It’s been a while since I’ve posted but I want to give y’all an update on Andreas. The good news is that he’s come through the crisis with his vision intact. While it looked at first like his eye would heal from the bleed on its own, he had a recurrence that after nearly three weeks of progressive improvement, completely blinded him again.
What a frightening time this has been—a real emotional roller coaster ride.
Andreas made the decision to have surgery, in spite of his very real fear of needles and a general aversion to medical intervention of any sort (not surprising, given that his first three plus months of life in the NICU consisted of being poked and prodded on a regular schedule). When he described what the vitrectomy would entail, my stomach flipped. When I looked it up online, I thought I’d pass out! If I could have had the procedure for him, I would have. But he was determined to get on with his life, and to him, that meant being able to see, and so without hesitation, he went for it.
There were some bleak days following surgery when his vision showed no signs of improving, but a couple weeks later, things began to shift for the better. A few days ago he told me he’d been able to go to the movies with friends, and how meaningful that was. Then yesterday he called to tell me he could read, and that his vision is nearly back to what it was before the surgery. You should have heard the joy and relief in his voice. That was a great moment.
So now he’s back on track and will be returning to college in January, ready to grab life by the horns. I don’t know if this will be the end of his physical challenges. Certainly I pray that he never has to go through anything like this again. But for now, I’m beyond grateful that he’s OK.
The prayers and support of friends and family played a part, as did the steady hand of his surgeon and the support of the medical staff. But mostly I thank God for enfolding him in His light during this time.
Sometimes wishes really do come true!
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