We've been running like crazy lately. There's a lot of stuff going on with Jackman now compared to the three months of waiting building up to this point. Right now he is doing fine. He is still sedated, and going through the stretching process.
We've got a lot to be thankful for, and a healthy baby boy is way up there on the list. He's obviously a tough little guy. He's gone through a lot in his 106 days. He tries so hard to wake up out of that sedated state. I've actually seen him get so far as moving around and opening his eyes, and then the nurses have to hurry and give him some more medicine before he starts squirming too much. The thing is that he hasn't given up trying to wake up. I don't think he knows how to give up. I hope he never learns.
As it is right now, his last trip to the OR was a good one. His esophagus has gained approximately one and a half centimeters, and has almost as far to go still. They attached little metal clamps on the stitches next to the ends of his esophagus so they can monitor the growth with an x-ray. They added a new stitch to help the upper part stretch better. He will go back for surgery again sometime in the middle of next week. The plan is to hopefully attach then, but if it needs to stretch more the surgeon said he will go another week, as long as progress is being made (he has the patience of Job).
Just an interesting side note: I found out from the surgeon Tuesday that this procedure is a new one. He told me he had consulted with a couple other surgeons on how successful it is, and in doing so, kind of let me know this was the first time he had ever attempted it (I may be wrong about that, but that's what it sounded like). But I am thankful he's doing this, because the other route would have been to graft in a section of his intestine or relocate his stomach. These guys are pretty sharp.
Anyway, I could sit here all day and think of things I'm thankful for, and make a nice long list of things I would generally take for granted every other day of the year, but I think it makes more sense to say who I am thankful to.
I've done a lot of thinking on this, and I try to be careful how I go about "thanking" people. For instance, I am NOT as thankful to the surgeons as I am thankful to God for gifting them with the talent and ability to do such amazing things. I am NOT as thankful to friends and family for support as I am to God for putting those people in our lives to help us out. I have good reason for being that way. If I thank YOU and give you praises, you have already received your reward which is temporal at best. But on the other hand if I thank God for you and praise Him for using you, then your blessing and reward will come from Him, which is much better than I can do (not to mention He is obviously the rightful recipient of all thanks). I still believe in being polite and thanking people, all I am talking about is who receives my ultimate heartfelt thanks, and that should be God in every single circumstance. You will still hear me saying "thanks" to people, but I'll be thanking God in my heart for them.
That being said, Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful to God for all of you, and what you have meant to us. Thanks for your prayers and support.
Happy Thanksgiving son. I thank God all day every day that he blessed me with such wonderful sons, daughter-in-laws and grandsons. I am truly blessed.
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