Patrick Paradigms: DECEMBER, 2009

It has sort of become a tradition that Jailyn sing with Lange and I in our Christmas candelight service each year. She hears harmony really well - particularly high tenor. We sang "Christmas Offering" this year, and it was nice. Her grandma sent her and Jaclyn new outfits to wear during the Christmas season. Aren't they pretty?

Because Jonathan was due for surgery on December 28th, we spent our first Christmas in Kentucky. Lange's parents came early Christmas week and surprised us by bringing Julie, Brandon, and Brad along. It was LOUD and FUN - and those of you who know us Patrick's - we ate WELL!!

Okay, I see a trend developing. Below you will see Jailyn receiving her "favorite" gift and then scroll down to see the joy on Jaclyn's face as she receives HER "favorite" gift.... too funny.

Lange's family left on Tuesday around lunchtime. Until that time, Jonathan seemed to be doing fine. By Wednesday morning, though, he was VERY sick. We took him to Kosair where he was diagnosed with enterocolitis. This is basically gangrene of the intestines. It is a danger with Hirschsprung's disease. What baffles us is that he lived for almost 2 1/2 years without any problems and less than a week before the surgical repair he became deathly ill. We remained at Kosair until Christmas Day when the doctor there felt he could discharge us to go home until we reported to Cincinnati on Monday. Lange was at the hospital with Jonathan, and I was at home busily preparing Christmas dinner - trying to salvage what was left of the holiday. I hopped in the van to go get Lange and Jonathan and left Justin and Jailyn in charge of putting dinner on the table. When we arrived home, this is what we saw:

They had gone to the basement and found Christmas china I had not even put out this year (because things had been so hectic). I could have cried because I already knew Jonathan was not well. He seemed really lethargic on the ride home, and by the time I got him inside I was worried. We took his temperature, and it was 104.5 degrees. We put in a call to the surgeon (on Christmas Day, no less) in Cincinnati and sat down to gobble our food. When Dr. Frischer called back, he told us to get in the car IMMEDIATELY and get to Kosair. He said he would give further instruction after Jonathan was stablized. I jumped back in the van and left a teary Lange, Justin, Jailyn, and Jaclyn and headed back.

My mom and dad were on their way to celebrate Christmas with us - planning to stay for Jonathan's surgery to help the following week. We ended up opening presents that evening in the hospital - while we waited for an ambulance to arrive to take Jonathan to Cincinnati. Jonathan perked up at the hospital once they got another IV in him with heavy medicine and fluids. We still were unsure how serious the situation was. Here we are opening presents in the hospital with my mom and dad. We can make anything fun!

And here we are, saying "goodbye" as we head to Cincinnati.

Once we got to Cincinnati, the surgeon performed numerous abdominal x-rays and bowel irrigations. On Sunday - two days after we arrived - he finally told me that he was scared on Friday night when he first saw Jonathan's x-rays. Jonathan was apparently in bad shape then, but because of his quick action, by Sunday he was on the mend. Unfortunately, though, Jonathan developed a pretty serious case of pneumonia, and they had to postpone surgery indefinitely. Jonathan wasn't even well enough to come home until New Years' Day. But when we got home, we got to celebrate Christmas with our immediate family. How thankful we were - not so much for the material gifts - but for the gift of good health and family close by.