10 PM Update for Joey Keller - Saturday Night, November 27th, 2010

I spoke with Nick for about 25 minutes tonight. He and Elizabeth are really tired, but all in all, are managing the intensity of their new reality. They are staying again tonight at the Ronald McDonald House. Dad (Harold) is staying with Joey in the room.

Joey ate alot today, relatively speaking. The hospital is pushing hard a heavy protein diet in preparation for Chemotherapy in the future.

Nick wanted to communicate that we need to keep praying for the pain in Joey's head area. That's really where he's feeling it the most.

Joey did his first round of Physical Therapy today, which he didn't want to do. It wasn't too awfully painful as Nick told it, but it was just cumbersome and overwhelming for a 7 year old who just had major surgery and has had daily doses of radiation for the last 5 days.

A bit of Very Good News today: Joey was able to stand on his right leg which the doctor later said was a very positive thing based on his condition when he entered the hospital a few days ago. Nick has to do physical therapy exercises with Joey during their time together each day, just to keep exercising and working out the muscles in his legs especially, but throughout his body as well.

When Joey is awake, Nick said he is wanting to play legos in a big way. In fact, one of Joey's friends brought him a new lego set today, which got Joey extremely excited.

As we head into Sunday, let's continue to pray for Nick and Elizabeth and strength for their weariness. Continue to pray for Joey's legs and organs. Pray for the tumors on his spine to shrink. And let's continue to pray that the brain fluid drains off the brain like it is supposed to.

Thanks everybody for covering Joey and the family in prayer. You have no idea how encouraging it is to Nick and Elizabeth to know that so many hundreds of you are standing with them in prayer and support.

God bless you,

Matt Keller