What’s happening at Concord

Christian continues to strengthen physically and improve cognitively each day. John and I need your prayers right now as we make decisions about his future therapy and treatment. There are no clear-cut, easy answers and I feel like I am being given a final exam in a foreign language (medical) that I've only been learning for a few days. For the first time, Christian is able to contribute to this update. He asked that I tell you all, "Thanks for praying." Christian now knows pretty much everything we do about what happened to him and has a general idea of what needs to happen before he can come home. That was a lot for him to swallow in one day. He seems to be handling it decently and is determined to do whatever it takes to get home ASAP. The cardiac doctor recognizes this situation can be overwhelming for a young man who has never been sick, and he encouraged us to consider finding a psychiatrist or psychologist who has worked with kids who have gone through similar experiences. We ask for your prayers to help Christian process this mind-boggling situation. Christian very much seemed to connect with a newspaper story about a colonel who was in the pentagon on 9/11. The colonel said,"when you fight on the side of angels you fight with the strength of thousands. When you fight for yourself, you fight by yourself." The colonel went on to say that if he had died that day, "it would have been OK. that would have been my time. But it wasn't… It wasn't me because God has more for me to do before it's my turn." Please do not worry if you do not hear from us daily. Yesterday was so crazy busy that I actually had to politely ask one very important doctor to please come back later. After Christian had seen four doctors and therapists in a row, the poor kid needed to go to the bathroom and, even though it was nearly lunchtime, he hadn't gotten to eat his breakfast yet. Even his nurses have to wait in line to give him his medications. In addition to seeing multiple doctors daily, he also has physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, child life services, behavioral health, a genetics study, rehabilitative services, and probably a couple more that I am forgetting. Never a dull moment ... or time to write updates! Christian has slowly started to see visitors. Every one has lifted his spirits, but we have to be careful not to overdo it. As people express interest in coming to see Christian, we are keeping a list and trying to schedule in a way that is pleasant for him and visitors. On weekdays, evenings around 7 PM are best. Weekends have more flexibility because he doesn't have as many medical personnel coming in. He often seems to tire after about an hour. For the past few days, I have actually been able to do morning devotions, and I had thought perhaps that was why God had stopped sending me songs. When I got up this morning, I was apprehensive because JOHN went to work today and I am anticipating some complicated medical discussions. But God dropped an old chorus into my heart which is carrying me: This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. We will rejoice, we will rejoice, and be glad in it, and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, this is the day, this is the day, That the Lord has made. My son is ALIVE ... I do not have to wait until he is home to be grateful and enjoy the day. :-)