Finally, an "almost" complete update

CJ was miserable on Tuesday...his first day post-op.  This was the HARDEST day for us.  Mike and I would switch - one of us would stay in CJ's room with him, while the other one waited in the surgery waiting area for updates on Landon throughout the day.

Landon was taken back for surgery at 8a.m.  Dr. Blount had told us that the surgery could be between 2 and 6 hours.  Around 10:30a.m., we got a call from the OR saying that Dr. Blount had JUST gotten under the microscope...it had taken them that long to get through the fatty scar tissue.  We got updates about every hour and a half saying he was doing okay...Dr. Blount was still under the microscope.  At about 3:30 that afternoon (at hour 7 and a half), Mike and I had hit our breaking points...we were both sitting in CJ's room with our heads bowed in desperate prayer.  I told him to go and take a walk and get a breath of fresh of air.  As soon as he left, a volunteer from the chaplain services just happened to show up.  He could see my tears and desperation, and just came over to pray with me...I don't even remember what he said, but it was like the Lord was just whispering to me that HE had this.

At 5:50pm, I was sitting in surgery waiting area (I think we were the first there and the last ones to leave :-).  As soon as I saw Dr. Blount and his team walk out, I jumped out of my chair and ran to him. He and the other doctors walked me to the "consult room", and I honestly felt like I couldn't breathe with waiting to hear if the surgery was successful.  He says, "Well, I guess I don't have to tell you that was a VERY complex, involved surgery.  I had another procedure scheduled for this afternoon that I had to cancel....but, we were able to completely untether his cord.  There were many times throughout the day that I didn't think we could do it, but we did.  Had we not been able to untether his cord, he would have eventually lost feeling in his right leg."  I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest.  I said, "Did you say RIGHT leg?  That is his GOOD leg."  Yep.  It was his right leg.  He said so much that I can't even remember.  I spoke with a friend of mine later who used to be a pediatric nurse and she said, "You know, Nikki, you have to wonder what kept him going?  I mean, why didn't he just stop when he thought that they weren't going to be successful?  You know that the Holy Spirit just kept him going."  The Lord truly worked a miracle on Tuesday.  That had to have been one of the HARDEST most beautiful days of my life.  Had it not been so hard, it wouldn't have been so good.  The Lord carried us and proved Himself (once again) more faithful than we could have EVER dreamed.  I truly feel like I felt and saw the glory of God like I have never experienced it in my life.

CJ resting hard

The team who God worked a miracle through

CJ feeling a little bit better :-)

Ahhhh...Wednesday...the day that Daddy went home for a break and a shower...Mimi went to work, and the boys decided to FREAK out on me...so, I decided to break hospital rules and carry CJ into Landon's room.  It seemed to have helped a bit :-)

Emily with Landon after his morphine.  Bless him.  He is REALLY struggling with pain.  His incision is very, very long.  We are not sure if he will be released on Friday or Saturday due to the intensity of his pain.

CJ was released today.  His frustration and fabulous tantrums led the hospital staff to believe that he would do better healing at home...gee, I wonder why? :-)  Let's put it this way...the hospital staff now calls CJ - "wild man"