Out of the Woods

Brady yesterday afternoon, post-op.

Yesterday, Brady had the surgical procedure to close the hole in his heart.  We came to our second home at Lurie Children's Hospital in the early morning, and it wasn't until we were sitting in his pre-op room that the gravity of the situation hit me.  While I wasn't nervous about the procedure, the fact that they were going to cut his chest open and operate on his heart is a big deal.  Even more than that, we had no idea what to expect for recovery.  Was he going to be in pain from the procedure afterwards?  How would we be able to hold him, feed him, bathe him, stop him from rolling around?  

It's funny how worry sneaks up on us.  I had been pretty calm the week heading into the surgery.  We were able to focus on the daily task of living, instead of looking too far forward.  Being a control freak, I think that's how I handle things sometimes; by focusing on the things I can control, I am able to keep my stress levels down.  But the future... I can't control the future.  Yet, what good does worrying do me?

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25-33)

Brady this morning!  Sleeping well!

How true!  God's faithfulness to our family has been evident in His caring for our needs! Physically, we have a room at the Ronald McDonald House- SO nice.  It's a gorgeous facility with everything you could think of needing! Emotionally, you have all contacted us and prayed with us.  Those messages are so encouraging!  Spiritually, we have time to rest in God's grace and in the silence that sitting in hospital rooms provide.  Financially, we have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from both of our places of work.  Last week, I was completely humbled to receive notice that some of my co-workers wanted to donate their paid time off to our family.  This would help provide for us during this time that I've spent off caring for Brady.  Although we were trusting that God would take care of our financial situation, it was flooring to feel that need being taken on by friends (and even some strangers) who wanted to rally around us in our time of need.  He has taken care of us- just not in ways we had expected!  It really is incredible.

Brady's procedure went off without a hitch; he is doing really well!  His numbers are all perfect, he came off the ventilator last night, and is breathing room air as we speak!  He has been eating really well and will be coming off even more of the support today.  There is a chance that we could go home as soon as Monday or Tuesday (although I'm not counting on it- I don't want to get my hopes up!), which seems like a quick jaunt compared to our last stay!

Once again, our fears have been allayed, and I wonder why I doubt that God can take care of anything at all.  I suppose that's part of our imperfect humanity.  If I am able to impart only one thing from this post, I hope that you feel the peace that we feel today, as we have felt the steadfast hand of God touch our lives and heal our little boy.

Again, thank you for your prayers and well wishes- they mean so much to us!