Urgent Prayer Request Update - 2

We recently had another update on Chloe from Sarah’s brother, Nathan. Instead of re-writing what he said, I’ll just paste his email below and add my own extra details in blue. Thank you all for your encouraging words and faithful prayers!

 

Derek and Sarah

 

“Hi Derek and Sarah,

 

Chloe is doing good.  She had a fever last night but that is normal and they brought it down.  Joel told me this morning that Chloe had her eyes open all the way and said, "Papa juice".  That made Joel's day.  Chloe is on standby right now for her second surgery.  So it can be any time today (July 6^th).  Just pray that there will be no infection and the remaining grafting they have to do will go as planned.

 

Everybody is hanging in there.  Joel is having the hardest time.  It is kind of a roller coaster throughout the day.  One minute you are laughing and then the next you are thinking of what happened.  It makes the day hard. But we know that God's grace is sufficient to get us through the day. Thanks for all your prayers.

 

Dad (Chloe’s grandpa or Sarah’s dad) should be here mid afternoon. He left at 4:30 this morning.  When Rachel (Nathan’s wife) gets off work we are picking dad and Joel up and all going to the hospital for a while.  After today's surgery Chloe should get her own room, when she clears the intensive care unit.  Chris Miller, who Joel works for, came by the house and said Joel will be paid for all the time he has off.  That was a big blessing.

 

The sleepover went well with Alex. (Sarah’s brother, Nathan and his wife Rachel have a little girl named Aislinn. They had Alex over to spend the night with her. And will try to do various things with him throughout the next couple weeks) We took them to see the fire works last night and they had a blast.  The fire works went right over top of us and were very loud.  I then sent up the tent in the kitchen for them and they had a blast.  Aislinn and Alex seem to play together very well.  Alex is doing well.  Joel loses it when ever he is around Alex.  He will look at Alex's feet and then starts to cry and then Alex starts to cry.  Alex will ask Joel if he is sad because of Chloe.  It is hard but I keep telling Joel and ourselves, "God is Good".   Alex has been told Chloe has a broken leg, but nothing else.

 

Well I need to go.  We miss you guys and keep pressing on.  I will write and let you know the outcome of the surgery today.  Take care and we love you guys.

 

Nathan”

 

Below is an email that my sister-in-law, Rachel, sent this morning:

 

“Hi! Thank you guys for praying!

 

The surgery is later on today. Kari hasn't left the hospital since it happened, so hopefully tomorrow she will go home and spend some much needed time with Alex. From what I heard, yesterday, she did wake up a little bit. Before, she was half sedated and half awake and Joel was holding her hand and she kept on squeezing it when he talked to her. Then last night, he was in there and she woke up and looked at him and said, "Papa, Juice." which of course made everyone cry. :) I don't know if she has said anything else or done anything else since then. Alex went to see the fireworks with us last night and then we set up the tent in our kitchen (it was starting to rain) and he and Aislinn slept together in the tent. They had so much fun that they both cried this morning when I took Alex to work with me, where Joel picked him up. The only thing he said was that Chloe had broken her leg and was in the hospital and then (you know Alex) kept asking me how the doctors were going to fix it if it was broken. Alex seems himself, but maybe a little more subdued, but mainly because he doesn't really know what is going on yet. Dad and Nathan are going to take him (and maybe Joel) to the Baltimore Aquarium on Friday so hopefully he will enjoy that. Dad should be here this evening and after work, I am going to pick him up and take him over to the hospital. We should know more this evening. I will try to keep in touch or make sure they keep in touch. :) Thanks for your prayers. They REALLY need them right now. We love you guys and hope you are doing well.

 

Love, Rachel”

 

In case you are wondering who all these names are, here’s an explanation:

Sarah has 2 brothers, Nathan and Joel.

Nathan is married to Rachel, and they have a little girl named Aislinn.

Joel is married to Kari, and their kids are Alex and Chloe.

“Dad” (who they are referring to) is Sarah’s dad, John Schmidt.

Sarah’s mom, Dian, is in Oregon with her mother right now, but will join everyone in Maryland in a couple weeks.