Thank You For Prayers-God Answered Them

Thank you does not even begin to let you all know how much all of you going before the throne of our Heavenly Father on behalf of Brandon and my family meant to us all!  I felt surrounded by your prayers all day Wednesday.

I am so sorry that I have not posted anything before now, but Tueday night Analeigh (our two year old woke up at midnight throwing up in her bed.  I had just fallen asleep and heard her crying-I went into her room and felt around in the dark for her paci (gross I know) and I thought to myself her bed feels wet-then I thought oh no-I turned on the light and saw the mess everywhere-she sat up and continued to throw up more.  Mike took her to the bathroom while I stripped down the bed and started laundry and changed her and then sat up the next 5 hours while she continued to get sick and I sat crying and praying worried about what the next few hours would bring.  Would one of us stay home and one of us drive 3 hours alone and take him to the cancer Dr. to possibly hear the worst news of our lives alone-would one or more of the kids get sick on the way there or while we were there (one of the many down falls to not having any family anywhere near by to leave your children with)-I couldn't bare it-so we decided we would all go and one of us would pace the floors outside the hospital until the other one called with the news-at least we would be there together.  I gave Analeigh belly meds which stopped her throwing up finally and we headed out-all of us doing ok.

We got there in plenty of time-2 hours early so Mike and the two older kids eat lunch-Brandon and Analeigh and I didn't eat-just in case he had to have tests run on an empty stomach and I could eat my stomach was turning in knots.   We got to the Dr.'s office at the hospital a little early and filled out our paper work.   I sat there just praying and reading my bible the whole time-saddened by all the little children there some sick-some without their hair, some looking somewhat better-and some like us I am sure waiting to see the Dr. and find out if they had cancer or not.  The nurse came out and said the Dr. was having trouble reading the cd with the x-rays on it-I had another copy-she took it back and came out and said she was still having problems, to which I asked" Can it not be opened or are they not clear?"  She just said " She opened this one but doesn't like them-she wants him to go upstairs and get more x-rays of just his hip area."   So then my mind starting going crazy-I wanted to take his hand and run out the door.  I just starting quoting every bible verse that I could think of that would bring us peace.  We went upstairs and had some taken and they sent them downstairs to the Dr. over the computer.  

They called us back and the Dr.  came in and started taking off his socks and moving his leg around feeling his leg and hip.

She finally started telling me what she thought he had UBC cysts-which PRAISE THE LORD ARE NOT!!!!! CANCEROUS!!!!!  I wanted to fall to the floor-I wanted to cry and laugh and scream and dance all at the same time-and yet I was also so humbled after sitting out there in the waiting room seeing all of the families who hadn't gotten that same news the first time they were there-maybe even that day.  I had to bow my head and cry and tell her I was sorry I couldn't help the tears-I was so grateful our prayers were answered, so grateful for each and every person who had prayed and was praying for us at that very moment.  I even told her that she had been prayed for by many people all over and that we knew we were where we needed to be that day and I trusted what she felt was best for Brandon. To which she just said "Thank You"  not sure if she is a Christian yet or not.

She went on to tell us that if he had not had the break in the bone that went from his hip into his leg and the cyst wasn't the length (across) of the bone they would do shots and wait to see if they would go away on their own.  But his had done all those things so we needed surgery to correct this.  We will go Tuesday the 20th (not sure of the time yet we call Monday morning) but probably about 8:00am and she will go in and remove the cysts and then bone graph the area and then try to put in a plate and screw that will strengthen the area as it goes and keep the area from breaking again.   

The issue is his age only being 6 and being on the small side for 6 his bones are small-she said she may get in there and there will not be enough bone to hook the plate to or they may be too fragile and break in which case they would set it fill it with the bone graph (bone marrow) and then put him in a body cast for 12 weeks (laying flat on his back) not the option we want-we will see-not the option she wants either since there are other things that can happen from not moving and being in a cast for 12 weeks.   We will not know until she gets in there what will happen and how he will come out of surgery-I had to sign a paper saying either might happen.  We are praying for the plate and screw even though again because of his age and size he will have to have another surgery in a few years when he starts having a growth spurt to remove it since the bone can not grow over the plate or it will cause problems later.  If he were older and didn't have much more growing to do they would leave it but that is not the case.

Since the appointment one by one we have all fallen ill to this miserable stomach bug-(why I haven't posted till today) everyone but Brandon at this point!   Please keeping praying about that-I thought we were all on the mends on Sat but today Derek ate too much of something he shouldn't have and he threw up again today-so I am just praying Brandon still stays well or we have to cancel his surgery!  So don't stop praying yet!!!   I can't believe we all have gotten it and no one else has-I told my husband he had so many people praying over him that nothing was daring get near him! lol

Figuring out what to do with all our kiddos is the big thing now-once again no family near and everyone I would trust to leave my kids with (kind of a mama bear-can't help it-I don't really leave my kids-I like them and enjoy doing things with them-I also think since we have never lived near our family I haven't left them much especially over night-even when I went to the hospital to have each baby Mike went home and I only stayed one night so I didn't have to leave them!  I know I am a nut.)  Everyone works or has a bunch of little kids already and can't really take mine on too and run them to school and watch Analeigh-so I think we are taking them with us and then Tuesday night Mike will bring them home and Wed they will go to school and Analeigh to teach his classes with him-(fun times He can't really cancel classes again for the 3rd week in a row) and I will stay at the hospital with Brandon if he has to stay.  The Dr. told us if he gets the plate and screw and comes out of it ok and his vitals are fine they will watch him all day and we can go home that night-I couldn't believe it-it would be the easiest option-just a little scared.  Justing God will direct us and let us know what we need to do.

So, now that you have read all of this-I want to ask that you would just keep praying for Brandon-he has never had surgery-never been put to sleep-never had stitches and he is really scared.  I am really a lot calmer than I thought I would be-I think I am so relieved that it isn't cancer I think we will get through the rest with God.

Please keep praying we all will get well and stay that way and that Brandon stay healthy.

Thank you a hundred times over-I really knew we were being covered in prayer and it kept us going all day Wednesday.

I will post when we get home and let you know how Tuesday goes.

Love to each of you-

Jill-Brandon and family