We showed up with dinner a little after 7 (a little late, since Todd's
David takes his eye out by himself.
It was quick!
The prosthetic eye isn't a ball-shape like you see in the cartoons. The underside is concave, so it's more like a really thick contact lens. They're made of acrylic. They're also hand-painted. It's amazing.
Still smiling!
And it's back in! David takes his eye out, but his mom puts it back in for him, with the assistance of some eye ointment and mineral oil to help it go smoothly. What a cutie!
They only take his eye out when it's irritating him, like when he gets an eyelash or something in it. There are telltale signs like redness around his eyelids or David rubbing his eye. (Kim warned us that when David rubs his eye, it will often get turned upside down!) A wash with warm water and Ivory bar soap, and a squirt of eye ointment and a little mineral oil on the back, and it's ready to slide back in. It had been a couple of weeks since they had to take it out last. The general rule is "Don't bother it unless it's bothering you." We looked through some photos of David before and after his surgery. His "before" photos were just pitiful. He had so much pain before his surgery, that he didn't even need pain medications post-op. I wonder how Tate will do.
I felt better than I expected about the whole thing. Everyone was waiting to see how Tate would do, and I was worried about how I would do! We talked a lot about God bringing us through trials, and always giving us enough strength to handle whatever it is that we're dealing with. There have been times that I have just wanted to throw a good old-fashioned temper tantrum and say "This is it, God! This is my limit!", but I know that He will carry me through these times. It's okay to grieve and cry and struggle, but in the end, we will lay it as His feet, and He will pull us through. Only God knows the plans that He has for us, and I know He has big plans for Tate! He has a reason. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I talked to Jake and Noah when we got home, so I could answer any questions they might have. We talked about why David had to have his eye removed, and we talked about the bone growing in the back of Tate's eye. Jake and Noah both have a newfound sympathy for Tate. It might keep them from wrestling around with him so much. For a day or two, anyway. The boys decided that they didn't want to bring Tate's sick eye home from the hospital, that they'd rather donate it to science (um, yeah... good plan!). We prayed for David and Tate, and the boys went to sleep.
As far as Todd's car goes, we'll worry about that tomorrow. We're praying that it's something that isn't too expensive to fix since our funds are pretty much tapped out between having to use our emergency fund to replace our washer and dryer and the medical bills rolling in. When it rains, it pours, but God always provides. Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
I love how your faith is so evident... you rock!!! Isn't it amazing how God surrounds us with just the right people at just the right time! Thank you for blogging this, and for the pictures - now we all have a little insight too. Praying for you and little man!
ReplyDeleteLori and Gang