Symanzik Family Update

Mikayla is out in Cagayan de Oro with the high school for outdoor education. They are working with Habitat for Humanity to help build houses for people who lost their houses in flooding. They have seen the "tent town" where the villagers have been living since the flooding. They are also assisting in helping a church rebuild.
Today, I was able to find a few pictures on FaceBook to share with you all about their trip. This is from their worship time this morning at the church they are assisting.

For four weeks Ben is participating in after school elementary basketball.
It meets twice a week. He is really enjoying it.

After consulting with three of Jerard's doctors yesterday, this is what we've learned :
~The function Jerard lost in this last major seizure episode he will most likely not regain. We'd noticed that also from his seizures in 2010 - after losing the left side function of his body he really hadn't regained any use even with physical therapy.
So we are looking at a "new normal". He is quiet, doesn't move much. He will continue to be fed with a naso-gastric tube for another 3 - 4 months. Then, if no swallowing has returned, he will have a permanent tube inserted into his stomach (so he doesn't have a tube hanging out of his nose all the time.)
He continues to take two anti-seizures medications and get nebulized every four hours for breathing.

Thursday, Ben's karate sensa, Nell, spoke at the Faith Academy Elementary Chapel with his Buishido Kai Karate Team.
He had a great message on being a warrior in Christ, hiding God's word in our hearts, and walking in the full armor of God.
Ben was able to participate in the karate demonstration.

Jerard continues to have fevers despite the fact the recent x ray shows his pneumonia is clearing up. He has been started on a new antibiotic.
Yesterday he had blood taken for blood cultures to see what we are dealing with.
Thanks for praying for him and us.