Hope. That’s what we have. On my way home last night (Friday), I turned on a CD a friend had given me for the kids. It is a Sing the Word CD. Shortly after beginning our journey home, Jeremiah 29:11 played. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
As it played, it was as though God held out His hands and gently said, “This is YOUR verse for right now. Even though my thoughts are above your understanding, I KNOW my thoughts for you, and I will tell you what they are. My thoughts for you are peace. My thoughts are not of evil. Those thoughts are coming from someone else who seeks to destroy you, your family, and all those who are watching your situation. My thoughts for you are of peace. As proof of that peace, which you may have if you choose to allow me to fill you with it, I will promise you a hope and a future.”
I don’t know just now what that future will look like, but I think I will choose to hope and to trust that God’s ways for us are filled with peace in the midst of evil. We see that God is giving us, even little Derek, what each of us needs to get through this.
Today Derek has made tremendous progress. He has been our happy little boy again. He has totally amazed the nurses and even given us some giggles. He is stable and ready to be transferred out of ICU to the oncology unit. We are waiting for a bed to open up, but right now they are completely full. His electrolytes are all normal, including potassium. His white blood count is 9.8 which is also normal. He is responding beautifully, and he seems to feel good.
As many of you know, Derek is usually a funny little boy. He continually sends us into laughter (sometimes secretly) at the things he says. Midmorning we received the menu options for Sunday’s meals. The nurse was also in the room as I was asking Derek which items on the menu sounded good to him, I came to a dessert selection for lunch. The choices were strawberry ice cream or a chocolate chip cookie. Derek has always had a very large sweet tooth. In fact he told us once that all his teeth were sweet teeth. I believe it! Knowing he would choose the ice cream, I said, “I think I know what you will choose, but I’ll ask you anyway. Ice cream or cookie?” Without hesitation he said, “Strawberry ice cream!” I laughed and said, “I KNEW it!” The nurse joined in and told him that was her favorite, too, and asked if he would share with her. Without missing a beat, he looked at her and said, “No. I think you can probably get some for yourself out there,” and he looked toward the door.
This afternoon, he discovered that the middle line on the monitor recorded his respiration and that by changing the way he breathed, he could make all manner of squiggles and lines show up on the monitor. First he tried holding his breath as long as he could. Then he breathed out and held it out as long as he could. It made boxy shapes and sent the alarms to sounding because he didn’t have enough respirations in a minute. Then he tried very rapid breathing and liked the tiny squiggles even more. He had to try to stop him though, for fear he would hyperventilate. When any nurse came in, he was excited to show them his newly acquired artistic abilities. We were beginning to think that if they didn’t transfer him soon, he would be driving the nurses crazy. But it is SO good to hear his little giggles and see his smiles.
Finally at about 8:30 they moved him out of PICU to the stepdown unit which usually specializes in cardiac care. There are still no rooms available. But the unit is practically empty. When we arrived, Derek was the only patient on this hall and had a nurse all to himself. One more patient has arrived since, but it is very quiet. Maybe we will get some sleep.
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