We're Home...

Praise be to God...we are home. Jaxson is resting. The surgery went well on his eye...now it needs to heal. He will be wearing a protective guard over it for at least a month plus have to have another surgery to remove the stitches in a couple months. We are not out of the woods yet, though.

Yesterday afternoon, the boys were playing with their homemade bow and arrows (clothes hangers/ rubber bands and pencils). Apparently, as they were upstairs and I didn't see it all happen, X shot Jaxson in the eye. Jax came downstairs crying and because boo-boos happen a lot here, I soothed him and then had him lay down and rest (without ever even checking his eye...to my shame). He napped and then when he woke, his sister noticed something with his eye. Chris and I took a look and decided we definitely needed to have him looked at. We contacted a local eye doctor and although their offices were closed, she kindly came in and helped us. The pencil had gone in about 4-5mm and when it came out, it pulled the iris (the color part of the eye) through the hole it made (which was actually a blessing because it kept fluids from inside the eye from draining). You can see in the top photo, in his left eye...the dark spot to the left is his iris pulled through.

The eye doc had us get some things from home and sent us to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. We left Madelyn and X with Chris's parents. My mom, aunt and our friend, Barb, followed us the whole way down there. We didn't get down there till almost 9pm or so...then we had to do registration and a CT scan, IV's and such. My baby boy, before surgery...

 
The surgery lasted from **about** 10:30pm until 3 or so in the wee hours Sunday morning. We sat in the waiting room, trying to stay optimistic. Jaxson had made being brave so easy for the rest of us, as he didn't cry a wink. He was so strong...truly a gift granted by God, the ultimate Healer.

The doctors came out and assured us that although there are no guarantees, everything went as well as could be expected. They had to push the iris back into place and stitch it all up. As long as infection doesn't creep in and all heals well...the best scenario is that he will still have his vision and although the pupil will be a little mis-shapen, it should heal well.

We have a regiment of drops, an ointment and an antibiotic to give him numerous times through the day. Tuesday we have to make the trip back to Pittsburgh to have the doctor check it again.

He doesn't open either of his eyes much right now. As I type, he's listening to a movie...resting before heading to bed. It's been a *long* couple of days and we are all in serious need of sleep. Here he is recovering after surgery...

Grammie got him a VW car to play with...and he would lay (eyes shut, of course) and just drive it back and forth on the bed there...

After breakfast, sleep, lunch, and more sleep, he had the energy to get up and go over to sit with daddy for a bit!

Our view out the room window (we were on the 7th floor)...

So much has happened...and my few little paragraphs above don't even skim the surface of it all...but I wanted to update, quickly, before heading to bed. Chris, the children and I truly appreciate all your prayers. Your kindness, encouragement and love have blessed us immensely and we thank God for each of *you*. If you feel lead, please lift Jaxson up when he comes to mind...as I said towards the beginning of this post, we aren't out of the woods yet. God has made the eye to be an amazing thing..but the chance for infection is high and serious.

If you are wondering how X feels about what happened, he has learned a huge lesson. He cried and cried....truly remorseful for what had happened. Our house will be quieter than usual...rough-housing has been banished for the next while.

Again, thank you for loving us enough to pray. It truly means the world to us.

Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied,
Katy