God’s Journey with Vedat

I just returned from a three-day visit with Vedat at Shriner’s hospital. It was great to see him and the progress he had made since our last visit in mid-May. He is becoming more independent physically and is working very hard in therapy. The doctors and therapists are encouraged by his progress but are unsure as to how far his physical recovery will go. They focus on what Vedat needs to work on for the immediate future and they take things one day at a time.

Each day, Vedat must interact with at least 15 different adults who are caring for him at this point. All of these professionals enjoy him so much and seem to truly want the best for him. God has placed such a mix of people around, some who are very loving and nurturing and others who are more firm and matter-of-fact. It seems to be a good balance for him.

Vedat’s greatest needs at this point are continued prayer for healing both physically and emotionally. His spiritual development may have somewhat slowed at this point without Vedranna’s day-to-day encouragement and teaching. Please pray God will place some one in his day to fill that void.

The doctors have set a tentative discharge date for Vedat in mid July. Steve would go to Shriner’s for about 10 days prior to Vedat’s discharge date to help Vedat transition from his room in the inpatient ward to living in a hospital apartment. Both Steve and Vedat would be learning how to manage his care in this independent environment. Once the doctors feel everything is going well, Vedat will be released to come and stay with us. We anticipate that once he arrives at our home, we will need a few weeks of uninterrupted time to help Vedat settle in to a routine here at our home.

We see the time that Vedat will spend with us as a transition period between life here in the US and life back home. We are asking God to enable us to meet his needs, spiritually, physically and emotionally and to help him prepare for the challenges he will face back home.

Stacey called me (Janet) tonight to say that she had talked with Vedrana.  When Vedrana got to the hospital today, Vedat said he had something to show her — he could move both feet !  For the first time in weeks, we have some signs of his healing!

Vedrana asked for a couple of things to be prayed for:

1.  Continue to pray for his complete physical healing, and for his emotions.  As you might expect, his emotions are all over the place — hopeful with this new change, and yet very sad thinking of things he might not be able to do again.  Vedrana is working to help him focus on all the things he can still do, and things he is learning to do in different ways through his rehab.

2.  Please continue to pray for the one who will become “host dad” and for the next host family.

I spoke with Vedrana last night.  Vedat has been placed into his brace which attaches to the halo.  On Thursday, he was taken to meet with the therapists where they talked with him about the training to come.  He actually began physical therapy yesterday.

He continues to have sensation in both legs, moving his right foot and toes on command.  His doctors are saying that he will probably be there at Shriner’s another 4 - 5 weeks before returning here to Virginia.

Vedrana says she sees some little improvements during the week, but nothing big enough to write another note here.  She said she would keep us up-to-date, but the notes here will likely become weekly now.

Bill is heading up there tomorrow afternoon (Mar 18)  and will return Wednesday, Mar 21.  He will be able to visit and work with Vedat, and can provide us with some more info.

While we know that Vedat had a difficult life in the refugee camps, he’s had it fairly easy while in America.  Now facing rehab, it will be the hardest work he’s ever had to do.  Please pray for him to have courage and determination to work hard and succeed.  There are so many things he has to re-learn in order to function daily.

Please pray for Vedrana as she tends to his spiritual and emotional needs.  Begin praying also for their next housing assignment because Vedat’s needs are different than they were.

Monday, March 12

Vedat continues to have sensation, and has begun moving toes on his right foot.   Today he begins rehabilitation in earnest.  He has never had to work as hard as will come in the days ahead.

Continue to pray for his healing.  Pray especially for Vedrana, and the nursing staff and therapists working with him.

7:45 am –  Stacey received a call from Vedrana last night

We will be updating the blog as Vedrana calls with new info — she’s very busy with taking care of Vedat.  Updates may only be once a day.

Vedat has been moved from the Pediatric ICU to a regular room.  He’s now in his brace that fits into the halo as a complete unit.  He had his first meal of solid food –chicken and biscuits — for dinner,  and he tolerated it very well.  He’s happy to be back downstairs with his friends again.

His feet have been place into hard bottomed shoes and rehab starts on Monday.

When asked by a nurse last night to try to wiggle his toes, several on his right foot moved, but not on his left.

(all times Eastern time)

10:45 am — no news yet

8:00 pm — (from Bill)

Stacey and I arrived back from Chicago at 4:10 today. First of all, thank you for your earnest prayers over the surgery and for us! There was such a peace knowing that people were praying around the world.

As of the time we left, there has been no change with Vedat. He has sensation in his legs, but he is still unable to move them. The tests at Children’s Hospital yesterday showed that nothing was applying pressure to the spinal cord, so that was good and bad news. Dr. Sturm told me that it might be a “vascular” problem. So — we are still in a wait and pray and see mode. They are treating Vedat as if it were a spinal cord injury. They have done everything they can, now we wait and see if the spinal cord will bounce back.

We must continue to pray for Vedat’s complete recovery and healing. “Don’t be afraid. Just believe…” were the words that Jesus said to Jairus about his daughter. For myself, I will continue to believe until it becomes clear that our God has other plans. Please continue to ask others to be in prayer.

Other: He did get his stomach feeding tube out today and they were going to fit him for a brace that attaches to his halo that would protect the back and allow it to heal. He was more talkative today, smiled at me twice, and looks much better. He does know he can’t move his legs and we try to assure him not to be afraid and give himself time to heal. Vedrana has done well through it all. She would have liked us to stay a little longer, but handled us leaving well. I hope to return soon — maybe in a week’s time.

(From Janet) I picked up Bill and Stacey from the airport, as well as Bob and Nancy Hitching — definitely a full car!  On the way home, Bill and Stacey were giving us the news you read above.  We talked of our disappointment right now.

Bob talked about the culture that Vedat comes from, and said something that I’ve continued to think and pray about — that confining Vedat as he is now could be providing the extra time needed for God to continue to shape and mold his character. And we continue to pray for his salvation, as well as his recovery.

(all times are Eastern time)

8:15 am — Stacey called — the ambulance had arrived to take Vedat across town to Children’s Hospital. They are waiting for him to get situated before they leave. His appointment for CT scan and other testing is 9:00 am Central time.

She spoke with the resident on Vedat’s case, and he said that while there is no change, Vedat still has sensation but no movement — having sensation continue is positive. He also said that there is only a remote chance that the test results would be available late today, probably not until tomorrow. There will likely be few updates today while they wait for results.

9:15 am — Bill called — he is traveling with Vedat in the ambulance, Stacey and Vedrana are following in a cab provided by Shriner’s. Vedat is comfortable, and they are on their way.

Please continue to pray.

4:00 pm — Stacey called and said they were back at Shriner’s and the surgeon had met with them.  The results of the CT scan showed nothing wrong, everything looked normal.  He said that Vedat has a reflex in one foot that he has not had the past two days.  But he didn’t indicate that it was a step forward in progress, he only said that it is now a waiting game.

Vedat is to be fitted with a special brace tomorrow and is scheduled to begin rehab next week.

Stacey and Bill will be returning to Virginia tomorrow afternoon.  Posts will continue as we hear from Vedrana.  Please keep her in your prayers as well as she deals with Vedat’s family’s questions.

(all times Eastern time)

9:15 am — no news yet

10:00 am — just talked with Stacey, a few more details about last night: The nurses saw him moving all extremities as he was waking up from anesthesia. The surgeon said that it appeared that Vedat was not moving his left leg quite as much as the right leg, so time will tell. Vedat was face down for about 11 hours of surgery, so his face is swollen and bruised, but that will subside. They are leaving for the hospital shortly, so we’ll have more info later. Updates will likely not be a frequent as yesterday.

11:30 am — just talked with Bill, the news is mixed. Vedat is awake, and has spoken some with the nurses. He’s been breathing on his own which is very good, and they are removing him from the ventilator. He has full movement of his arms and hands, but they have not detected any movement in his legs this morning. The Doctor says that now we wait, and pray.

12:45 pm — Stacey just called after talking with Vedat’s surgeon. Vedat is awake, off the ventilator, talking and responding well. His is aware of his current condition.

The surgeon said that Vedat has sensation in both legs, meaning he can feel them and feel when touched, but still has no movement. They are unsure of the reason for this. If there is no improvement by this afternoon, they will send him over to Children’s Hospital for a CT scan and nerve conduction testiing, then return him to Shriner’s.

If he improves, he could come home in about 10 days. If there is no improvement, he will remain there at Shriner’s for an undetermined length of time for rehabilitation.

The good news is that the traction reduced his spinal curvature from 145 degrees to 110 degrees. This surgery has now reduced it to 92 degrees.

Please continue to pray.

6:00 pm –  Stacey called to say that Vedat has been sitting up in a chair this afternoon with minimal discomfort.  The surgeon came to talk with them — there has been no change — he has sensation but no movement in his legs.  At this point, Vedat is not questioning it.

Early tomorrow morning, they are taking Vedat to Children’s Hospital for a CT scan and other testing.  Vedrana, Stacey and Bill will all be going with him.

So we continue to wait — and pray.

(All times are Eastern time)

7:00 am — with Vedat at the hospital, Vedrana, Stacey and Bill, waiting

9:00 am — taken back into the operating room

10:30 am — long prep time finished, surgery begins

11:30 am — word received that things are proceeding well

1:00 pm — some screws have been placed, Vedat remains stable

3:30 pm — surgery continues, going well, Vedat remains stable

5:45 pm — surgery continues, nurse says it’s going well, Vedat is stable, but it could be at least two more hours

8:20 pm — surgery had been completed; nerve function and response has been monitored all day, when they rolled him over to move him, the signal to his feet was lost and he wasn’t moving them as they wanted; as of now he has been returned to the OR and they have opened him up again

9:56 pm — surgery ending. Vedat stable, no news about his feet. Doctors coming to speak with them within an hour or so.

10:21 pm — Doctors report… Surgery went extremely well, no hint of any problems until the very end when they went to wake him up and Vedat had no movement in any extremity. They put him back to sleep, opened him up and took a look. Nothing was found on second examination, steroids were started and the motor activity returned to his upper limbs. As of last report, motor function has returned to the right lower limb, but not the left. He will be kept sedated all night and be awakened sometime tomorrow am. There will be no way of knowing what type, IF ANY, motor complications there might be by tomorrow. The surgeon said it might take weeks to months to know what the outcome will be. He will still have the halo on (surprising to us) and be in a “halo brace.” Praise God, He is good. Vedat is alive and stable.

11:27 pm — the doctor came back with the good news — Vedat is moving his feet. They are very excited and happy, and the nurse cried because she said it is a miracle. We are praising God and are thankful. Stacey and Bill just left, and before they left we saw him and he is very swollen, but he is doing fine. We are continuing to pray and lift him up to throne of Grace. And will wait to see how tomorrow goes.