Saturday October 8, 2005

Saturday October 8, 2005 Zack slept soundly last night, still groggy from the anesthesia.
Rita had come up while Zack was in recovery and once he was returned to his room I went home to get some sleep. I arrived at home around 2:00 AM and Scott left to spend the night with Zack in case he got sick. Donna came to relieve Scott at 7:30 so he could go to work. 8:00 Dr. Asaua came in to se how Zack was feeling and informed us he would be on Vancomycin (antibiotic) today but everything was going as planned. Zack told the doctor that his head hurt on the outside. Several people have asked me how many stitches Zack has received in his head so I had asked the doctor. Ironically they say “one” because it is one long stitch. I arrive to relieve Donna before lunch and Zack is sleeping. When he wakes up he tells me he is going home today. I remind him that his doctor will not release him until tomorrow and he gives me a dirty look, rolls over and goes back to sleep. Dr. Densler is at the nurse’s station and I ask him to come in and say hello to Zack. Dr Densler is on rotation at another hospital right now but he gladly comes in to check on his famous patient. Zack’s right eye is very swollen and Dr. Densler tells me it will get worse. When they replaced his bone flap they had to peal back his scalp from the top down to his ear. It causes trauma to that whole area and fluid has built up around Zack’s eye. He tells me a cold compress will help but Zack looks great and to not worry. Tiffany arrives and the three of us play the card game “Golf” (of course Zack wins). I receive a phone call from Rita that she has found the perfect couch in the newspaper. Now that Zack is not going to Dallas we wanted to fix up the basement so his friends would have a comfortable place to come and hang out. I arrange people to help move the furniture and Kaitlyn’s Dad volunteers a large truck for the pick up. When they are on the way to the house I leave Tiffany to keep Zack company and head home to organize the decorating. Once I am certain that everything is perfect I return to the hospital and we resume our card game. Zack’s right eye is almost swollen shut now and he looks like he’s been in a fight. I ask him if it hurts and he says it just feels weird. After dinner Rob, Kaitlyn, her Mom, Dad and sister arrive for Zack’s last night in the hospital. By the time they leave, Zack is no longer groggy and is up singing and dancing. It is quite ironic to see him with a stitched up shaved head, swollen eye and a big grin on his face making up silly songs to entertain us. I am delighted that he feels good enough to be dancing because tomorrow our hearts will dance with him in church. Once everyone leaves Zack decides he will beat me one more time in cards before he goes to sleep. We only make it through one hand before he tells me he is tired and wants to quit. He is asleep in no time and I go to the nurse’s station to discuss what I need to have to leave in the morning. I decide to leave early to put the finishing touches on his room at home. As I walk to the parking garage I haven’t been this happy for a long time. We are going home! Earlier today I had been skipping down the hall of the hospital, clicking my heals and singing, “We’re going home tomorrow”. I ride home in silence, except for my prayers thanking God for the many blessings we have received these last three months. He has given us a second chance to influence and mold our precious son. He heard my prayers every morning and sent thunder as His answer. Psalm 3: 3-4 “But you are a shield around me, O Lord, you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry out aloud and He answers me from His holy hill”. Great is His faithfulness, deep is His mercy and mighty is His power. Zack will never be the same and neither will we. We are better with our hearts laid bear to receive Gods blessings in whatever form he chooses. We know to listen to His whisper and believe His plan is perfect. We begin a new day and how fitting that it will start on Sunday. Please continue to pray for complete healing and lift up your head and praise God!