He's Home!

To all of you that have been following Ryan's foot nightmare, he's home!! Today he came in the house hobbling on crutches sat down and lil' kitty jumped in his arms snuggled up and went to sleep. He missed Ryan like crazy. Ryan had a home health nurse come in tonight to show us how to hook him up to the I.V. He has to take his antibiotic 3 times a day. It's amazing. Actually it's horrible. I can't believe that he has to do this for 6 weeks.

Thanks for everything everyone!!!!

Litty Kitty was happy he was homeThe ordeal to hook him up for the first time. It took his dad, the home health nurse, and of course him mom and I to supervise.

Tilt your head to the right. This is his port at his neck. This goes into his juggular all the way down to his heart. He could have done it in the arm but in his words "In the name of golf, I took it in the juggular". (he wouldn't be able to swing the club if it was in his arm)

Hospitals

Ryan has been in 3 hospitals within a week. Monday Ryan visted Dr. Oestmann and he told him that he needed to be admitted into the hosptial. He was at Herrin Hospital for three days! On Wednesday he was released and Friday he had a follow up with his foot doctor. He said that the foot looked like it was getting worse and that he needed to go straight to the hospital. Right now Ryan in at the Carbondale hospital in the pediatric unit. No adult rooms were available! I am off again for another fun filled day at the hospital. But I can't complain! The deMello's have been in the hospital for over a month! I'm knitting a scarf to pass the time. Herrin Hospital
The football foot
You can't really tell by the photo but it looked like his toes were going to explode! Yuck!
The first 5 mins after he was home, Little Kitty wanted to use the crutches

Current River

About 13 of us went to Current River last weekend. The cabin we stayed in was wonderful. We had a lot of fun until Saturday afternoon. Ryan thought he would be funny to flip Miranda's tube over and as he jumped back onto his tube his foot was impaled by a metal object. We still don't know what went through his water shoe and up in his foot!!! About an hour later after the float, his foot swelled up to the size of a football. It took a while to get Ryan to let me take him to the hospital. So around 8:30 p.m. we drove to the Poplar Bluff hospital. On a Saturday night in Poplar Bluff it was pretty interesting. He was released with 3 shots, some antibiotics, and crutches. Sunday morning we went to Lamberts. It was my first time. It was a lot of fun and food!!!! The guys right outside our cabin. Right after Ryan threw Tobey into the water!!!
Amanda, Falan, Miranda
The view from our cabin. The cabin was on stilts.
The foot. Before it looked horrible!
Poplar Bluff emergency room

Lamberts. Minus 4 of our group members

His Eyes Are Open!!!

Last night I went to visit Evan. Natalie said that on Tuesday he was much more alert and would try to answer questions with the blinking of his eyes. Wednesday he was on a different type of medicine and it made him a little more sedated. He had his eyes open most of the time I was there. He would shut them from time to time. You could tell he was so sleepy. But I think he was so calmed by the sight of Natalie and the Thomas movie they had playing over and over he fought to keep his eyes open. He looks so good. He finally is starting to look like Evan. I told him that I was so happy to see his beautiful blue eyes again. We all are! I just had to snap a few shots because I know that so many people will be so thankful to see a healthier looking Evan on the outside. He held our hands, played "this little piggy", counted fingers and toes, sang a couple of songs to him, and just mainly talked and told him what a strong and brave big boy he was being. I told him that he had a huge fan club and that everyone was so proud of him. The nurses up there are amazing with him. I could have stayed there all night just talking to him or just holding that little hand. I didn't want to leave. Natalie gave him Nana yesterday. He held Nana's hand.

Evan and Nana watching the Thomas movie

He was on the verge of taken a short nap.

He's out, only for a moment. When he would hear Thomas or Mom he would open his eyes again.

Evan lifted his hand up when Natalie was leaning down. She said, "Do you want to touch mommy's face?" He would rest his little hand on her cheek. It was such a soul filling moment. There is nothing like a mommy to reasure you that everything is going to be alright.

Watch Evans Video on WPSD chanel 6

http://www.wpsdtv.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=4665

Amazing People

I came home from work on my lunch hour to of course check Evan's blog to see if there were any updates. To my surprise I found that one of my girlfriends had posted on her blog a post about Evan and the donations to keep Natalie at the hospital. Beth doesn't even know Evan nor do any of her friends that commented on her post. All of them have been touched by Evan's story and continue to pray for him, send donations, & send me messages that they are doing just that!

This morning I received 4 calls and one at lunch from people that are wanting to personally raise money for the deMello's. Only one of the 5 knows Evan personally. It astounds me how amazing all of these people are. Not that I ever doubted any of you!! You have just touched me so deeply by your concern. You can be rest assured that if ever you need anything from me, I will be there eager to help in any way!!! Sometimes working as a social worker I had thought once in a while that the world had gone hard and that people only cared about themselves. Today, yesterday, and last week I can say these amazing people around me have truly changed my spirit and my outlook on this world. I love you all so much! Thank you for giving your donations, your prayers, your heart to this little angel Evan. He is fighting so hard right now. Once he is out of this terrible fight I will personally let him know who you all are and how much you helped him and his family.
-Much love and respect
Melissa

A Miracle this afternoon.....

This entry is from Sean's blog entry from Evan's blog.

"I entered Evan's room and the cardiac surgeon was standing there with the dialysis nurses. When he saw me he said he couldn't understand it. Last friday, when they hooked Evan up he crashed. Today his pressure actually increased a little. He told me he didn't understand. Just then, the nurse in the room said "I do...its God." This was the same nurse that asked to stay in the room when the pastor prayed for Evan. I believe with everything in my heart that it is because of YOUR prayers that my son keeps beating the odds. Natalie and I were told yesterday by two different doctors that Evan is a very sick boy and that things arent looking good for him. We were talked to by everybody about the fact that they were running out of options and we had to be prepared. I'm not hear to say we are anywhere close to getting of this in good shape, but everytime they take Natalie and I to a new low, Evan pulls through. We've been knocking on Heavens door three times now, but whats really storming the gates of Heaven are your parayers. They say Evan will be in Cardiac ICU for quite a while and he is still considered fragile and unstable, but I wouldn't count him out of anything! "

There are hundreds of people praying for this little boy. Heaven was flooded today with their voices. Amen!!!!

Update:
He is still in surgery but we are told that he is stable, which is huge news. We are waiting for him to start dialysis. That is the next big step! I will post as soon as everything is finished.

Just wanted to update all of you regarding Evan. At 11:30 am or so, he was taken into surgery. We are patiently waiting to see how it all went. Your messages on his blog have been so inspirational. Simply amazing how much you all are reaching out to Sean and Natalie. I will update as soon as I hear something.

Update

I spoke to Natalie today on the phone. I can't replicate her medical explanation and I won't try. The long of the short of it is tomorrow at 10 am Evan is going into another surgery. There is a high risk that he will go into total organ failure. The doctors say that the benefits out weigh the risks so they are going ahead with it. This is a huge step and Natalie and Sean are very scared but hopeful. Tomorrow is a big day.

Good Morning

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. It seems as though Evan has consumed my life at this moment. It's strange how a little boy of 3 can relight your Faith and make you change the way you look at the world. His guestbook on his cota blog has been flooded with people, some who don't even know who he is. One person who signed it I recognized her name from a friends blog whom I have never met! It's amazing how many people have also consumed there lives with him. I have friends who are constantly texting me or calling me for updates. Most of these people have never met him but are just as worried as the rest of us. On Sunday so many people wrote about how they stood up and gave Evan's testimony and ask if the congregation would pray for him and his family. These people weren't just adults, there were children in their Sunday school classes that asked their friends to pray for him. Children, amazing how their lives too can be so touched. Last night in Natalie's words, "We almost lost him". They are currently trying to pump off 7 lbs of fluid that has caused him to go into renal failure. Right now he is in another surgery, attempting the process again just in another way. My heart goes out to Natalie and Sean. They sit up there day in and day out wondering whats around the corner for the next day. And almost 99% of the time they are always upbeat and in a good mood happy you are there to see them and Evan. One of my closest friends put on her guestbook, "Remember the song, "They are weak, but he is strong". -Yes Jesus Loves Me. What a perfect reminder. Evan, Natalie, & Sean are so weak emotionally, physically, & mentally. But we are reminded that HE is strong. This journey is mapped out already in HIS blueprints. I wonder if Evan will ever know how he brought a whole community together, revived our spirits again, and reminded us to be so thankful for the blessed lives we live. I will post again as soon as I hear back from the surgery he is in right now. Your messages on the guestbook have literally given Natalie and Sean the strength they needed to get up and go a couple more hours of this literal hell on earth. Thank you so much for your amazing words and healing prayers. Keep them coming! -Love Melissa

Patiently Waiting

This is such a powerful picture to me. This is Natalie and Sean leaning on eachother and catching a moment together as we waited for the helicopter to arrive. We were all standing on the roof top garden awaiting the arrival of the helicopter that carried Evan's new heart. So many times the deMello's have been up there as many families cheered as their helicopter flew in. The deMello's have waited so long for this moment. When we heard the sound of the helicopter it was such a powerful moment. I was so glad I could capture this moment in time. Psalm 37:7-9 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him

Random Pictures

Just got back from the hospital and took some pictures with my phone from the deMello's computer. Bad quality, but such amazing photos. Thank you to all of you who's called me and sent me inspirational messages. I forwarded the messages on to the family.

This is Evan's favorite sleeping position

This is Evan and Layla, Aunt Heather's little puppy
Nose to nose