The house of healing needs healing!

Below is a clip from Sinai's website. The Hackerman-Patz house has been our home away from home, and provides much healing for many families. Today the house is closed due to extreme flood damage after a pipe burst in the second floor. This happened the day that Zac was released from the hospital. He was released in the afternoon so we were going to stay the night and then return home on Sunday, the next day. The staff transferred all of the residents to a local hotel, which is where we stayed that night.

While James packed all of our things up he said that he was walking in water. The flooding came from the second floor when a pipe burst in the walls. It took them some time to even find it and get the water shut off. The ceiling fell in one room. The light fixture fell in the room we were staying. James had moved his laptop computer (used to continue his online classes) to the "safety" of the bed, but when the light fixture fell, it dumped water directly on the computer! Needless to say it, it is not working. Thankfully the house insurance will reimburse the repair bill.

This home holds a special place for so many people. Some of whom are displaced to a local hotel. New residents will have to find other places to stay which are much more expensive and inconvenient to the hospital.

It is unclear how long it will take to repair the house. We were told yesterday that even after the insurance clears, there will need to be fund raisers to help cover the expenses.

The house holds many memories for us, it has a very special atmosphere where parents can connect with others dealing with many of the same issues, and kids can be kids despite the difficulties of what they face.

The Hackerman-Patz House at Sinai Hospital

The Hackerman-Patz House is a comfortable and convenient place to stay—a home away from home—designed with the patient in mind.

The front door of the Hackerman-Patz House is just steps from the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics, the International Center for Limb Lengthening, Sinai Hospital and the campus of the Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital .

The staff at the Hackerman-Patz House is dedicated to keeping guests safe and secure, and to helping to create an atmosphere that is as homelike as possible. You will have the freedom to maintain the privacy of your family so that you can draw strength from one another, and, if you choose, the opportunity to find support through interaction with other guests.

Another miracle!

Zac woke up so well this morning. Almost happy, knowing that Dr. Paley was going to change his "robot" (the external fixator.) He was so peaceful the entire morning, even through the "going to sleep part." That made it a little easier for all of us! We are also encouraged, knowing that many prayers are going up...it is evident.

The Anesthesiologist had some difficulty incubating the air ways as Zac's are smaller and set back along with his jaw. This makes it difficult, and apparently is getting a bit worse has he gets bigger. It, however, does not effect his breathing. All of this delayed the actual surgery.

The surgery is over now, Zac is just waking up (James has gone back to hold him, normally I go 1st, so I am trying to be patient!). We have heard from the Anesthesiologist, and the surgeon (Dr. Paley). First the Anesthesiologist shared her perspective on what amazing thing Dr. Paley was doing. That was so comforting to hear, we knew then that another miracle had taken place.

Then Dr. Paley came out and happily announced that he had constructed a knee joint! He went in through the top of the leg, and using the cartilage formed a joint. He then used a synthetic material to act as a ligament for flexibility. The external fixator has changed to have a hinge. We will be removing a rod daily and exersising this new joint. The quatracept muscle is intact and should work nicely. As he was describing the range of motion that Zac's leg might get, it looked much more than the 20% that he had originally expected!!

We are just in awe, God is using this surgeon to work such miracles on Zac's legs!!!

As for now, we will nurse our precious little man back to recovery. Then we move a little closer to functional, mobile legs. Our overcomer continues to teach us that NOTHING is impossible...God is in contol!!!

e-mail 01/12

Hello everyone,

Just a quick note as you start your day (or are ending it) that Zac will
be going in to surgery around 9am.  Dr Paley described what he plans on
doing but still left it open with "we'll see while we're in surgery"
with what the final outcome will be.  He did say the x-rays today looked
good for what he was planning and that this leg has been better than the
other.

Zac's platelets were 113K today which is great and he won't require any
extra before surgery.  We are trying to wind down and get these boys to
bed.  We'll need the rest for tomorrow.  It never gets any easier to
send a child in for surgery but we do feel a good presence of Peace
around us this time.

We'll update as we hear more.  Thank you all for the prayers and
encouraging emails.  Every one is cherished.

James
LeAnn, Cai, and Zac