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.