Disney World

We just got back from a trip to Florida where we went to a big conference and then took a few days of vacation. We had a fantastic time seeing Bill's old friends in Brandon. We were surprised at how many people remembered him from his music internship days, and even youth group days, at Bell Shoals. Everyone welcomed us with open arms. I can't stress how much we needed the encouragement and prayers that we got during the conference.

Afterwards with went to Winter Park to stay with our good friend Fran. We had an extremely relaxing time with him when we went to Disney and then to New Smyrna to see his parents. I'll post pictures of New Smyrna later, but for now, enjoy our pics from Disney. I will say this, it was exactly what we needed after the month we had!

Poor Sam didn't get much sleep the entire trip, but he really did enjoy himself at Disney. All the sights and sounds were a little overwhelming at first and we didn't actually get to ride anything until about two hours in. I had to feed him, change him...this and that got in the way of actually doing anything at the park.

I was so excited when I found out we could go around Halloween-time. I've never been to Disney during Halloween and was excited about the decorations. The greenhouse at Disney put small pumpkins (the size of a grapefruit) into a Mickey mold and made whole Mickey-shaped pumpkins. Here we are just before getting kicked out (we didn't buy tickets for the Halloween Bash after 7pm and had to leave - but don't worry, I got three free tickets out of it!).

Here is Sam having his first bite of gigantic turkey leg. He LOVED it. It was a bit too heavy for him to hold alone though.

Sam took an instant liking to Fran and had to be held by him on more than one occasion. Fran even volunteered to keep Sam while we went on the Haunted Mansion ride. We were a bit nervous leaving him about 50 feet from us while we were inside, but Sam slept most of the fifteen minutes we were gone. Phew. Fran knew just how to make Sam happy.

Sam and I went on the Winnie the Pooh ride, which used to be Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. It was essentially the same ride, only a story from Winnie the Pooh was being told instead. I was a bit disappointed, actually, but Sam didn't care one bit. He loved it.

Here are the guys just before they went on Splash Mountain. Don't worry, Sam didn't go with them.

We've had our hands full since we have been back. It's a special week over at Southeastern and we got to set up a display table yesterday. We went to the fair with my brother and his wife last night and didn't make it home till late. I'm a bit delayed in emails right now, so please forgive me.

Happy Birthday Sam!!!

Sam's birthday is only two days away! He'll be the big ONE.


We had a great party yesterday at our home in Raleigh. We had a lot of folks come from all over to celebrate Sam's life. He even had two of his girlfriends come too.

We served NC BBQ and SC BBQ. SC BBQ is mustard-based and NC-style is vinegar-based. We had roasted sweet potatoes and red potatoes with parsley (for the kids too) and cole slaw with a veggie tray. It was delicious!


There were so many great photos. I'll try to describe each one and what is happening.

Sam having fun with his guests.

Sam's guests having fun with his toys.

Some of the taller guests enjoying BBQ sandwiches.

Looking forward to the sweetness.

Blowing out the candle.

Sam's first taste of sugar. I think he likes it!

And now for the PRESENTS!! Here's one from the Carsons.

Reading a book from Jenny

Investigating Aunt Beth's turtle.

Making music on his new piano from Nana.

"Hurry up Jenny!"

Look how big this gift from Grandmommy, Granddaddy, Uncle Adam and Aunt Kendall is!

A red Radio Flyer wagon!

Aunt Gina and Sam.

After the party, Sam and Nana having fun.

Pumpkin Pickin'

We went to Hillridge Farms yesterday to go pumpkin picking with Sam and Bill's mom, Gerry Ann. It was a little disappointing that they had actually purchased all of the pumpkins from Enloe, complete with barcode, and just set them out in a field. But, at least it was still a local pumpkin patch.

We had a great time! When we came home, there was a surprise waiting for us - or, more accurately, for Sam. It was a gift from his grandmommy and granddaddy in Thailand! We had his first birthday party today and it made it just in time. His actual birthday is on Tuesday, October 2nd. I'll post photos of that later.

Just to emphasize, Sam is a completely normal little boy. This defibrillator has not slowed him down one bit. He even got another tooth this week and a molar is coming in! That makes seven that are out so far. He'll be walking soon!

Brugada: What is it?

We went over to our neighbor's house today to play a little. They have a little girl named Eden, who's a few months younger, and Sam loves being with her. This is his very first pumpkin to touch.

This one looks like a wedding photo, in my opinion.

Lots of folks have been asking for a more succinct version of what happened with Sam over the last few weeks. Most of you got the daily blog update and a few newsletters, but I wanted to kind of put everything into perspective with this blog.

We'll start at the beginning:

October 2, 2006 - Sam is born and is extremely healthy. He has no health problems and is only on antibiotics once during the next 11 months.

Fast forward to:

August 23, 2007 - Sam wakes up with a fever. I gave him Tylenol, but it wasn't enough to cut the fever. It spiked around 11:30 in the morning to over 102 degrees and as a result he had a febrile seizure. We called an ambulance, they took us to Rex Emergency Room. Sam appeared to be recovering fine, so they sent us home and told us to give him Tylenol and Ibuprofen alternately for the fever. They think he has a summer virus because of a rash that appeared on his trunk at the hospital.

August 23, 2007 - At 8:30pm his fever spiked again to over 102 degrees and he had another seizure. We called 911, again, and this time the (very smart) EMT took an ECG of Sam on the way to Rex. Sam's heart rate was beating very very fast - they call it ventricular tachycardia, which prevents the blood from circulating properly in his body. The sirens come on and we jetted even faster to Rex. While at the Rex ER, Sam had several more abnormal ECGs. He was transferred to UNC Hospital for observation. He was given more medicine to keep his fever down, which stayed above 101 for the next two days, despite the meds.

August 25, 2007 - A cardiologist (we were in the pediatric cardiology ward) says they have contacted Dr. Buck, a specialist in rhythm. He has asked them to perform several tests to see if Sam has certain heart disorders. Brugada was one of the ones they checked on. Sam was discharged this day.

August 30, 2007 - I have a terrible headache and stiff neck. It was so bad I made Bill take me to the ER. I had a spinal tap and they determined I had viral meningitis. I was admitted to the hospital.

August 31, 2007 - Bill took Sam to see Dr. Buck regarding Sam's tests done at UNC. Dr. Buck says that Sam has something called Brugada Syndrome.

What is Brugada? "This is an inherited arrhythmia that causes the bottom chambers of the heart (the ventricles) to beat so fast that they can prevent the blood from circulating efficiently in the body. When this situation occurs (called ventricular fibrillation), the individual will faint and may die in a few minutes if the heart is not reset." (check http://www.brugada.org/ for more information)

The defibrillator will help reset his heart - it is a "safety net" for him.

Same day - Sam is put on a heart monitor during nap times and evening sleep to check if his heart is in danger. Bill's mother came up from SC to help. I am still in the hospital. We are told we qualify for a research study and Sam will have his blood checked for genetic markers of the disease. If he has them, we will be checked as well.

September 1, 2007 - I am released from the hospital, no longer contagious, with at least a month of recovery ahead of me.

September 5, 2007 - Sam has surgery to implant a defibrillator. It actually has to go into his belly because he is so little there is no other space for it. The leads are attached to his pericardial sac. They went in through his chest - a small part of his sternum was cut. While he was being transferred to his hospital bed, the device malfunctioned and shocked him 20 times in 24 minutes (with us watching). Poor little guy. The therapy portion of the device was shut off for the next few days to monitor him and figure out what went wrong.


September 9, 2007 - We all determined it would be okay to turn the device back on. There were no misfires and Sam was released on September 11, 2007.

September 14, 2007 - Bill and I have ECGs to see if we are in the clear. Bill's has a slight abnormality, but nothing has been determined. Mine was fine. Sam was also checked out this day and is doing well.

To this day there have been no misfires of the defibrillator. We count it a blessing to have Dr. Buck as our cardiologist. He has treated Sam so well and has been meticulously scrutinizing the device and Sam. Sam has a few problems with his bowels now, because the device (adult-size device, by the way) is so large and is pushing on his tummy.

September 24, 2007 - 10:10am Sam has an appointment with his pediatrician
September 28, 2007 - 8:00am Sam has an appointment with Dr. Buck, cardiologist

We are so grateful for everyone's help during this time. As you can see, it happened in only a matter of weeks. It has been life-changing, but we know God is in control.

At the Park

We are trying so hard to return our lives to some semblance of normalcy. I guess the fact that we're "trying" proves that it's not normal, but maybe one day...a girl can dream, right?

Sam's recovering well - he is doing everything he should be doing at this season of his life. Today he even got up from a sitting position in the middle of the living room floor and just stood there for a long time, looking at me. I had time to call Bill in to look and Sam still just stood there. Bill's mother is visiting and she is really hoping he will walk during her trip. He might just.

He's having some real trouble with his tummy right now - apparently the defibrillator is squishing his insides a bit so he's not sleeping through the night because of gas pains, he's spitting up again and he's just plain uncomfortable. So, we've started him on Prevacid and Mylanta and we'll see how that does. Not much we can do except wait for him to grow into it. If you want to see a picture of it, scroll down a bit to my last post.

I went to my doctor yesterday and he told me meningitis is actually considered a "major" illness. I was shocked. He said it'd be a while before I will feel normal again. So, with everything that my doc said, Bill is (strongly) encouraging me to rest more. But, I convinced him it would be fun for all of us to go to the park today. Here are some photos...

Sam loved driving the truck.

We rode the swing together, but riding it alone seemed to be his favorite. Look how teeny weeny he seems.

We went to Goodberry's Frozen Custard afterwards or a treat. Sam loved walking around the brick wall.

Tonight we took pictures of Sam's curly hair. We're cutting it tomorrow since it's in his eyes. It'll be his third haircut, but I'm always scared that the next haircut will take away his beautiful curls. I thought some pictures would help me remember.

We were playing a funny game together, so he was laughing a lot.

Sam's Device - graphic photos

I am posting some pictures of Sam we took yesterday. Some of the ones lower on the page are a little graphic. So, if you've got a weak stomach, you may not want to look.




Here I am kissing his new belly. The surgeon put Sam's defibrillator into his lower right belly, since there is no room anywhere else in his body. Usually, on an older patient, they would put it in the upper left part of his chest. But, the device is large (about 2.5 inches in diameter) and Sam is still so tiny. After about five years they will replace it with a new one (because the battery will wear out by then). Hopefully by that time there will be better technology to make it even smaller.
Here is Sam checking out the bulge. It's quite big, don't you think?

From the Klears

This is Teesa writing, finally! I just want to say thank you to each of you for your prayers and support of us during this difficult time. Our church, Bay Leaf, my parent's church, Tabernacle, and family and friends have all helped us so much with meals, prayers and even monetary support. We are so grateful for the tangible outpouring of love, as well as the bruised knees each of you has from praying so hard.

We can see God's hand in this situation beginning as long ago as six years, when we first started trying to get pregnant. We saw His hand last year when I was having difficulties with pre-term labor and we see His hand now as He has spared our son's life (again).

Thank you thank you thank you. We are indebted to each of you.

We are back online and will be sending out a mass email tomorrow, after Sam's cardiology appointment (at 8:30am). At that time, Bill and I will also be tested for Brugada Syndrome via an ECG, since this disease is hereditary (there is a 50% chance someone in one of our families has it). My father has already been tested and does not have any indication of the disease. Our families will be getting tested soon too.

We had another good night's sleep last night and my headache hurts less every day. Keep praying for healing for the two of us! Also, my older brother, Seth, has been diagnosed with Typhoid Fever. Please pray for a quick healing for him too.

The above picture is of Sam's new scar. I'll post another one later where he isn't so swollen - you can actually see the device outlined in his skin now since he's so skinny. It seems enormous, but he'll grow into it.

Teesa, Bill and Sam

Oh, and I forgot to say a BIG thanks to Julie for keeping up with the blog every day. Now that's devotion!

Doing well so far

Bill says he had a "great!" night last night. It seems all the Klears were able to sleep well and get decent rest. Teesa did have a headache when we spoke earlier today and she said the doctors said the headaches would probably continue for several more days to come. Please continue to pray that the defibrillator will continue to work properly and that the Klears will all be able to get good rest. Please pray for continued healing for Sam and for Teesa.

Thanks!!

Pictures: At the Hospital

Sam in his hospital crib.

With Bill and a toy apple he got to take home.

Sam was allowed to move about freely in this wagon. Here are some pictures of Sam being wheeled around his ward.

Here he is lounging - yawning - I guess he was a bit tired.

This is Sam's favorite nurse, Holly. She is from Mainland China and spoke Chinese to Sam. Sam said his first Chinese word with her.



On the day we left the hospital.

Home At Last

Sam's defibrillator gave no alerts last night, so the doctors discharged Sam from the hospital this afternoon and gave special "handling instructions" to Bill and Teesa. Sam does still have a lot of pain from his surgery, but they are able to manage it with Tylenol. Bill and Teesa will take Sam to the cardiologist on Friday to check how things are going up to that time.

Teesa's headaches are lingering, but have diminished a great deal since her initial bout with meningitis. As you can imagine they are all more exhausted today than yesterday (and they were already very exhausted yesterday), so hopefully they will be able to rest much better now that they are back in familiar surroundings. Please pray for Teesa's continued healing and for rest for both Bill and Teesa. Teesa asked specifically that you pray for safety for Sam and that she and Bill will not be overly paranoid about leaving Sam alone in his room for naps and while he's sleeping at night.

Thank you so much for your faithful prayer over these weeks for Bill and Teesa. I know they sincerely appreciate it and your continued petitions on their behalf.

First 24 hours with therapy side activated

There were no alerts from the defibrillator since they turned on the therapy side yesterday. The doctor's tested the pacemaker portion of the device today and as a whole the defib seems to be working properly. They will continue to monitor the defib overnight and if Bill, Teesa and the doctor's are comfortable with the results, Sam could be discharged tomorrow. If they are not comfortable, Sam could be in the hospital up to two more days (discharge on Thursday). Please continue to pray for Sam's healing and for the issue with the defib to truly be corrected.

Last night the Klears had a terrible night and got no sleep--Constant interruptions and poor little Sam with gassy tummy issues. The doctors did have the IV port removed, so that point of irritation and pain should be getting better now. Sam continues to nurse and eat solids well.

Teesa asks once again specifically for prayer for rest. (Of course exhaustion increases the stress level of an already stressful situation.) Thank you for taking the time to continually lift up Sam, Bill and Teesa, and their extended families in prayer.

Second night of testing

Teesa wasn't able to talk for long, but here's the update. There were no false positive readings last night, so the doctors have turned on the therapy side of the defibrillator, and will monitor the device, both sides working together, for 48 hours. The doctors want to be confident that the defibrillator is working properly and they want Bill and Teesa to feel comfortable with the situation before they take Sam home.

Sam is doing well, except for some tummy troubles last night. Teesa was able to leave the room and get some fresh air for a few minutes today while Sam napped. Please continue to pray that the doctors will catch any remaining problems with the defib before the Klears leave the hospital, but also pray that Sam will not need further surgery. Continue to pray for healing for Sam and Teesa and for sound rest for all the Klears (of course there are still many interruptions during the night.)

Thanks for lifting these and all the other requests you can think of up to our Father.

First night of testing

Teesa called after she, Bill and Sam spent a little time in the play room. The results of the first night of testing with the detector set to its highest sensitivity produced no double counting of heartbeats. So, the doctor reset the sensitivity this afternoon to the "take home" setting and that will be monitored over night. If that shows no double counts, the plan is to turn the therapy side of the defib on tomorrow and monitor the whole device working together for 48 hours.

The general atmosphere is positive, but all (Sam included) are functioning in a state of exhaustion. Sam has not been napping well, and is having more pain, especially at the IV port in his arm. Bill and Teesa have interruptions to their sleep during the night. It is an extremely stressful time for the entire family, but it is such a testimony to see the entire family coming together in this situation to minister to each other.

Teesa has especially asked for prayer for rest--for Sam to nap well and for she and Bill to get sound rest while they sleep at night. Pray that the Spirit's presence will help to ease the stress that Bill and Teesa (as well as their extended families) are experiencing. Pray also for Sam's pain, especially concerning the IV port. Please also pray for the tests on the defib to give the doctors an accurate picture of how the device is working, so they can detect further issues before Bill and Teesa take Sam home.

Thank you all for your continued prayer support!

The Darling

The part of the defibrillator that delivers the shock is called the "therapy" side. The therapy side of Sam's defib has been turned off since it malfunctioned Wednesday evening, but the doctors have been monitoring the other side of the device that detects the heart beat and determines whether or not it is normal. For the past 36 hours there have been no false positives (a false positive occurs when the device detects a double heart beat that didn't actually occur), so over the next four days the doctors will adjust the detector to two different sensitivity levels to see if it gives any false positives. The last two days of the testing they will turn on the therapy side of the defib to see if the whole device will work properly at the normal (at home) settings.

It sounds straight forward, but even after the doctors conferred with the engineers and programmers at the manufacturer no one knows what caused the defib to malfunction in the first place. So even if all the test results indicate the problem seems to be solved, there is still the uncertainty of whether or not it will malfunction again. If the tests do not go well, then it is likely that they will need to go back in to change or replace the leads. But that still does not necessarily guarantee that all will be well with the defib.

There is so much uncertainty in this situation and so much to pray for. Bill asks that you continue to pray for insight for the doctors, but even more that you pray for he and Teesa to have enough trust that the device will work properly when the time comes to leave the hospital. Pray also for a strong sense of God's presence over the coming days to know and trust that God is in control and He will make things alright.

On a more positive note, Sam is improving steadily. He is eating well and his body seems to be prossessing the milk well, so they are regularly changing wet diapers. The bandage has been removed from the incision and much of the swelling has gone down. He is keeping up a chatter and is a little annoyed that he isn't allowed to play with all the wires. The nurses call him the darling of the [5th] floor.

Teesa seems to be regaining more strength everyday, and the headaches are easing a little. She and Bill could both use more rest, though.

Thank you for your efforts to stay current and pray.

Picture

This was taken yesterday (9/6/2007).

Here's a picture taken at around 9:45am Friday (9/7/2007).

A Better Day

Adam says the atmosphere in the hospital room is very positive today. The doctor came by last night after I spoke with Teesa. The doctors think that there is a good possibility that the problem can be corrected remotely. They have still not turned on the part of the device that sends the shocks, because they want to be sure they have corrected the problem before they turn it back on. Sometime today one of their doctors plans to talk with the manufacturer of the software to get his input on the situation. If the doctors are confident that the problem is corrected, they could turn on the "shocking" part of the device later today. If the problem cannot be corrected remotely, they will have to do another surgery to change the lead or replace the whole unit. Last night the doctor also gave Bill and Teesa detailed instructions of how and when to use the magnetic "donut" to turn off Sam's defibrillator in an emergency.

All the Klears slept hard and well last night. Sam's swelling is going down. He was able to nurse the morning and had a pretty good appetite. Sam will be in the hospital at least until Sunday, under the observation of the doctors. Please continue to pray that Sam will not need further surgery and that his body will continue to heal well. Pray for wisdom and insight for the doctors and technical personnel that are working on Sam's defib issue. Pray for Teesa's continued improvement, for Bill's strength, and for rest for all the Klears.

Teesa also asks that you pray for Justin and his son, Micah. Micah is about 7 or 8 months old and will be having surgery today to give him a portion of Justin's liver. They will be performing the surgery at Duke.

Thank you so much for your continued involvement with us in prayer and encouragement.

Waiting for the assessment

Teesa called this morning. Sam was heavily medicated through the night but still he didn't get sound sleep. Neither did Bill and Teesa. The defibrillator seems to be "double counting" Sam's heart beats and that's why it was shocking him yesterday. The doctors do not know why this is happening. The data has been sent to the manufacturer for assessment so that the next step can be determined. The manufacturer's rep is on hand to help with the adjustments. The doctors hope that they can reprogram Sam's device remotely, but there is a possibility that they will have to physically go back in to tweak the device or replace it. Teesa continues to have severe headaches and neither she nor Bill have eaten very well since yesterday. Pray for insight for the doctors and that they can fix the problem remotely. Pray for strength for Bill and Teesa.

Thanks.

An update on the defibrillator

Thank you for keeping the Klears in prayer. When I spoke with Teesa, she said that the doctors and the tech from the defibrillator's manufacturer were somehow able to get the device working again this morning. The doctor's still are not sure what caused the problem with the device in the first place, so they are still monitoring the situation closely. There is still a possibility that the problem is with one of the leads to the heart, so if that is the problem, the doctors will have to operate again. The Klear's primary prayer request at this time is for the issue with the device to be corrected without additional surgery.

Sam is swollen from the surgery and is in pain, but he seems to be recovering well, so the doctors are trying to medicate him just enough to ease the pain, help him rest, and keep him from being too active in these first days as he recouperates. The doctors ran an EKG on Sam's heart and it showed no damage from the trauma yesterday. Sam woke up today around 4:30 pm calm and alert, and he has been "talking" some too.

The doctor should be around sometime tomorrow morning. I'll have more information for you then. Thank you so much for your prayers and kindness. They are sincerely appreciated.

Please continue to pray for Teesa's healing. She is slowly regaining her strength. Today she was able to walk around. Please pray for Bill's strength and for both Bill and Teesa as they try to get rest there in Sam's ICU room tonight.

Urgent

Evidently the sensitivity of the defibrillator is not set properly, so that it began sending shocks through Sam's heart for no reason. This went on for nearly half an hour, while Bill and Teesa looked on, helpless. When the doctor arrived he turned off the part of the device that sends the shocks and they will be monitoring his heart overnight. In the morning they will assess what needs to be done. They do not expect to have to open him up again, but there is a possibility of that if they cannot correct the problem by remote.

Please pray for this problem to be resolved and for Bill and Teesa as they cope with this new complication.

In Recovery

I just talked to Teesa's brother, Adam, from the hospital. Sam was still in the recovery room, but he was awake, and the doctor said that he was very pleased with the surgery. They did not have to cut into the sternum as much as they thought would be necessary, despite the fact that Sam is the youngest patient they have performed this surgery on. The doctor commented about how strong Sam's heart is because they had difficulty inducing a quiver in his heart to test the defibrillator. They did finally induce a quiver and the defibrillator worked properly. Sam will spend at least the first 24 hours in the P-ICU, possibly the entire 3 days if a bed in the "step-down" unit does not become available. Please pray for Sam's quick recovery and healing, and that his body will easily adapt to the defibrillator. Pray for Bill and Teesa as they care for him and that they will get sufficient sound rest while Sam's in the hospital.

Bill is doing well and they are both very happy that the surgery is successfully completed. Teesa had a huge headache earlier in the day, but it had subsided when I spoke with Adam. Please continue to pray for her healing.

God continues to show his mighty hand. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Our Redeemer

Isaiah 43:4 -7

This is what the Lord, our Creator, says to his people:

"Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!'
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth--
Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him."

Surgery Details

Bill and his mother took Sam in for his pre-operation appointment today. Teesa had such a severe headache that she could not stand up this morning, so she did not get to go. She is disheartened that she was not able to participate in that visit. Please pray for her healing right now, specifically for the swelling to go down that is causing the headaches so that the headaches will subside. Please pray for renewed physical strength for Teesa and for continued strength for Bill as they will be spending the next several days at the hospital with Sam. Pray that Bill and Teesa will both be able to rest soundly despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements at the hospital. Pray especially that they will continue to rest in Jesus as they trust his power and goodness.

The Klears must be at the hospital at 10:45am tomorrow morning and Sam's surgery should begin around 1pm. The surgery is expected to take about 2 hours. Sam should be out of recovery between 4pm and 5pm. He will be in Pediatric ICU (at UNC Children's Hospital) for at least the first 24 hours of his stay, but possibly for the full 3 days if a "step-down" room does not become available. The surgeons will be installing a defibrillator through an incision made down his breastbone. Of course this surgery is very serious, so please pray that it goes smoothly and that there will be no complications. Pray for Sam's body to heal quickly and completely.

Bill and Teesa continue to express their gratitude to everyone for your gifts, meals, and especially your prayers.

Pray for Teesa's brother and Bill's mother as they will be spending the day at the hospital with the Klears.

A Day Closer

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for your prayers! Teesa is showing slow but noticable improvement today. She was up for a 3-minute stretch before her head began to hurt. To prevent the headaches, she must remain lying down, and this coupled with the effects of the illness has sapped her strength. Please continue to pray for the headaches to subside while she is sitting or standing, and pray also for her to regain her physical strength. Please also pray for Teesa's milk production to keep up so that it will be available for Sam to get the nourishment he needs, both going into and healing from his surgery.

Another answered prayer is that the heart monitor only alarmed once last night, so there were less interruptions to Bill's sleep. Thank you for continuing to pray that there will be no cause for the monitor to alarm during the night and that Bill and Teesa will get regenerating sleep.

Sam is his happy little active self, completely unaware of his upcoming surgery. Bill and Teesa are keeping him inside and are keeping him from getting overly excited (i.e. only relatively calm activities and only short bouts of crying allowed) so that his temperature does not go above 100 degrees (as advised by the doctor). Tomorrow the Klears have a pre-operation appointment with the surgeon and will learn more details about Sam's surgery scheduled for Wednesday. Please continue to pray for Sam's safety, strength and healing.

It's such a joy to hear of the overwhelming love that has been ministered to the Klears. They express such deep appreciation to each of you for your prayers, dinners and other assistance. Please continue to forward this!
If you would like to offer assistance to the Klears, please call 919-870-7753.

Klear update

Today the Klears are doing just okay. Sam's monitor alarmed every hour last night, so Bill got no real sleep. Please pray that Bill will get good rest when he has the opportunity today and that there will not be reason for the monitor to alarm as frequently during the night.

Teesa is resting but continues to have headaches. She is not contagious now, but she will still have the viral meningitis for another 12-14 days. Please pray for complete healing for Teesa, especially that the swelling in her brain will go down quickly and for relief from the headaches.

The surgery to insert a defibrillator in Sam's heart will be performed at UNC Children's Hospital sometime on Wednesday morning. Please pray for Sam's safety and that there will be no complications as his body adapts to the defibrillator. The doctors believe Sam has Brugada Syndrome. For more information about this condition go to http://www.brugada.org/. Here is an excerpt from an email from Bill with more of the specifics on Sam's condition:

"After consulting many ECG readings and examinations, he believes that Sam has Brugada Syndrome, a type of "arrhythmia that causes the bottom chambers of the heart (the ventricles) to beat so fast that they can prevent the blood from circulating efficiently in the body." This is quite dangerous. Therefore, on Wednesday (time yet unknown) Sam will undergo surgery to place a small defibrillator inside his body which will detect any malfunction in the rhythm of his heart and apply a small shock to reset its proper beat pattern. The cardiologist believes that a recurrence would be unlikely, however considering the possible outcome the defibrillator will provide a welcomed safety net."

Bill and Teesa ask that you pray for them to experience the Lord's peace and wisdom during this time. Thank you for your outpouring of compassion.

If you would like to offer assistance to the Klears, call 919-870-7753.

Home once again from the hospital

Hi everyone. I'm Julie Cameron, Teesa's best friend, and Teesa has asked me to update their blog over the next few days.

For those who did not know, Teesa was admitted to the hospital in the wee hours of Friday morning with viral meningitis. She was in a great deal of pain and since she had fever, she was quarantined (i.e. not able to see Sam). You'll be glad to know that Teesa is feeling better and her condition has improved enough for her discharge from the hospital (late Saturday morning). She should be at home again enjoying Sam's company by early afternoon. She still has throbbing headaches when she sits or stands, and the doctors say this will continue for another week until the swelling in her brain subsides.

The doctor's have Sam wearing a heart monitor anytime he isn't under Bill's or Teesa's direct observation (i.e. during naps and at night). The alarm sounds anytime Sam's heart rate drops or the leads become detached. Of course Sam's heart rate drops when he's asleep, and as he moves around the leads can detach, so the alarm may sound many times, especially during the night. As you can imagine this makes it difficult for Bill and Teesa to get a good night's rest and could cause a lot of anxiety. Sam will be monitored in this way until he has surgery to insert a defibrillator sometime on Wednesday.

Bill's mom has come up from South Carolina to assist them around the house this week as Teesa recouperates and Bill continues to focus his attention on Sam and Teesa.

Your continued prayers are sincerely appreciated.

If you would like to offer assistance to the Klears by providing meals or other help please call the Klear's home number.