Code Yellow

Sometimes adults are hard to figure out!  It takes me a while to figure out why they get so excited about some things.  For example, this evening before my parents were leaving, and the nurse was changing my diaper, they all started cheering.  Everyone came to my bedside and they were all talking about how excited and happy they were.  They kept telling me good job and how proud they were of me.  I was trying so hard to figure out what new thing I must have done, then come to find out they were all cheering because I had peed!  Really?  I thought I had shown them that skill before.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that I have demonstrated it during a diaper change, or right after they changed me so I could get more attention.  And earlier today, my doctor did a dance because of my oxygen levels!  He's never done that before.

I think I'm starting to figure it out a little bit.  I think the more you know the more thankful you can be for your blessings.  See, what I didn't know at first because I wasn't feeling well and hadn't been listening as much as usual, was that because I was SO sick the past few days, my blood vessels had started leaking fluid into my body, which explains why I look like a marshmallow!  You would think that because of the swelling and leaking, that they would stop giving me so many fluids, but I guess the leaking made it so they had to give me more fluids, so that enough fluid could make it to where it's supposed to go.  And did you know the kidneys are responsible for processing the extra fluid and waste and getting rid of it from your body . . . through your pee.  See, I didn't know any of this!  The nurses also said that I hadn't peed for over 30 hours, and they were very worried that my kidneys weren't working.  They explained to my parents that there's not a lot you can do fix the kidneys, so they were just hoping that they would come around.  I guess the swelling and things they feel like they can deal with and will eventually go away, but only if my kidneys started working again.  So the fact that I peed showed them that my kidneys were functioning again.  And the doctor dance - that's because they've been able to lower my ventilator settings, another good sign that I'm recovering a bit.   So, you see, once I knew all that, I realized how thankful I should be because I had peed and how excited it should make me!  Sometimes those blessings are easier to see in others, and we miss the small and large blessings in our own lives because we just don't know enough or don't pay enough attention.

I'm glad that everyone celebrated with me.  I still really feel yucky and hope that my body can overcome this infection, but my parents and I are learning together to celebrate our little blessings, as well as the big things, like my kidneys.  I heard that a lot of people were praying for me and my parents again and I know it helped!  I wouldn't have known to be thankful for that if my parents hadn't told me!  I sure feel a whole lot of love for so many people that I haven't met yet.  You all have been so great to my family, and I can't wait to meet you.  I'm working hard on getting better, please keep praying for me! 

Love you all!

-Marshall