A month now since this has happened, and Caden Drew Bollinger continues to hang on, fight with everything he's got.

He was burned over 80% of his body; some teenage kids thought it would be "fun" to set him ablaze.  Caden is severely handicapped:  there was no way on God's green earth he could possibly have defended himself.

So far in the month he's been in the hospital, Caden's survived pneumonia (twice), stoppage of his heart/breathing, overwhelming infection/high fevers, frequent surgical and burn treatements, and other issues.  He remains on a ventilator and in the Intensive Care ward of the burn unit at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital here in Nashville, Tennessee.

Julie, his mother, has only left his side once; she has been camped out in the waiting area, waiting to see her son when visiting hours commence back up.  She is scared that if she leaves Caden's side, he will end up dying or getting worse.

I have met her husband, Charles, only once.  He is a shy, softspoken man; he has a lot of anger inside; you can see it clearly in his eyes or on his face.  I don't blame him:  some kids tried to kill his son; he keeps telling the nurses or doctors that he hopes that the teenagers who are responsible rot in hell for what they did to his child.

Otherwise, it's just Julie, the mother, who runs the vigil at the hospital.  I feel sorry for her; I don't know what I can do to ease her pain/suffering or make the situation any better.  All I can do, meanwhile, is lift this family up in my prayers and pray that God performs a miracle for them.

I didn't see him today (Thanksgiving, you know; I went to my father's house to have Thanksgiving with my family); I do plan on seeing him tomorrow sometime, after I get out of the nightmare called The-Day-After-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping.

I know Julie, Charlie, and Caden had a horrible Thanksgiving.  There's nothing worse than having to spend a holiday with a child who is possibly dying, and you don't know if he or she will be okay in the long run.  The Bollingers have a very long, hard road ahead of them; it's anybody's guess what will happen to Caden as he continues to recover from his severe injuries/surgeries.

I know my church is lifting this little boy in their prayers.  I pray for them every day, when I get up, and again when I retire for the night.  My own husband and children pray for Caden also; he is definitely covered in prayer!

If Caden survives this, it will be a miracle; it's miraculous he has lived this long. 

Well,  I am going to read my Bible before going to bed and lift Caden and his family in my prayers.  I will write in here soon with another update; until later, take care and say a special prayer for the Bollinger family; they really need it, especially now that the Christmas holidays are now in full swing!  I (and they) would really appreciate it!  Thanks in advance!

*To be continued.*