6-19

It may be the most difficult time of your life. You may be enduring your own whirlwind. But the whirlwind is a temporary experience. Your faithful, caring Lord will see you through. - Charles Swindol

We have heard many stories to date of patient complications that occur frequently while on the ECMO machine making this lifesaving care that much more difficult. Nick Hair, now 22, we had met his parents early in our stay on the ECMO floor, came to visit Walker early last week while he was having another procedure at FH. Nick is in a good place now and wanted to encourage Walker to fight on, a year later after his 30+ day stay on ECMO and having a complication that required an amputation below his right knee. Thank you Nick!! A very brave young man, a miracle walking.

Even though he is having to fight hard to recover everyday, he and we are very blessed to have him where he is today without having any major life altering complications from an incredible 63 days on the ECMO machine. All of our prayers were heard as he made it through in miracle form an implausible form of care. Every time we see Walker for the rest of his life we will silently, and often verbally, thank God for his life!!

As Candy just wrote me this - “You know what you say .....thank you God for giving us such a TOUGH kid!! In spite of not sleeping well, dialysis, stomach ache, vomiting, headache, reduction of support on the ventilator(which is tough, makes his lungs have to work even harder), no more extra oxygen support our kid got up and walked a lap around the unit. Yes, it was rough, yes we had to do a lot of encouraging, yes we had to change oxygen tanks, yes he wanted to quit, stop, cry all of it he wanted to do today!! Walker is a warrior, like no one I have ever seen before. I hate to see him suffer so much but I am also so proud of him doing what he KNOWS he has to do!!!” That’s his Mom, she always tells it like it is.

Candy and I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to write us encouraging notes and emails and comments as these are the seemingly insignificant, significant fuel that feeds our hope and gives us strength to keep at it. We are very aware that we are not alone in this drama and that means so much it’s very hard to put into proper words. So, Walkers journey home takes another step forward today and the Glory is all God’s!! Amen.