Prayers Greatly Appreciated

Update: Thursday morning

Just visited Nate this morning with the kids again. He is feeling and looking a bit better. Updates will continue to be posted here, under this head, but not so frequently. We are leaving this morning to drive the kids back to Idaho, and Ben and Bekah are arriving this morning to pick up the family  slack. Nate’s bandages have been removed, and the doctors say that everything they are seeing is expected. Thanks so much for all the support.

Update: Wednesday afternoon

Nate was transferred out of ICU shortly after lunch, and now is in a single patient ordinary room. We walked over with his kids, and they were able to visit with him for the first time. Thank the Lord, and continue to pray for a strong recovery.

Update: Wednesday morning

Nate has been seen by the doctor this morning. His stats/vitals are good, and it looks like he will be moved out of ICU after midday. The kids will visit him after that. His pain is considerable but less than yesterday.

Continued prayer requests: that the nausea would disappear, and that his physical therapy (working on balance) would go well.

Update: evening

Sorry for the delay on the updates — we were overtaken by events. The surgery was a success, and we are very grateful. I was able to visit with him a couple hours after the surgery. His signature sense of humor was still operational, albeit somewhat subdued. He said that he felt like someone had drilled a hole in his head, and this, being true, amounted to something of an understatement.

Specific prayer requests for the next 24 hours would boil down to two. Please pray that the nausea would abate and that he would be able to sleep well. And second, please pray for the physical therapy that begins tomorrow, focusing on balance.

Thank you again for all the support.

Update: 2:40 pm

We talked with the surgeon, and will be able to see Nate in an hour or so.

The report is a good one, but the surgeon said it was one of the more challenging procedures that he has done. In other words, the technical challenge of getting the tumor separated was unusually difficult, but it got done. One of the possible side effects was partial facial paralysis, but Nate was awake enough after the surgery to demonstrate to the surgeon that his face worked. So that appears to be one answered prayer immediately.

Thanks for all your continued prayers.

Update: 1:50 pm

Nate is now out of surgery and in recovery. We have not yet talked with the surgeon.

Update: 10:30 am

Nate’s procedure has two surgeons involved. The first, Dr. Friedman, completed his part and came out to update me. He said all is going well, no problems. It looks as though we are over halfway done. The second surgeon’s task includes the titanium plate that Nate was very pleased to be getting. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Update: 9:10 am

The surgery continues, steady as she goes. About a third over.

Update: 8:10 am

Surgery began as scheduled about an hour ago.

Nate is checked in to the hospital at USC, and his surgery is scheduled to begin around 7:15 am Tuesday morning (5/2/17). It will likely last until around noon. As everything unfolds, I will post updates here.

On behalf of our entire family, I want to thank you all for the notes, gestures, gifts, and prayers. We are grateful to God for all His mercies, including this one. We are also grateful to God for all our friends who have accompanied us through these mercies, including you all.