We are in the waiting room preparing for surgery. The anestegiologist is in another surgery right now so we have to wait. We talked to the neurosurgeon, Dr Scarli and the plastic surgeon, Dr Mann.
Pastor Tim always talks about Pastor Dave advising him not to pray with his eyes. I would have to add not praying with your ears to that. Ezra is doing well right now, the nurses in the NICU are keeping him comfortable. In a few moments he will be having the first of many surgeries.
The preop report from the surgeons is that the defect is larger than normal. The use of his legs is likely to be very little below the hips. We still have to talk to ortho to see what they can do, like moving tendons and such. The plastic surgeon said the closure surgery will need longer than he expected. It will likely be a few hours.
The nuero surgeon also said he will likely need a shunt, but we’ll wait to be sure. What we were hoping would be a two week stay is starting to look like it will be longer.
After all the time we have had to prepair, it is emotionally draining. Having him here with us has helped, but we still cannot hold him. Now all we can do is leave him in Gods hands.
He looks strong, like a fighter, but he is still so weak. We pray for strength from God that he will not just get through the surgeries, but that Gods providence will be with him, and that Lauren and I will stand firm in our faith and the hope of out salvation.
We pray for ourselves what Paul prayed for the Ephesians.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Dave
Dr. Mann just came up to our room to give us an update on the surgery. The first surgery is complete, and he did really well. He lost very little blood and his vitals remains strong. The spinal column itself is very curved (like scoliosis) rather than only opened, so it gave the surgeons less options for closure. The surgeon was able to cover the wound, but now we need to wait to see if it will heal enough or if they will need to do another procedure. Right now it is time for recovery. We don’t really know what is next except possibly a shunt. I am sure we will be meeting with orthopedics and urology but for now, it is recovery.
