And now... the rest of the story!

After the surgery, we were able to go to the hotel and get some rest. Caitlyn's little sister Jenna came and spent her whole spring break with us in the hospital. I can't believe that she wanted to do it, but she did and I am so grateful for both of them. They are the sweetest girls. We were able to go back to the hotel that night, ordered room service, ate and slept in the next day for the first time. For the rest of the week there was more waiting. When they changed Jace's wound vac dressing it was horrible to watch. I have never witnessed one of my children in such extreme pain and I cried as he cried from the pain. Our friend Shane came over to visit. He's a doctor and he worked with a lot of gunshot victims in Detroit and he said that the incisions Jace has are the most painful he has ever seen.

The time was now spent trying to get the pain under control and making a game plan. We were so hoping to come home Thursday but they had to wait for the wound vac that we would be bringing home had to be delivered and that wouldn't happen until that night. Jace was anxious to get out of there, though it was still so painful for him to get around. He started pushing himself to walk a little farther on the crutches. There were so many wonderful doctors and nurses that truly cared about him and his care.

Friday we left early that morning. It was an interesting drive coming home with only one scary moment when the pump stopped working and the pain was unbearable. We were able to get it working again and back on the road. Getting home meant getting things ready for his care, and then another problem with the pump. We were able to get in to the wound care clinic to get the dressing changed. Thayne went with me this time and witnessed first hand the pain it caused Jace. That stressed Thayne out so much.

Saturday morning brought stress that he was almost out of pain medication. They told us they would give him enough to get him through Monday when he saw them again. But they didn't... not even close. They only gave him 20, at 2 every 4 hours that wasn't enough. I don't know why I didn't pay attention when I got the prescriptons filled Thursday night. I just left them in the bag assuming that they gave enough. I got through to his doctor who apologized for messing up but told me that they couldn't call this in, and to take him to our clinic and have them give him more. She told me that the doctors here could call them and they would explain what happened. I called our clinic (remember I don't really care for this clinic from all of the bad experiences in the past!!!) and explained the situation. The receptionist talked to a nurse and came back on and told me that they couldn't help me. WHAT??? I asked to speak to the nurse. After explaining it to the nurse she told me that they weren't comfortable with the situation!!! WHAT SITUATION???? Are you kidding me! I told her that it wasn't a situation she had to be comfortable with... I would bring his records, they could look at, poke at and walk around his wounds but that he needed to be cared for and since they told me not to take him to the emergency room they better figure out how they could become comfortable with the situation!!! SHEESH! She finally got a doctor on and he had NO PROBLEM with the so called situation! So off we went to the clinic and were able to get the medication that would keep him comfortable until we go again on Monday. I realize that this is an addictive drug, but that isn't really our problem at this moment! And since we are aware of the risk of addiction, we will cross that bridge if it ever comes up... until then, we are not going to watch him suffer!

I believe that he will be healed fully, completely and that it will continue to be a miraculous healing. Prayers are constant in his behalf and we are so blessed to have so many people caring for and praying for our family.

I am amazed as I watch my children care for one another. The pump is extremely painful as it is turned on, and yesterday at a particularly painful moment Jace was trying to breathe through the pain as tears streamed down his face. All of the kids were in the room and they were crying with him, and praying for him. They carry each other's burdens and love each other so completely that it takes my breath away! I am so amazingly blessed to be the mother of these wonderful, compassionate kids! I am grateful for everyone that not only asked about Jace, and prayed for him, but for those that understood Garrett's personal pain and are praying for him too. What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger if we let it. We are trying to let it make us stronger.