Welcome to our website about Zac McDowell! Zac is a 26 year old, husband, daddy, 4th grade teacher and coach. After a wreck in February 2008 it was discovered that Zac had a brain tumor which was most likely benign. Zac is a very strong Christian man, and he prayed about the decision to have the tumor removed or not. After Zac's wreck, his relationship with God became even stronger, he realized that he and God were truly friends and that God was going to take care of him. He knew God allowed him to live through the wreck and He truly had His hand in Zac's life. After much praying he and his wife, Renee, felt it was God's will to have it removed. On April 4th, Zac had the tumor removed and it was determined that it was indeed benign. After about 60 hours, Zac was released to go home. Late in the night when he returned home, Zac began running a temperature and he was in severe pain. He was taken back to St. Louis University Hospital to be watched. Later it was determined that Zac had an aggressive infection and later the doctors went back in Zac's first incision to clean up the infected area. After Zac's second surgery, he has not moved much below his neck due to spinal cord trauma and a possible spinal cord stroke. The doctors "are not very optomistic" about Zac's future, however, we have a God who is! There have been many ups and downs since first starting this website. Several more surgeries and procedures. Many more infections and battles. At moments we think we are going to lose our precious Zac and then some days we are filled with hope again as we see him do things the doctors said he would NEVER do again. We are walking by faith and not by sight!!
We still believe that Zac will make a 100% recovery and are asking you to join with us in prayer for him and the healing of his body. Please also remember his wife, 20 month old son, parents, and other close family members in your prayers as well. This has been a very trying time for Zac's family as this has been going on for seven months now.
God Bless You!
Other updates:
May 14, 2008 - Zac is still sleeping a lot and is not easy to wake up. The doctors believe that Zac's sleepiness is due to the build up of spinal fluid in the ventricles in his brain. He will more than likely have to have a permanent shunt inserted to drain his ventricles, but this has been postponed for now. Zac has some other issues that have to be resolved before a shunt is inserted. We have great reasons to praise and thank God today....Zac had quite a bit of movement in his legs today. It was very subtle, but non-the-less, it was movement. His nurse said that he moved his left leg to command today. PRAISE THE LORD! We serve an awesome God of Great Miracles!! Please continue pray for the continued healing of Zac, wisdom for the doctors as they treat Zac daily, and wisdom for the family as they face daily decisions.
May 15, 2008 - Zac was a little more awake today. He flickered his eyes some and even opened them a couple of times today. Praise the Lord!!! The temporary drain that is in Zac's ventricles was replaced last night and is hopefully draining off more spinal fluid now. We are hoping Zac will soon wake up easier and stay awake longer. We continue to have great reasons to praise and thank God today.... of course because he opened his eyes, but also because he continues to have very subtle movement in his legs. PRAISE THE LORD! We serve an awesome God of Great Miracles!! Please continue pray for the continued healing of Zac, wisdom for the doctors as they treat Zac daily, and wisdom for the family as they face daily decisions. We would like to sincerely thank everyone that is showering Zac and our family with prayers. God bless you all!
May 16, 2008 - Zac had a bronchoscopy today to look at his lungs. Sedation is used during this procedure, which makes Zac pretty sleepy for quite some time afterward. He slept quite a bit of the day, but still opened his eyes a little when the nurse asked him to. We continue to have great reasons to praise and thank God today.......his lungs looked really good and clear, he opened his eyes even though he had been under sedation, and even today he continues to have very subtle movement in his legs. PRAISE THE LORD! We serve an awesome God of Great Miracles!! Please continue pray for the continued healing of Zac, wisdom for the doctors as they treat Zac daily, and wisdom for the family as they face daily decisions. We are absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support that everyone has given us. We are so blessed!
May 17, 2008 - Zac had a good day today. His vitals were stable and he has some great nurses that care for him. He slept quite a bit of the day, but still moved his eyes around some. We continue to have great reasons to praise and thank God today! He continues to have some movement in his legs and had some arm movement today. PRAISE THE LORD! God has been so good to us. Please continue pray for the continued healing of Zac, wisdom for the doctors as they treat Zac daily, and wisdom for the family as they face daily decisions.
To our family, friends and community:
Thank you so much for the overwhelming support of the benefits today. We are so blessed by the love you have shown through all of the support and prayers you have given. We could not ask for a more loving group during at time like this. Thank you and God bless you and your families.
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May 18, 2008 - Zac had a good day today. He ran a temperature of about a hundred today. He slept quite a bit of the day, but still moved his eyes around some. We have so many reasons to praise and thank God today! God continues to show himself daily. Please pray for the continued healing of Zac, wisdom for the doctors as they treat Zac daily, and wisdom for the family as they face daily decisions.
To our family, friends and community:
Thank you so much for the overwhelming support during the benefits this weekend. We are so blessed by the love you have shown through all of the support and prayers you have given. We could not ask for a more loving group during a time like this. Thank you and God Bless you and your families.
May 20- Zac had a better day today. He opened his eyes for the family and for the nurses. Zac was running a low grade temperature, but today it seems to be fine. He also had some testing done on his brain to check for seizure activity. This test showed not signs of siezures- thanks be to God. We are so fortunate and blessed to have such a supportive group of friends and family during this difficult time. Thank you so much for your prayers and please continue to lift Zac up to God not just daily, but many times. God bless you all.
May 27-We apologize for not updating lately. There have been some problems with the site. Zac has had some ups and downs over the past few days. He has had some issues with blood pressure and fevers. He has been given some medicine to help with his blood pressure, and his fevers have been a little lower over the past 24 hours. The fevers are believed to be from developing an allergy to one of the anitbiotics that he has been on for so long. They have switched that antibiotic to a different one. He has been rather sleepy lately, but today he opened his eyes most of the way for a while and was tracking as we spoke and walked around his room. He did have a new drain put in his ventricles today and was sedated a bit, so that may have added to his sleepiness. Yesterday Zac tested positive for C-Dif. This is a typical hospital illness associated with taking antibiotics for a long period of time. He is being treated for this illness now also. His vitals were good today and he continues to move his legs arms more and more each day. We praise God for all He has done. We know that there will be ups and downs through this healing process, but we will continue to praise God during the ups and downs. He has His hand in all of this and there is a plan in every part. Please pray for Zac. You can pray specifically for his: alertness, his spinal cord health, his blood clots, his new illness (C-Dif), and for his vital signs. Thank you for loving us at such a trying time. God will be glorified!
May 28- Zac's eyes were open for a little while this morning and he tracked a little, but as the day went on he became more sleepy. The doctors believe he is doing a little better each day. They say the are encouraged by the movements he is making. Praise the Lord! We were also told that they believe that his CDiff is getting a little better already!!! They made some changes with his drain in the top of his head today. (This is the drain that is in his ventricles.) We believe they are trying to prepare him for his permanent shunt. We are praying that his body will take over and he will not have to have this shunt. His vitals were good today and he continues to move his legs arms more and more each day. We praise God for all He has done. We know that there will be ups and downs through this healing process, but we will continue to praise God during the ups and downs. He has His hand in all of this and there is a plan in every part. Please pray for Zac. You can pray specifically for his: alertness, his spinal cord health, his blood clots, his new illness (CDiff), for the shunt, and for his vital signs. Thank you for loving us at such a trying time. God will be glorified!
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May 31- It has been quite a roller coaster of events the last couple of days. Zac had a rough day on the 30th with blood pressure problems that seemed to subside before the day was over. Today has been about the same. He is still having problems with his blood pressure. It is very low and he has a high pulse of about 130. He also is running a temp of 102. Zac is very sleepy still but does have some intermittent times of opening his eyes. God has been so gracious to bring Zac through the wreck, the surgeries, and the infection. Please continue to pray for his: blood pressure, brain pressure, spinal cord, alertness, and for his complete healing. Please continue to lift up the family through this difficult time and please send Zac's story on to other prayer warriors and friends you know. We serve a great God that will heal Zac in His time. We pray that you find Jesus today and know Him as Savior.
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June 2nd - Zac had a better day today. His liver enzymes are elevated, however his vital signs were stable. God has been so gracious to bring Zac this far. Thank you for the prayers. Please continue to lift up the family through this difficult time and please send Zac's story on to other prayer warriors and friends you know. We serve a great God that will heal Zac in His time. We pray that you find Jesus today and know Him as Savior.
June 4- He had a good day today. He was looking around today some. He has become jaundiced (yellow) probably due to the use of Ibuprofen for his temperature. Thank you for praying for his vitals, they were very strong today. We are looking forward to Wednesday, because this will be his last day on some of his anti-biotic medication. He has been on them for 8 weeks Wednesday. Another huge praise is that he moved his toes on command today. We asked him to move the right ones and he did. We asked him to move the left and he did. Then we asked him to move them all and he did. We know this is only due to the power of prayer and God's miraculous healing.
June 6th - Today Zac had another negative test for C-Diff. Praise the Lord! One more negative test and he'll be out of "isolation." Last night Zac got a fever and his blood pressure dropped. But he was given fluids and ibuprofen. Today, he moved his left shoulder and his legs continue to move. God is good!
June 7th - Please say a special prayer today for Zac and Renee, it is their 5th wedding anniversary! Renee told Zac that all she wants for her anniversary gift is for him to hold her hand. We are all praying this miracle happens today.
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June 8th - Yesterday, on Zac and Renee's 5th Anniversary, Zac wiggled his toes on command! Also, Renee opened his eyelids and he looked at her. She asked him, "will you look down if you love me?" Zac moved his eyeballs downward!
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
June 9th - Zac had a pretty good day, but he was pretty sleepy today. He was able to sit up in a chair position today with the help of his special bed. This is especially good for his lungs, digestion and circulation. Zac has been having fevers now and then. The doctors are still trying to figure out what is causing the fevers. He continues to move his toes, one side or the other, to command. This is really great and has given the doctors renewed optimism. Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Trust in the Lord will all your heart... Proverbs 3:5
June 11th - Zac has been pretty sleepy the past couple of days. Yesterday the drain in his head was changed again. They do use sedation for this, so that adds to his sleepiness. He continues sit up in a chair position with the help of his special bed. This is especially good for his lungs, digestion and circulation. Zac has been having fevers now and then. The doctors are still trying to figure out what is causing the fevers. A new bacteria did show up in his spinal fluid yesterday. He is on a new antibiotic to treat any potential problems. Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Hear me when I call, oh God of my righteousness: You have lifted me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me and hear my prayer. Psalms 4:1
June 17th - Zac has opened his eyes more lately, however, he is not following us around the room and looking at us like he was. Tomorrow they will possibly put his shunt in his brain. Please pray for his vital signs and for the decisions his family will make about putting the shunt in tomorrow.
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matt. 17:20
June 22 - Zac opened his eyes quite a bit today! He was more alert for a longer period of time. He has once again started "communiticating" with us by looking up for yes and looking down for no. We sat his bed upright so he could view the Cardinal ballgame. His vitals are strong and there has been no temperature. Pray for us as we begin our search for the first accute care facility that will strictly work on getting Zac off of his ventilator.
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord. Jas. 5:13
June 23 - Zac had another CT Scan today to make sure his new shunt is working properly. The doctors said the scan looked good. Zac was in and out of sleep today. Going for scans and sitting up in his bed are quite tiring for him. In between naps he opens his eyes wide and tries to communicate. He continues to look up for yes and look down for no. His vitals are strong and there has been no temperature. Pray for us as we begin our search for the first accute care facility that will strictly work on getting Zac off of his ventilator.
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
June 27th - Today we moved Zac to the new facility in Chesterfield. He and the family are very worn out from the day. Please pray for Zac as he begins his therapies tomorrow. Our first goal is to get him off of his ventilator! Thank you for thinking of us and keeping us in your prayers!
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
July 1 - On Sunday, Zac tested positive for another blood infection, but he is responding well to treatment. We are pleased with the new facility. They have already started to agressively wean Zac from his ventilator. He seems to be responding positively to these therapies. Thank you for thinking of us and keeping us in your prayers!
July 3 - On Sunday, Zac tested positive for another blood infection, because of this he is now back at SLU Hospital. He is in ICU and has had a couple of tests including a brain test (EEG). Visitors are welcome just like before. We have been trying to keep the site updated, but there is a lot going on. Thank you for thinking of us and keeping us in your prayers!
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
July 14 - We want to apologize for not updating the site. It has been very busy around here.
The doctors have been working on Zac's medication for his seizures and he has not had a seizure lately. He has been sitting up in a chair and has been moving his toes and lips some. We are praying that he will be ready to go back to the acute care facility soon to work on getting him off the ventilator.
He is still on medicines for his infection and is not running any temperature at this time. He still at SLU hospital and will be there for a few more days.
Thank you for your prayers and concern. Thank you, also, for your patience with the website. We have had a lot of things going on this past couple weeks in our families.
Praise the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Please take time right now to pray for Zac. Even if you have never prayed before, God will listen.
James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
July 21 PM - Zac had another great day today. He breathed on his own for 6 hours. Also, today while his wife and brother in law were being silly singing "Little Bunny Foo Foo" he was caught grinning at them. This is his 6th great day in a row!!
He is gaining strength and they are doing a great job at Dubuis Hospital in Chesterfield. You can check out their website and their mission at www.dubuis.org
Praise
the Lord for ALL He has done so far! We are praising Him now for all He is getting ready to do in Zac's life. We look forward to the day when Zac can tell us all of the things God has been telling him.
Thank you, friends and family for all of your support, prayers and love.
Please take time right now to pray for Zac. Even if you have never prayed before, God will listen.
James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
August 5th - Today Zac was awake more and looked at family and friends. He also blinked to answer questions. His procedure went well and his vitals were good. His ventilator is set on "spontaneous." This means that Zac is doing most of the work on his own which is good excercise for his lungs. The ventilator will kick in and breathe for him, however, when Zac forgets to breathe or doesn't take a breath for a while. Today was a good day for Zac. We are sorry that there are some days that we do not have an update, it is just that Zac is healing very slowly so sometimes there is not much to say. Thank you all for checking the site so faithfully and for all of your prayers...they are working! We can't wait for Zac to come home again!
August 4th - Today Zac had fluid drained from around his lungs. Tomorrow he will have a procedure done that will put more drains in his abdomen to hopefully prevent infection. He still is facing many battles. His white blood cell count is currently high which is a sign of infection as well. His vitals, however, are good. So is his temperature. Thank you for the prayers. We appreciate everyone so much.
July 31st - Thank you friends, for all of your messages, prayers and uplifting thoughts during this time of trial. You have all encouraged us and we have found strength in your kind words and thoughts.
Aug 14 - Zac had two procedures done yesterday. One was to drain the fluid off of his right lung. This will help him breathe on his own better. Also, they put a new central line in on the other side of his neck. He did have some blood pressure issues last night as it was very low. He may need some fluids to help with this.
Aug 11th- No change still doing great.
Aug 10th 7:00 pm - Today Zac mouthed the words "I love you" to Renee! He also puckered his lips to kiss her. She said it was a small movement but it was obvious to her that he was trying to pucker the best he could. Also, she got him to move his right toes on command and move his head from right to left a little. We are so thrilled about this news. God is good!! We are praising Him for all He has done with Zac! For all of the lives Zac and his family have gotten the chance to touch and witness to. We are praising God for EVERYTHING...and in advance for healing Zachary even more. We would love for Zac to be able to go straight home from this hospital, no more rehabs and no more set backs!
Aug 14 - Zac had two procedures done yesterday. One was to drain the fluid off of his right lung. This will help him breathe on his own better. Also, they put a new central line in on the other side of his neck. He did have some blood pressure issues last night as it was very low. He may need some fluids to help with this.
Aug 11th- No change still doing great.
Aug 10th 7:00 pm - Today Zac mouthed the words "I love you" to Renee! He also puckered his lips to kiss her. She said it was a small movement but it was obvious to her that he was trying to pucker the best he could. Also, she got him to move his right toes on command and move his head from right to left a little. We are so thrilled about this news. God is good!! We are praising Him for all He has done with Zac! For all of the lives Zac and his family have gotten the chance to touch and witness to. We are praising God for EVERYTHING...and in advance for healing Zachary even more. We would love for Zac to be able to go straight home from this hospital, no more rehabs and no more set backs!
September 3rd - Zac had a CT scan of his abdomen last night. It showed that the fluid pockets were much smaller. Praise the Lord!!!! They may take the drains out of his abdomen in the next few days. The doctors have identified the bacteria in the fluid draining from Zac's head and are treating it.
We know that God does answer our prayers and that is why we are asking you to pray with us daily at noon for God to give Zachary a "Lazarus" type healing. We are so ready for him to be healed and we know every one that loves and knows him is too. We need our prayer warriors to approach God's throne boldly and faithfully.
July 29 - As of yesterday Zac has been doing better. He is currently on an EEG to see if he is having any seizures.
July 27 - Today Zac is more stable. He even woke up and responded once to a family friend on Saturday by blinking. Please keep praying for Zac as his body has so much to deal with right now. Thank you for all the loving words and messages and thoughts and phone calls, we would never make it through a time like this without all of our friends and family.
July 26 - Zac's heart rate was over 200 today, they shocked him once to bring it down. He has been better since then. He had a cat scan this evening and the doctor made mention that she was "more worried about him the first two nights he was there" than she is today. His vitals are currently good.
July 25th - 2:45 pm - Zac's doctors are amazed at how well he is currently doing. He is much more stable, vital signs are good. We know this is only because of our Great Physician!!!!! Thank you for the prayers.
July 25th 2:00 am- A few hours ago the outlook was not great. We have prayed a lot and we think Zac is somewhat stable. Even though he is not "out of the woods", he looks better than he did yesterday and his vitals are ok. His nurse is great and she said that he looks better. We will have more later this morning. Thanks for your prayers.
July 24th - 6:40 PM -
This journey has been a roller coaster ride for our family. It is not getting any easier. The doctors at St. John's Mercy have called in Zachary's family and have told us that they are not sure if he'll make it through the night. But we are STILL STANDING ON GOD'S PROMISES!
Hold us,dear Lord we are so terrified right now. Please be with our Zac and give him the strength to keep fighting.
September 5th 10:45 p.m.--Zac seems to be doing pretty well considering his surgery. The doctors are pleased with the outcome and the drain is still pulling off excess fluid as it should. Although he is very sleepy, Zac's vitals are strong and the family is resting easier at this hour. God has answered our prayers for Zac. Thank you for your prayers and concern for our family
September 5th - 7:30 pm
Zac just got out of surgery. The doctors reported to the family that they found a blood
clot the size of a cherry tomato. They removed it. They stopped the bleeding with cauterization. They placed a new drain at the base of Zac's brain and it is currently working as it should. Zac is in recovery and we are waiting for him to wake up. We are thankful this went well and are praying that that no brain damage has been done.
September 5th - 5:00 pm - The doctors are going to go in Zac's brain and try to get some of the pressure off but they said this will most likely cause brain damage. I don't know what Renee and Jane and John and the family are running on now other than your prayers and love. They are beyond exhausted and emotionally drained. But God is so good to keep holding them in the palm of His Almighty hand. The decisions they are having to make are so hard but we know they are trying to give Zac EVERY chance and GOD every chance to change things around. HE CAN DO IT AND WE ARE SO BEYOND READY - PLEASE PRAY WITH US AND BELIEVE WITH US THAT IT WILL HAPPEN!!! We love our Zachary SO much and so many of you do too.
We know God's plan is PERFECT.
September 5th 1:45 pm - We are kind of frustrated because the "new" drain that was put in this morning is now blocked too. This is terrible and the doctors have no real solution. Zac is in very poor condition, even though his vitals are ok. Please continue to lift Zac up in prayer.
September 5th 8:30 am- We know God has a plan...at this moment we are begging God for a miracle of healing. The doctors have told us that Zac's condition is "terrible." The neurosurgeon said the only thing he could do is try to put another drain in but he was not optomistic that it would work since the other two drains they put in yesterday caused more bleeding. His brain is in a fragile state from the current infection that he has in it. The decisions the family have to make are tough but we are grasping on to any shred of hope we can...so we are praying that somehow God takes this drain and makes it work this time so the swelling will reduce in his brain. We know if it does not reduce the outcome will not be good. Thank you for the prayers...we love you all! Call or text 573 -883-6102 for updates. We BELIEVE in the POWER of PRAYER!
Psalm 121
September 5th - 7:30 pm
Zac just got out of surgery. The doctors reported to the family that they found a blood
clot the size of a cherry tomato. They removed it. They stopped the bleeding with cauterization. They placed a new drain at the base of Zac's brain and it is currently working as it should. Zac is in recovery and we are waiting for him to wake up. We are thankful this went well and are praying that that no brain damage has been done.
September 5th - 5:00 pm - The doctors are going to go in Zac's brain and try to get some of the pressure off but they said this will most likely cause brain damage. I don't know what Renee and Jane and John and the family are running on now other than your prayers and love. They are beyond exhausted and emotionally drained. But God is so good to keep holding them in the palm of His Almighty hand. The decisions they are having to make are so hard but we know they are trying to give Zac EVERY chance and GOD every chance to change things around. HE CAN DO IT AND WE ARE SO BEYOND READY - PLEASE PRAY WITH US AND BELIEVE WITH US THAT IT WILL HAPPEN!!! We love our Zachary SO much and so many of you do too.
We know God's plan is PERFECT.
September 5th 1:45 pm - We are kind of frustrated because the "new" drain that was put in this morning is now blocked too. This is terrible and the doctors have no real solution. Zac is in very poor condition, even though his vitals are ok. Please continue to lift Zac up in prayer.
September 10th-- Zac continues to hear us and can twitch his toes and eyes at times. He has moments where he wants to open his eyes and be alert for a while. There are no significant changes to his health at this time.
September 9th--Zac is pretty stable at this hour. He has had a couple of good days and we are praying for more. Some of you inquired about "Pray for Zac" t-shirts...there is a new selection at The Oasis Christian Bookstore. Thanks for your prayers.
September 8th- Zac had a CT scan this morning and the doctors said everything is the same. His vitals are stable and they have been able to take him off of the medicine to keep his blood pressure down. His eyes have been open some, but not tracking for us or following commands. Please pray the he stays stable and that he starts to show some improvement. Thank you all of your thoughts and prayers. Please continue to approach God's throne boldly and faithfully. We are still praying for a "Lazarus" type healing.
Sept. 7th - 10:30 am - Zac's doctor reported to the family that he is in the same condition. We will post any changes that occur as we hear more from the doctors. Thank you for all the prayers. - The family
September 6th 9:30p.m.--Zac is still critical, but stable. His drain is still working and his vitals are good.
Tuesday, Sept 30th - Zac's surgery to place a shunt in his ventricle was performed last night. The doctor said that it got clogged once while he was putting it in but he flushed it out. He said this happened due to the fluid not being clear like we had hoped it would be. We are praying that this drain does NOT get clogged and our Lord cleans that fluid up and lets it drain properly through Zac's shunt. If the shunt works as it should, Zac will probably be more alert again.
Monday, Sept. 29th - Zac's feeding tube placement went well. Over the weekend the doctors did find the beginning of a new infection in one of Zac's drains. However, they think they caught it early enough and they are already treating him with more antibiotics. The surgery to insert the shunt in his brain to help him regulate fluid is still scheduled for today at 4pm. Please pray for Zac as he undergoes this surgery.
Sept. 26th- Zac will have a new feeding tube placed in his belly on Saturday, September 27th. This will be an operation in the operating room as apposed to the procedure done at the bedside. Zac will also have another permanent shunt placed on Monday, September 29th in the afternoon. This will also be done in the operating room. There are many risks to these operations and we ask that you pray that all goes GREAT! We are praying that these operations will help Zac to improve so he can continue to heal. Zac has been stable most of the week and his abdomen area continues to heal nicely.
October 7th- Zac has had some blood pressure problems over the past 24 hours. Please pray that this stabilizes and he continues to heal.
Oct. 6th - Thank you to all who helped in the Homecoming parade! Zac is the same and over the weekend the family looked for another rehab facility for him. There is not many since the doctors believe he is dependent on the ventilator now. We are praying that he can once again get off that ventilator. We know our Lord can do it!!
October 11th 7:00 pm-Zac is still about the same. He is no longer on medication to keep his blood pressure up and he has not fevered today. Praise the Lord! However, the doctor informed us that Zac's kidneys are worse today. He continues to have swellling throughout his body. Things are still very critical.
We know that God raised Lazarus from the dead...after three days and healing Zac, even as bad as he is right now, is not impossible. So, right now, we ask that you pray for God's will in Zac's life, for wisdom for us and the doctors, for grace, for comfort, and for peace.
Oct. 11th 12:00pm-At this time, Zac is about the same. He is requiring less medication to keep his blood pressure up. This is a definite praise! However, he is still in kidney failure. He is very swollen from the inability to pass fluids. Because his kidneys are not functioning properly, many of his life-sustaining chemicals are out of balance. The nurses and doctors have told us that anything could happen at any moment.
We know that God raised Lazarus from the dead...after three days and healing Zac, even as bad as he is right now, is not impossible. So, right now, we ask that you pray for God's will in Zac's life, for wisdom for us and the doctors, for grace, for comfort, and for peace.
October 13th 6:00 pm- Zac remains the same. The doctor said that Zac's kidney function continues to deteriorate. Unless God's decides to move in a MIGHTY way, Zac may not pull out of this"storm". As a family we may have some decisions to make soon. We ask you to pray for mercy, wisdom, and God's will to be clear.
We also wanted to let you know that there are more shirts available at "The Oasis" Chrisitian Book Store.
October 13th 2:30 pm- As you may know this is a very stressful and trying time for our family. As you pray, we ask that you, of course, pray diligently for Zac, but we also ask that you remember to pray for our family, too.
October 13th 10:30 am- Zac is still the same. We are waiting on the doctor to give us a report. We ask you to continue to pray for God's will in Zac's life. We are still believing in a miracle for Zac, but we also know that God knows what is best for him. We know that He is in control.
October 12th 9:45pm- Zac is still the same. The doctor informed us that his kidneys continue to worsen. The next 48-72 hours will give us a good idea of what is going to happen. We don't understand why all of this is happening...only God does. We ask you to continue to pray for God's will in Zac's life. We are still believing in a miracle for Zac, but we also know that God knows what is best for him. We know that He is in control.
October 12th 10:00 am- Zac remains the same. His vitals are strong. He is holding his blood pressure on his own now. We have not had an update from the doctor yet. Please keep praying for Zac and our family. We are still believing that God's plan is being fulfilled. We are trusting Him and trusting His will.
October 27th 12:00 pm- Zac has had some blood presssure problems over the weekend, but they seem to be subsiding now. His kidneys continue to pass fluid. He does have a new bacteria in his blood and is being treated for it. A reason to praise, praise, praise........Zac is becoming a little more responsive. Yesterday he had his eyes open and he was moving them a bit. He has moved a little more to pain stimulus. WE THANK YOU GOD AND ASK FOR THE MIRACLES TO KEEP COMING!!!
October 23rd 1:30 pm-The ICU doctor has indicated that Zac's kidneys are trying to work on their own. He is passing some fluids without the help of any medicine. Praise God!!!! Other than the kidney function, Zac is pretty much the same. We are so ready for God to allow Zac to start breathing on his own and for him to open his eyes and communicate with us. Please pray for God to allow him to do these things! Thank you for your prayers.
October 20th 10:20 am- Zac continues to remain the same. The doctors have changed some of his medications so they are more concentrated. This keeps too much fluid from going in and more coming out. We are waiting on a report from the doctor.
October 18th-Zac is pretty much the same. Please continue to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!
November 6th - Zac is the same. He is attempting to blink at the family when we ask him questions. We say, "Blink if you can hear me." He used to blink very clearly and now with this set back we have not seen much of this in a while! However, we think he can hear us again. We also believe that it is probably hard for him to blink on command but he flutters his eyelids in a downward direction rapidly. Zac is making progress. It is slow. But we know God is working his miracles!!!
Nov. 1st - Zac has had a good day. His urine output is good. Vitals are stable and he seems to hear us when we are talking to him. We are excited about his progress. Zac is still in ICU and is very sick, even though he is progressing. Please pray for God's will and for Zac's comfort.
November 6th - Zac is the same. He is attempting to blink at the family when we ask him questions. We say, "Blink if you can hear me." He used to blink very clearly and now with this set back we have not seen much of this in a while! However, we think he can hear us again. We also believe that it is probably hard for him to blink on command but he flutters his eyelids in a downward direction rapidly. Zac is making progress. It is slow. But we know God is working his miracles!!!
November 10th 3:30- Well we had a minor setback because Zac needed some blood. So we are looking to move him tomorrow.
November 10th - Well, we are movin' on up today!! We are thankful because today Zac will be moving to Kindred Healthcare which is a part of St. Anthony's Hospital. It is a rehab center where they will work with Zac on weaning him off the ventilator!! He needs to show progress and show signs of breathing on his own or his stay here may not be long. We are praying for this. Change is scary for us because we have established a routine here and have learned the ins and outs of the hospital. A lot has happened since we have arrived at St. John's with Zac, however, we are thankful to all of those who we have met and who have cared for him so well...all the wonderful doctors and nurses and volunteers.
Nov. 14 - Zac got to sit up in a special chair the last couple of days. Everything else is pretty much the same.
November 12 - Zac had a good first night at Kindred. We worry when he gets moved this much because it wears him out. However, all vitals are good. Thank you, Lord! We hope this is our last stop before coming home to be with the family once again!!!!
November 11th - Today Zac was moved and everything went well.
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Nov. 14 - Zac got to sit up in a special chair the last couple of days. Everything else is pretty much the same.
November 12 - Zac had a good first night at Kindred. We worry when he gets moved this much because it wears him out. However, all vitals are good. Thank you, Lord! We hope this is our last stop before coming home to be with the family once again!!!!
November 11th - Today Zac was moved and everything went well.
Nov. 15th 8:30 pm- Zac is back at St. John's tonight. They are doing lots of tests. We will update when we know more. Please continue to pray.
Nov. 15th - Zac is having problems again. Fever is high and blood pressure is low. The family believes it is best that Zac be transported back to St. John's ICU. Currently is he at Kindred but we are awaiting word from Renee to see when he will be moved back to St. John's. Please pray.
Wednesday, Nov. 20th- The doctors are still trying to find the source of Zac's continual infection. They have found the same bacteria many times in his blood and are searching for the source. Please pray that they are able to find the source.
Nov. 19 - Zac has not had any changes. His vitals have been stable.
Nov. 18 - Zac has an infection in his blood. The doctors are not sure what is causing the infection this time.
Nov. 16 - Zac is more swollen. His vitals are somewhat stable. His blood pressures have been dipping down low at times. He has having some kidney problems as well.
Dec. 1st - Zac's EEG showed that he is not having seizures...praise the Lord! However, he has been running a fever this weekend and has had some higher blood pressures. They found that the infection was located in his shunt in his brain so this means the infection is also in his brain again. He will be on long term antibiotics
once again for this.
Nov. 29 - Zac has had a temperature and he had to get more blood yesterday. This happens quite often. He is having an EEG today to see if he is having seizures. He has not been alert.
Nov. 25th - Zac is the same. We are so thankful for Zac and are already thanking the Lord for the many miracles that are yet to come! One thing we have learned through this journey is not to take one day, one moment, one breath for granted. Please hug your family a little tighter and tell them how much you care this Thanksgiving. Also, say a prayer for Zac's wife, son, parents, and close family as this Holiday is going to be very hard without Zac there with us. Thank you for your support!
Happy Thanksgiving from Zac's Family!
Jan. 4th - Zac had some low blood pressures and a fever over the last couple days but today he has been good. He is pretty much the same. Christmas was tough but we know so many have been praying for our families and we thank you for that. Tucker brought so much joy to us all. Thank God for him!!
We are praying that 2009 will bring a
miracle for Zac if that is God's plan!
Dec. 31st - Zac is still the same. Not much change.
Dec. 22nd - Zac seems to be the same. We are asking for special prayer for some sign of hope. It is hard to remain hopeful when the doctors are not positive and we have not seen any improvements in Zac in a while. In Psalms 86:17, the Bible says, "Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me."
Thank you for all of your prayers, help and support - we hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!
Dec. 10th - Zac's vitals are the same. He has not been awake for us in a while. We miss him more than ever now with the Holidays approaching. Thank you for keeping him and his families in your prayers.
Dec. 3rd - No change in Zac.
Jan. 12th - Zac will be moved to Kindred once again this week at some point. We have been told he will not be able to stay there very long. We are in prayer about where Zac should go after Kindred, there are not too many places equipped to take him since he is dependent on the ventilator.
We ask that you pray for us as we are making tough decisions and the answers are not always clear. We want to follow the Lord's plan for Zachary's life but we never imagined it would get this hard.
Jan. 5th - Zac is stable. His vitals are good. His blood pressure is good. He opens his eyes at times. He is being on moved Monday, Jan. 12th, to St. Anthony's for Rehab but his stay will not be long unless a miracle happens. He will then have to be transferred else where. We are asking for your prayers once again. PLEASE PRAY THAT IF GOD IS GOING TO CHANGE THINGS HE WILL DO IT NOW.
Jan. 4th - Zac had some low blood pressures and a fever over the last couple days but today he has been good. He is pretty much the same. Christmas was tough but we know so many have been praying for our families and we thank you for that. Tucker brought so much joy to us all. Thank God for him!!
We are praying that 2009 will bring a
miracle for Zac if that is God's plan!
Jan. 18th - Thank you to all who came out to pr ay with us. We know Zac would be so touched. We thank you for all of your support as we make such hard choices. We are still praying for Zac's healing and we know God has Zac's best interest at hand. As of now Zac is still at St. John's ICU. He will be leaving there this week at some point to go to Kindred Rehab. We are working on building a place in Farmington for Zac to stay long term.
Jan. 18th - Today, at 2:00 pm we are going to be holding a prayer and dedication time over the area where Zac will be moved to at John and Jane's property. All are welcome to come pray with us.
Jan. 13th - As of now, Zac is going to be moved to Kindred Hospital and Rehab Center. There are no other changes at this time.
Jan. 25 - Zac currently has a fever. They are keeping a close watch on him at this time.
Jan. 24 pm - Zac's vitals are still stable at this time.
Jan. 24 - Zac's blood pressures have stabilized and he is doing better this morning.
Jan. 23rd - 11:20 pm
Zac's blood pressures are very low this evening. We will update as soon as we know more.
Please continue to pray.
Jan. 23 - No changes in Zac today.
Jan. 22nd - Zac is now at Kindred Rehab, which is located on the St. Anthony's campus. The move went well and he is stable.
T hank you for all of your prayers and special messages. We especially liked this verse that was left on the website messages today:
Galatians 6:9 says Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Jan. 21st - Zac will be moved to Kindred Rehab tomorrow, Thurs. Jan. 22nd. We are praying that the move goes smoothly.
Feb.14 - Zac still has an infection in his blood, the doctors think it may be coming from his permanent shunt and they are not sure at this time how to treat that or if they should take the shunt out. Please be in prayer for all of the decisions they and the family make for Zac.
Feb. 13th - The family has had a rough couple of days. A report from Zac's doctor on Wed. originally left us thinking that Zac had no brain function. But after further testing the doctors determined Zac does have brain fuction. He also has bacteria in his blood that he's being treated for. Thanks for your prayers.
Feb. 4th - Today marks the 10th month since Zac's first surgery. He is having more tests ran today and tomorrow. His potassium levels were a bit high yesterday but they are keeping an eye on it.
Feb. 7 - Zac is stable. He is running a little bit of a fever again.
Feb. 11 – Zac has an infection again. The doctors believe that it is caused by the permanent shunt he has so they are discussing what to do at this point. The antibiotics are doing some good but not a lot.
Feb. 14 – Zac is stable.
Feb. 17 – Zac was moved to Kindred again today.
Feb. 18 – Zac is having some low blood pressures tonight but they are keeping an eye on this.
Feb. 20 - Zac g
April 17, 2009 - Thank you for your continued support. Renee and Tuck threw the first pitch at the kickoff of the Rebels baseball season in honor of Zac. Renee will be heading back to work soon. The Zac house project is still undergoing. The family appreciates all of your thoughts and prayers! The days are still very tough.
March 29- Please pray for the family as the 1 year anniversary of Zac's surgery approaches on April 4th. We are still working on the inside of the Zac House. We will keep you posted.
April 17, 2009 - Thank you for your continued support. Renee and Tuck threw the first pitch at the kickoff of the Rebels baseball season in honor of Zac. Renee will be heading back to work soon. The Zac house p