One year ago yesterday we handed our 4-month-old to an anesthesiologist and said a prayer.

One year ago yesterday we had more individual viewers on our blog in a single day (by over 300) than any other day before or since.

One year ago yesterday we experienced something that, even today, we don’t like to look at the pictures of.

But God is so good.  Though we deserve none of it, he brought our son through surgery to repair craniosynostosis and now, a year later, he’s doing extremely well.  We are so thankful for how God works.  He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve.

People have asked about his scar, so here ya go.  These pictures were taken a week after the surgery.  It is healing great!

We just got done at Benjamin’s followup appointment, and are excited by a good report! We thought things were going well, but as always it is good when the professionals agree with my amateur diagnosis. The best point in the appointment (well second best to the moment the doc showed up after making us wait for an hour and a half) was when she said we can let Benjamin sleep on his back, as long as he is wearing his helmet. That is spectacular news, meaning we can reimplement the swaddle and hope that he sleeps for a few more hours at a time! Our next appointment is November 11th! We’ll keep you posted as things progress. Thank Jesus the next time you talk to Him for a resilient little boy. We have already thanked Him for all of you and your love and prayers through all of this!

Little Ben was doing so good there for a while that all we had was good news.  But if you’ve been keeping up with the Twitter updates to the right, you know that the last two nights have not been as easy.

It all boils down to the swaddle, if you ask me (which you kinda did by reading my blog).  Up to the surgery, every night Benjamin slept all swaddled up, with his arms pinned to his side.  Since the surgery we’ve had to lay him on his side to sleep, and it’s impossible to swaddle him, since his arms are what keep him from rolling onto his stomach.

Not being swaddled means two things.  Cold hands (which wake him up) and hands/arms that are free to swing around, and make impact with his face (which wakes him up).  We remedied the cold hands aspect of things by putting socks on his hands, but we are still unable to figure out a way to keep him from smacking himself in the head in his sleep.

Two nights ago he maxed out at 2 hours of sleep at one time, and needed to be bounced back to sleep about every hour from about 11:30 on.  My back still hasn’t forgiven me.

Last night he did better, and just needed someone in there patting him on his little rear every so often to keep him asleep.  A two-minute trip into his room was not nearly as taxing on me as an hour-long bouncing session.

Thanks for the prayers.  Please continue to lift us up, and pray that God would give us adequate rest.  He has been so faithful, even in the midst of this, and I am continually reminded that he never promises ease, but instead promises to be with us always.  That’s a better promise!

Also a source for much jubilation and exultation is the fact that Brenda, Jacqueline’s mom is here!  Adding a third person to the rotation is life-changing!

This is my favorite.

Got some Harley stickers for the helmet!

For the trip back to Asheville, we wrapped his head. He loved it!

Hanging out. My little man looks 100% better this morning.

Time to get some stickers for this puppy!

Sweet Helmet Action. He has to wear this helmet for a while to protect his head. We’ve got a smaller one for once the swelling goes down and he’s not wearing the top-knot.

Other than being a lesson in how not to light a picture, this is little Benjamin with his top-knot.

By home, we mean just here in Winston, but it’s a cheaper room to stay in!  We figured that we are the primary caregivers here at the hospital anyway, and so why not take this show on the road.

Thanks for all the prayers.  They worked.  Now pray for Benjamin Sr. for when the bill shows up. z:)

The view of the hospital from the the free parking that is a mile away. It is robbery to make patients pay to park at a hospital as though it’s a sporting event.

The doctor came in just a little bit ago.  The nurse just took out the last tube!!!!  Now if we want to we can walk around with him!!  Benjamin is steadily improving and we can go home today if we want.

Currently Ben is sleeping (yes, Jacq is posting this one:).  So, we have not discussed whether or not to stay another night or go home today.  When I say “go home” I mean go to Ben’s parents’ house.  Thankfully they live here in Winston Salem, so we will go to their house until we feel comfortable enough to head to Asheville.

To clarify…he did have to have the more invasive surgery (better known as the 180 degree switch).  BCBS did not reverse their initial decision.

It is comforting to know that so many people have been praying for him.  We have felt the results of all your prayers. I truly feel like you, as the “body of Christ,” have wrapped your arms around us through this whole journey.  Thank You!