Our Little Man

On Friday morning Thomas fell from the ladder that goes up to our barn loft, landing on the concrete below.  We took him to emerge, where he was seen immediately.  A CT scan showed that he had a fractured skull and some bleeding between his skull and brain.  Within minutes they had him in an ambulance and on his way to the children's hospital where the paediatric neurosurgeons would be able to assess him and operate if the bleeding continued.  He was monitored hourly until he had another CT scan on Saturday morning.  This scan revealed that the pocket of blood had already started to decrease in size.  The doctor said that it was unusual for that to happen so quickly.  We were so relieved and thankful to God that Thomas' life was spared and that an operation was not necessary.

Although he is doing very well neurologically, he's been in a lot of pain and has had terrible nausea and frequent vomiting.  That has been so hard on him.  He is trying so hard to be good and brave, but all the testing and monitoring and questions are difficult when he is in misery.  They had been giving him pain meds by mouth which he had a hard time keeping down.  He had some moments when he felt pretty good and would just lay quietly, but when his pain and nausea were not under control it was just awful for him. He cannot handle much stimulation of any kind. Noise and activity make him vomit. We are blessed to have a private room for him. He just wouldn't be able to handle being in a room where others are talking or going in and out.  The doctor told us to expect ups and downs for about a week, then after that he should show day-by-day improvement. 

We've had some sweet moments when he was feeling a little perkier.  I asked him what he wanted Daddy to bring for him from home.  He sighed and said, "I want Daddy to bring you chocolate chips."

In the night he could see out his window and saw the many lights of the city below.  Being a country kid, this was something new for him and he said, "Ohhhh, that looks like fireworks!"

 Yesterday Gerald took the kids along for a little visit.  They visited very quietly in groups of three.  They all needed to see him for some reassurance that he was OK.  They miss him a lot.  He was doing quite well so for a few minutes we had them all in the room at once to pose for a picture.
 

He had been looking forward to seeing them all so that he could show them the crocodile pen that Daddy had brought him.  When the head is squeezed the eyes pop out.  Thomas finds that very funny. :)

This morning the doctor ordered morphine through his IV. When that, along with some Gravol, kicked in, he relaxed and was much more like the Thomas we know.  What a relief to see him free from pain and able to think and talk easily again.

 Out of the blue he asked me, "Why can't we jump on beds?" 
I said, "Because that might break the beds." 
"Can we walk on them?"
"No."
"Well, can we walk on couches?"
"No, not on couches either."
"Can I stand on the bed?"
"Beds are for laying down on, Thomas."
A big sigh and then, "Oh."

The doctor said that he should try to eat as much as he could tolerate, even though it might come back up.  So I was trying to get him to eat something....yogourt, a banana, maybe a cookie?  He said, "No, I don't want any of those things.  I want chocolate." :)

Thomas will likely be in the hospital for several more days.  He will only be allowed quiet play for the rest of the summer.  I'm not sure how we will enforce that, but the doctor says he won't likely want to do much more than that anyway.  But after the jumping on the bed conversation, I'm not so sure. ;)

We have so much reason for praise....that Gerald's sister, Jeanette, was over on Friday and could take us to the hospital and be of such help in the time of need, that Gerald's mom was also over and able to stay home with the other kids, that Thomas was able to lay still for both his scans (amazing for a 3 year old in terrible pain), for excellent care at both hospitals, for a private room, for relief from pain and nausea, for sparing his life, for having a God to whom we can pray, knowing that He hears and cares and is omnipotent, and for so many people who have been lifting up our needs in prayer. 

Please pray that Thomas will continue to heal, that he will be kept free of pain and nausea, that he may have patience on the long road to full recovery, and that through this we may all be drawn closer to the Lord.  We are fragile, but He is mighty!

Love,