It has been a month since Chalcedony's surgery. Since then, mom (Morelle) had severe abdominal pain that resulted in the eventual diagnosis of appendicitis. She is nearly recovered from surgery but continued prayers for her healing would be appreciated! 

We arrived home on Saturday evening and are resuming our routines. Chalcedony has quickly returned to his energetic self, although he reports itchiness and occasional pain. Our skincare routine has changed slightly but continues to take over an hour every day. Pray for the new skin graft under Chal’s right arm to heal without complications. Chal (obviously) has a hard time maintaining the mobility restrictions! Pray for the family as we address his needs and return to day-to-day life.

Surgery is done. Chal is just waking up. A little loopy from all the medicines. Partial laser surgery. He did get a graft under his right arm. Surgeon thinks we might be able to discharge tomorrow. 

Message from the Laubers:            We have appreciated the gifts and we don't have any financial needs at this time. We plan to use this website to share updates until we setup another platform.

A family picture from a reunion in Tennessee in July.

We arrived in Portland today. Chalcedony will be having surgery on Thursday (9/5). The surgeon will use two forms of laser to break down scar tissue and reduce skin redness. He also may need to do an additional grafting to address a large wound under Chal's right arm. We were told to expect at least one overnight (likely) for Chal in the hospital for pain management. We have reservations at the Ronald McDonald House and expect to stay through the weekend. We would appreciate your prayers!

We apologize for the delay in updating everyone on how we are doing. The last weeks have been full as we develop new routines and adjust to life at home. We have also experienced several unexpected life events including a stomach bug, trouble with our vehicles, loss of our main refrigerator and two small freezers, and a plumbing problem. Most eventful was the recent hospitalization (June 6) of our oldest daughter with stomach pain and the resulting need for surgery due to the rupture of her appendix. She spent three days in the hospital but is home now and recovering well. We praise the Lord for his care for us. We are so grateful for all of your prayers, physical labors (when able), and financial gifts throughout these months! We feel so loved and blessed!

Chalcedony has had two follow-up appointments in Portland since being discharged. His skin is healing well but we remain in a daily battle to maintain (if not increase) Chal’s shoulder movement. Due to the rapid development of scar tissue, he is not able to reach overhead. This impacts his daily function - getting dressed, turning on a light switch, drinking from a glass. Therefore, a focused, time-consuming stretch routine is required at least twice per day. Chal has also received two compression shirts from the burn center (worn 24/7) and we apply lotion daily. Pray for us as we commit to these daily exercise sessions and pray for progress toward Chal moving his arms fully!

We praise God for improved sleep! Chal is also doing well psychologically and emotionally and we are so grateful. Continue to pray for us as we parent him through his emotions and behaviors.

Chalcedony‘s next appointment with the burn center in Portland is the end of July. We will plan to update everyone on how things are progressing in a more timely manner afterwwards! We are told to expect a laser procedure with a couple of days hospital stay to address aesthetic and functional concerns in the next couple of months.

We are traveling to Portland this week for a follow up with the burn center (Wednesday, 5/8). Chalcedony has participated in two local therapy evaluations and both went well. Goals are to address range of motion and functional use of his upper body. Chal is slowly adjusting to life at home, as are we. Every day seems a little better. We praise the Lord that Chal’s nightmares are less frequent but  request continued prayer for God to work in his mind and heart! Pray for us as his parents as we establish and maintain boundaries with him while showing patience and grace.

We are home! We are slowly returning to our day to day life and developing new routines. Baby Lavina is easygoing and a true joy! Chal is excited to rediscover favorite clothes and toys and activities he previously enjoyed. His skincare and stretching routines take about 30 mins twice per day. We also have to make sure his grafted and donor skin remains covered from the sun. Local physical therapy starts next week. First follow up with the surgeon in Portland is scheduled for May 8. Pray for improved mobility of Chal’s shoulder joints. Pray for peaceful dreams and restorative sleep, as Chal is struggling to sleep at naps and overnight due to nightmares.

Today is 60 days. So grateful to be leaving! 🥲

Last full day in the hospital. Discharge some time tomorrow. Chal continues to make progress while challenging the therapists’ creativity and energy! Here are a few pictures from today.

Rehab is going well and discharge is set for this Friday! We are excited about the progress Chal has made! Yesterday his NG tube was removed and we continue to work on reducing his meds and improving nutrition. We are learning more about the exercises and skincare routine for after discharge. Definitely looking forward to being home! Thank you for the continued prayers!

Chalcedony was accepted to inpatient pediatric rehab at Randall Children’s Hospital (next door to the burn center). He began physical and occupational therapy today! Continue to pray for him to eat more and more by mouth so the feeding tube can be successfully removed.

The last few days have brought lots of progress! Thank you for all of your prayers! Chal is now playing with his toys and using the toilet and practically running down the hallways of the burn center! The nurses comment on all of his strength and energy! We are excited to see some of his personality return!

Yesterday he had a bubble bath, fully submerging his body in water. The skin is healing well with only a couple small spots left to heal. No more surgeries or dressing changes are planned. He was even cleared to wear normal clothes again.

His goals are to wean from a couple medications and take all remaining medications and nutrition orally to allow the feeding tube to be removed. Last week’s trial without the feeding tube was unsuccessful as Chal was not quite ready. However, he has begun eating food again as we learn what flavors he prefers while trying to maximize his protein and fat intake.

We are scheduled to transfer to the pediatric rehab floor before discharge home. Timing is not certain but we are excited about his progress!

Yesterday our family was able to be together for the first time since Chal’s hospitalization.

Today marks 46 days in the hospital. We feel like we are nearing “the end” but are also feeling the mental and physical fatigue. Pray for strength and stamina. Pray for patience with one another. Pray for joy as we celebrate our blessings and God’s goodness.

It’s been nine days since Chal’s final graft. He walked to his dressing change this morning. All his skin has grown back and is healed. Surgeon said this might be the best results he’s ever had.

We give thanks to God for Chal’s healing. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

The journey continues…we now need to wean him off the strong pain killers to avoid withdrawals and in order to move to the rehab floor.

Today Chal has presented with an elevated heart rate and mild fever. The surgeon is doing further testing to rule out infection. Pray for resolution of symptoms and continued healing. Pray for peace for Chal’s mind and heart as we begin the rehab process.

4/1/24

10:40am

They pulled his feeding tube this morning as it was tangled up in his stomach and contributing to lots of vomiting the last couple of days. Pray that he is able to maintain his nutrition orally.

Sunday

9:20pm

Chal woke up spontaneously (after a gradual reduction of sedation meds) and was extubated yesterday (Saturday) afternoon. His pain was well managed but all of the medication made him very emotionally labile. It was a long afternoon and an even longer night. He woke up Matthew every 15 mins needing something. Today he has a

gradually begun to return to himself despite being very tired. We discharged back to the burn center this afternoon and we feel such relief about progressing to the next stage of recovery!

Pray for Chal’s sleep/wake schedule to normalize quickly.

Pray for his occasional vomiting to stop so he can maintain nutrition.

Pray for the family’s cold symptoms to pass quickly. Chal also tested positive for a cold but is handling his symptoms well.

There was miscommunication from the surgery team so we didn’t get to speak to the surgeon until this morning. He was able to complete the full transfer of skin to the trunk (front and back) and he was also able to avoid use of old donor sites. Both are praises! Donor sites used are left leg, cheeks, and some of his lower stomach. Chal was moved to the PICU for close monitoring during these first couple of recovery days.

He’s on all the pain meds to keep him sufficiently sedated and pain free. He occasionally “resurfaces” to talk to us but they are doing their best to keep him as comfortable as possible.

Possible dressing change Friday or Saturday and then again Monday or Tuesday. We are unsure when they will extubate, as that depends on how things progress.

We are grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with PICU medical staff that we met during the early days of Chal’s hospital stay!

Surgery at 1 pm today.

Dr. Eshraghi just returned from vacation. He is going to try and do everything (front and back of trunk) today. If it goes according to plan, because the wound care will be the most challenging component, Chal will be intubated and moved to PICU for 48hours. After his first dressing change, Chal will be extubated and moved back to burn unit. However, plan is flexible dependent on a lot of factors so pray for wisdom for the surgeon and peace for us.

Praise God, the grafts look good. Chal walked down the hallway blowing bubbles at nurses this morning. He’s tuckered out and napping. Surgery tomorrow…big day.

The wearing schedule for the braces is only at night now. Chal loves the freedom to move his arms and is growing in confidence day by day!

3/24/24

Yesterday’s dressing change showed improvement in one under arm but the other remains questionable. The next dressing change is in the morning. Pray for good news!

Tomorrow’s dressing change will be with Chal awake. Pray that he will be comforted and have the courage to face seeing his wounds.

Also…the other kids have been sick off and on with cold symptoms for a couple of weeks now. Even us adults have felt under the weather a bit. Today Meadow spent the day in bed with stomach pain and nausea which seems to be diet-related. Please pray for good health!

Dressing changes every other day for Chal. Morelle came with baby Lavina to see Chal for the first time yesterday. He continues to make progress on sitting up and walking. Skin grafts are taking well except for the area around his armpits is a concern. His next graft will be Wednesday next week. 

Pray the grafts under his arms continue to improve and heal so that they won’t need to be redone on Wednesday. If they don’t, it will be a major setback and he will be back in the splints full time for another week.

3/20/24

7:50pm

Baby girl is named Lavina (after her great grandmother on Morelle’s mothers side.) 

Chal had a dressing change on Tuesday and another one tomorrow morning. That means a rough day for him tomorrow. Today has been great for him. We’ve made considerable progress working toward him sitting up in bed and walking.

Morelle is resting with the baby. Her mom helps with the kids and dropped off some laundered clothes for me to wear. TEAMWORK! At this stage we just figure out what we need to do to keep everything going day by day.

3/18/24

9pm

Today was another wonderful day. Chalcedony chatted (like his usual self) throughout the day to the point that the nurses noted the change and many stopped outside his room to visit with him for the first time. He greeted me this morning with the request to go outside to the garden and walk. We proceeded to spend several hours outside and he even took his nap in the sunshine! He walked four steps with therapy today but was less than enthusiastic when the time came. Fear and pain are factors, as well as the fact that he hasn't walked in nearly a month. We will continue to work toward this goal in the upcoming week. Chal also had a visit from several individuals in full Star Wars attire, including Darth Vader! He was both terrified and elated! It was a memorable and special moment!

Dressing change is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Pray for everything to go well with minimal regression afterwards.

The other kids are enjoying their time at the Ronald McDonald House with Grandpa and Grandma! Pray for them as we settle into a new routine.

Today was a peaceful Sunday! Thank you for the prayers. Three days post-surgery and Chal’s pain and mood are improving as his body heals. While the rest of the family visited a local congregation and spent the sunny afternoon back at the Ronald McDonald House, Chal and mommy had a slow morning, a restful midday nap (for Chal),  and then enjoyed a couple of hours outside! He transferred to the wagon more easily today than previously and warmed up to being outside quickly. He commented on birds, flowers, and trees as we walked circles in the courtyard. He asked me to stop in the sunshine so he could enjoy “sun on my face.” It was a sweet time! Next sedated dressing change is on Tuesday when the surgeon will assess the “take” of the autograft. Pray for good results! After then, Chal should begin to have greater mobility which we are looking forward to!

3/18/24

8:39pm

Highs and lows today. Chal is very frustrated by the pain caused when moving his right leg (donor site for autograft). He is also disappointed by the inability to remove his airplane splints. They will need to remain on full-time until Tuesday, the day of his next sedated dressing change. Today was a partial dressing change (unsedated although well-medicated) which was very challenging for Chal. He experiences a lot of fear with pain and movement. Grateful that we were able to both spend some time outside in the wagon and enjoy a long, restful afternoon nap today! However, overall the day was a very emotional one. Continue to pray for his recovery, pain management, and peace as he processes all of his emotions.

3/15/24

9:12pm

Chal was stable today and pain is managed better than expected with the use of IV medication. Thankful! He was sober, slept a lot, and did not appreciate any of interventions from the nursing or therapy staff. All to be expected after a major surgery. Pray for the pain to remain managed as they slowly begin adjusting his meds to pre-surgery levels. Pray for his energy and joyful mood to return.

3/14/24

6:03pm

Surgery is over. Chal is not affected by morphine. A bit rough getting pain management under control. He’s doing great now…He’s sleeping. No ventilator was needed. 

(Note: 33% of his body was burned so when I say 12% or 21% that is 12% or 21% of his entire body not 12% or 21% of the burn area. Everyone confused now? I sure am)

Skin from his right thigh and calf (Donor site) was used to cover 12% of his body on his arms, underarms and chest around his neck. That is a lot of skin taken from his leg. 21% remains on his back and front. The next 48 hours will be hard because of the pain of having that large of a donor site.

Right now we pray the graft will all take, heal well, and that Chal will get relief from the pain so he can rest and recuperate.

Surgery went well. Chal is settled and sleeping (thanks to an IV drip). Thank you for the prayers! More details to come.

3/13/24

8:53pm

Everything looked good for surgery Tomorrow 10:30. We moved into Ronald McDonald house today. In laws are with us. Chal got to travel around in a wagon in the garden today and met with Summit and the grandparents.

Surgeon thinks he can do grafts tomorrow without intubating, which we hope is the case. I was hoping all the activity would tire him out but he has caught a second wind.

3/12/24

9:18pm

Chal slept well last night. We played games together today and watched a couple movies. A nice break from all things medical. 

Tomorrow the surgeon will look at progress of healing and decide wether or not Chal will get his next grafts Thursday.

He wanted a picture with all of his “stuffies” before bed. These are just a few.

3/11/24

8:48pm

Midwife appointment today said I am making physical progress toward delivering the baby. Tired. 😉

3/11/24

11:16am

Third dressing change went well! No further spread of infection and an adjustment to sedation and pain meds allowed Chal to rouse more peacefully this time! Thank you for your prayers.

First of three (final) grafting surgeries is scheduled for Thursday. This will be the transfer of his own skin; arms and underarms to be completed first. They have begun prepping us, warning us that it will be painful and hard for him. They keep assuring us he is doing very well! Begin to pray for this procedure.

Dressing change went well according to the surgeon with next dressing change scheduled for Monday. 30% of integra grafting cases develop psuedomonas infections, although the benefits of its use continue to outweigh the risks. Chal is receiving a specific antibiotic to target the infection and is already presenting with a reduced fever and more stable heart rate. Despite mild infection spread noted during today’s dressing change, the surgeon remains confident Chal will recover with prescribed treatment. Minimal (if any) long term effects to the grafts are expected from this infection. Plans remain to proceed with another grafting procedure this upcoming week.

Pray for the infection to clear quickly. Pray for mental and physical stamina for the day to day; per the surgeon, “you will have good days and bad days.” Pray for Chal’s mind as he has begun experiencing nightmares and talking about memories of his hospital stay.

Praise - mommy was able to hold Chal today!

3/9/24

8:30am

Good morning! Sedated dressing change planned for between 10-11am.

Park time with other kids this morning.

3/8/24

4:45pm

PICC line migrated too close to Chal’s heart. So after a couple hours of hanging out this morning the PICC team showed up to adjust its position. Chal did better than any kid the PICC team had ever worked with they said. Then the PT came (Chal does not like being moved around) and moved him around. He did little circles without his “airplane wings” on, sat up, and colored in something I drew for him. 

He colors like Michael Jordan plays basketball…with his tongue hanging out.

Then Apple sauce, reading time, and he zonked out around 2pm. Morelle is now on.

Tomorrow he gets another dressing change and several infected areas on his grafts get cleaned up. He’s also on an antibiotic to treat the bacteria that got cultured yesterday.

We had a wonderful morning! A good night sleep, art and music,  games and smiles. The staff is generous with their time and donated resources to keep Chal satisfied and comfortable!

Due to an elevated white blood cell count, heart rate fluctuations, and mild fever, the surgeon decided to be cautious and check for either lung or skin infections. Chest x-ray came back clear. A dressing change revealed three “pockets” of infection in the grafting material.  The doctors assure us this is an expected possibility and have prescribed targeted antibiotics. A sedated dressing change is planned for Saturday. Unsure if this will change the surgery date planned for next week.

Chal and mommy had a hard time with today’s unsedated dressing change. Despite lots of preparation from the medical team and the use of meds (for Chal), it was still very hard to confront the extent of his injury and process all the layers of emotions.

Pray for healing from the infection. Pray for Chal and the family as we process the hurts and the griefs and the stages of recovery.

Quick update and request for prayer. Due to a couple of factors, the burn team will be performing dressing change today vs later in the week. In-room under mild sedation. Around noon today. Chest X-ray also ordered to check lung health. Chal is doing well. Their goal is to be proactive with infection prevention. Pray for good results. If he remains stable, the surgeon said he could be transferred to a wagon and brought to a family room to see siblings as early as tomorrow!

8:31pm

Chal had a peaceful night sleep, only interrupted by a breathing treatment and bladder check (related to removal of the catheter). He even slept through nurse visits to record vital signs and give medicines. Morelle did too! Praise the Lord!

Since extubation and now transition to the burn unit, focus has shifted to encouraging appropriate communication of his needs and keeping him entertained. Highly specialized OT and PT staff are adjusting his splints and preparing him for increased mobility. We are hopeful he can begin sitting up and walking around in the next few days. Other notable moments today included small bites and sips of food and water at mealtimes, IV delivery of blood and clotting factor to stabilize his lab values, and a brief break from the splint when rolling in bed. Pray for his stomach to tolerate food as he has vomited a couple of times. Primary nutrition will remain through the feeding tube. Pray for stamina and creativity as dad and mom develop new routines to both entertain and occupy Chal in spite of his limited mobility.

3/5/24

6:32pm

I will send an update for today soon. Upcoming dates for prayer. This Friday: next dressing change. March 13: our move to Ronald McDonald House. March 14: next graft surgery.

We are settled in the burn center (ICU). Bowel and bladder are working well. He has begun tolerating small bites and sips of food. The staff is attentive and highly experienced! They even consider ways to accommodate the needs of our entire family. Goals for the week include increased mobility, removing NG tube, and weaning/stabilizing meds. Pray for peaceful night sleep as we adjust to Chal’s increasing activity needs.

3/4/24

12:15pm

Chal got a new dressing this morning. The Catheter is out. 

We had a rough patch last evening and a little attitude this morning. Normal given his level of discomfort with the stints, the dressings being drenched in blood, tubes stuck in his nose, and not being allowed to drink.

Speech therapist came by and we got him eating some food and drinking after the dressing change. He’s in better spirits after I’ve cream a tv show and getting a rest from being messed with.

Now that he’s off the ventilator, we are moving to the burn unit today.

Sorry for the late update. Chal did well the night after extubation and Sunday. Continued adjustments are being made to his meds. He is no longer receiving any continual IV meds. All meds are being given through his NG tube and the number has decreased from 7+ to ~5. He remains peaceful although we have to remain creative to keep him entertained with one-handed activities. Praises include remaining on room air, sitting up on the edge of the bed with support, and a visit from sister Meadow. Pray for the team as they continue to wean certain mood depressing meds and for a complete dressing change (under sedation) planned by the surgeon this morning.

He asked me to take a picture of him with his animals. 🥰

Praise the Lord! Extubated on room air. Stable and peaceful and smiling! ♥️

From Matthew

3/2/24

9:58am

Chal was awake for about six hours yesterday, communicating, and in good spirits.

Yesterday he got a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter line. He slept well last night.

Passing stools are uncomfortable. The splint is annoying; the breathing tube more so. He doesn’t seem to be in pain otherwise.

They found bacteria in his tubes and started an antibiotic. White blood cells look good. No fever.

Today he’s been awake since 8am and he gets extubated again at noon.

3/1/24

7:44am

Very good sleep! Interrupted but he was restful overall. The nurses jumped in as needed to comfort and care for him.

This morning he has been surprisingly alert and communicative. Calm although a little scared. He expressed a couple of needs and even finished the rhyme “this little piggy with me.” 💕 He is responding to my words at this point but I am cautious. He is sleeping now. We will discuss with the doctors and make any necessary med adjustments this morning.

He is back and everything went as planned. I will share a more detailed update later.

2/28/24

8:23pm

Psych team was consulted during rounds this morning and attribute Chal’s delusions and hallucinations to side effects from various meds he is on. Unfortunately we have spent a week perfecting the exact med combination he needs to remain calmly sedated and manage his pain. To reduce symptoms would involve substituting his current meds for a new regimen and waiting for the current meds to leave his system. This is the plan in the days post-surgery. We simply didn’t have time to begin this process before tomorrow’s surgery. The psych team will also provide any other supportive care to address his stress and trauma response as needed. All staff confirmed that his reactions are expected and common among their patients.

2/28/24

11:31am

Morelle:

Chal was off the ventilator about 24hrs till just now. 1. He was burning through too much of his food. 2. Struggling to breathe because of inflammation. 3. Waking up with hallucinations from medicine and panicking. 4. He is no longer getting drugs that cause amnesia and we don’t want him to have memories of hallucinations 5. He goes back into surgery tomorrow morning/afternoon. For those reasons they intubated him again.

2/27/24

9:52pm

Hard night. I had to stop holding his hand for a moment to eat my dinner. We are at four hours of this. Hallucinations and delusions. Lots of fears about fire and mentions of his siblings. He calms eventually with touch and songs and talking to him…And then starts up again after a minute or two. Vitals all look good. Pain medicine is on board. They say it is part of the reorienting process. It’s really hard. Continue to pray. Hoping as certain meds kick in he will calm and sleep for a bit.

2/28/24

4am

A new med was started at 1:30 am and he finally slept! I have had to nap throughout the night to avoid dizziness and nausea. A nurse always sits close to comfort him if he startles and cries out in his sleep which is still happening but less frequently. They patiently reassure him that everyone (including him) is safe. He often asks about each of us by name.

PTL that his breathing and vital signs have gradually improved! There was serious discussion about putting him back on the ventilator and they decided against it!

2/28/24

8:09am

Sounds like reintubating is likely, just to support breathing and keep him calm. Next surgery planned for tomorrow. Keep you posted.

2/27/24

11:47am

Chal handled extubation like a hard boiled champ. Even smiled for the picture. God be praised.

2/26/24

8:05pm

What our days look like now...

Lots of reading aloud and holding hand

2/27/24

6:44am

Chal is coming off the ventilator today. He will be waking for the first time since Tuesday. Pray that swelling doesn’t impede airways, and that he stays calm.

2/25/24

From Morelle:

Very peaceful tonight. 💕 I am sitting and reading and holding his hand.

Matthew's prayer request

Pray that weening Chal from the ventilator will go well, his swelling will come down, that he will have regular bowl movements (Some of his medicines cause painful constipation; we don’t want that again!), and that he will heal well for his next surgery Thursday so that it can be his last.

2/24/24

This just in...

We got the call at 10:10 am that surgery was done. Nothing remarkable to report, except (PTL!) that everything went well! One unit (~350 mL) of blood. He is swollen again from being on his face but comfortably sedated.

The rest of today and tonight will be focused on managing pain levels, blood pressure, temperature, and respiration. Conversation about removing the breathing support will begin tomorrow and be primarily dependent on reducing his edema.

Surgery planned for 7:30 am PST today to complete debridement of back. Pray for the surgical team and for medication management. Pray for peace and comfort for Chalcedony as he recovers. The surgeon said to expect post-surgery into the evening to be “bumpy.”

From Matthew:

The staff is excellent at what they do which is a great comfort, our Heavenly Father is even perfect which is a greater comfort still, and Chal is making everything a challenge because he’s such a robust boy, and in spite of the insane medication cocktail, occasionally tries to run off his bed.

Today is just about keeping him comfortable. Which means honing in on an hourly cocktail of drugs that keep him sedated, pain free, itch free, not constipated, hydrated, blood pressure good, we’ll fed, warm, not delirious, and I’m sure something else I’m forgetting.

Every couple hours he bears down hard because of constipation, or he has to cough, or he’s itchy, or in pain, or all of the above; it gets exciting in here managing his breathing apparatuses and holding him relatively still.

Saturday the dead skin on his back will be removed and he’ll get a temporary cadaver graft.

We expect at least 2 months of care here at Randall. Morelle is trying to transfer her pregnancy care to upstairs. I’m filing for Family Medical Leave, Morelle cannot because she is not an employee at Master Brand.

2/22/24

Chal has undergone his second surgery of dead skin removal and new skin grafting, and is scheduled for his third today. There are concerns of bleeding during surgeries, and blood transfusions will be administered as needed. 33% of his body affected. Due to his age, skin and fat layers are thin. The surgeon said to plan for a few weeks of recovery here with reconstructive surgeries down the road for his underarms to restore full mobility.

Morelle:

Chal is stable but just needing more med support. The night nurses are amazing! They have been in our room every couple of mins all night long.”

Morelle during last night:

“He has opened his eyes and interacted with me a few times but his level of consciousness is uncertain. They keep commenting on how strong he is. 💕”

Nobody can say for sure but minimum 2 months of care for Chal before discharge.

Matthew:

Sounds like I might be eligible for paid family medical leave which would allow me to keep the benefits and get time off.

Chal has been struggling with constipation from medications he’s a fighter and goes through bouts of squirming around and high heart rates for extended periods of time. Poor little guy 😢. Pray for medications to work he’s on the upper limit of what they can give him.

Morelle has gone home for the day Chal has calmed down considerably. His heart rate is much better. He’s gone poop three or four times now which makes us think it was the constipation causing him trouble.