Thirteen Years Ago

Christmas Day 2004

December 21, 2004 will always hold these memories that I commemorate today:

On this day, Jacob remains (he first entered on December 8) at Children’s Hospital of Atlanta desperately in need of a new heart as his original flawed heart has worked diligently to continue his life but is giving its last heartbeats.

4:00am – we are awakened to a call in our parent’s sleeping cubicle that a heart has been located for Jacob.  Thinking we have several hours to wait for its arrival, I go get in the shower and Karen starts getting ready. Fifteen minutes later we get another call wondering where we were because they will begin prep work soon with Jacob and we won’t see him again before surgery (and terrible thoughts inevitably run through our minds as we scurry up to the floor).

5:30 am – We finish seeing Jacob, loving on him, comforting him, sharing his excitement, nervousness, and fear.  We say a word of prayer and watch him rolled through the doors, wondering ….

7:00 am – surgery begins and may take as long as 12 hours due to his scar tissue from previous surgeries.

12:25 pm – we get word that the new heart is in and beating!

3:15 pm – Dr. Kantor, his surgeon, meets with us to share that his original heart was on its last beats when surgery came and that the new heart was responding well. Then he shared what hurdles remain.

8:30 pm – Here is a copy of a CarePage entry describing our first look with Jacob:

A few minutes ago, Karen and I sat by the bed of Jacob. He was laid out on his back with tubes and wires running in and out and everywhere all over his body. If you stopped to listen, you would hear the rhythmic 'pssssst' of the ventilator and the bubbling of the pleurovac. You would have thought you were in some mad scientist's laboratory. But to us, it was a place of worship.

The emotions of the last twenty-four hours have drained us but everyone around us can see the relief on our faces. We are, indeed, relieved and grateful to be where we are.

• We know rough roads lie ahead but we know the divine Map maker.

• We know Jacob's new heart creates a delicate balance in his body (right now he is running a low-grade fever and his blood pressure needs to rise a few points to keep the doctors happy) but we know the Great Physician.

• We know financial demands must be met but our heavenly Father is the creator of all that is precious.

• We know there will be valleys in the future (near and far) but we will never let go of our Faithful Guide's hand.

Today was a day of excitement, exhilaration (I'll never forget the cheer from our crowded waiting room when Karen reported that the new heart was beating on its own), exhaustion, and exaltation of our God.

Many people have sent messages today, quoting words to various songs and hymns. I want to close by adding my own.
He is worthy, our Father, Creator
He is worthy, our Savior, Sustainer
He is worthy, worthy and wonderful
Worthy of worship and praise!

9:30 – A copy of another entry that exemplified Jacob’s spirit:

He is very much aware of what's going around him. Though, he can't speak because of the ventilator tube down his mouth and his hands are secured to restrict movement he is communicating his desires.

A doctor walked in with a cup of coffee in his hand. When Jacob saw it he pointed to it with his finger and stuck his tongue out. He was thirsty! The nurse said that if things go right tonight, they may take the tube out and he would be able to eat. I joked, "no hot wings yet," and Jacob snapped his finger as if to say, "oh, man!"
He has not lost his spirit! But pray that his spiritedness won't cause frustration as we can't understand a lot of his motions or he can't have all that he wants - like a coke!

What a joy he is! What a joy he gives!

Many of you who read this blog were with us in that waiting room or by your computers keeping up with our updates on that momentous day.  We could not have survived without the prayer and moral support we received throughout that day.

Thank you for being there thirteen years ago today … and every day since then.

We celebrate this day and miss him every day.