Levi's Surgery

Levi had surgery this morning to repair multiple facial fractures (for all of you medical types reading this, I apologize for only using terms I understand - in other words non-medical terms).  According to John and Ra Jette, the surgery was a success.  I understand that they needed to put a couple of screws in his face to help the bones reconnect.  Most of the surgery was performed by the doctors going through the mouth.  In addition, Levi's jaw was wired shut and will be for another 4-6 weeks.  The doctors anticipate that Levi will be discharged on Monday or Tuesday...which is wonderful!

Ann and I had a chance to visit with Levi yesterday.  His face was very swollen, so much so that I'm not sure I would have known it was him, until we had a chance to speak.  His spirits were very good.  He asked for a blessing, which he received.  I spoke with his Grandma and Grandpa Fillingim who relayed a brief discussion they overhead at the accident scene...

Several of the paramedics at the scene had been working on Delgean.  When a few came over to begin assisting Levi, he told them not to worry about him and to just help his sister.  His Grandpa's eyes welled up with tears.  Can you imagine?  A twelve year old boy who just broke nearly every bone in his face telling the paramedics that he was fine and to forget him and help out his sister!  Anyone who knows Levi is likely not surprised by that story.  And, as you might have guessed, Levi plans to travel to Phoenix to visit Delgean immediately upon his discharge from the hospital.

..oh, the other thing Levi was so excited to tell me about was the 3 new friends he's made through all of this.  One was the airplane pilot that flew him from Show Low to Flagstaff, one was a paramedic from New Jersey (the island, not the state) and the other was his nurse, whose name happens to be Levi.