Tucker

Sunday night and Monday turned out very differently than what we thought would be the beginning of a normal week of school, Christmas party and Fletcher's birthday.

I've mentioned our friends Grant and Teresa and their son Tucker on our blog many times.  We've had many adventures with them at the fair, the pirate museum, the beach, carving pumpkins, etc.  On Sunday, Grant and Tucker invited Kevin and Fletcher to the Panthers game.  The boys were so excited to go to a "real live" football game.  Towards the end of the game Tucker started complaining that his belly hurt.  It was more than just a tummy ache so they took him to Urgent Care.  The docs at Urgent Care took xrays and bloodwork.  His white blood count was high so they sent him to the hospital for a CT scan thinking it was most likely his appendix.  The CT scan showed some "free air" in his abdominal cavity which usually indicates a perforation somewhere in the stomach, intestines, colon, etc.  So at the recommendation of the surgeons and radiologists at 3 am Monday morning they did an emergency surgery to repair the tear. 

But the crazy thing is that they couldn't find a tear.  We think it was an answered prayer.  The surgeon said this was only the second time in his career that he has seen "free air" on a CT scan but not been able to find a tear.  Now Tucker has the long road of recovering from a major surgery.  He will be in the hospital for about a week and out of school for a few more weeks.  Please pray for this family and especially pray for no complications or infections.  Tucker is strong and he is a fighter.  But being at the hospital is so hard - hard to eat, hard to sleep with nurses coming in and out at all hours, hard to focus, hard to be out of routine.  As a mom, I can't imagine how hard it is to see your child in so much pain and feel like there's nothing you can do.

But Grant and Teresa know that God is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals.  They know God knit Tucker together in Teresa's womb and that Tucker is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). 

Fletcher has been very concerned about his friend through all this.  He has been praying for him and made Tucker a sweet "Get Well Soon" card.  He has such a tender heart for those who are hurting.