Update from John and Margaret: 

After almost 5 weeks in Galveston, we hugged Madeline goodbye and drove back to Dallas. We left her in a place where she can care for herself. She is walking better, and her pain level is much better, but she does have a long healing journey ahead. 

She has an intense daily regimen to encourage her new skin growth, and she’ll need to avoid the sun for 12 months. I know she will tackle this task with diligence and fervor.  We appreciate your prayers for 100% healing in the months ahead.

These past few weeks have been a very difficult journey, but as we reflect, while it has been a journey filled with lots of pain, sadness and uncertainty, it has also been filled with constant reassurance that God is with us.  We watched our child endure so much pain.  It was gut wrenching as parents. Oh, to trade places with her and take this pain…if you are a parent, you know we would trade places with them if given the choice. 

Madeline and I visited with one of her nurses about how burns are so shocking but how the Lord is never surprised. We later discussed how, as a parent, if we knew this pain was coming to our child, we would do anything to change that path.  This thought brought so much more understanding to what the Lord did for us on the cross.  We have said it, talked about it, prayed about it...but for the Lord to send His only Son to die on the cross for me….took on a whole new meaning.  He knew His Son would come to earth, endure such pain, and die a horrific death, but He allowed it because he LOVED me.  We pray that each of you will understand just how much God loves you. 

Our family has learned so much about burns, grafts and skin recovery.  We saw God’s healing hand in action.  He truly is THE GREAT PHYSICIAN.  I would have never have believed that a surgeon could take a patients own skin (creating a 2^nd degree burn) to graft a 3^rd degree burn in another area of the body, wait 10 days and then harvest skin from that same site to use on another area. Truly amazing.   

Madeline and Sheldon started their next block of medical school yesterday.  Please pray that they can develop a good schedule that includes time for their studies as well as time for their skin care.  Their schedule was full before the accident, so I know this new “to do” will be challenging.    

We are so grateful to the UTMB Blocker Burn Unit and each nurse, surgeon, and staff that cared for Madeline.  She was given excellent care and we will be eternally grateful.  We were showered from every direction with phone calls, texts, prayers, cards, flowers, gifts, photos, fun things for Madeline’s hospital walls, meals, gift cards to local restaurants, etc…   We can’t even name them all.  We felt so loved and taken care of even though so far from home.  THANK YOU!

If you ever hear of a friend going through a hard time….even if you have not talked to them in months or even years…text them…send them a message through social media.  I cannot tell you how much it meant to us each time we heard from a friend.  We were not able to respond to many messages in the early days, but we read every message and were so very touched. We feel so blessed and thank the Lord for the family and friends that have showed us unwavering support these last 5 weeks. Madeline and Sheldon have a bright future ahead, and I think their experience as patients will only make them better doctors. Thank you, thank you for your friendship and prayers.  We deeply love you all.