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!!!