1. Pediatric ICU

Evidence of God’s grace…

Today was a difficult day for me personally. It’s painful to watch her tremor. She tremors when she’s agitated… either from her breathing tube or being moved – just anything that might over-stimulate her.

Even though the day was painful, God’s grace was evident…

Anne’s neurologist held a bright red Elmo doll close to Anne’s face and moved it. Anne tracked the doll with her eyes. That was very encouraging.

I was also able to calm her enough to stop her tremors a few times – just by being close and talking gently to her. Her eyes would lock onto mine and slowly, she would still. Though her eyes are dull and distant – she’s still my precious Anne.

God has bolstered Eric up, for he was amazing today – encouraging me with God’s sovereignty and mercy, assuring me that Anne was in His good hand. Eric is helping me hang on to the promise that God will work everything out for good. I love that man!

Please continue to pray for Anne. Pray that she would progress enough to remove her breathing tube – soon! (It causes her so much angst.) Pray for God to work out his good plan for Anne and our family – and most of all – that Anne would experience the fullness of God’s joy on this earth.

Gratefully, kathryn

Difficult day

Little Anne’s day was very active, but also difficult for her. Her sedation meds are now down to 1 med which caused her to awake a little more today. Anne’s muscle tremors and spasms were a little scary, but suggested that she is moving forward. She probably became a little too stimulated and it caused her to vomit twice. LORD, please be close to our little Anne and heal her.

-eric

“Things too wonderful for me”

It is difficult not to fear trials even though God can provide great blessing to flow from them…

Can God’s good plan be thwarted through negative events? I still don’t understand it, but He is the great “I am”. Job’s answer was God himself. God can somehow work the best out of the worst this fallen world can throw at us!! I know God has wonderful things in store for Anne and is holding her so close . . . . we are not always able to understand God’s ways: “things too wonderful for me”

Job 42: 2-3: I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
-eric

More active

Anne is much more active this morning. Even without reducing the sedation meds, she was opening her eyes about 1/4 instead of 1/8 yesterday. She is also tensing her muscles in her arms and legs and shivering. The movement could be a reaction from the meds and from the brain trauma. The docs say these are good signs and they plan to reduce her sedation meds again today to see how things go. I am not sure that the movements are purposeful. We should keep praying that God will heal her brain.

-eric

Rough morning

Anne’s morning was rough. The doctors have re-intoduced her sedation meds – at a much lower rate than before. She just wasn’t quite ready to wake up yet. But she’s almost there. They’ll let her rest a few more days and then try again – probably weaning her yet again over the weekend sometime.

We covet your prayers for Anne’s brain to heal and the swelling to go down completely. We continue to trust in God’s faithfulness and goodness as we wait for Anne to let us know when she is ready to wake up.

-kathryn

Anne is working hard…

Little Anne is working hard this AM – she is coughing due to the vent and some of the mucus in her lungs, and she is visibly uncomfortable, but then she relaxes as she gets tired. She may have had a couple of seizures, but we really won’t know until the neuorologist reviews her recorded EEG.

-eric

Slowly waking up

With the slow reduction of the sedation meds, Anne continues the slow process of waking up. She is opening her eyelids just a little bit when spoken to or agitated. She is also over-breathing the ventilator at times, especially when they do something she doesn’t like. They have cut her last sedation med in half from where it was a few days ago. We pray and we wait. Today will likely be an eventful day, and a new chapter in this journey as she continues to wake and as we can talk and interact with her more.

-eric

It is true!

Yep, that must be a tall tale. Nothing so wonderful could be true. . . . . . it is true! Anne opened one eye a tiny bit for me! Praise God! He is in the restoration, revival, and renewal business!! We still have a looooog way to go, but we shall be joyful for all that God supplies.

-eric

Anne responds!

They’re continuing to wean her off the sedation meds. So far she’s responding well.

I’ll share one exciting thing… I (Kathryn) brought my sweet friend, Tracy Bunch, back to see and pray for Anne. When I started talking to Anne, she opened one eye and looked right at me. I then walked to the other side of her bed and her one eye followed me. She then opened both eyes to look at me. I told her to fight, because she is a fighter! I talked to her for a while, and then told her to close her eyes and rest. She immediately closed her eyes! She still obeys her mommy :-)

Now, Eric wasn’t here and is by nature skeptical ;-) But I have both Tracy and Anne’s nurse as witnesses. So hopefully, with two witnesses, he’ll believe me!

Please pray that she’ll continue to respond well to the reduced sedation meds. God has sustained her today. We are so grateful.

Kathryn

Wait and see…

The neurosurgeon rubbed a little on Anne’s sternum to cause a small pain reaction – Anne moved her arms! She is still heavily sedated, but that is a good sign that very basic brain functions are working. Praise be to GOD!!

Anne had been taking some food from the feeding tube, but they were worried that she had not pooped. Well, praise GOD for poop!! Her bowels are working with a little help.

The plan is to begin the slow process of reducing the sedation meds today. We will wait and see how Anne responds.

-eric