Home at Last

After one week of being at Duke, we were able to come home today. Although Micah had to come home with the drain, we were extremely grateful to finally be coming home. As I write this, it is almost 11:00 PM. I'm sitting in my house, on my couch, and the house is relatively quite. There are no screaming children (or adults), no beeping pulse/ox monitors, no fire alarm going off for no good reason (as it did last night), no Hilton-style, plush bed (yeah right!) to sleep on in the corner of the Cracker Jack box called a hospital room, and no traffic in and out of the room at all hours of the night to wake you, your child and then leave for you to try to get you and your child back to sleep. You get the point. We are incredibly grateful that at this moment God has placed us here so close to the Duke Medical Center so that we might have our son benefit from the care. However, there is nothing like being at home, to sleep in your bed, go to your refrigerator, and be with ALL your family in the same place, at the same time. Praise the Lord we are home!

Micah is continuing to do well. He is still getting back to the routine of eating and isn't quite at the same level (volume) of eating as he was before the surgery. However, he seems to be recovering very well. The fluid draining out has certainly tapered off in the last 36 to 48 hours which is great. As I mentioned before, though, we are still trusting the Lord and waiting to see. The last blood test still showed his bilirubin level to be at 12. Should this begin to trickle, notch or fall in the downward direction, this would be a great indication that the procedure was at the very least a temporary relief for his body and the liver. Of course, if that does occur, it could also be that he will grow up never having to deal with a liver transplant. All this to say, we continue to hope and trust in the Lord. We do not see clearly. But then again, "we walk by faith and not by sight." The opposite of faith is not doubt. Doubt is the opposite of belief. The opposite of faith is sight. Those who can see have no need of faith. As Jesus told Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet still believe." They exhibit faith. Our faith is fixed steadfast and firm upon our hope--Jesus Christ. And in Him, we place our faith and trust. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." And in Him, we place our faith that He controls all things and knows all things.

We would ask that you continue to pray for Micah as often as the Lord brings him to mind. Praise God first for what He already has done and how He has used this to bring glory to Himself. Furthermore, pray that our Lord and Savior would continue to use this situation for our good and His glory. But also, pray that he continues to build back an appetite to the level pre-surgery.

Our first follow-up visit (with the surgeon) will be the middle part of next week. Then we will have a follow-up visit with the gastroenterologist the middle of the following week. Prayerfully, we will begin to get a sense of where things are and/or are heading through these visits.

May God bless and encourage each of you as much as you have blessed and encouraged our hearts and lives over the recent days. Live today for the glory of God!