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!