Saturday, September 17, 2011

claiming the mercy of God

Hi, friends.

I spoke with Seth this afternoon. It sounds like Morgan continues to
amaze everyone with the progress she is making. What a strong little
girl she is! So like her Mama and her Daddy. Seth said they were
hopeful but trying not to get too excited about anything because they
knew how quickly things could change, and in fact, there has been a
little change even since we spoke on the phone.

Positives first:
1. Seth is wearing pink. Pink. As in every day until Morgan comes
home. When I called, Elizabeth was on a pink shirt-gathering errand.
He says he'll look a little weird in December, but he doesn't mind.
All he wants for Christmas is for Morgan to come home.

2. All of the bilirubin lights have been removed from Morgan!! She is
still wearing her Jane Fonda band around her eyes to shield her from
the intrusive ambient light, but it's a huge hurtle to have those
removed.

3. Morgan is feeding better and better! She has been feeding every 4
hours and accepting that, so doctors are switching her to every 3
hours to see how her stomach processes that. She has gained 4 oz!! Up
to 1.9 lbs!!! Go, Morgan, Go!!

Other updates:
Morgan's stats are doing better every day. She is still on the
oscillating ventilator. I think Seth called it the high frequency
ventilator. Her chest x-ray this morning showed some areas of PEI
(more than doctors want to see). I hope I spelled that right--you all
may know this already, but I had to have Seth explain it to me. PEI
are pockets of space where the air flows into the lungs and stagnates.
The doctors want to see Morgan's lung function improving in this area
specifically. The next paragraph I think is about the measure doctors
have taken to try to improve this (something involving a low dose
steroid, but maybe Seth/Elizabeth will want to fill us in further). No
need to, guys, if you are too tired/busy. We will pray and trust that
the Spirit interprets our prayers.

Elizabeth writes "We need to pray for and proclaim today that God IS
going to use this low dose of steroids to get her over this hump and
her lungs ARE going to mature as a result. All her other stats are
good. She is off all billirunbin lights today. They will do another
test tomorrow, but hopefully she won't need the lights back. Please
tell them that I started an email last night and never got it
finished. I appreciate all calls and texts. I promise I will try to
return them."

Then a little over an hour ago..."This afternoon there was a bump in
road...they had to begin some breathing treatments to help her lungs.
It is not necessarily bad, but she dictated she needed it. They will
do a series of these. However, whatever concoction they are doing
right now seems to be ok. We will know more later tonight and tomorrow
as all drugs really get in her system. Her lungs are just immature.
Her feedings are going ok. She had some residual this afternoon, so we
hope that there won't be any tonight."

I didn't understand all of these updates fully, so maybe Seth or
Elizabeth will fill us in on the details that I don't understand.

Prayer:
1. Claiming that Morgan's lungs will improve-- begging the Lord for
His mercy with her breathing.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty
gives me life.

Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became
a living being.

Isaiah 42:5-6
This is what God the LORD says—the Creator of the heavens, who
stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs
from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on
it:
'I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
  to be a covenant for the people
  and a light for the Gentiles'"

2. Pray that Morgan will continue gaining weight and tolerating
feedings (both in frequency and in quantity of milk)
3. Pray that Seth and Elizabeth can rest
4. Pray that Morgan can be taken off the high frequency ventilator and
tolerate the switch to a regular ventilator.
5. Pray that Seth and Elizabeth can grieve together even in their
different ways--that they can find the strength and courage to meet
each other where the other needs to be met. That together they can
claim a full, selfless love, borne of their shared grief, a love that
continues to amaze and inspire us all.

-a friend of the family

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