aPoLoGiEs...

My apologies for not updating. We hope to post some closing remarks and picture soon and that is what I had been waiting for, therefore the delay. Sorry.

Gerad has had a bad cough since he came home from the hospital. At first you could tell it hurt him to cough as he would cough ever so carefully. His eating habits were not picking up, but after a few garlic poultices applied to the bottom of his foot, he started eating good again and his lungs sound so much better now. He still has the cough which is keeping him up at nights and it also gives Hannie sleepness nights. She really needs a good nights rest, and is hoping that comes someday very soon.

Stayed tuned for pictures to come...

Dear Gerad,

Hello, sweet boy!

Do you remember at all when Tia Michele visited you last week? She sat by your bed for a while and watched you sleep, and breath, and rub your itchy nose...

Well, that was when she was hoping to have her baby very soon and was wishing you and her would go home from the hospital on the same day. It happened a little differently though. The day you came home, was the day your new little cousin was born! So you beat her home, but I am sure Tia Michele is ever so happy about the way things went! Last night as Tia Michele and Uncle Albert were reading this blog all about you, her water broke and that was a sure sign that her baby would come sometime real soon. This afternoon, as you were being discharged from the hospital, little Miss Eva was born. Isn't that special? This has been a very happy and blessed day for our family. Makes my heart fill right up to the brim, and overflow, with thankfulness to God who takes such good care of us! He is so good!

As your mom and dad were driving you home from the hospital, they remembered that it was almost exactly a week ago that they were allowed to see you again after your surgery. So much has happened this past week and we are amazed. God has heard our prayers and blessed us. ALOT!

This afternoon when your mom told us that you maybe, maybe you had to stay longer in the hospital because you have a cough, we prayed that you would be discharged anyways, and when your cousin Pieter heard that you were on the way home, he was so happy that God had answered that prayer too!

We hope to come visit you tomorrow. In the meantime, have a very good sleep in your very own bed again and be nice for you momma and sleep all nicely through the night. Ok?

Love and gentle hugs from tante Bou

mwaah <-----a kiss for you!

Delighted, indeed!

The blessed words are out....The echo results were good and they are

going home

at around three this afternoon!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and Hannie is still very excited about having to give NO MORE NEEDLES!!!!!

What a blessed day!

The Love of Grandparents...

:: ...and the goodness of God ::

This morning Gerad was sedated so they could do an echo. Now Gerad is resting and Marv and Hannie are waiting for the results on the echo and the discharge summary. Gerad is acting more and more like himself. Smiling more, eyes wide open, taking everything in and playing with his toes!

So, if they echo shows good results....THEY WILL BE COMING HOME!!!!!!!

The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters,

yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

Psa 93:4

Thankfulness

Today has been good, so far. Yesterday, however, was a rough day as he cried and cried. Overnight he had two big dirty diapers and is much calmer now. The oxygen is off and if he can maintain his oxygen levels on his own all day, they can come home tomorrow! His feeding tube came out this morning, so now he is just on the monitor.

... pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Jas 5:16

Good News!

Yesterday Gerad was moved upstairs to a step down room. It has two nurses attending to four children. Marvin and Hannie got to hold him yesterday and they were ever so excited! They had to tube feed him last night as he seemed to have a stuffy nose and therefore had trouble breathing.

This morning he was awake and calm for a while just looking around. They held him again and next time he wakes up they get to take him in a stroller.

Chest tube and pacemaker wires might be coming out today! Hopefully neck line tomorrow; it's in there just in case they need it for bloodwork or medication.

He still has the oxygen tubes in his nose and they are trying to wean him off, but his oxygen level keeps dropping. That could be because of his lazy lung.

Marv and Han did have to go to a hotel last night since there was no room for them in the hospital. Hannie said that it is nice either way. When they stay at the hospital they are close to Gerad, but when they go to the hotel, they both get a good nights rest.

God is Good and He continues to show how fearfully and wonderfully we are made. Our bodies are able to go through so much, yet keep right on fighting to heal and recover. Yes, God is Good!

Texting with Gerad..

Hi Tante Bou,

I'm doing good. I might be moving today! Momma spent lots of time with me so she couldn't reply. The I.V. from my other hand is out too and I got to drink a little more. Love you

Dear Gerad,

That is so heart warming to hear, little man! Are you awake more today?

Gerad: No not really. The nurses like to keep me a bit sleepy so I don't squirm, kick and wiggle my lines loose. I'm on my side now and I like that!

Tante Bou: Ok, be nice for the nurses! Let me know when you move up stairs. I love you too!

Our visit with Gerad!

Gerad is taking steps forward in healing! His catheter is out, the bandage off his wound, and he himself is responsible for taking out the I.V from his right hand. The left hand they re-enforced quite well, so he can't take out that one. He had a bag of ice on his head again to help lower his slight fever. (38 point something) The two white rolls you see on his belly is a pacemaker hook-up, just in case they need it. His chest drain has less fluid coming from it and today they were looking to graduate him upstairs.

Once in a while he wakes slightly and he will kick his legs and rub with face with giant strokes to ease his itchy nose. It is quite a sight to behold. Hannie will talk to him quietly, tell him to be gentle and pat his diapered bottom.

:: With Tia Michele, who is hoping to have her baby soon! ::

His right lung is what you can call a 'lazy lung'. It happens more often when babies come off the respirator and the lungs have to start working on their own again. It does inflate completely, but then does not deflate completely. Most often it heals on its own, otherwise with therapy.

:: Some colourful toys at the foot of his crib ::

He was sleeping most of the time we were there because of the last dose morphine he got.

After that they would be giving him tylenol. They bottle feed him again, but only a minimum amount. He loves it as it gives him a filled up feeling, instead of being tube fed.

A note to all the lurkers: take a moment and leave a comment! It is easy to do and Marv and Han would LOVE it!

Update Everyone!

~an ultrasound was just done. His right lung isn't working as hard as his left lung. We won't hear results till later this afternoon and they seem quite concerned.

~He had a good night sleep, and his oxygen cap is now off.

~He is on half the mophine so he is awake more and more. Today they hope to wean him off the morphine.

~When Marvin and Hannie came in this morning he was sleeping, but awoke when they started talking. He opened his eyes and looked at them. It was a very special moment for them all!

~He loves his green coloured hankie (as you can see on the pictures) and loves it even more when Hannie or the nurses rubs it against his face. He can't play with it yet as his hands are tied down so he won't pull on the wires and tubes.

:: Opa Bos ::

:: the oxygen cap is now off ::



:: coffee break with Uncle Klaas ::
(I should ask Marv how many times he has won
since it is Roll up the rim to win!)

'Til the storm passes over, 'til the thunder sounds no more,

'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,

Hold me fast, Let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand;

Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by.

Pictures of our Precious boy!

:: Momma Hannie and her precious bundle ::

:: He likes sleeping in this position. Nurses will heist him up,
but he will wiggle his way like this again. ::

:: wearing an oxygen mask to aid in healing

his throat after the ventilator came out ::

More steps forward...

Here is an update:

~doctors very happy with Gerad's progress
~he is waking up more and more and opening his eyes!
~he kicks the nurses away when they try to do something
~he is off the ventilator
~they are going to feed him some milk tonight
~maybe tomorrow Hannie and Marv get to hold him
~morphine is keeping him sleepy, and
~all the nurses love him!

In the morning I hope to have some up-to-date pictures!

Goodnight everyone!

Steps forward...

This afternoon they want to take out the ventilator. It is already on a low setting, so Gerad is breathing on his own.

He woke up very irritable and he started kicking his legs~~ a welcome sight for his parents!

Our dear sweet Gerad, sleeping

This morning at 8:00 Gerad received his last dose of muscle relaxant. They will see how he does when he wakes up (about 10:00). He is expected to be irritable and have high blood pressure, which is normal.

Hannie and Marvin were able to sleep at the hospital again last night. That is so nice, since they can be ever so close to Gerad and go visit him whenever they want.

Pray for them. Seeing their bundle of joy laying like this is tough.

There shall be showers of blessing

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Saviour above.

Showers of Blessing, showers of blessing we need:

Mercydrops 'round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.