ER Visit

Baby Rachel had another seizure around midnight last night. At the doctor's earlier instructions, I took her to the emergency room. They checked her medication level and said it was normal. They thought it may have been the sedative she was given for her MRI yesterday. I spoke to her doctor today and they said the sedative would not have caused it but possibly the MRI itself. He has had me increase her dose. Be in prayer that God works it all out.

Possible Seizure

Baby Rachel had what looked like a seizure tonight. I am 90% sure it was one. Please pray that the doctor will see her tomorrow and check her medication level. Pray that God take care of Rachel.

Sick Baby

Baby Rachel had her MRI today. She should know the results at her next appointment in a couple of weeks. Please be in prayer for good news. In the mean time, Rachel seems to have gotten sick. She is very horse and it appears that her throat is hurting. This has really impacted her eating in the last day or two. If she gets worse over the night I will take her to the doctor to see if he can find the source of her ailment. Pray that she feels better soon so she can eat. It is so difficult to see her in pain and know there is nothing you can do about it. She had a good day or two of eating and then regressed to fighting again. It breaks my heart to know that "Momma's arms" are no longer a place of comfort for her. Instead, you can see the torment in her eyes each time I pick her up to feed her. I cannot imagine the fear she has every two hours as her mind registers what is to come. I know feeding is supposed to be a comforting experience; a time of bonding between mother and child. Instead it is a battle for us both. Pray that God would intervene and make that time what it ought to be for both of us. I think I am beginning to understand what a nurse must go through...knowing what they are about to do will hurt but knowing it must be done. Pray that Baby Rachel and I won't have to "fight" through feedings and that we can enjoy one another's company. Pray that she get well from whatever is ailing her little throat at the moment. Pray for stamina and continued faith for Rachel's parents. Pray that God's will be done in her life.

More Tests

Baby Rachel seems to have hit a bump in the road with this eating thing. She started vomiting yesterday and today I decided to take her to the doctor early instead of waiting for her next appointment. The doctor thinks her troubles may be stemming from reflux and has ordered her to have an upper GI done. This is basically an x-ray to see what is going on. Please pray that God leads the doctors to discover the cause of her feeding issues. Things seem to get better for a day or so then get worse. I know God has a plan for all the things in Rachel's life. I pray that He keep her safe as he fulfills His will for her.

New Prayer Request

Rachel is doing well in so many areas, but she is struggling with her eating still. She finally got the suck and swallow coordinated (praise God) and the beginning of last week was great. After a few days of consistent eating, Rachel began taking just a tiny amount of milk and then screaming...for a long time. It was obvious that she was in pain. She would not finish her bottles and that worried us. She would only take about half of the milk she needed. We called the doctor and he said it sounded like she was developing colic. News no mother who values sleep and sanity wants to hear. My heart went out to her each time she tried to eat. It is so hard to see her in so much pain knowing I must press on with her feedings so she will get the nutrition she needs to survive. Friday and Saturday her diapers told us that she was needing to take more milk in a desperate way. I feared she would end up in the ER by the end of the weekend. We prayed and asked others to pray for God to intervene. Today I am so pleased to say that she is taking almost all of her bottle! She still has fits where she screams and it is difficult to get her to eat, but just knowing she is getting enough is such an answered prayer. My husband and I ask you to please pray that this colic stuff will vanish and she can enjoy eating. She has been through so much and I just pray for her to "have it easy for a while". Pray that God give my husband and I strength to continue to care for her. Praise God for His work in her already! Even one day has been an improvement. Our God can accomplish ANYTHING!

Many Thanks

I wanted to send many, many thanks to all those praying for Rachel's recovery. I thank my family, my husband's family, our church family, the NICU staff, her doctors, our friends and co-workers, and all those who pray for Rachel. We could not have done this without your support, your cards, flowers, phone calls, visits, meals, child care for Rachel's big sister, love offerings, and most of all your prayers. We love you all and pray God's richest, most abundant blessings for each and every one of you!

The Doctor Visit

Rachel had her long awaited doctor visit today. The CT scan results were inconclusive. They still are not sure whether it is a hemorrhage or a calcium deposit. The doctor said that if it were a hemorrhage it should have dissolved by now. He was rather confused, though. He said the spot appeared to have shrunk which is not characteristic of a calcium deposit. Rachel will have an MRI in a couple of weeks and an EEG (which measures her seizure activity) a couple of weeks after that. If she has not had any more seizure activity when they do the EEG, then they will likely take her off her seizure medication. We ask for prayer for Rachel to have no seizure activity now and when they take her off the medication. I am apprehensive about taking her off the meds. I fear her seizures will start back, but I have to trust God to continue to carry her through this. My husband and I will be praying that the spot continue to shrink. Rachel is in God's hands and He CAN be trusted. He has been so faithful through this whole process. I could not imagine going down this road without Him. I thank Him for my salvation and for His constant presence in my life. What a God! He is awesome, sweet, loving, caring, forgiving, generous, all powerful, all knowing, trustworthy, strong, faithful, mighty, amazing, my fortress and deliverer, He is just, He is holy, His love is abundant, He is righteous...He is GOD! WOW!