Another day, another step forward!!!

Not only did Gerad get moved into the room next door, but he has a real crib now, which makes him look small.

He was wearing his touque (hat) again. The nurse said that his cathedar is out now and maybe his chest drain will come out today too! His oxygen level was a bit low overnight so they did have to insert a temporary oxygen tube in his nostrils just till he can maintain his own levels by himself. Other than that the nurses are happy with him, they said he had a good night and seems comfortable.
So, if all goes well, maybe within a few days they can go up to the fourth floor, which means a room with just mom, dad and baby!!!! And where holding and hugging is greatly encouraged!!!
They continue to lower his medications to slowly wean him off.

Behold,

the Lord's hand is not shortened,

that it cannot save;

neither His ear heavy,

that it cannot hear.

Isaiah 59:1

The ventilator is OUT!

More beads~mainly from his surgery.

Praises to our Lord and King! The breathing tube is OUT! Marv said he has been washed and looks so shiny and pink now! So far he is doing good without it!

Now little Gerad has a hood. It is like a square, see-through box over his head that gets oxygen and humid air pumped into it so Gerad can breath that to help with the healing of his throat. Several times he has wanted to cry, but just can’t yet, and mostly takes up to a few days after the ventilator is out before he can utter sound again.

Makes me just want to scoot over to Toronto to go see him with less tubes attached to him, but hopefully we will have many chances yet to see him that way! God is Good! Obviously coming off the ventilater is a huge step, but in the mean time it is also common for it to be re-inserted again. Let’s pray that won’t need to happen and he can continue to heal and recuperate, and the sooner Hannie and Marvin can SNUGGLE their dear, huggable, precious, gorgeous, cute, charming, adorable, beloved, all together sweet little bundle of delight!

Mwah. <---a kiss from us, dear Gerad!

And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee;

he will be with thee, he will not fail thee,

neither forsake thee:

fear not, neither be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:8

More Steps Ahead

Gerad is slowly being weaned off medications. He no longer has medication for blood pressure and they are reducing the medicine to keep his heart pumping. Do you notice the touch of care on Gerad's little cheek? A nurse cut that out of 'tape' to hold the tubes in place. Yesterday he was wearing a fish!
His abdomen is swollen and they took an x-ray, but saw nothing. He now gets 9 cc breastmilk~ of which there is a bountiful supply~ every three hours! He has two tubes, one that drains his chest and another going into his abdomen (not sure what for), but they clamped the one going into his stomach today to see if he would tolerate without it and he seemed to do well. Once that tube can be taken out, he can come off the ventilator!!! Maybe tomorrow!

At times he is quite awake, but while I was with him this afternoon, he was sleeping contently and seemed to like laying on his side. He looks so much more comfy that way!

He had a slight temperature so the nurse placed a bag of ice on his head to cool him off. He didn’t seem to mind at all!

Here is nurse Kim doing bloodwork, filling his 'bottle' with milk, among other things.

We have thought, O God,

on Your lovingkindness.

Psalms 48:9

Hannie's birthday!

Happy 22nd Birthday Hannie!

Here she is 'reading' her bouquet of hearts

Tante Hannie and Hendrik looking at the picture album from Gerad.

Visiting and celebrating in the hospital waiting room.

The proud parents of dear little Gerad!

Besides us visiting, Both Opa's and Oma's came, Grietje and Johan came and Evelyn and her little girl drove 'all the way' to Toronto. This morning Hannie felt very special when Marvin presented her with a card with the little footprints of Gerad!

The LORD is good to all:

and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Psa 145:9

Things Looking Better!

I spoke with Marvin earlier and things are going better! Gerad's heart rate was down, his blood pressure up and they want to start weaning him off some medication throughout the tonight. He is able to lay on his sides, they are letting him breath more on his own, and he still does NOT like it when they handle him or change his diapers!

Speaking of diapers: he is filling his quite good! He was wetting them so much that it was lowering his blood pressure, causing them to put him on medication to up his blood pressure.

The doctors are pleased with Gerad's progress the last two days. May he continue to improve and let us not slack in praying for him and his parents. Hannie hopes to have her 22 nd birthday on Monday; Bless her with a note via email! She would be very pleased!

So far Marvin and Hannie are still staying at the hospital. They have a room just off the main waiting area for the Critical Care Unit and just steps away from Gerad's room. It has only the basics, but they are thankful for it!

This morning two sisters from Marvin, Kathryn and Evelyn, arrived from B.C.! They hope to stay till next week. Opa and Oma Neels are still here too and hope to go home with their daughters.
....the bond of FAMILY!

I hope you all have a very Blessed Sunday and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better!

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness,

which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

2Co 9:11

He's is doing OK!

We are glad you stopped by for a little update....

from our dear little Gerad:

~At 6:30 he was looking better!
~they are doing bloodwork every 4 hours now, instead of every hour!
~he is coming off of his muscle relaxant so he is starting to move and open his eyes!

What a Friend we have in Jesus

Who with all our sorrows share

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in Prayer!

Poem

Our Father knows what's best for us,

So why should we complain ...

We always want the sunshine,

But He knows there must be rain.

We love the sound of laughter

And the merriment of cheer;

But our hearts would lose their tenderness

If we never shed a tear.

Our Father tests us often

With suffering and with sorrow;

He tests us, not to punish us,

But to help us meet "tomorrow."

For growing trees are strengthened

When they withstand the storm;

And the sharp cut of the chisel

Gives the marble grace and form.

God never hurts us needlessly,

And He never wastes our pain;

For every loss He sends to us

Is followed by rich gain.

And when we count the blessings

That God has so freely sent;

We will find no cause for murmuring

And no time to lament.

For Our Father loves His children,

And to Him all things are plain;

So He never sends us "pleasure"

When the "soul's deep need is pain."

So whenever we are troubled,

And when everything goes wrong,

It is just God working in us

To make ‘our spirits strong.’

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

God's Grace

The nurses love his kissable lips. Who wouldn't?

MARVIN WROTE:

Another night has gone by and we still have are beautiful son in our midst. Things have gone so smoothly the last week you soon forget how fragile life is. But as we stood at his bedside this morning we realize our sick little boy again was graciously spared. We don't deserve this but we try to be truly thankful for these blessings. As I sat with Gerad yesterday things really took a turn for the worse. Gerad's blood pressure was dropping at a alarming rate and his heart tried to compromise by beating faster till it reached a much too high pace of 185 bpm. The nurse didn't wait long to call doctors, surgeons and other cardiac professionals to Gerads bedside. As I stood in the background watching them try to decide what to do, you really feel the bond we have with our son. Our son is laying there struggling for his life and these men have to make decisions that may help him. Then you truly learn what it is to "pray without ceasing". But once again Gerad received strength to pull through. And although it was a few hours till everyone was satisfied again, his blood pressure slowly climbed back up to an acceptable level and his blood tests also showed a better nutrient content.

Gerad has been stable all night, his blood pressure has been good, his heart rate is still a little high but the doctors say this is acceptable considering what Gerad has gone through yesterday. So we are very thankful they didn't have to open his chest again because that would have been a big step backwards. So once again so far so good.

Marvin

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks,
unto thee do we give thanks:
for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.
Psa 75:1

Anyone that would like to
send Marvin and Hannie an email
may email to: hannie_bos@hotmail.com

Prayer Request!!!

Do you believe God and His Word when he says:

Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing BY PRAYER and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Php 4:6,7

This morning the doctors closed little Gerad's chest but at 1:00 this afternoon his numbers were not good at all causing hypertension, possibly due to his heart not having so much room now, since his chest is closed. The doctors were ready to open it again, but thankfully his vital signs started to show better numbers!

He received more blood, calcium and they are minimizing his fluid intake so he won't retain too much fluid which is common after closing of his chest. He now has two strings attached to his chest to give his heart more room. If you go back to the post from last saterday you can see a blue string going through the white sterile cloth and up, hanging from his heating lamp. He now has two strings. They are keeping him under complete sedation.

Pray for little Gerad! And for Marvin and Hannie!

One step at a time

Each time Marv and Hannie want to see Gerad, they need to call the nurses to see if they can come in, just to make sure they are not in the middle of doing something, such as working on him or doing a shift change. This morning they called in and they had already started the procedure of closing his chest!! That is SUCH a blessing; now that can start to heal!!! One step at a time. The Nurse said yesterday Gerad would retain fluid again (but not as much) and will have to lose it again. For the rest he was doing good yesterday.

He did have an episode that really scared them. Hannie was just standing behind his bed talking to a nurse when he suddenly started breathing quick short breaths. He had the hiccups and it must have made him very uncomfortable. He squirmed and tried to cry but couldn't because of the tubes down his throat and then he turned blue and hot. After a few minutes he calmed down, although those minutes seemed more like an hour. Marvin and Hannie were relieved but thankful that it was not something more serious! With the possibility of taking steps backwards, he continues to take little steps forward.

See these little feet? They look so sweet and adorable, don't they? Well, he is causing mischief with them allready! He was laying there, awake and kicking away with these little feet when one of his tubes got stuck between his toes and as he stretched, plop, out he pulled the tube! That is when he fell soundly asleep and the nurse had a hard time explaining that Gerad himself had caused the trouble and she didn't do it: "HE did it, he did it...!" she repeated, as Gerad lay sleeping like a good little boy!!!

He gets lots of 'oohs and ahhhs' on his toes:

"Look at those toes...!"

"wow, he could poke my eyes out with those...!"

"with feet like that he'll be climbing trees in no time...!"

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Luk 12:7