Update 5/9/13 @ 9:20 am

Thursday - 5/9/13 @ 9:20 am
The waiting room was crazy last night. It was loud because there was several new patients coming in and they allow their family to stay until they know what the plan is for the patient. Sometimes the waiting room is a pretty scary place, but last night I got a little break from it all. The trauma surgeon who did Samuel's first surgery, when he was unloaded from life flight, came to the waiting room at midnight and motioned for me to come with her. She took me to the 5th floor where the doctors have some little rooms to sleep in during the night. I never dreamed a recliner could feel so good! It was the first time I slept five hours straight in a week. She told me that I might hear her leaving for surgeries during the night, but I never heard her at all. She also gave her cell phone and pager number and told me to reach Samuel's doctor at Johns Hopkins and have him call her so they can go over everything and see if there is anything more they can do now to help Samuel in the long term. She is wonderful! I know God placed her on Samuel's case for a reason. Not only is she one of the best trauma surgeons in the country, but she also has a heart of compassion and she can relate to this because she has a son about the same age as Samuel.

Samuel had a very rough night. They had a hard time getting his pressures up and keeping him stable. His body sometimes seems to get out of sync with the vent. This causes him to jerk and try to cough which really makes his belly hurt. Today he looks worn out. They are not doing any procedures to him today other than the breathing treatments and x-rays etc. They are giving his body a day of rest to prepare for surgery tomorrow morning. I have a meeting with the patient liaison this afternoon and we are going to go and print some pictures of our family to hang by Samuel's bed. They think that may give him a little encouragement.

I will write a little more when I get a chance.