Day 4

Today is the big day. Nicole's first surgery is at 8am. As I drive to the hospital this beautiful morning I have HOPE. Hope that this first surgery is going to go well and it will be the first step to her recovery.

The doctor is going to graph her anterior torso and front of both legs.

The surgery has been pushed back until 1pm. Her stats need to stabilize more.

As they wheel her away I am apprehensive but I know she is in great hands. Her Doctor is amazing. He is gentle and kind.

Waiting......

3 hours....

4 hours....

5 hours....

Doctor finally comes into the waiting room where I have been waiting, wondering, wishing and praying.

The burns are more extensive than originally thought. Her trunk is burned into the sub-cutaneous fat level. The skin they graphed cannot be run through the netting machine to make it go further because they have to put full thicknesses of skin on the trunk now. The graphing was less than 50% of what they wanted to do.

Nicole bled a lot and needed 3 units of blood during surgery and 2 units after.

She is too sick to have another surgery before 6 days.

As I go into her room after speaking to the doctor I notice that she is covered in the heat blankets again. She is not able to regulate her body heat.

There she is...laying in her bed covered head to toe in bandages, wires, blankets looking more vulnerable than ever. But PEACE is felt in the room.

The calming spirit of the Savior was there. I am so grateful for that.

Christian's Texas Roadhouse donated dinner to the burn unit tonight. We have been so grateful for all the tender loving care they have given to Nicole and to all of us.

John is in Wichita working. He is having a tough time. He called tonight and wanted me to put the phone near Nicole's ear so he could talk to her. Words of encouragement, love, compassion and faith came forth. No one but a Father can know the joy and heart ache a daughter brings.

We had family prayer together - John, Christian, Nicole and myself. What sweet assurance it is to be able to pray to a loving Father in Heaven and know he hears us and answers our prayers. I know God has a plan for us. He has one for all of us. I wish I was granted a small glimpse of His plan for Nicole.