Faithful Friends

Over the last few weeks we have had so many friends and family members rally to show their support.

 These photos are just the few we grabbed on our camera.  The grandmas took dozens more.

 They brought us food and picked out adorable gifts for Blake. 
 They've made us smile and given hugs when we cry.

Sporting their own "Beards for Blake"

Modeling one of my hat creations :)

 There have been phone calls, voicemails, texts and facebook messages that have come at just the right moment, containing just the right words.

And we have been spurred on in our faith through the prayers, Scriptures and words of Life reminding us of our great hope for Blake's future.

Blake with my cousin, Jason, who also survived a childhood Wilm's tumor.  A tumor was growing on his kidney and had spread to his heart.  Thirty years after surgery, radiation and chemo he is a walking bundle of hope and a testimony to the power of Jesus Christ.  So many prayers were offered up for him many years ago, just as we are doing today for Blake!  Praise God that He is greater than any diagnosis!

 Thank you for joining us on this journey.  We are all witnessing the power of God at work in this strong little boy.

Thank You

3x5 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Just created some beautiful thank you cards to send out to the wonderful people in our lives who have overwhelmed us with their support.  God's love has surrounded us through the blessings of others.

Nationwide Children's Hospital

On the ordinary fall evening that our family entered Nationwide Children's Hospital, we had no idea we would remain there for the next 24 days.  Long enough to see the Christmas decorations appear.

During those long, sleepy days we found ways to sneak the comforts of home into our room.

Steve packed up the sock monkey, who was just the right size for snuggling.

Homemade Thanksgiving dinner from the Efries family.

Fruit snacks and fishing in the play room.

The staff and volunteers at Children's put their heart and soul into providing moments of beauty and cheer in the midst of terribly difficult times.

First post-surgery steps.

Doctors making their early morning rounds.

He was waiting to throw "snowballs" at his nurse, but fell asleep with ammunition in hand.

Listening to a Christmas concert in the hospital lobby.

 Play-time therapy is the best kind of recovery activity.

All of this made life bearable, until it was finally time to go home!

 Home to our own sweet little apartment, and beautiful Christmas decorations.

Surgery Miracles

As promised, I would like to share the story of how God worked on Thursday evening, November 17.  That was the night when Blake was whisked away from us for an emergency surgery.  The previous day he had undergone the original operation to remove a melon sized Wilms tumor growing on his right kidney, as well as the kidney itself.  The procedure was a success, but had caused a complication.

The vein that removes blood from the healthy left kidney had been damaged during the tumor removal.  Surgeons repaired it with a few stitches before closing him up.  Throughout the day that followed, Blake's urine production continually decreased.  This led the doctors to believe that something had gone wrong with that vein.

A vascular surgeon was called over from the OSU hospital.  He stopped by a few days after the surgery to check on Blake and share the Operating Room story.  This is what he reported,

As soon as Blake's incision was reopened, it was apparent that the kidney was purple and swollen three times its usual size.  A blood clot had formed at the site of the stitched up vein.  Blood was flowing into the kidney, only to remain trapped inside,

The surgical team set about removing the clot, which was very hard at that point.  First, they tried drawing it out with a catheter.  When that failed, they poked, prodded, even smacked it repeatedly with their fingers.  The clot would not budge.  After many attempts everyone stood back, racking their brains for a solution.  The surgeons were reluctant to give up, knowing that would mean losing the kidney, dialysis, and need of a transplant.

Then suddenly the clot broke loose - all on it's own!  (At this point in the story I said, "Thank God!"  To which the surgeon agreed it was divine intervention.)  He went on to share how he began to repair the vein, creating a new pathway and patching the broken vein in a way he had never done before.  As he was working, a younger doctor asked what he was doing.  Our surgeon replied, "I don't know."  Praise God for guiding the hands of this very gifted doctor!

He also shared that, once the repair was in place, the kidney immediately began to shrink and turn pink.  As he sat with us relaying all of these details, my heart sang with praise.  I thank God for protecting my son, for miraculously removing that clot and for guiding the doctor's hands.  Prayers that were lifted fervently across the globe, touched the heart of God and changed my son's future.  What a powerful story my boy now holds.