home again

It is 2:35 am - we are home - Jake is doing well. It was so cool to have him awake and feeling good after waking up from surgery. We are tired. But loving that it is Friday and that the thumb surgery is behind us.

Big prayer to commit to would that now it is grafted that God would heal. The bone is far from perfect and it is not a guarantee easy graft to take. So pray pray pray. That God would do far beyond what we can even think or imagine.

Good night - hmmm - good morning...

Tom (JK very tired Daddy)

is waiting ever perfected?

I have not written from the hospital for a while. I am sitting here in pre-op as we wait and wait and wait. We thought the surgery was going to be around 5. The surgeon was ready but the rooms were still occupied. And so we have been here since 10:30 am. We are hoping that surgery will happen by 9 and we will be done by 11. But we are not holding any breath. We have been here before...remember? We do. It has just been a while.

Jake is frustrated and his back is bugging him on this bed. He gets up and walks around here and there. He has not been able to eat since this morning and has not had water since noon. Of course you will all be glad to know that Jim and Sue are here - they brought us dinner - Jake's will be available for him after surgery if he feels like eating. My sister is with Jensen and I am sure they are having a blast. What was an everyday thing a month ago has returned. Back in the hospital.

What seemed to be working out so perfectly for us hours ago has left us having to remain flexible. But we are so thankful that we are going through this - finally getting to surgery on his thumb and to cover up that bone. Thankful that we are not amputating even the tip. Thankful that he will have some use. He is already starting to use his right hand a bit more - although it feels strange and is highly sensitive. It feels really awesome to be having this simple graft rather than a more elaborate flap that would leave his hand sewn to his body for 4 weeks. It feels good to close it up and see how God heals it. We may have to return to it down the road and do something else or it will heal on it's own (God's help) and Jake will learn how to adapt.

Regardless tonight we wait but we wait with eager anticipation to move forward and get on with another step of healing. It is not perfectly how we would like it to go - but we are moving forward and see hope in the midst of the wait.

Grace and peace

Tom (JK Daddy)

OR nurses just got here to start the process...it is now 8:30

Thumb surgery today!!!!

For some reason we all woke up between 4 am and 5 am. We had two appointments scheduled. One at 10:30 and the other at 1:30. Bummer big gap - so we were going to IHOP. Then we got a call that changed the 1:30 to 11:30. Cool. IHOP then home. Then I made one more call to see about Jake's thumb surgery - maybe next week? That all changed and they are squeezing him in today. We are not sure when yet but it is a two hour out-patient surgery. He now cannot eat until after surgery. When I told him - anxiety rose high. Yet he is also excited that he will not have to see his bone anymore.

Pray that the surgery will come soon. It is now going on noon. We may have to wait until after 5.

Thanks

More later

Tom (JK Daddy)

blessed to be unemployed

I am tired but wanted to put something up quickly to give a Jacob update. He is doing better. It was a long, hard day, but it feels like it is moving in the right direction. We had an appointment with the physical therapist, Abby. Jake was doing really well with all that Abby was having him do. He was lying down and as he got up he got dizzy and had a slight seizure. He has been having them here and there for the last few weeks. We went from there immediately and was able to get squeezed into seeing the neurologist that we saw last week. She had just called me this morning to change one of his medications. We really believe that it is due to the muscle relaxant that he has been taking for muscle spasms in his back. We already reduced it to only a half of a tablet at night but at this point are totally eliminating it.

Jake's back is doing better. He did not use his wheel chair at all for his appointments today. That is the most that he walked yet. He did well. We also got to go to sushi today together - just the two of us. It was great - one of our favorite things to do - not our favorite sushi place - but it was an amazing thing to treasure.

One of the amazing things that Jacob and I talked about was the blessing of being unemployed - he was feeling bad about it for me - but I told him that we have been given a treasure - an amazing gift. Our goal is that by January we are back in normal mode but for now so many have blessed us and allowed us to give our full attention on our family - taking care of our life, our family, our home. I can't say this is why I have been unemployed - I do not think it is that simple but it is a blessing to be unemployed. Perhaps through this we can get some things going to also be a blessing to others to take the lessons from the "Jacob's Journey Community" and extend that to others. There are so many that we can come alongside and bless - there will be more that we can bless and care for and love.

We are blessed to be a blessing. We are loved to be loving. We have hope to bring hope.

Tom (JK Daddy)

"I'm sorry, Daddy."

Jake is hurting tonight - he was pretty good today - but tonight, maybe just a little while ago his back started hurting him. Tomorrow we have an appointment at physical therapy. We need to get the muscles working and strong again but I know it is hard too when you are anxious about a movement that might twinge the nerves in your back - stiff, pensive, frustrated. Jake keeps apologizing to us. He feels bad for all that we are doing for him. We are just thankful that we have the time with him. What a blessing it is to have him alive and have him able to communicate to us where he is hurting.

Jake does not need to apologize for our sake. If it helps him that is fine, but Debbie and I want to be here with him. We want to help him and ease his pain and work him toward healthier more independent living. It is hard - it is so tiring - but there is no regret. Jacob's inability to do what we expect or want him to do does not change our devotion and love for him. Imagine that same view from the throne of God. Our lack of faith, inability to trust, the weakness of our hope does not change God's faithfulness, trustworthiness, or his ability to act. Even now I put so much on myself instead of on God. (Check out Romans 3)

Am I working toward being who God has called me to be? Is the bent of my life to walk away from sin or to get as close to sin as possible? None are perfect but the grace of God - the death of Christ - the story of God - includes me, forgives me, makes up for my lacking. Just as Jacob does not have to walk or use his hand to be my son, we do not have to be more than we are right now to be loved by God - to be his child. The beautiful fact is that God created a way for me to be his child while I am still a sinner. My faith is weak but God is still faithful.

I still though work through my recovery. Toward having faith.

My heart and mind continue to pray for Andrew as well. As I help Jacob with his exercises, I pray that Don will be able to move Andrew through recovery. God is the God of miracles - we have seen it - Jacob is living, loving proof of God's hand - He is still good even though this situation is so black. God is still in control even when things seem so out of control. Today right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. The question for us is are we going to stand in faith or are we going to crumble into bitterness and decay?

Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you." Ex 34:10

Everything we do should be moving toward love and good deeds. Heb 10:24


Tom (JK Daddy)

Thanks and prayers tonight...

Jake's CT scan went very well. While we were at the hospital we were able to see a neurologist to and make some necessary adjustments to his current meds. He is still on an anti-seizure med and will be on it until after the skull cap is replaced. It was a long tiring day and though his back is still hurting it does seem to be getting better. He was able to do some walking and such. In the midst of all of this we received a triple blessing from Tom, Drew and four wonderful ladies. It still amazes me that you all are with us. We also want to expand this community.

Robbie posted this earlier...please surround the Sinclair family with our love and support and prayers as we desperately plea for another young man. Check out their website and lift them before the Lord - may God's presence surround and engulf them. This is the next step of Jacob's Journey or this Journey Through Fire - to come alongside others. It is what I know God is leading us to - the Church BEING the Church - and we as those called by Chosen to love and good deeds.

In thanks and wounded prayers.

Tom (JK Daddy)

Urgent: Prayer for Andrew Sinclair

PRAY FOR ANDREW SINCLAIR
A young man named Andrew Sinclair was in a bad car accident this last week. A friend has asked that the Jacob's Journey community be lifting him up in prayer as they are still unsure as to what the future holds for him. "He is in a medically induced coma with collapsed lungs, unknown brain issues, on 40% ventilation and several other fractures and things that they are not even addressing right now."

PLEASE lift this young man up in prayer, that the Lord would heal him and draw him into his loving arms, along with the rest of the family as they grieve and adjust to the hectic, chaotic lifestyle that we experienced this summer. "Prayers are so critical in the next couple of days."

Please Lord, hear our prayer and rescue this boy. As we know, miracles do happen.

Check out http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewsinclair to follow the story, and maybe leave an encouraging note for the family. This link will be on the page to the left under "Community News."