We are so thankful to all who are praying and helping us through this time. We are overwhelmed with gratitude!
The following update is written by Sarah. I’m so thankful for her love and insight. Enjoy!
Recovery and Room Assignment
Lynley Champion arrived just as Dr. Archer was giving us the update on the surgery as Zach was in recovery (around 4:00). Our parents left and she came up with us to recovery. She had 83 days of experience here at Mott when her nephew dealt with some radical issues that eventually took his life. She was a great encouragement and friend to have.
In the room, the Resident (doctor in training) took Zach’s history and enjoyed getting to know our family in this brief synopsis form 🙂 Zach is doing well. They’re managing his pain with a little Morphine and Tylenol. He nursed at 4:30 in Recovery and then again he took one side at 7:30. Praise the Lord! Nothing like mamma’s milk. Donna Alberta (our pastor’s wife and sweet friend who came around 7:00) and I were joking about the meds. We joked that he’s on a cocktail of morphine and mamma’s milk 🙂 mmmm…. we should coin a new drink name 🙂
We are tired and heading to rest soon. But the overwhleming feeling is one of peace and contentment right now. Later I’ll share some reflections on John 10 as I was reading today. But for now, we are well. We are being upheld by our great Saviour Jesus who is interceding on our behalf before the Father and is hearing the prayers of his saints (that’s all of you!). There aren’t words to express our gratitude for your care and prayers. Thank you…
Discharge hopefully tomorrow…
We have been told we will be discharged tomorrow. If you’ve been in the hospital or known someone else who has, you know how easily that can shift! We haven’t seen his eye socket yet. It’s still covered with the gauze pressure patch. He opens his good eye and looks at us, still pretty groggy.
After leaving we’ll visit the opthomology clinic–Kellogg Eye Center–just around the corner here and the doctor will remove the patch and inspect it, making sure it’s healing well. All it needs for care is antibiotic ointment. I think that moment will be very hard. I’m anticipating a feeling of my heart breaking and overwhelming loss I think…
We’ll have the option to patch his eye if we desire. I think we might do that for a bit. Perhaps easing into the new reality…We’ll see. For now, pray we would all sleep in heavenly peace tonight.
Meanwhile back at the ranch…
I spoke with Rebekah (our oldest – almost 12) this evening to let her know Tim would stay here the night with Zach and me. As I asked her how the day went she so articulately and beautifully described the flow of the day, the comings and goings of helping friends, meals, naps, school pick ups and drop offs, daily routines…She was so stable and confident. I was struck with pride at the mature young lady she’s becoming before my eyes. Then she shared, in such a genuine, concerned and thoughtful way, that she thought this whole thing was really much harder on us as parents and adults then it is on them as kids. How teary we would get when we talked about what was happening and things… It was so sweet to me to see how she was tuned in to the differences in our experiences because of age and relationship etc.
Love to all,
Sarah
. . . As I Follow Christ 
Sarah, it sounds like ‘your’ Rebekah is much like ‘my’ Rebecca (age 13 1/2). very mature and very insightful.
Prayers for Jesus to keep his arms wrapped gently around Zach, and to keep your family in the palm of his hand…
Cindy
Tim, Sarah
I feel very blessed to know you. Your faith,strength,courage amazes me.
You both are an inspiration to me. You all are in my thought and prayers.
Rebekah is so right, every time I read,talk or pray about Zack I find myself
crying. If I can be of any assistance in any way please do not hesitate to call
me. No matter what time of day or night. My cell# is 734-255-0922
Huggs and blessing to all of you
Cheryl
This was so beautifully written — we are praying for Zach and all of your family — sleep well!
Thanks, that’s mostly Sarah’s work on this one. Tim
Please know I am praying for you all and am completely confident that God will not only provide you the power and strength for the next few days but also the grace to walk through the longer-term challenges. You hold Christ so richly in your hearts and, while this experience of Him may not have been one you would choose, it will be one of new discovery and depth in drawing near to Him. You are all loved so very much!
Thanks Eric. God bless you.
Good morning to all. Just a quick note to let you know that all of you are in my thoughts and prayers. I will be in touch this week. God Bless.
Sarah and Tim,
My prayers are continually going out to our great God on your behalf. I am so glad to hear the surgery went well and that Zach is doing good. I will be praying for you when they remove the gauze. I pray that God’s love will overwhelm you in the moment and you will feel His strength. My number is 678-524-8448 if you would love to talk. Your thoughts, concerns, and feelings are exactly the same as what I was going through with my son.
Angela Hosner
Thanks. We’re home now and just keeping up with the kids. Thanks for the offer. I will share your note with Sarah.
Still praying for all of you… nanny polly
Dear Tim, Sarah and girls…especially Bekah-
Mimi and Papa are so proud of you, Bekah, for the faith you have shown in trusting your heavenly Father in the difficult times that your whole family has gone through this past week. We know you all have been seeing God’s faithfulness and goodness to baby Zach and you. We love all of you girls and think you have all been very loving and kind sisters to Zach and each other and to your dear Dad and Mom. God is good all the time….!
Tim & Sarah,
Your grace is a true inspiration. I am so happy to read the surgery went as planned and Zach is back in your arms recovering. Zach and your whole family will continue to be in my prayers.
Nicole
Dear Tim, Sarah and precious family, We are reading your reports with great interest, and shedding some tears along with you. Along with so many others we are “holding you up before the Lord” . We all know that God loves little Zach more than anyone else ever could. Some day we will see the whole picture. For now He promises you that His grace is sufficient. Our son Peter was asking us this morning if we had heard reports on Zach. He then shared that a young man who used to insulate houses Pete was building told him that he was born with a malignant tumor in one eye. He has a glass eye and is now in his 30ies. Little Zach may live to see much more of God’s beautiful creation than many of us observe with two eyes. May He hold you in His loving arms, Bethly and Ted Crossman
You are right, your Becka is a fine young lady helping us all. She is sweet and smart sbd she does care about us adults! It was a blessing to spend those hours with the girls. What a mighty God we serve!