Our first surprise on reaching the hospital today was an unpleasant surprise. It turns out that the patient in surgery ahead of Nathan had much more complex cancer surgery than was anticipated, such that she took up Nathan's time in the operating room. So he will have to wait until this coming Tuesday for his surgery. That was quite frustrating for all concerned. Even the ICU staff were very frustrated, as Nathan underwent the lumbar puncture procedure yesterday to prep for surgery this morning, and now he will have to undergo that procedure again this coming Monday.
But even that postponement may have a bright side: The surgeons will be discussing Nathan's case further and may be able to combine two or more of the needed procedures when they do surgery on Tuesday. That is, they may operate on Nathan's skull base and on his jaw at the same time (and perhaps even include other procedures as well), minimizing the number of operations needed. And Nathan's first in line for the operating room on Tuesday.
But the disappointment of the postponed surgery was overshadowed by a delightful surprise: Nathan's clarity of mind! He's baaack! :) No hallucinations whatever today. In fact, Nathan's able to start making plans for the future!
Of course, it will take him a while to get clear on the shape of things. For example, he didn't realize that he'd been in a coma for two weeks and has now missed a whole month of school, such that he can't just "pick up where he left off" this semester. Nor did he realize that he can't stand on either leg. (His right leg has the steel inside, but neither leg can bear any weight for several weeks yet.) So we kept busy explaining to him what's happened this past month, and what to expect in the next month or two. He's gradually getting used to the idea that being confined to the hospital and to bed is not a curse, but a necessity, and that it is not a permanent state of affairs but a temporary expedient.
It was just GREAT to be able to reason with Nathan for the first time since the accident. It's great to have his mind back, even if his body is still catching up! We are unspeakably grateful to God, and to those who are praying so fervently and faithfully!
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5 comments:
Praise God for this unspeakable gift!
We rejoice with you!!
Praise the Lord! What a great gift to have his mind "back"! I know there will be hard days now that he can comprehend more, but I'm so thankful he's come this far. Will keep praying about the upcoming surgeries.
What great news! God continues to hold Nathan in His Loving and Healing Arms! Prayers continue to go up for Nathan and for the family being together very soon!
YES!!!
That's all I can say. I got on the computer this morning and found an e-mail from Stacey that said to go look at the newest blog. This truly is amazing.
Still praying,
Shellie-
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. We prayed for you around our dinner table last night. We are honored to be playing a part in what God is doing. May he fill you all with his peace and may you continue to be a living testimony of the amazing grace and mercy of God.
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