This is Joel yesterday - less then 24 hours after brain surgery to remove the tumor from his brain stem! Looks great, doesn't he!
My flight home today was canceled due to ice & snow in Tulsa and I've been re-booked for a flight out late tomorrow afternoon! The ways in which God moved to get me out here, I can only believe that God wants me here for another day, so I'm rejoicing in the delay.
So much good news today in regard to Joel!
The pathology report on the tumor will be available tomorrow. I'd ask you to continue to pray that it is a less aggressive form than the surgeon expects - or, better yet, that it is not even cancer at all!
Amy and Ryan were told today not to be overly concerned with the very low survival rates they have seen for this type of cancer for children Joel's age. Denver Children's Hospital is one of the 4 leading hospitals for research/treatment of pediatric brain tumors - sharing treatment advances with the others four. AND - new and successful advances in treatment are moving so quickly that published statistics cannot keep up with the reality. So, even it if is the type of cancer they suspect, Joel's chances of cure are much better than we first thought.
Joel is recovering from his surgery in miraculous fashion! Generally babies his age do nothing but lay still for several days. 48 hours after surgery, Joel is rolling over, reaching for things with both hands and pulling and pushing them to and from him. He is awake and alert!
AND - he has already been moved out of ICU!
A couple of years ago, Joel's older brother Issac had to have surgery on his skull shortly after he was born. There was one nurse who was especially helpful at that time. Guess what nurse was assigned to Joel in his new room? This nurse has set the goal to get Joel eating on his own, all tubes out and ready to go home ASAP! In fact, she was going try to have the feeding tube out and Joel eating this afternoon, so that when his brothers came to the hospital this evening, Joel could be brought out of his room for them to see him!
Joel cannot go home till the fluid draining from his brain is clear. Right now it is still pretty red from the normal bleeding following the surgery. Please pray that it becomes clear very quickly! They said it could happen tomorrow or next week - just no way to tell. Pray it is tomorrow!
Twice, once the night before surgery and again yesterday afternoon, Joel was very fussy, but as I began to pray for him, he got quiet and still and fell asleep. I'm not sure if it is the power of my prayers or if I'm just really boring!!!
I cannot tell you what an honor it has been for me to be able to be here to pray over Joel!
The first few days after the news they had found the brain tumor, I felt very uneasy, even as I prayed for his healing. But, as I began praying aloud as I drove from the airport to the hospital, I began to have a peace about the outcome of this journey. As I prayed over Joel that first night and each time I have prayed over him since, I have felt more and more certain this is just the beginning of not only a long life, but an amazing testimony for Joel, which will result in many people being saved.
Our prayers have accomplished much - but now is not the time to stop, but to pray all the more fervently that our gracious heavenly Father will continue His work in completely healing Joel!
For more detailed updates - http://joelevangreen.com
If you are a FaceBook junkie (like me), you might want to become a fan of:
I'm Praying! Believing for Baby Joel's Miracle
Love in Christ Jesus,
Jim
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