Update on 2/22

"Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Phil. 4:6

On the way up to Seattle, Jason and I prayed that we would have a positive minded Doctor, one that would share with us how Mattie is doing in a positive way. Well we got our prayer answered but not in the way we had planned to hear it.
I knew before we walked in the doors that Mattie's thigh area is almost completely healed as well as the back part of the elbow but the middle (where the skin is the tightest is) was not looking good. It was bleeding, looking very "fleshy" and bumpy. I thought this was part of the process as we do theraphy on it. Dr. Pham informed us that yes his thigh and back part of the elbow are almost all healed up, but the inner elbow was a concern. He said it is not healing properly, there is vertical healing happening which is when there are raised spots on the burn areas. This vertical healing will have lasting damage to his skin. Also he is still having problems using the right arm and at this point with the theraphy being done, it should be showing more signs of improvement and less pain, which is not the case. The doctor was very understanding and compassionate to us, as he informed us of the process of a skin graft surgery. He will have skin from his left thight removed and used on the elbow area, the process is about 1 1/2 hrs. long. Though the surgery is not what we had wanted, we do feel that we need to consider the best process to bring lasting healing to our little one's body. I did not leave feeling frustrated because my prayer was answered and God gave me peace in our decision. I realized it is all how I choose to see this situation: as a positive step in a right direction or crushing the hope of natural healing we had. I have chosen the first and have peace. A peace that only our God can give.
I believe in the power of prayer and ask you all to join us in praying between now and then for God, the great physician, to heal Mattie with or without the doctor's help. I have confidence in our decision to seek this surgery for our son after getting some good insight on how this will help him ultimatley recovery, though we still have a lot of work to do with theraphy once the surgery is complete. We have scheduled the surgery for Mattie, next Wednesday (2/27/08)morning at Harborview with Dr. Pham. He will again be recovering on the burn floor, at Harborview for 3-5 days.
P.S. Praise God for the healing done to majority of the burned area that Mattie started with! The healing done already has bulit my faith as I personally have seen His healing hand.....