Faith Bigger than Fear

When you love the outdoors as Daryl does, the weekends are often action-packed. And here on our island, this energetic MK has an abundance of choice for fun and adventure:

         1.       Going up to the waterfall

         2.       Hanging out at the lake

         3.       Having fun at the river

         4.       Spending the day at the beach

So, when told that he should take care that he has no open cuts/wounds prior to surgery, it gets a little tricky. This is the boy who got stitches on his foot because he cut it on some barnacles while climbing onto the dock at the beach. This is the boy who got scrapes and scratches from slipping and falling at the waterfall. This is the boy who stepped on a rusty nail while playing by the lake.

Hmmmm… so, how does one make sure he doesn’t hurt himself before December 15? We don’t really have any answers. While we know we need to be careful, we also know we ought not to be fearful. Daryl has shown maturity and wisdom in his judgements thus far, and so we choose to let him make those calls – what he thinks he can or cannot do. We talk about pros and cons and assess the risks involved in his weekend activities; and we are delighted that he has been making wise choices. Nonetheless, we ask that you please continue to pray with us that the Lord protects him and keeps him strong and healthy in these days leading up to his operation…

Isaiah 41:10:   So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will 

                        strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The Preparation

The information folder that was handed to us covered a range of things that would never have crossed our minds if no one had taken the time to tell us. We are thankful that someone compiled this material which we found extremely helpful…

Among other things on the list, these few caught our attention:

• Strengthening back muscles and keeping the spine flexible through specific exercises because the more flexible the spine is, the more the curve and rotation can be corrected
• Taking multivitamins and iron supplements 6-8 weeks before surgery to help the body prepare for and recover from the operation.
• One possible reason for postponing the operation would be if the patient has a potential source of  infection: sore throat, fever, infected pustule over the back, open cuts/wounds.

Post-operative home adjustments for the patient include:

• Moving things lower to ensure a comfortable reach because it will be difficult for him to lift his arms above his head the first few days after the operation.
• In the shower, a loofah with a long plastic handle will make it easier for him to wash himself; and a chair will be useful because it will be a challenge for him to stand for long periods of time.
• Having button-down shirts will make it easier for him to dress himself; and using a shoehorn will be handy for him to wear his shoes. It is also important that his sandals/slippers have good grip to avoid slipping and falling.

Footprints...

With Tim and family

No one in our family has ever undergone any kind of surgery before, so it does feel rather unsettling because we don’t quite know what to expect. However, Prof. Kwan and his team have put in a lot of effort to help patients prepare for this operation. In the information folder given to us, there was a contact list of people who have had scoliosis surgery. They belong to the Scoliosis Support Group, and Daryl is free to contact any of them if he has any queries. Interestingly, a relative of ours, having heard about Daryl’s condition through our organisation’s Prayerlink, made it a point to contact us while we were back in Malaysia last July. We found out that Nicholas’ surgeon was also Prof. Kwan, and it was really neat not just for Daryl to hear first-hand from someone who had undergone the surgery; but also for us as his parents, to listen to another parents’ perspective, thoughts and opinions – and Tim and Pik Chin only had praise for Prof. Kwan and his team. We left that dinner with a deep sense of joy and gratitude to our Father in heaven for making all those special connections for us. Again, we felt reassured that our Lord is walking with us through this journey from start to finish – His footprints are discernible everywhere.