Recovery is still going fairly well. Jacob has made some huge strides in the last week. He has gone from just barely able to move without intense pain to being able to get up on his own! Last Wednesday he got into a wheelchair for the first time since surgery. On Thursday he stood up and walked 9 steps on the parallel bars. Friday he straightened his leg and walked with a walker. Saturday and Sunday he worked on transferring himself out of bed and into the wheelchair or the walker by himself and today he used his crutches briefly. We are so thankful for the positive progression that is happening.
I am also extremely thankful for his determined spirit and acceptance of what’s happened to his body. Jacob has still never complained once – not through the pain, not because he lost half his leg, not because his leg is backwards and he may not walk for another year, not because chemo is starting up next week again, not because he’s missing out on his first year of high school. This in turn also helps me to stay positive and accepting as well. He inspires me. This by no means makes any of this easy. The days have been long and difficult. Seeing Jacob in so much pain and crying for half an hour straight in my arms hurts so badly. I hate what is happening to him and to our family. The time apart has been especially hard on Evan. Since the first day of summer Jacob and I have spent 63 nights in the hospital. Noah and Kaleb are adapting well, but Evan is struggling to accept that his mom and big bro are away so much. This hospital stay alone looks like it will be about a month long before we can go home for a few nights.
We still have fun when we can, and are constantly pranking our nurses and physiotherapists, doing the best we can to keep it light and humorous.
Jacob is still being fed via the feeding tube, and it looks like this may be in for some time. He is eating small amounts and is off hydration now, but he is only consuming about 1/8 of the calories he needs. We were able to get him onto a scale today, and he has lost another 12 pounds, but no one seems sure about how much the portion of leg removed actually weighed. The pathology report is not in yet so we are still waiting on if the surgery had clear margins and what the percentage of necrosis the tumors had. One area of his incision is still not closing up. It needs to create its own blood supply because a large area of tissue at his upper leg had to be covered with skin from his calf.
Again, thank you for all the prayers and messages of support. We feel carried, and the unexplainable peace and acceptance we have can only come from our Father.
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:7