Nathan is still alive. Prognosis has changed!

After the craniotomy, I thought our battle was over and that we have shifted onto the road of recovery. Little did I know that a week later, Nathan would suffer his biggest set back. Friday afternoon Tj & I noticed that his head felt fuller and his eyes were starting to deviate more to the right again. A CT scan showed that his ventricles had dramatically increased in size and that his VP shunt was most likely no longer working. He was rushed to the OR and they inserted an external shunt to relieve the intracranial pressures. Well early Saturday morning, his pressures were only increasing and yet it he was still draining extra fluid out of the external shunt. After three scans that Saturday, my fear had become a reality. We always knew that one of the two of Nathan's main veins were already clotted and that only one vein was draining the blood away from his brain. Unfortunately the other main vein had clotted and so ultimately the blood had nowhere to go. This caused the brain to severely swell resulting in additional severe brain injuries and strokes. Dr.Fullerton sat us down and told us she thought because of the increasing pressures Nathan would not survive and if he did it would only be no longer than a week. We were told to just enjoy him, make him ascomfortable as possible and that she was glad Nathan was able to enjoy a "quality life" for the months he was with us.


Well Sunday came and Nathan's vital signs were still going strong, if anything it looked better. His intracranial pressures were starting to drop and stabilize. It even seemed as if he was starting to drain the blood on his own. Well that was confirmed Monday morning when Dr.Fullerton came to see Nathan. She agreed that the pressures had dropped and that most likely his veins had found a new way to drain the blood. She also felt that he was no longer in imminent danger of dying on us like she originally thought. Even our nurse felt suprised and confessed that he initially thought Nathan wouldn't even make it through the night. Monday afternoon we were told discouraging and heart breaking news. Dr. Fullerton felt that because of the severe brain injuries and strokes Nathan had suffered from Saturday, she felt that he will never recover and that Nathan will just remain in a vegetative state. She felt that he will never be able to communicate like he used to,he will never learn to walk or talk and they were also doubting his vision and hearing.


Looking back..Saturday night when they told us that we were going to lose our son..I honestly no longer knew what to pray for. I didn't know whether or not to continue pleading for Nathan's healing or to just accept the fact that maybe it was time for the Lord to call him home. Tj and I prayed to the Lord and said "Lord if you are going to perform a miracle..please heal Nathan and restore him 100%..but if you plan on calling him home..then please grant us the comfort and strength that we will need..either way..we want to be obedient no matter what You have in store for Nathan". Well Monday came and they told us that even if he were to survive all of this..he would be in a vegetative state. Immediately I got scared..confused..and hurt..and I asked.."God, if you're going to let him live..why are you going to let him live as a "vegetable"?..has he not suffered enough.." I thank God He blessed me with such a wonderful encouraging man of God to be my husband. Tj stopped, held my hands and looked into my eyes. He said "Jaimee, you need to be thankful. Maybe God does want to restore Nathan..and maybe he doesn't want to do it now. Maybe it will take years but at least Nathan is here..the prognosis has changed..so let's be thankful." He then reminded me of the story of the Israelites and how they wanted out of Egypt. Well the Lord did deliver them but they only ended up complaining of being tired and hungry. God was hurt and felt disrespected because even though he gave them what they wanted they were still ungrateful.


I stopped and asked God to forgive me. I realized that I was becoming impatient and that I needed to just let God be God. I have come to realize that as long as Nathan is still here..the Lord still has a plan for him. "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." (Jeremiah 29:11). I was wrong for almost giving up so soon Saturday night. My little boy has opened my eyes..it seemed as if he was trying to tell me.." mom and dad.. I'm still here..don't give up on me". We will not give up praying for full restoration of Nathan's health as long as he is here. He has already proved the doctors wrong so many times. Why? that is because medical science does not determine the prognosis. The Lord does. Yes we have been blessed with such wonderful educated doctors who have dedicated their lives to saving children like Nathan..but like us they are only human. We can read so many books and educate ourselves as much as we can but our knowledge and power will never ever compare to the Lord's. One doctor even said, " Well..it's hard to answer that question because Nathan is so unpredictable". Again, science is not everything and when the doctors give up, the Lord takes over.



Maybe the Lord didn't want to glorify his name with just an embolization, or even a procedure as big as a craniotomy..I don't know.Here my son is being diagnosed as a "vegetable" and doctors believe that he will never recover..miracles are real and my God is healing miracle working God. "Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth." Jeremiah 33:6, “Looking upon them, Jesus said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." Mark 10:27

It isn't over until God says so. Would you please join our family in praying for Nathan's full restoration and healing.


Thank you & God bless

Praying for his mercies,
- Tj, Jaimee,Nathan and the Andaya-Avila Family

www. nathanj125. com
jaimeeandaya@yahoo.com