Hibbets' Happenings

The Lord sent us another blessing this week! Yesterday, we were GIVEN a new wheelchair for Joshua. Okay, technically it's not new, but it's new to us, and it may as well be new, because it's in perfect condition. It belonged to a special boy here in town which we never got to know and who passed away about two weeks ago. He was older and taller than Joshua, and severely disabled -- like Joshua and probably even more so. The family donated his chair and other equipment to our therapy place, who thought of us and offered the wheelchair to Joshua. Joshua was outgrowing his chair, and we knew we would be facing replacement soon (though we hadn't started the process yet). Yesterday Joshua's PT adjusted the chair to make it smaller for Joshua to fit in it now, which means it has plenty of growing room as Joshua gets bigger and we need to go back the other way. It is very similar to the chair we already had (the same brand and very similar features) which means we're already comfortable with the way the chair works. So it is exactly what Joshua needs! This is probably at least a $2,000 gift to us. (That's several van payments!)

Joshua's other big news is that he's scheduled for surgery next week to have his trach stoma closed. Apparently the stoma usually closes on its own after having the trach removed, but Joshua's has not. So the doc has to re-open the wound so that the body will heal it and it will close. It is actually out-patient surgery, but they will keep him in the PICU afterwards for observation, probably for 2 days. I feel really good about it and know this is what Joshua needs. Still, no mom wants to put their 5 year old in the hospital, much less the PICU! Next week will be tough mentally, emotionally, and logistically, but we'll make it. It's what we need to do.

We've had the van a little over a week, and the odometer is quickly headed to 10,000 miles! (It was under 9,000 when we got it last Monday.) But that's the story of our life!