are they are watching it closely.  His magnesium level is low so they are giving him some through his IV's.  He is not as swollen as they expected him to be after 18 hours of surgery.  All the surgeons have been by to check on his this morning.  They are all super tired and joking about how hard it is to stand on their feet today.  Their eyes show how pleased they are with the results.  I think they were surprised it went as well as it did in the end considering they had such sketchy first ten hours.  He's doing well for going through so much.  Now we wait, rest and let God do His part in healing Samuel's body.  Being at Hopkins is so different that it was at Memorial Hermann Hospital.  We are at the smaller, never Johns Hopkins than we were at when Samuel was little.  It isn't the big trauma hospital so everything is far more relaxed and peaceful.  His ICU nurse is every sweet.  She only watches him and one other patient.  The next few days for Samuel will be very critical.  Please continue to lift him up in prayer.

A Day of Miracles!

Almost 17 hours in surgery.......Dr. Shores from the plastic surgery team just came to the waiting room to explain the process they are using to get closure. Basically, a plastic surgeon's job is to "rob Peter to pay Paul."  To get closure, they are taking tissues from anywhere necessary to try to get as close to closure as possible. On one side of his abdomen, they are using a dissecting flap method to inch their way closer to the center line. They can't do it on both sides because of all the tubes and drains.  They may have to take tissue from Samuel's leg too. They know they cannot get enough to get a full closure, so the goal is to get as close as possible, and then they will use a biological mesh called Stratus to basically hold it all together and to reach the other side.  Samuel will not be able to sit up without help for three months. He will not be able to use his tummy muscles at all.  They used a machine to test the blood flow to his skin, fascia, and muscles and they feel it has not been compromised.  Dr. Shores listed off at least 8 tubes and drains that he has temporarily. He said there may actually be even more.  He also will have a wound vac over this tummy.  They will be taking him to ICU and he will need to remain on the ventilator until he is strong enough to start breathing on his own. They said that may take some time. Right now, Dr. Gearhart is working on him again. It will be a while before the surgery is over, but they are making far more progress than they even believed possible.  The next few hours and days will be critical for Samuel because the risk of infection is very high after being open for so long.  They said he is not out of the woods yet. Please continue to pray for him.  It has been a day of miracles!

16 Hours Into Surgery

Samuel has been in surgery for 16 hours now. Dr. Shores with plastic surgery is doing his part now. I don't know any details, but they called and said he is stable and it will be a few more hours.  I can't help but think of how blessed we've been with good doctors.  Dr. Kozar, Dr. Red Duke and the trauma team from Houston were the best at their jobs. They saved Samuel's life. Now we have a great group of doctors who are putting him back together. Then we have a God that will heal his wounds and restore him to the life He intended for Samuel. What a powerful testimony of faith, brokenness and restoration Samuel will have.  Tonight the waiting room is empty.  We were the first ones here this morning and we are the last ones here tonight.   I can't imagine how exhausted the surgeons must be at this point.  There's a different anesthesiology team and nurses now, but no one can take over for these surgeons.   They said it has been a long day for them with lots of surprises (good and bad). Hopefully it will only be a few more hours. 

Wahoo!!!! God is good!!!!

God is good!!!!   Samuel has been in surgery for over 12 hours now and they have a long way to go, but we have some very good news to share. It took Dr. Gearhart over ten hours to work her way through all the scar tissue and reach a point where they could actually see what they are working on. They said his abdomen looked like a bomb had went off in it. Anyway, their patience and persistency paid off and they found that he had far more intestine that was not compromised than what was described by the Houston doctors.  His organs were in better shape than what they expected to see.  At this point, Dr. Wright has taken over the case to do his part. They were able separate the bladder and bowel that had been fused and had a fistula since the accident, which was a feat we were told may not ever be possible. They were able to create Samuel a bladder again too, which was the best case scenario for that issue!  Because things were not as they seemed before they went in, he will have a few more months of additional tubes, but they will be temporary.  A lot will depend on what the next few weeks hold for Samuel. Dr. Gearhart is working on him again now.  When she is done, the plastics team will come in and try to start the closure phase of the surgery. They will be using several methods combined to try to get as much closure as they can. They do not feel that it will happen all in one surgery, especially with the swelling. That phase of the surgery will probably be about 4 hours depending on what can be done.  Whew....what an answer to prayer!   The most critical part is over and we got the best results given the damage done and the extensive injuries he suffered. We serve a God of miracles and He gave us the "dream team" of surgeons. All of them are amazing people, not just amazing doctors. They truly care and want the very best for Samuel. Praise God!!!!

Nine hours into surgery!

Well.....Samuel has been in surgery for almost nine hours now and things are not going so well. They are still working on trying to get through the scar tissue. They said nothing is like the way it was described in the operative notes.  The first surgeon, Dr. Susan Gearhart, is still trying to free enough up to be able to see what they need to work on. She is actually the wife of Dr. John Gearhart, who did Samuel's surgery when he was 4 years old.  It sounds like the scar tissue is much worse than they were actually expecting. I am not really surprised. I tried to describe it to them the way that Dr. Kozar explained it to me, but I don't think they visualized how bad it really is.  I remember one is the trauma surgeons in Houston describing it as trying to work on wet toilet paper that is surrounded by concrete.  So, I am not sure where we will go from here, but we can really use everyone praying for Samuel right now and for the doctors who are really being challenged by this case. I know we are doing everything possible and God's Hands are holding Samuel right now.  May His will be done.

First four hours behind us.....

Samuel has been in surgery for four hours and he has many more hours to go. He is stable and they are working away trying to get things figured out.  The immediate issues they are facing in the operating room are:  trying to find a path through all the scar tissue and locate the organs they want to work on, and to come up with a plan for plastic surgery to be able to close his abdomen, which is already quite compromised. They already feel like it will take more additional surgeries to get closure, especially after a full day of major surgery and the skin and fascia being exposed to the air.  Swelling is an issue too, but they said we will see more of that later in the day and next few days following.  The nurses here saw the line up of surgeons posted on the wall in pre-op early this morning. They all said Samuel has the "dream team" of surgeons and that it is very rare to ever see that many of "the bests" working on one patient.  I feel confident that they will do everything they can to help Samuel to reach the best possible outcome.  He was pretty scared this morning and kept falling asleep while they were talking to him. Sleeping is his "coping mechanism" when he's under extreme stress. They said the next few days will be very painful, but they will keep him heavily sedated until the swelling decreases and he is able to manage the pain.   Your prayers are appreciated. I will post another update in a few hours. 

One year ago today...

One year ago today at about this very same time, we were received the horrifying news that Samuel was found in a ditch where he laid all night in near freezing temperatures.  We had no idea he had a broken spine, broken leg, a body temperature of less than 82 degrees and severe internal injuries. The next few hours unveiled so much damage that he was taken by life flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston where he was immediately taken to emergency surgery, given numerous blood transfusions, and spent a month in shock-trauma ICU. It was a horrible day!  But 20 something surgeries later and a year of recovery, we find ourselves at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where Samuel is having the big surgeries that will start putting him back together again so that he can have a quality life.  They told us his surgery will be 12-18 hours long. Our Savior has shown us time and time again that He is in control and that His will be done. God answered our prayers and Samuel is a survivor. This year has been quite a journey and I look forward to seeing God continue to work in Samuel's life....and in ours. His plans are not always the same as ours, nor is His timing, but His purpose is greater.  Samuel is ready for this day and we are too. Sometimes we forget to thank God for the simple things we take for granted. Living a life without daily pain, living in a country with superb medical care, those special people who are far more than just doctors, the blessing of having a family who loves us and friends who lift us up in prayer, having friends who have went way beyond the norm to try and help us to pay the medical bills that just keep coming or give us a hug when we are at the breaking point, having the ability to travel across the country to get to best surgeons for the job, having a husband who is willing to work nights or whatever it takes to provide for his family......these are a few of things I am thankful for today.  Whatever the results are from today's surgery, I will be at peace with because I know we have done everything possible to get the best outcome and God is faithful.  He has brought Samuel this far and He will will not abandon us now.  

Yesterday, my dear friend, Cheri sent me this verse in a text.  It was a sweet reminder.  

Isaiah 41:14 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, "Do not fear. I will help you."

Baltimore Bound!!!

We are on our way to Baltimore. We are flying from Houston to Dallas and then on to Baltimore. Samuel has to be at the hospital ready for surgery at 5:30 am.  We've waited for this day for a long time. He says he feels a little excited and very nervous at the same time.  I think not knowing what they are planning to do has him a little on the edge. They really won't know exactly what the plan is until they are in surgery and can physically see what can be done.  Samuel is on a clear liquids diet today. Passing by all the food in the airports much be difficult.  He is walking fairly well though and we are so thankful that he has made it to this date without any recent infections or additional last minute surgeries.  

Leaving the kids at home was hard for me. I always struggle with that. I woke up at 2:00 am and had so much on my mind that I couldn't go back to sleep.  It was like my mind couldn't stop processing everything that is going on in our lives right now. Of course, I came up with no answers!  Today I am realizing that it is because I need to be more dependent on God. I need to put my trust in Him and not mankind.  That's a difficult thing for me when I see members of our family hurting, but I know that's part of the lesson in so many situations for me. 

Thank you to everyone who has fervently prayed for Samuel and our family during the last year.  It has definitely been the most difficult year we've ever experienced and it followed three tough years for our family.  God has answered so many prayers in the last year though and we are so thankful for each and every one.  If things go as planned, the next month will open a new chapter in Samuel's and our lives.  I am ready for a year with less heartache, without the chaos, a year where we have more time to enjoy the family God has blessed us with. 

I will post an update on Samuel when he is in surgery tomorrow.  Thanks for the continued prayers. 

Gabriella & Samuel

We had an allergy doctor appointment for Gabriella today.  She is doing great now, but they did confirm that she is severely allergic to drugs with penicillin (amoxicillin) and sulfur (bactrim).  They said she will need to stay away from all drugs in those two families. They told us to be extremely careful with all drugs she is given and to never allow a doctor to give her a shot of any kind of antibiotic, even if it is not in those two drug families. We are so thankful that we know whatwas going on now and we can avoid those types of antibiotics.  

Samuel had a doctor appointment too. Jay took him while I was with Gabriella at her appointment. Basically he just had a physical done for pre-op. There was some forms that never made it from Baltimore, so we are hoping we did what they wanted us to do. We leave next week for Baltimore.  When we return, Samuel should be feeling better than he has been in a long time.  The last two weeks have been better than they were before, but nothing like before his accident.  Please continue to pray that he stays healthy, that he is emotionally and mentally prepared for what decisions have to be made, that God places a hand of protection over Samuel and our family at home, that God's will is done and that we all grow through this. 

Sophia's 3rd Birthday

Happy birthday to our precious Sophia Isabella Faske!  She fell asleep during her birthday dinner, but was instantly smiles when she woke up and saw the chocolate cake!  We love you,

Sophia.

Day 5 - Heading Home!

Day 5 of this hospital stay -Samuel had surgery today. He is back in the room room and doing well. They said they were going to keep him another day, but they got the results from the cultures back and now they know what antibiotics will work best to take care of the infection. If all goes well, we will be released this evening. You can't imagine how much we appreciate your prayers. It has been a rough few days. We leave for Baltimore in one month from today!  We are so ready to put all this behind us and move forward. We are praying for a quiet April that passes quickly without anymore hospital stays. 

Monday - Still Waiting!

Samuel is doing okay. He is not in much pain and sleeps comfortably. We were told they would be taking him back to surgery this afternoon, but now it sounds like they may not do it until tomorrow.  It seems like one of the tubes is out of place.  We haven't heard the results from the blood tests yet. That may take a little longer. We don't really know anything other than they are postponing the surgery another day. Please continue to pray. 

Sunday's Update on Samuel

Samuel is still in the hospital, but his pain is under control and he is able to rest peacefully. We still don't have any answers. During the night he developed a high fever, but it is now under control and they are running cultures to find the cause of the fever. Please continue to pray for good results, continues pain relief and complete healing. We are thinking he will stay at least one more night and probably have another surgery tomorrow. I will post another update when we know more. 

Saturday's Update on Samuel

Samuel is heading to surgery. They are not sure what is wrong. They had a long night in the ER, but were put in a room at 3:45 this morning. They have Samuel on morphine for the pain. We are very frustrated with Memorial Hermann and with Samuel. Apparently Dr. Kozar is not there anymore because no one even knows who we are talking about. One of tubes from Samuel's kidneys hasn't had much of an output on three days and he's never mentioned that at all. He has not been in the best frame of mind the last few weeks, which is why I haven't posted an update. He has definitely been exercising his rights as an adult and doesn't think he needs to listen to us when we feel that he is overdoing it. He hides his pain, but we see him wrenching when he thinks no one is looking. We are now in control of all his meds because he was not taking them right.  He is obviously in deep depression and we are all just trying to hold it together until his big surgery in Baltimore on May 2nd. I think we've been in survival mode for so long that we can't even remember what life was like before the accident and all that followed.  He has been sleeping in a chair in his room for a month now, and says he can't sleep in his bed because of the pain.  I guess in some ways being at the hospital is a blessing because it will force the doctors into re-evaluating his situation and hopefully give us some direction in trying to get him back on the right track. I understand that he just wants his life back, but he is so medically fragile right now that he just can't really be taking any risks. He wants to go to the shows and see his friends, to go the movies with his brothers and sisters, and to teach youth group without being in pain. Unfortunately that isn't happening and his body is telling him to slow down, which in his case might mean stopping for now being that his life is already very slow paced at this time.  The May surgery seems like an eternity to him now, but he has to take care of himself for them to even be able to do surgery then. When Samuel was in STICU, the doctors explained that we may face times like this, especially since he wouldn't have the major surgery until the fall.  Well now he isn't having that surgery until one full year after the accident and I think it is really taking a toll on him.  Please keep all this in your prayers.  I will post another update when we know more. 

Last Friday - Samuel

Samuel and our family need hour prayers tonight. This evening we got a call from Samuel saying he wasn't feeling good and needed to come home early. He was at a show in Rockdale with his brothers and sisters. It didn't sound urgent, so we thought he was just tired and probably hurting like he does when he sometimes over does it. When he got here, he was in severe pain and could not stop moaning and crying. Jay took him to the emergency room at Memorial Hermann Hospital - Trauma Unit. He is complaining that he is having severe pain in his kidneys. I've only seen him in this much pain a few times, and it is awful to see. He says it hurts so bad that he can't even feel any of the other pains in his abdomen that he feels daily right now. I have not heard from Jay since they arrived at the hospital. When we know more, we will post an update. Please keep Samuel in your prayers. 

Thoughts on a Friday Evening

Four years ago, when we found out we were expecting a baby, I felt like God had such a sense of humor!  With 16 years between our biological kiddos and at a time when I was in total heartbreak over watching some of the choices our oldest daughters made, I learned to realize that not only did He have a sense of humor, but He also knew what a blessing Gabriella would be to us. She has been that ray of sunlight in some of our darkest days.  I can't believe how quickly she is growing up. Tonight as I gave her a bath, she talked non-stop with excitement about riding by herself for the first time in tomorrow's rodeo. She told me she is going to "lope so fast!"  She told me how her hair will be blowing in the wind and that Catolena (her horse) will look so beautiful.  The excitement in her eyes was so refreshing.  It was a reminder of what a gift it is to have Gabriella, Sophia and Caleb. Yes, they keep us hopping and it is not always easy as we get a little older, but we are blessed to be their parents. The truth is that tomorrow Gabriella will probably walk Catolena through the barrels and poles, but we will be there to encourage her in her dream.  Sophia will enjoy lead line and will probably carry the ribbon she pulls off the goat all day.  Caleb will carry his rope everywhere he goes and if we aren't careful, he will rope our feet.  What a blessing!!

A Day of Appointments

First, I want thank everyone who has been praying for Samuel over the last nine months.  I have no doubt that God has answered our prayers over and over again.  If He hadn't, Samuel would not be here anymore. The Lord has a plan for him, and I hope that one day we see His plan in all of this. 

It was raining when we woke up this morning. Today it snowed, sleeted and rained, sometimes all at the same time. None of the snow stuck to anything. It is slushy and cold. Tonight it will be in the mid 20's. We are praying we can safely get to the airport in the morning.  

We are still at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Samuel is having a CT scan right now.  The appointments went well. I think all the doctors are excellent and they seem to have a good understanding of what is going on with Samuel.  We discussed his current condition and what options he may have.  There's complications and side effects to any of the surgical choices. One of the surgery options causes cancer down the road, so for a 60 year old it might be a good option, but for a 20 year old, it's not such a great option.  It is a battle of "quality of life vs. quantity of life."  After some discussion, we basically decided that wasn't an option we should even consider at this time.  

The ultimate goal would be for Samuel to be able to return to his life as it was before his accident, but if that is not possible, we will settle for as close to that as possible. The CT scan will give the doctors more information about what can be done, but the final decision on what procedures they will do will have to be made in the operating room when they can physically see what they have to work with.  

The first surgery will be about 12 hours long, maybe longer depending on what they decide to do. They will be working on scheduling it, but it may be hard to fit it into all their schedules. They are going to try to schedule it for March if possible.  We want to do it as soon as possible.  He will need to stay in the hospital for about 2-3 weeks depending on what all is done. They said that plastic surgery may have to follow up with a series of surgeries to close his abdominal wall, but we won't know how many until the first surgery.  

I feel at peace about our decision to come to Hopkins. I feel like we are in the right place for the complications he has. I have to say that being here has also really given me more of an appreciation for the beautiful country lifestyle we sometimes take for granted. Two days in the inner city is more than enough for me.  I am looking forward to heading home tomorrow. I think Samuel is ready to be home too. 

Baltimore Bound!

Samuel and I are headed to Baltimore. Today is nine months since Samuel's car accident. We will be spending the day traveling. We have a layover in Charlotte, NC and will arrive in Baltimore around 4:20 this evening.  We will have appointments all day tomorrow. Please pray that everything goes well and that they don't cancel Samuel's appointments due to the weather. They are expecting up to six inches of snow tomorrow and they have already closed schools in the area. Tomorrow evening (if things go as planned), my dear friend, Kim Richey will be meeting us at our hotel and staying the night with us. We are really looking forward to spending a little time together. On Tuesday morning, Samuel and I will head home. Please pray for safe travel, for compassionate doctors, for complete healing and that the Holy Spirit prepares our hearts for whatever news we may get.  Pray for strength and endurance for Samuel as we travel...and for me. I had very little sleep last night because I was trying to take care of things for my family at home. Please pray for a clear mind so that I may focus on Samuel's situation for the next few days. Please pray for our family at home, especially the three youngest, who didn't want mommy to go and are struggling with how the accident has impacted our family during the last nine months.  I will send an update when we have something to share. Thank you for your prayers.  Blessings!

A Busy Saturday

The first group of kids made it safely to Fort Worth today. They got the cattle washed and settled in. I stayed at home with some of the younger kids and Lydia, who had ranch sorting practice for the Go Texan Competition for Houston Livestock Show next weekend.  We spent the day taking care of animals and fixing things at the ranch.  

The neighbor called and said he had a big Longhorn steer with an 8 foot horn span in his pasture. He said he was mean and dangerous! He said he was tall and probably just jumped right over the fence!  For the life of me, I couldn't figure out which steer fit that description. I had to look at the list on my phone. We figured out it was SH Bold Boy, who is a total sweetheart and is ridden by Joy is parades..  Ten minutes later we had him haltered and Joy walked him back home behind the mule.  Sometimes you can't help but laugh at the preconceived ideas that people have about Texas Longhorns.  

On a really good note, Samuel felt better today than he has felt in months!  He actually walked around at the ranch today. He slept in a bed last night instead of a chair. He isn't feeling great, but it is a huge improvement!  Praise The Lord!!  He is answering our prayers.  Hopefully each day he will grow stronger again and build strength before we go to Baltimore.  Samuel is feeling well enough that he is going to try to teach his Sunday School class tomorrow morning.  

The girls and I are leaving for Fort Worth at 6:00 am.  I'm sure Jacob will be relieved when we get there. I'm pretty sure he has his hands full.  

Out of the Operating Room

Samuel is out of surgery and in recovery now. The doctor came by and spoke to me about some procedures he did to try to make Samuel more comfortable.  They changed the type of tube used for the most painful one, they added some internal sutures to try to prevent it from moving and they flushed the organs before placing the new tubes. We are hopeful that this helps alleviate the pain.  I will be able to see Samuel when he wakes up. If he doesn't develop a high fever and if he can keep food down, they will send us home this evening. We greatly appreciate the prayers!  

Challenges and Blessings

Every day lately seems to bring things that are reminders of the challenges we still face and of the blessings we have as well. When I woke up at 3:00 am to head to Houston for another surgery for Samuel, I could hardly make myself get up and get dressed. Wearing pajamas all day sounded so appealing. Then I thought of Samuel and how he has worn pajama pants for 8 1/2 months now because he doesn't have a choice. It made me realize that being able to get up, to get dressed, and to drive to Houston is a blessing. 

We are here now and Samuel is about to go back for surgery.  It's a new year which means all the insurance deductibles start over again, but God is good and He has carried us this far and will continue to walk with us along this rocky road. 

I will send a post when Samuel is out of surgery and back in his room. Thanks for praying!

We have an appointment!!

Sooooo.......after calling Johns Hopkins Hospital every day for weeks trying to coordinate a date for Samuel to see the surgeons that will be working on putting him back together, we finally have an appointment for the initial consultation to coordinate the first reconstruction surgery. On February 3rd, we will be meeting with the team of surgeons in Baltimore. Samuel is still in a lot of pain and really struggling to cope with it on a daily basis.  We had really hoped to get in sooner, but this is the soonest they can take him. Because the pain is so bad and the appointment date is three weeks away, we are going to have to replace the tubes another time at Memorial Hermann Hospital. He is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday of this week. We are praying this will give him some relief from the pain so he can make it until February 3rd. Please continue to pray for total healing, strength, pain relief and a will to keep fighting. 

It's cold outside!

In south-central Texas, we are not prepared for temperatures in the low 20's and teens. Somehow though, nature's labor and delivery room never closes. Tonight this precious little heifer calf was brought to us because she was born in the cold and her mother had no milk for her. Tomorrow we will be getting one of our mama cows to adopt her, but tonight she will be staying warm in the house. Gabriella, Sophia and Caleb are loving this!  She was in the breezeway, but then followed them into the kitchen.

Still waiting....

Well, the weekend was very hard for Samuel. He slept almost the whole weekend only waking up to eat. His pain has not improved and at times it seems pretty unbearable. On Sunday, while he was sleeping in the chair in the living room, I went into his bedroom and took his Christmas gifts out of the boxes and put them away. They were all untouched because he doesn't feel like doing anything right now. Sarah has been giving Samuel books to read. When he is awake, he sometimes reads for a while. This evening he is up and actually even watching a movie with the little kids. I even saw him smile at some of the funny parts. He has very little energy right now and just wants to sit perfectly still so it doesn't hurt as bad. I called Johns Hopkins Hospital today like Dr. Gearhart told me to do. His nurse told me she was working on coordinating the consultation with the 4-5 surgeons that would be involved in his first big reconstruction surgery.  She said that if I didn't hear back from her by noon tomorrow to call her back. So, once again we are waiting.....  Please pray that tomorrow we will get some answers and that tonight is less painful for Samuel than it has been. Thank you. 

Samuel

Update on Samuel – Today Samuel is feeling better than he was yesterday, but he is still in a lot of pain and pain meds don’t take away the pain, but only lessen it. We had a little bit of good news this morning. I finally got a call back from his doctor in Baltimore. He has been on vacation and now they are having a snow storm and have received five inches of snow, which basically shuts Baltimore down. His nurse and secretary aren’t there to be able to schedule anything, but he explained that we will need to come for a consultation trip first. At that point we will be meeting with four different types of surgeons that will all need to be part of the first major surgery. He said that on Monday they will call and we will work on coming up with a plan to get Samuel up there. He also gave Samuel a prescription of a medication that will help with some of spasms he is having in his abdomen due to all the tubes. That should really help with the pain. When he called today his first words to me were, “I’ve reviewed all of Samuel’s medical records and it is a miracle that this kid is not six foot under.” As I tried to explain his current condition, it was a stark reminder of what all he has been through and how far he has come, praise God! It is amazing how our minds work, I find myself forgetting so much of what happened and I have to assume it is because my mind doesn’t really want to remember so much of this. Then something said will jog my memory and I will remember details that led us to this place. It truly is a miracle that he survived such a horrific accident and then a night in a ditch with such severe injuries on one of the coldest nights we had in 2013. Yet that strange cold night in May and hypothermia was what helped save him. I cried every time I thought of any of this when I woke up this morning, but now I feel much better because I know we are doing everything we can to help him and we are working towards a plan. I can also feel the strength of prayer at work and I thank you for that. Blessings!

Eight Months Later....

I have a prayer request for Samuel tonight. The last few weeks have been very hard on him. We keep thinking the next surgery or procedure will help, but it doesn't. His pain is intolerable at times and he is exhausted and very down. Today was the worst day in months. He remained in bed all day long trying to "sleep through the pain." A couple of weeks ago, before Christmas, we made the decision to take him to Johns Hopkins Hospital for the rest of his care because we feel like he is falling through the cracks at Memorial Hermann now. His trauma team was wonderful, but now he has different doctors and it seems like they just give him pain medicine instead of finding the source of the pain and dealing with the problems. I don't think I can handle another day of watching Samuel hurting or his eyes glassy from the pain meds he needs just to make it through the day. I know we need more help than we are getting here and we both realize that Baltimore is where he needs to be. Before Christmas, we started making arrangements to get him there, but we still don't have a date. Please pray that we get answers tomorrow and that we can head that way soon!  I know it will be so hard to be away from my family here, especially the little ones, but I also know that Samuel needs Dr. Gearhart and I trust him to do what is best for Samuel.  He is not making any progress anymore and he has lost more weight due to the stress of being in so much pain. Please pray for the pain to cease and for things to fall into place so we can get him to Baltimore for at least an evaluation and more testing. Answers from the best doctor in this field would be so welcomed right now.  Today was 8 months since his accident and it feels as if we are only taking steps backwards lately. Please pray that God show His favor on Samuel and heal his body. Pray for strength and will to fight!  We are trusting in Jesus!!!