Nathaniel was discharged from Cincinnati Children's on Saturday, February 13. During our visit to Cincinnati last September for the tonsillectomy, we became friends with the crews at the Blue Ash Fire Department. They offered to provide a few dinners for us this trip. A delicious steak dinner and teddy bear for Nathaniel was delivered to our hotel Saturday night to celebrate both Valentine's Day and Nathaniel's successful surgery.

We stayed in Cincinnati all last week. The time flew by, aided in part by a second brief hospital admission. Nathaniel's incision and drain area seemed to worsen in sensitivity and appearance from discharge through the early part of the week. He started running a fever on Tuesday evening. We asked for him to be seen in clinic, and the team decided to admit him. He was inpatient for two days of IV antibiotics and released once he could be moved to an antibiotic given by g-tube. We also used a Meplix Ag dressing for three days which really helped with the healing process. The crews from Blue Ash Fire Department continued to provide dinners for us, including bringing a meal all the way downtown the first night of Nathaniel's readmission.

There were so many kind things said and done for us over the two weeks. Friends gave us care packages and a Valentine's Day gift bag with treats for all of us. Someone gathered notes of encouragement from ten or so friends and delivered them to us all tied together with a satin ribbon. Rich and I sat together in Nathaniel's hospital room one afternoon after surgery and passed the notes back and forth, reading them as he slept. Daily we received emails and text messages with bible verses and prayers. A missional community group from Antioch Church at the Y in Cincinnati delivered a basket of goodies and gift cards for lunch and coffee. These kindnesses sustained us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Thank you. Our hearts would have been naturally prone to discouragement and frustration, especially after Nathaniel's second admission, but God used the generosity of others to encourage us moment by moment.

We had one day between the two hospitalizations that Nathaniel seemed to feel well enough to do something. Since we come to Cincinnati Children's from out of the area, we can request free tickets from the hospital for various museums. We chose The Fire Museum of Greater Cincinnati this visit. It was a very small exhibit and we were the only people there at the time - an ideal outing for us. Nathaniel loved the fire engine he could drive.

After the second discharge, we stopped by the fire house in Blue Ash to say hello to our friends. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this kiddo dreams about being a fireman nightly.

We arrived home safely on Saturday afternoon. It is good to be home. It is good to have surgery behind us. And yes, Nathaniel faithfu, been-with-him-through-it-all, stuffed friend, Curious George, was left in Cincinnati. He jumped out of the van at the last minute at the hotel. Thankfully someone found him and gave him and our van description to the hotel manager. We are hoping that George makes it home safely later this week.