Today Was the Day

Hello everyone!

It's amazing, but we finally made it through THIS day, the day where we would go to the doctor and tell would make the final decision as to if Kieren needed a skin graft on her burn wounds on her chest. We have prayed for this verdict, thought about it, talked about, and now it's passed - and the didn't even MENTION a skin graft! It was almost as if it wasn't even in question! It's a long wait at the hospital burn ward on Wednesdays as it's 'out-patient' day and today there were about 15 families waiting. They give the kids pain medicine (which they all HATE! Why can't they get some stuff that doesn't taste like baby poison??), and then take off their bandages one-by-one. Then we wait for the doctors, and wait, and wait. Finally, a medical student comes in to talk with each of us and access where how the child is doing today, and then finally we are called into see the 'professor' (the real head of the whole joint), the doctor, and a group of medical students and other doctors (I think there were like 15 people in there today). NOW, each time we have come to the hospital each of these steps have been traumatizing and full of tears, but today Kieren was mostly calm and could even play and eat. When we went to see doctors, I just stroked her burn scabs on chest (ewwww I know, but it soothes her for some reason, I think it helps the itch). She just sat there sweetly as they determined her fate. Overall, they are so pleased with her progress and we were even asked by one of the doctors if we could bring in pictures of her progress to encourage other mothers! YES! The professor thinks the stubborn burn will heal (scab over) in just a couple days as it's still a bit 'wet' but almost closed over. Then they will begin a regimen that will help the scarring process along, but not a MENTION of skin grafts! WOW! Then we are ushered again into the 'bandaging' room, Kieren's chest is mummified again and we can go home (3 hour process in total). I just couldn't take it in, but we have really made a HUGE step today. I honestly think the light therapy has really helped, but honestly, HONESTLY I just think God did a miracle today. When they first took off Kieren's bandages I checked out Kieren's chest wounds and while much of it had healed, there was a small area still white, meaning it had not closed up yet. Somehow in the air for an hour it did dry up a bit, and God just worked in this situation. I am not trying to trivialize or romanticize this experience, but Kieren has had a long journey of healing so far (someone at hospital today said, 'She is STILL not healed? Like we take her there for fun...) and I truly believe God intervened to not have another surgery. We are so encouraged, Kieren grows confident and happy by the day, and we give God all the praise.

As I sat with Kieren as she was bandaged up again, knowing we were on our way home again to another great Ocean View day, in the room a young boy, about 5 years old, was being cleaned. He had burns over his ENTIRE body, and they were struggling to get the bandages off the wounds as he screamed in pain. It was tortuous. As I walk through that ward I have such a connection with these mothers and my heart beats for these kids. I am so thankful we are home tonight and Kieren is sleeping soundly in her own bed, without pain. A whole new crop at the hospital can't say the same tonight. I pray for those kids and their families and am deeply humbled that we have made it this far on our journey of Kieren's burn. I don't know how we would have done it without all of you.

LOTS of love tonight,
Sarah