The power of prayer!

I am often in awe of the power of prayer. I was thinking of all of the people that I know, of all different faiths that prayed for Nathaniel while he has been so sick. I am so grateful for all that prayed for him and I wanted to share what the power of prayer can do.

Yesterday one of Nate's doctors came in to check on him. She looked teary eyed which I thought was odd. But then she told me that she was so glad to see that he had turned the corner the way he did. She expressed to me how worried they had been about him, and that they weren't sure which way he would turn. Then she told me that they had a couple of patients that didn't turn out the way Nate did. That broke my heart. We had been so worried about him, and to be told how close we really came to losing him made me stop and think about the great blessings we had seen during his illness. Today two more doctors told me the same thing. The doctor in the ER told me that we had likely avoided disaster by hours if not less. I also spoke to a nurse and asked her about the comments from the doctor in the ER as he was giving instructions to everyone. I heard him mention that Nate's blood work showed he was going septic. The nurse told me that we came very close to it turning out another way.

And I thought of the prayers that were said in his behalf and I knew today that those prayers were what turned things around. For whatever reason, the prayers were answered in a positive way and our little man was blessed to stay with us. I felt the power of those prayers while I was there. I know that they lifted me and carried me when I went days without sleeping. Last night was a bad night. Nate's heart rate kept dropping very low and alarms kept going off all night. I couldn't sleep. So I prayed. And the peace came...

Early this morning one of the doctors came in and asked how we would like to go home. I could barely contain my joy. I asked him about last night and he said they saw nothing that they would be worried about. But then I started worrying about driving the 3 hours home after going without sleep for so long. And I prayed again. And an amazing thing happened. Not one moment of my drive home was I tired. I was awake and alert and again knew it was an answer to prayer. My family was praying that I would be safe in my travels coming home. I met Thayne and the kids at the store and Thayne noticed the front driver's side tire, and that back passenger side tire were both really, really low. To the point of being flat. They both have holes in them! But neither tire was ruined and neither tire blew while driving.

So to everyone that prayed, to everyone that put Nathaniel on their church prayer roll... thank you! Those prayers were answered in a very wonderful, very specific way and we are so very grateful. We are home. Nate still has a long recovery ahead of him, but he is home with his family. He is surrounded by the love of brothers and sisters that adore him.

These are pictures of him last night. And the last is the picture of him so excited to see all of his brothers and sisters around him! He is still really sick. We will be doing antibiotics through his PICC line for at least 3 weeks, possibly 6. But he is amazing and wonderful and his sweet, funny personality is definately back!!!