Praying for Isaac - Updated 8-6-2006

To EVERYONE who reads this: This is NOT a chain letter - I indirectly know this little boy. I'm post-dating this post b/c I want it to stay on top.

Isaac Clary is a boy who has had some serious medical issues for most of his short life - he was the recipient of a liver transplant, but unfortunately, the donor liver had a virus in it, and ever since then, he has had numerous troubles. Isaac needs everyone's thoughts, well-wishes and prayers. Please click the link at the bottom if you would like to read his story, see his pictures, make a donation, and/or sign his guestbook.

Best news so far: Bone Marrow Transplant has taken place!!!!

http://www3.caringbridge.org/sc/isaacsjournal/
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Newest I-Man update:

Sunday, August 6, 2006 0:07 AM CDT

Still sore. Isaac is feeling a little better from Wednesdays operations and stuff but he is still pretty sore. He hasn't bled anymore from his sinuses and hasn't vomited anymore blood. He has a huge bruise about the size of a baseball from just below his ear to his chest from where they entered his jugular vein in his neck to place the other central line in his chest. He sat up in the bed today for a couple of hours. His is still receiving oxygen at night time to help with his breathing while he sleeps. He also continues to get a ton of IV fluids and electrolytes. He is on day three of his new treatment and has a couple of more weeks to go. Hopefully he will get out of the hospital then and begin with outpatient again. We are praying that we will begin to see some positive signs from this treatment. He has been though a lot and he is probably one of the bravest people I have ever seen.

We have moved into a house in Florence,KY which is only about 10 miles from Cincy. The doctors have told us that it will be at least 6 more months before we will be leaving. We are trying to make everything as close to home as possible for him and us. Hopefully this will brighten up all of our spirits and give us some semblance of a "normal" life. Although, after being here so long, we're not real sure what that feels like. I have made Isaac some train tables where he can set up his layouts and play just as if he were back at home in his new train room. We have settled in for the long haul with our only concern being that of seeing him healthy. This has made us stronger as parents and a family while at the same time has torn at our hearts. Things before that we thought impossible to go through before now come with ease. As our Pastor Eddie Cox said this past week in his message on storms, we have found a new normal. Our lives in some ways have been reshaped like what happens to a coastline after a hurricane. Like Melissa said the other day, we have to look for the good that comes from the storms.

A guy I graduated college with has a group called Casting Crowns, they have a song called "I'll praise you in the storms" It really says a lot about what we have experienced this past year. I'll admit,it is tough sometimes to look for the good in the midst of the bad. But this past week, Isaac put it all into perspective for Melissa and myself. This past week Isaac woke up from surgery, he was lying there bruised, hurting and even vomiting blood. He looked up at Melissa and asked if they had accessed his port while he was asleep. This is only a needle stick compared to the 2 1/2 hours of surgery he had been through. But he looked up at Melissa and said "I knew it was gonna work out because last night I said a prayer". In spite of all he had been through that day, he saw the good in the storm. Please continue to pray for Isaac and that we would see positive results from this new treatment.

Sammy