1. Pediatric ICU

Time at home

Danny took the night shift last night so that i could spend time with Canon, Kate and Kathryn together at home. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with them.

Danny and the nurse told me that Anne did well last night and rested peacefully. She continues to utilize the food from the feeding tube.

The labs came back from the mucus in her lungs and found there to be an infection. She was placed on heavy antibiotics last night, so pray that the infection is knocked out quickly. Also pray she is able to wake up quickly so that we can get her off the ventilator.

Mark 5 and Zep 3:17 have been incredible to pray and think through over the last couple of days. . . . .

-eric

Calm before the storm

Anne remained stable all day. In some ways, it feels like the calm before the storm. They’ll begin to wean her of her sedation meds slowly over the next few days. We’ll pray she responds better the 2nd go around…

Just an aside… Canon has been sleeping in Anne’s bed in the same room as Kate. They listen to music each night. Just now, both Canon and Kate were singing along to “Blessed Be Your Name.” -very loudly, I might add :-)

There’s nothing more glorious than children singing, “Blessed be your name, on the road marked with suffering, though there’s pain in the offering, blessed by your name!”

Thank you for your faithful prayers. I pray Anne continues to rest well.

-kathryn

Please pray…

Through the night the staff battled some low blood pressures, but now has been able to keep Anne within a quiet range. This will hopefully give her a couple more days to let her heal before waking her up.

Pray:

  1. she does wake up and God will be praised because of it
  2. any loss of function will return quickly and God will be praised because of it
  3. that our little family can know God’s pleasure and joy through this journey and understand that He is working out His good plan through this difficulty
  4. Anne would somehow experience the fullness of God’s joy through this process
  5. that we would know what to pray

-eric

Back within normal ranges

The sedation meds are working well for Anne – at least for now. Her pressures (both brain and blood) have returned to within normal ranges. She has CONSTANT attention and care – in both the seen and unseen realms :-)

We pray for the grace to walk this road with utmost trust in our good God. -kathryn

Still not ready…

They haven’t been able to reduce the pressure in her brain. They are higher than I’ve ever seen them. I’m trying to not let it scare me… The doctors have decided to re-start the heavy sedation meds. As Eric said earlier, Anne just wasn’t ready to wake up yet.

I think it’s a testimony to God’s sovereignty and loving care that our church is fasting and praying for Anne today – of all days…

I am grateful. -kathryn

Not ready yet

Well, it doesn’t look like Anne was quite ready to come off her sedation meds. The last 4 hours has been quite a battle to get her back in positive ranges. Her little body just didn’t tolerate waking up just yet. Anne has always been so sensitive! We will let Anne lead and tell us when she is ready.

A positive is that she is slowly beginning to utilize the food from the feeding tube that was put in yesterday.

Pray that the right side of her brain heals quickly and that the swings in brain pressures has not negatively impacted her brain.

I am continually amazed at how God’s people are praying! We have been so blessed by all of you in this journey. Every need of ours has been so quickly met. You all are putting flesh on Gal 6:9.

eric

Good & Bad News

I (Kathryn) got to spend an extended time at the hospital with Anne today. I prayed this morning that God would encourage me today. He answered that prayer:-)

Eric’s life-long friend Howe who lives in Princeton, NJ flew down for the weekend and attended the early morning prayer service for us and then stayed for church. Howe is like family to us, so it was very meaningful for him to meet some of our church family in Atlanta.

I had many sweet friends visit in the hospital today. Last night was volatile b/c they dropped so many meds, but today she remained relatively stable. But most encouraging of all was… her pupils responded to light; I saw her cough, and lastly, she lightly squeezed my finger. I would say that God answered my prayer – abundantly!

So when we met with Anne’s neurosurgeon, and he said he had both good and bad news… I was prepared. God had shown me throughout the day, that He is our good, loving Father, and I can trust Him.

I’ll let Eric describe the good and bad news. He’s better at the technical stuff than I am. Basically, the good news is that the left side of her brain appears healthy. The bad news, is that there is ambiguity regarding the right side of her brain. So we wait…

Thank you for waiting and praying with us. I’m going to sleep :-)

kathryn

Please pray…

We are upon a new phase in Anne’s journey. . . .Now that the initial swelling has reduced, the sedation meds that have produced the drug-induced coma have been dramatically tapered back. Therefore, Anne will begin the slow process of waking up over the next 7 days. Now it is a balancing act of keeping her sedated enough for healing, and letting Anne lead in how quickly she can handle the reduction of the pain and sedation meds.

Pray:

  1. she does wake up
  2. her loss of function will return quickly
  3. that our little family can know God’s pleasure and joy through this journey and understand that He is working out His good plan through this difficulty
  4.  Anne would somehow experience God’s joy through this process
  5.  that we would know what to pray

eric

Staying in the present

I am feeling a bit better today and am able to spend some time with Anne. The swelling in her face (so evident the last time I saw her on Thursday) has subsided and her cranial pressure numbers are still low and stable for the moment.

They are reducing some of her medications – the first step in a long process to evaluate the extent of damage caused by the swelling.

We are striving to stay in the present, and today is a good day. Anne looks so peaceful and small in her big hospital bed. Our Lord, Jesus is with her – I feel that deep within me – His presence sustains me, Eric, Anne and the children.

I’ve read every guestbook entry and am so thankful for every word of encouragement and support. Thank you all!

kathryn