The Prayers of the Faithful

This will be a short post today and  I am asking for your prayers. Out grandson Zachary was struck by a car Sunday afternoon and transported by air to University Medical Center in Tucson. He has a broken leg. 

Late last evening he had surgery on his leg. The tibia and fibula – the word we were given is one is fractured through and the other fractured. (I don’t know what the difference would be.) The surgery was to relieve the swelling and to place rods and probably pins and plates, I would assume. 

Please remember he is an active four year old so this will complicate his and his mother’s life style for quite sometime. I’m sure that rehab will be a part of his healing process, too. This will assuredly set back his preschool for awhile. 

Dennis and I were planning on a trip to Tucson today for other reasons, so we will be stopping in to see Zachary. 

We are also in a quandary as to letting Zachary’s dad (our son) know about this due to his incarceration. It will frustrate him and there is nothing he can do about the situation. 

James 5:15
Common English Bible

Prayer that comes from faith will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health.

 Tamara

Update: 02/20/2012 - 7:04 p.m.

I’m providing an update on Zachary as we were able to see him in the Pediatric ICU today.

He had the surgery last evening and the word is he had the best pediatric orthopedic surgeon at UMC – praise the Lord for that! The surgeon put another surgery on hold and bumped Zachary into that spot due to the internal swelling. He made incisions down each side of the leg to allow for drainage. One side responded well and the other now has a shunt (and a pump) that allows for the excess fluids to be draining off his leg. He also has a metal rod in his leg. I’m not sure about anything else.

He is being kept pain free with morphine and Tylenol with codeine. The morphine causes his face to itch and I told his Mom to watch that as it is the sign of an allergic reaction and could lead to more serious symptoms.

He is in pain with furrows on his forehead and grinding of his teeth. Yesterday when this all happened he told the EMT’s he only wanted Tylenol and a band-aid. He is ‘beat up’ on his right side with road rash and a good bump on his noggin. He has cleared all his neurological tests. He isn’t eating or drinking and has in IV for fluids and meds. He is running a fever and they are checking his blood for infections on a very regular basis – and he isn’t happy about that! Before we left for our two hour trek home, he ate a Popsicle!

After getting home, Dennis left for a visit with our son. They were most kind is allowing for a ‘late’ visit due to the nature of what will be shared and for allowing Dennis to be the one to share it.

Thank you all for your prayers. This could have had such a different outcome. I know it isn’t over yet. He will require physical therapy, plus his preschool will be set back for quite awhile.

Tamara

Zachary Recovering

Update: 02/21/2012:

He looks so much better than yesterday and according to his Mom, he is now eating. He has begun to play in the playroom. He will be in a wheelchair for about two weeks and he begins physical therapy today! He must still have the IV in as it appears he's using his right hand and he's left handed!

Zach  and Ziggy

Update: 02/22/2012:


Zachary's Mom posted this on FB yesterday. Child Life came into visit with Zachary yesterday and with his help they put a cast on Ziggy's right leg - just like Zachary's!


Zachary is having surgery today that will determine if he gets to go home today or not.


More update: Zachary did well with the surgery and he and Ziggy both have blue casts on their right legs. Zachary's IV is now out and his sucky thumb is now available.


Update: 02/23/2012:

Zachary will have another night in the hospital. They need to ween him from the pain meds. He had PT today and the assistant was Lily - a dog! Zach was very responsive. I'm sure he misses his dog Stormy and I am sure Stormy misses him. They are best buds and when Zach's Mommy tries to discipline him, Stormy gently takes her by the wrist and tries to lead her away! Here's a pix of the two of them from around Christmas time.

Best Buds - Zach and Stormy

Update: 02/24/12

Zachary went all day yesterday without morphine. They will find out today if he gets to go home. His Momma posted pix of him with his therapy dogs. He also got to go outside in his brand new wagon. He told his Mom he felt better outside. Instead of being in a wheelchair for two weeks, they said he could use a wagon, so his other Gram bought him a wagon and he's now using it in the hospital, too!

Zachary and Lily and the Sucky Thumb!

Zachary and Missie
She plays catch!