Nicol Family Blog

Angel Surgeon - Major surgery in the morn

Piano Player CHLA Sun 11pm

The day has come and is almost gone,The reception of CHLA is colorful ,it is vibrant and so well laid out.There is a constant stream of sick children for outpatients and visitors all who must pass security and be vetted for Swine flue virus.

I stopped for a moment and just filmed a lovely poignant moment as a Young man played on the piano............amidst a sea of Human suffering his music was so peaceful and so refreshing.

It is so so hard to be in a place where the tears of the children bleed out through the walls.One night in CHLA is like being on the front line of human suffering and illness.Choppers land on the roof they deposit the critically ill children from LA.Car accidents and trauma cases.The hospital is so busy.

As one child leaves- a space another arrives-In the last week Brano has shared a room with 4 different children.

My sadness is overwhelming at times...........The question comes to mind how can God allow such suffering-how can there be justice in a 4 month old child born with tumour.How can a Father be comforted when his two children are both suffering severe spinal injury when a drunk driver hits them from behind and their lives are on the line.where is God.?

I believe just as I have tears -God cries also......Jesus wept at the loss of his Friend.
My how we have wandered away from the original design for man in the Garden.
How we have changed the lifestyle God had planned......how soon God will come back and wipe away the tears and end the suffering of the innocent and the pure in heart....

Where is God - He can be found in the hearts and the conscience of every man woman boy and girl......Where is he in the suffering child's situation......listening answering prayers and considering when all this Hell on earth for suffering children will end.

I don't have all the answers -I have many questions...............surly God will wipe all these tears away........

jim

Oh Boy is this Ice Cream Good!!!!!!,

Bernie having an ice cream moment, and loving every bite!!!!

Sunday 25th at 2.35pm

Sunday Morning lie in

Here is the photograph that I tried to attach with the Sunday Morning Lie in. This is Bernie as of Sunday 9.57am

Sunday Morning Lie in!!!!!!

Sunday Morning an Bernie is having a much deserved Sunday lie in, (wish I could say the same).

The doctors seem to think that the nodule in his lung is possibly for old TB, so they are waiting to speak to Dr Skaggs before they give him the skin test, as they are not sure if it would effect Tuesday's surgery, so they are holding off till they speak to him.

Bernie was sitting on his bed yesterday and stood for a couple of minutes. Jim said he was none too chuffed!!!!!

Today the physical therapist will take him to the toilet, as he has been asking to go do his business in the toilet. (so that is good)

As yet he has only eaten 3 ice creams since Tuesday, and the docs have stopped them, so as I type I am waiting on instruction as what they want me to do, and what they want to eat, if anything!!

So far not a lot to report this morning, but I am sure as the day progresses that will change!!!

Saturday Morning

It has been 4 days since since his operation, and wee Bernie is in pain!!! The doctors were going to give him another pain medication on top of the morpehin, but have decided against it as it thins the blood and they do not want that due to him going back into theatre on Tuesday and the risk of bleeding!!!!

Jim slept at the hospital last night again, he seems to get comfort when one of us is here at all times, so it has been quite tiring, but the Lord will give us the strength, both physically and emotionally.

This morning the doctors came in and said that his CT scan showed a nodule on his lung!!!! They want to do a skin test for TB today, so pray that, that will come back negative and that it will not be anything more sinister!!!!

Thanks for all your prayers, we really do feel them!!!! Keep them coming.

Caroline

The Prayers of the pure in heart

......Hope said.....

.........Hi Jim,

I’m at work so I can’t view all the You Tube videos, but what I could see blows me away! What this precious little one has to endure! God love him and spare him from the pain! What a miraculous thing, I am in awe of the doctors and technology. Wasn’t Wed. nite amazing?? God brought so many people to the study, He knew you would have us pray as a community, and pricked the spirit of every one of us to be there that night, and the room was packed!

God is so good, and so amazing!!

We have been watching the blog since Wed. nite, please know the Nichol family and little Brano is in our constant prayers.

Love, The Tarrant Family

Dear Hope,

On Wednesday night we worshiped -we gave God his place with the word- the as we prayed for Nate and Janine Heitzig- Leny and Melinda Engle it was just so good and so pure.

To break into groups of 2 or more and then just ask God for his help was real and natural.

I pray Nate and Janine have another child time is on their side.

I pray Lenya will write many more devotionals and motivate many woman towards a Godly life.

I pray Melinda Engle will raise her son and daughters with much color and much Vibrancy in her life.

I seen -prayers answered as Branos little foot started to move-as the surgeons still there at 10 pm checked for signals at the tip of the toes.

Where else can we go but to the lord.

Simply your pal

jim

Psalm 121:1 A PSALM of Hope
. I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Surgery Video

Warning Graphic surgery procedures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVbiz3GwwCw

The operation in 3D- The technology is incredible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGCGrI8jXaY

I am in CHLA on Friday morning Bran has had a good night ....he is on the edge of pain but he is getting 5 star treatment..........

Bran Is out of ICU he is a little delirious but doing well

He is moving his toes and is past stage one.

Check out the video and you will be blown away at what they are actually doing

jim

You Tube operation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA9h4hrJBhE

Watch Branos LA Doc in action

This is the Doctor and the exact procedure that Bran is going though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCAmnkHf-9U

CH LA ICU The day Poverty and Mercy Clashed

Rev 21:4

……God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain………..

My! How this child has affected us, as a family has been immense.

The petty little problems of life are so small compared to the plight of millions of children across the world, in deep need!

I was cut to the heart on Wednesday night as I arrived at ICU –CHLA around 10pm.I was taken into an area where Angels were in operation as Nurses and Doctors gave intense treatment to some really sick children.

The love, the devotion and the care I witnessed in CHLA was incredible. Surrounded by a sea of monitors, sensors screens and wires it was like being in a space station where every breath and every move made is checked rechecked and monitored by NASA.

Amidst the technology …there lays a little child grasping for life and panting for air, eyes swollen and whimpering on the edge of a fine balance of Morphine and pain.

Brano (we will settle on Brano- I wanted to call him Bono but somebody else has that name)

He lies on his side just able to open his eyes and clasp Caroline's finger, he whimpers as I speak and say a few words in Amharic.

He has not said much since he came- he has a lot to say now, to hear a child in Amharic in pain and be unable to understand is ……it’s just hard.

The love I feel for this child - is immense, he has only been in my life for around two weeks and yet he has changed my life forever.

Brano Heptu is poverty in high definition-no parents, a 7 year old sister 8 Km away form school being raised by an uncle, the average life span age in Addis is 40-45…. life is so hard. The child has nothing. The only possession he had when he came was a bag of mending kid's clothes, and a little black cross.

This is a divine moment where a people from CA can bless one who has so little with so much, In essence two cultures have met, and poverty and mercy have clashed at a junction brokered by mending kids.

This is the least we can do, to love a helpless child who really needs help.

Where is God in all this suffering?

My how we have wandered away from the original design for the Garden of Eden. I understand how people can Question the existence of God when they see such pain and suffering in innocent Children.

I also understand that this was not Gods design or his plan for mankind. I believe this suffering will end and one day God will wipe away every tear of every innocent child, a day comes when there will be no more suffering.

Understanding why it’s allowed to continue at all is hard; the limits of the human intellect blur at Gods timetable his plans his ways.

My friends this is not the time to debate it’s the time to do.

Our lives our church has been impacted we will never be the same, one of my life’s missions is now to get resource and foster families for Mending kids………mending kids is not words it the real deal its action…!

I type with a heavy heart. I have just dropped Beth off at school; our house is empty without Carrie she just fills up our lives with everything.

I went home last night and the dogs were loading up the Car to leave and move out. Chris and I are walking them but they miss the buzz around the house.

I need to finish and get back to work.

Two things I need to say.

The People of Ocean Hills Church are superb.

I have seen people write checks to mending kids-I have seen the Karen's and the Patti’s travel with Caroline-the toys and the presents, the clothes the kindness The Ethiopian interpreters that have came to the surface…………the Ocean of compassion has engulfed Brano……….he is drowning in stuffed animals and gifts

Ocean hills-what a community of people to be sick in quilts, food cards, not words real people, babysitters. …Real people who really care…

Our pals Gus and Kelly. As I entered ICU there were four beds, Brano with Caroline and in the corner to my left our friend Kelly holding a baby called Mia, Major facial issues, her mother from India exasperated very young and finding it hard to cope –she left went back to Ron Macdon,……Kelly left holding the baby.

Such love such friendship such dedication, just the automatic reaction to hold and to cleave those who are sick…

Gus and Kelly you are symbolic of the heart of Ocean.

We’ll get by with a little help form our friends.

Your pal

Jim

Long Day!!!

Yesterday was a long day!!!

Bernie and I woke about 4.30 and arrived at the hospital at 5.15am!!!!!

The wee man just does as he is told and there's never any question. He was examined to make sure that he was healthy and then up the stairs to wait for the surgery.

7.00am and Bernie got the sedation to make him sleepy, oh boy!!!!!, did it ever, he fell fast asleep!!!

Around 7.20am the staff noticed that our paperwork was not in order as they needed more signatures. Mending Kids managed to do their special magic and got it the paperwork in order.

9am and they wheeled him into surgery!!!! He was now in the hands of Dr Skaggs and God.

Not too sure if Dr Skaggs knows our God, if he does not, I am sure that he most have felt a presence in the room that was stong and mighty, and if he does, he would have known exactly who it was, and that our friends and family were fervently praying and on their knees.

The surgery was long, and there was a little hiccup at the end where Dr Skaggs had already came out and told me that the operation had went well and that plastics were now in place getting ready to put him together again.

The team noticed that they had lost signals from his lower limbs!!!! so Dr Skaggs went back in and released the tension from his spine by 1.5cm and it did the job.

By 6pm Bernie was in ICU and now recovering.

He is a poor wee soul, pray for God's peace in his wee spirit and that he would calm him and take away any pain that he may be in, may God through his holy spirit pour in all the love that is coming from many people.

There are so many hurting families in the hospital through sickness, I pray that if they do not know Christ as their personal Saviour they will find him, as I do not know how they manage to through these trials without the strength of God.

Take time today and look around you and see what you have, house, car, mother, father, children, bed, clothes, food, water, the list goes on and on!!!!!! thank God for all these wonderful things that he has given to us, as in a heartbeat they can also be taken away. Parents give your children a hug, kids tell your parents that you love them. I am more than positve that wee Bernie would love to get a hug from his mamma, and tell her that he loved her!!!!!!

This experience with wee Bernie so far has been many different feelings within my heart, but I know one thing, no matter what happens from here, I am a changed person.

Will try and post today once I have been to the hospital.

Thanks. X

The BIG day has arrived!!!!

Well today Berhanu and I drove up to LA and met with Karen for his pre-op appointment. Everything went well.

We also met up with the film crew again and they got some good footage of Bernie riding his bike round the garden, it was so cute!!!! and also scary at the same time. Unknown to him by this time tomorrow he will be through the first stage of back surgery.

After we were finished with the crew we went to the zoo, where we spent the rest of the day.

Right now I am in Ronald McDonald House just beside the hospital as Bernie has to be at the hospital for 5.30am!!!!! He is fast asleep after speaking to Bethany for half an hour on the cell phone (don't ask me!!!! I do not know how someone who cannot speak a word of English can speak to someone who cannot speak a word of Amharic for half an hour!!!!!).

Please pray for wee Bernie that God keeps his wee body strong through this long operation, and that our GREAT physician leads Dr Skaggs hands. We thank the Lord for Dr Skaggs and his team. Pray for each person that enters that operating theatre tomorrow, that they will feel something different, and that something being the power of prayer.

Thanks once again, will keep you posted through out the day tomorrow.

I am hoping to attach a photograph of Bernie with his pumpkin that we carved tonight before he went to bed.

And so the story unfolds......?

Hi Jim,

thanks for your kind words. At the moment, I'm in the amsterdam

airport, heading to Ethiopia.

Yeah, I really like Berhanu as well.

Here's what my volunteer, Chloe, wrote about Berhanu:

While most 8 year olds spend their day in a 2nd grade classroom,

Berhanu Haptu spends his day helping his elderly grandmother with her

daily chores and caring for his 7 year old sister. When asks what he

wants to e when he grows up, Berhanu ponders, , looking towards the

sky, before slowly answering "stoo-dint." The closest school is 6

kilometers, away, and with Berhanu's poor health, the daily roundtrip

commute of 12 kms makes school impossible for Berhanu.

Both of Berhanu's parents died before he was old enough to remember,

and his 24 year old uncle has assumed the multiple roles of mother,

father, and legal guardian. His uncle, Sisai, is a 10th grade high

school student as well as a farmer and primary caregiver for his

nephew, niece, and mother. The family earns their living by leasing

their small plot of land and reaping a quarter of the farmer's yearly

harvest. Sisay is not able to quantify their yearly income monetarily,

but can only tell me that a good harvest will yield them 6 quintile

(600 kgs) of dura, a type of wheat.

Berhanu is soft and gentle and sidles up to me as his uncle speaks,

eager to examine my fingers, separating them one by one. Berhanu's own

hand remains hidden under the worn cuff of his sweatshirt, a deformed

claw with 3 fingers. It is, as he believes, that by hiding it he has

convinced himself that it is not there. I roll up his sleeve to play

with his hand the same way he plays with mine, but he is quick to

catch me before I complete the first roll of fabric. He looks up with

a sheepish smile. It is interesting to me that Berhanu is so much more

self-conscious about his congenital deformities of his hand than the

exaggerated sickle curve of his spine, but perhaps, in his 8 year old

way, he is choosing his battles. I want to tell him that both battles

can be fought, But I am afraid the ruin the silence of our exchange.

Berhanu's dream is to 1 day be a student. Mine is that he may one day

let me play with his hand the same way he plays with mine.

I am about to send 10 patients to Ghana for spine surgery. If you know

anyone interested in help to fund this (about $12K a kid), let me

know.

My mom lives in Laguna Niguel, and I'm happy to meet you folks next

time I'm on the west coast, and talk about future projects.

Best wishes and thanks,

Rick

To The man who has mended many kids........In Ethiopia

Dear Doctor Rodes,
How are you?
How are things in Addis in Ethiopia.
Can I simply say thanks....!

My wife Caroline and I have fostered Brahnau Haptu.
He is a delightful child who is about to undergo surgery for Scoliosis at CHLA...........via the mending Kids program.
His back ,His arm and his hearing problem along with a very slight Heart murmur make him the meekest wee man that ever lived.

We are so blessed to be able to support him at this point in time.
It is our intention to Love him and show him as much kindness and affection during these trying times in his life.

I feel I simply want to say a sincere Thanks - on behalf on mankind for what you are doing. Although we have never met, your reputations goes before you.......truly you are a genuinely kind and compassionate individual.
In CHLA you are simply a hero...!

Your life is a life of great significance...........
I stand in awe of your contribution to the fight against pain and suffering.

Is it true you have adopted children....?

If you can give us any more information on Branhues history that would be great.
(At time of typing it is 10pm in San Juan Capistarno-Branhue has just came into my office area had a little look around and went back to where my wife is in the kitchen- he has his cute little Pajamas on...!)

Please write back and tell us how we can assist you............I work at www.oceanhillschurch.com
We would like to send a container from our church in California....to you for free.
The question is what do you really need what could we put in the container..........I was involved a number of years ago sending a container to Sierra Leone.
We put a tractor and plowing implement inside..........we then packed the container with clothes and medical supplies, that could be used in Sierra Leone.
I have a Vision of a container being packed in CA loaded at long beach and sent to you..........

Brahanhue is two things.....he is a precious soul in need of help-he is also a walking commercial for mending kids..........we want the world to know and to help good people like you who are on the front line..........

Simply how can we help –can we do anything for you.........?

Jim Nicol

Brano Goes to San diego Wild life park........

Day of much needed rest!!!!

Today we had a much needed day of rest. We went to the mall and looked at the puppies and also went on a bike ride round the neighborhood twice!!!!

Bernie is talking up a storm!! He and Bethany are bonding so well, it makes my heart warm and mooshy.

Tomorrow we are hoping to go to San Diego Animal Park with Gus and Kelly, so photos tomorrow.

Hi Ho Hi Ho is off to Animal Park we Go!!!!

CH LA THE BARN HUE WAY

Marathon Day!!!!!!

Well, today started real early in the Nicol household this morning with a 5am wake up call for mum!!!!!!

We had to be at the hospital at 9.15am, and for anyone that knows the LA traffic at that time in the morning knows that it is horrendous!!!!

Well hi ho hi ho, it's off to the hospital we go!!!!

First appointment....... MRI and CT scan. Berhanu did not like getting his IV in and he cried for the first time, poor wee soul!!!!! Jim and I went down to the caffeteria and met up with the filming crew again!! (Ahhhh) and had a much needed something to eat. We were told that the two scans would take two hours, so what better way to pass time, than to talk to a camera crew and eat!!!

Second appointment........... cardiology, where they detected a heart murmur, but nothing too serious (thank the Lord), still camera crew in tow!!! Everything was good with his heart.

Third and most important appointment...............Dr Skaggs, orthopedic, the surgeon that will do his surgery. Dr Skaggs had a look at Berhanu's scans and decided that the operation would be too much to do in one surgery!!!!!!! so Berhanu will get his first back surgery on 21st October and his second 6 days later!!!!. Not what we expected, but it is for Berhanu's best interest as the surgery was lengthy and also he will get better results. Jim and I looked at a book with before and after pictures and they are amazing!!!! We pray that wee Bernie will get as good as, if not better results. The one thing that really impressed me about Dr Skaggs was, his young son came to visit with his dad, and to me that speaks volumes. Jim and I were told about the procedure and all the goes on during the operation and all the possibilites that could happen, but we are believing and trusting in God, that He will guide this surgeon's hands as God is the Great Physician, and that all things will be well.

Last but by no means least, Noreen (the lady who works at CHLA, but does all the appointments for Mending Kids International) managed to get us in to see the hand surgeon today insted of Monday, so that was a blessing. The doctor said that Bernie had only part of his arm and hand, and that his wee thumb was a floating thumb, and that means it is not attached to anything, so he said that the best thing for Bernie would be to take the little thumb off and move one of his two fingers to where his thumb would have been, so that he could pick things up and do lots of different tasks.

Still the camera crew were filming through all the different appointments, so all I can say now is "Where is my trailer, and that's a wrap, and does anyone have any lippy?"

After finishing at the hospital, we took Bernie to an Ethiopian Restaurant, he loved it and ate everything in sight, Jim and I.................. well, just between you and I, it was not our favourite food, but we would take Bernie back........................with a packed lunch for us!!!!!

Jim and I are just home with Bernie who is fast asleep, and the time is 10pm (long day)

Seriously, pray that God's will will be done and His mighty hand on this wee soul and to protect him from coughs and anything else, and also that he would continue putting on weight at the speed that he has been!!!!

Thanks to everyone for their love and support in lots of ways, Jim and I and the rest of the Nicol Clan really do appreciate it.

Keep the prayers coming

toys R us

First visit to Toys r us

Just smile

Brahn Noo Rides his little red bike

2lbs ON!!!!!!!! yipeee!!!!!

On Monday Jim had a brilliant idea?????? get wee Bernie a bike!!!!!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho to Toys are Us we go. Three hours later and about 10 bikes later.......................we came home with half of the store!!!!

Bernie loves his new bike, so much that I renamed him, Stunt Man.............he is a maniac!!!

He loves to go fast, so much so that Jim had to attach a long pole to the back of the bike so that he could keep control of him.

Bernie is coming out of his shell so much in the house, he giggles and laughs and is trying to say everything that we tell him!!!! He is still very shy outside the house and is not too sure with lots of people.

Today, he had his second appointment at the hospital, and yes, he put on 2lbs in 5 days!!!!! so good!!!! I wish I could loose 2lbs in 5 days!!!!!

The doctor was mostly happy with him, but did say that he still needed to put on some weight and get nutritional better. We will put him on a mult-vitimin for children and pray that this helps. I am also going to be getting carnantion instant breakfast as that seems to be full of goodness for him.

Bernie also got a small hearing test and his right ear did not seem to be hearing, so pray that when he sees the specialist that he does have hearing in his ear.

Tonight when I was folding up the laundry, he came and helped me to fold and then proceeded to have a throwing sock fight with me, boy, he has some shot on him for such a small creature!!!

Tomorrow is a big day for him, he has an early appointment at 9.30 for an MRI and CT scan so he has to have nothing to eat after midnight and only clear liquids after that. Pray that he does not wake up too hungry. He then goes on to a 1.30 appointment with cardiology and then on to a 3.30 with orthopedics, this appointment is with Dr Skaggs who is going to determine whether Bernie is up for the operation, so pray God's will on this decision. It will then take us a while to get back down to San Juan, so pray for a good safe journey.

We are so happy to be sharing this blessed time in our lives with so many different people from different walks of life.

God's richest blessing to you and yours!!

Sunday 11th October

So far, so good!!!! Bernie is doing brilliant!!!

He has settled into the Nicol Clan fab.

Yesterday we went shoe shopping, and boy!!! he knows what he likes!!!! He tried on a pair of baseball boots and he loved them!!! only problem was, they were too small and trying to tell him that we would go to another store and get the right size was difficult!!! He was holding on to them with all his might. Thank goodness we found the right size!!! tears were stopped by an 11 1/2 pair of black and white pair of boots!!!

Bernie is still exhausted and fell asleep around 4pm and that really was him till 5am this morning!!!

his wee body clock is still all over the place, not to mention everything that he has been through in the past 3 to 4 weeks of his life!!!

Today we are taking him to church, Everyone has been hearing about him now for a few weeks, and they are so excited about finally meeting him!!!

We thank God for Jill Fawcett who introduced us to mending kids, without her and of course God's plan for our lives, we would never have had the sheer honor to look after this sweet young boy!!!!

Sorry there are no pictures this time round, as I am not as technical as Jim, but I promise to try harder the next time.

Thanks to everyone for all your gift's for Bernie, I am sure he is blown away, most of all, thanks for all your prayers and good wishes for him and The Nicol Clan.

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