Today I'm changing this up a little bit. Rather than my usual tech related posts, this time I'm going to tell you about a boy named Patrick.
NASHVILLE - March 18. That day marked the beginning of a remarkable journey of faith, love and hope for the Froehling-Forte families.
It was at that time Erin Forte Froehling, daughter of local residents Dr. Louis and Grace Forte, began journaling in ‘Prayers for Patrick F.,’ an online Facebook group.
On these pages Erin shares her story -one that would personally touch the lives of many and come to capture the emotion of thousands.
Her first entry began, "The opportunity that we have been provided began March 18 when Patrick (the Froehling's two year-old son) decided he wanted to take an extra nap ...he has always been the kid who slept for no more than 45 minutes when he did take a nap.”
She notes the next day was similar, with little Patrick taking a second daily nap, still going to bed that evening at 9 p.m., sleeping through the night - an odd behavior for her little one.
After a few more days of the same types of sleeping habits, the Froehlings decided it was time to take a trip to the pediatrician. They thought maybe fluids might resolve what they thought could be a mild case of dehydration, or possibly a minor illness settling in. Mom and dad even thought back to when their little man fell off the couch a few weeks prior. ‘Could this be related,’ they wondered?
Perhaps a CT scan would reveal the answer…but even with those thoughts in mind, they had no idea what battle was already brewing within Patrick’s body.
“The CT showed enlarged ventricles,” she wrote. “My dad explained what that meant…pressure in his head. It also showed a mass, but my dad spared me that info as he knew I had to drive to Nashville. He let the Vandy Children's Hospital ER know we were coming in.”
She talks of waiting while the neurologist reviewed the CT scan…”he comes in to tell us our son has a brain tumor,” she writes.
“At that point, my heart sank and stomach wanted to come up. The fear of the news washed over me.”
That was day one.
Friends and family say it has been a blur since then.
An MRI followed evidencing the tumor which had spread on the brain and down the spine. A surgical procedure took place on March 27, where they removed the reachable portion of the tumor.
For the next several days, Patrick battled one health issue after the next, from congestion and vomiting to fluid filling on his brain.
The following Thursday, Patrick’s condition had declined. Erin writes of how she called for a nurse to help as her little boy struggled to breathe. “They call a "rapid," she recalls. “Forty people flood our room and I am given a few seconds to explain what has been going on. God flows through my mouth and words.”
Little Patrick endures five surgical procedures in nine days. On their way back from recovery, they make the decision to begin chemotherapy. They feel it is their only hope to save their son’s life.
Erin writes that rounds of fluids were administered to allow for hydration before chemotherapy treatment began, but once again, problems arose.
With fluids backing up in Patrick’s body, he is once again in distress. Erin recalls the word ‘rapid’ being called out again, staff flooding into her son’s room. Once stabilized, Patrick is once again returned to the pediatric intensive care unit.
Through it all, Erin’s story is filled with words of Faith and a firm understanding of God’s plan for her and her family’s life.
The prayer group started has steadily been growing by leaps and bounds, now having more than 11,000 members.
Friends, family…even complete strangers from all over the United States are following little Patrick’s story, sending their well wishes, thoughts and prayers for a miracle to the family.
Day by day the dedicated mom has continued to chronicle the rollercoaster of a journey she describes as a “miracle” in the prayer group. She documents the pain and sorrow, joys and pleasures of standing by her son’s side as he travels this road, even as his condition continues to decline with news of a new bowel obstruction and fungal infection.
Even as she updates on Friday, reporting that doctors now estimate Patrick could have mere hours left here on Earth, Erin stands firm in her faith and continues to hold on for a last-minute miracle.
On Saturday, Erin writes, “We have spent the morning loving on Patrick ... praying miracles over him. And, in the midst of tears ... God provides a peace because I know God's purpose is bigger and better than this moment. When we put our trust completely in God, miracles happen in all ways.”
These words are accompanied by the lyrics to a song written by Patrick’s three older siblings, Aiden, Isabella, and Nathaniel, which has been set to music and can be viewed on the Prayers for Patrick page.
Music is something Erin says Patrick always enjoys. She journals about the music therapy that has filled the air of his hospital room this week. “I know he enjoys it,” she writes, adding she is hopeful she will once again be able to see his “beautiful smile.”
Today, on Mother’s Day, she writes, “I think of something many mommies have thought across time… ‘If I could take your pain, I would. I would carry it for you.’
“Yes, I have pleaded with God at times to let me carry Patrick's illness. And, each time, God will share with me very patiently, that I was not meant to carry this illness. I was meant to carry Patrick through it. I was meant to hold his hand, love on him, and love him through this journey. God created Patrick ~ because of his smile, his joy, his strength, his ability to bring thousands together to carry this illness.
“And, yes, it still hurts my heart to watch him hurt ... but it also brings me joy that God saw my little man has a superhero ~ one strong enough to do fulfill such purpose. I will praise God with my handslifted high.
“When we think about all the mommies (in many forms) who have picked up and carried our hurts, our pains, kissed our boo-boos, held our hands, or even prayed for us ... there is so much joy to be felt and so many praises to be given.”
“And, with each thought, my mind and heart drifts back to God's plan ... he put those special ladies in our lives to do just that. They fulfilled their purpose to help us fulfill ours. This could all be done with the Grace of God ~ and with the heart of Jesus.”
to read the full article go to http://bit.ly/LW1pPy
Check out the song "Warrior" written just for him.
http://youtu.be/0JR-12EmPWc
A touching story,
DR365
NOTE: THE STORY WAS NOT WRITTEN BY ME DRUMROCKER365 BUT WAS COPIED FROM A LOCAL NEWS SITE.
