December 13, 2008

• Alexander’s last bandage visit

  As the intensity of the past month thankfully winds down, I find myself looking around in amazement at all the neglected areas in my own life.  Some of them are just going to be ignored, but I really think it would be fun to get ready for Christmas.  First things first, right?

  A week and a half ago the wound vac was removed from the skin graft site.  That made the fourth surgery in three weeks.  It was his last one though.  On that Friday I went with his mom and him to get the bandaging changed.  At that visit, his mom was taught how to change the bandaging herself since it was doing so well. He had a Child Life Specialist who helped keep him entertained while they cleaned and bandaged him.  He managed to throw a suction cup ball so it stuck to her glasses.  He wasn’t sure if that was alright or not. He was a bit concerned.

   

  

  He was given permission to go out in public so for the first time in three weeks, he was able to be in someplace more open than the hospital or his apartment.  We took him to the mall!  With a harness on him, we let him run from one end to the other!  He loved the freedom and kept laughing and squealing and running, running, running!.  Other shoppers probably wondered why we were so happy, but who cares!  Running never felt so good to a little boy.
  This is his special sun-screening hat.

  He has now been free of the wound vac for a over a week. He was able to go to church where his parents could personally thank those who had been praying.  They also brought him to the school where his mom teaches English IV. The kids were thrilled to see him doing so well.  On Friday he went in for what ended up being his last bandage visit.  After the bandage was removed, we were told that he didn’t need it anymore.  The graft was healing perfectly and there was no more need of it. There is one more visit next week with the plastic surgeon and some therapy to ensure range of motion and scar therapy to help keep the scar as flexible as possible.  For now, he is free from medical procedures and hospital stays.  This picture is from his visit on Friday, quite a different boy from a few weeks ago.

   

  We continue to pray that he will heal both physically and emotionally.  I know this is very hard on him emotionally.  He understands what happened.  When his mom used the same pot again, he was afraid.  He cried in fear when he was told that the beans were too hot to eat.  Hot means something very terrible!  The space heater in the bathroom scared him.  It will take time for him to work through those emotions.  I pray constantly for him and his parents also to have wisdom in how to handle this too. 

  Thanks to all of you who have joined us in pray for this little guy. 

  • 6:17 pm
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