Rachel's Story

Sweetarts

2012-01-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life presents Sweetarts. Sweet and sour all rolled into one package. We had one of those Sweetart moments with Rachel today. She was @ a new pediatric neurologist today to try and get a handle on her seizures. The new doctor ordered bloodwork and a one hour video EEG (a test that uses electrodes placed on the head to measure electrical activity of the brain). Go figure that Rachel would have not one but two all out seizures while they were doing the EEG. That's like gold right there! Hopefully now they have more to go on about how to control her seizures. Gotta love Sweetarts. If you have to take the sour, atleast it melts into sugary sweetness in the end! Praise God for that!

Update on the life of Rachel

2011-12-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

As a mom, I have been so slack lately about updating Rachel's blog. So sorry! The last several months have been a roller coaster for Rachel. She has gone a couple of months having seizures several times a week. She did have one two week period with no seizure activity and that was such a breath of fresh air for us all. She is doing well otherwise and growing leaps and bounds. Prayers that she will be seizure free are coveted much! They take such a toll on her little body and leave her worn out for a couple of days, often just long enough to have another one. We know God can heal her and pray that He does.
Rachel had a good Christmas and enjoyed unwrapping her gifts. Praise to Jesus for her cognition! I am so blessed to be able to have a sweet daughter that knows who I am, understands what I say, and can take joy from every situation. Thank you Jesus!

Rachel Needs to SLEEP!

2011-06-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

Sweet Rachel is not being so sweet at two a.m. these days! Pray she gets her circadiac rythme back in order soon. She's been fairing well otherwise and we praise God for it! She finished her last day of 3k last week and is already enjoying the summer. She has had an awesome time at the beach and absolutely LOVES the ocean!

What's New with Rachel

2011-05-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Rachel has been doing well and we praise God for it. She has had a time with seizures but things seem to be settling down now. We learned that she will be able to attend Camp Rae this year! We are excited for her. It will a great opportunity.
Rachel is growing leaps and bounds. She is saying a few words, such as Momma, Mammaw, more, yes and she shakes her head no. She's developed such a great personality. It is so sweet to listen to her pray to Jesus at night, and don't even think about interrupting her before she is through!
Thanks to all who vigilantly pray for her!
Here is a photo of Rachel and her dad at her Mammaw's Valentine's dance.

Sweat Test

2010-10-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

Rachel will be going for a sweat test tomorrow (whatever that is). She has had some issues with vomiting and has had a couple of seizures but overall, Rachel is doing well! Please keep her in your prayers!

Pneumonia

2010-06-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

Pneumonia is kicking my baby's behind but she will eventually get better! We have been at the hospital going on 4 days now. Rachel is breathing better and hasn't had a seizure since Monday night but her fever won't stay gone. If she can be fever free for 24 hours they will let her go home so pray that she is fever free! We know God has plans for this adventure and pray that through it all He gets the glory for it. Praise Him for the recovery she has already made!

Poor Baby!

2010-05-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

Poor Rachel is sick. She has had a cold or something for about a week that may have turned into a sinus infection. We can't seem to get her fever to break (going on day two) so pray it breaks soon! Many thanks for oyur prayers!

Walking!

2010-05-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

Many at church see Rachel walking with her walker but some of you don't know how well she's doing! She amazes me that she never gives up. She is doing well. Her daddy and her nurse and physical therapist (all pictured) are working her hard!

She has been seizure free for 4 weeks now, praise God! She is trying so hard to learn how to talk. Pray God looses her tongue and lets her praise Him! Rachel is growing and developing such a personality. Her smile is infectious! I thank God for bringing her into my life!

Surgery Went Well

2009-10-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

Rachel's surgery went well! She's back at home now and getting better every day. The surgeon redid her Nissen, repaired another hernia and pulled her stomach, liver and colon out of her chest cavity. I know she feels better now! Thanks for everything you all have done and we appreciate the prayers. Keep them coming!

Rachel's Upcoming Surgery

2009-09-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Rachel was to have surgery tomorrow (the 29th) but it has been rescheduled for Oct. 13. She will have a hernia repaired and a repeat Nissen. This is basically the same surgery she had on her 1st birthday but it will be at a new hospital and done by a new surgeon. Pray all goes well! God Bless!

Look at Me!

2009-07-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

Rachel loves playing with her big sister! They play so well together!

Update on Rachel's Medical Equipment

2009-07-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Lots of people have been asking so I thought it would be a good idea to give an update on the medical equipment for Rachel. As of right now our insurance company has pre-authorized payment for 70% of part of Rachel's wheelchair. As expected, they denied payment for the hi-low chair. However, unexpectedly they also denied payment for a needed part of Rachel's wheelchair. The charges for the denied part of Rachel's equipment is a little over $9,400. I have requested an appeal in the hopes that our insurance will reconsider their decision. If they reconsider they will pay 70% of this as well. The remaining 30% is where the funds you gave will come in. Thanks so much for giving! Pray that all the "red tape" will be taken care of soon and the orders can be placed on the chairs! God bless you all!

Update on Surgery

2009-05-15T06:33:00.000-07:00

Rachel came through with flying colors! Praise God for answered prayers! We got to see pictures from before surgery and it is amazing she was even able to breathe! The doctor was even impressed she could breathe. We had a great doctor taking care of her and he even knelt down and prayed for Rachel before they took her to surgery! WOW! I was not nervous at all and I had every confidence God had her in His hands. Thanks for all your prayers. We are all so thankful for them!

The Benefit Was A Success!

2009-05-13T06:44:00.001-07:00

The Benefit was an astounding success. Jason and I are still overwhelmed at God’s goodness and the caring hearts of friends, family and even total strangers! I want to sincerely thank everyone involved. You all worked so hard and we are so very grateful. There were many, many people helping with the benefit. We also had so many donations! Our parents and family, their church families, my church family, my dear friends and neighbors, our co-workers, local businesses…WOW! How could we ever thank you enough? We praise God for taking care of Rachel and supplying ALL of our needs. God is AMAZING!

Rachel's Surgery Tomorrow

2009-05-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

Rachel will be having surgery tomorrow (Thursday) to help her breathe easier. The doctor will be removing some excess tissue from her vocal cords as the tissue keeps falling into her airways making it harder to breathe. The doctor will also be moving a bone in her nose to help her breathe better. While I am not looking forward to whatever pain this will cause her I am excited about the possibility of her not having to work so hard to breathe! Please keep her in your prayers! God is good and faithful and I know He has her in His hands!

Rachel's Benefit

2009-04-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

Rachel's grandmother has put together a benefit for her that is scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd at the Hartsville Rec Center on Antioch Rd. in Hartsville (Byrdtown). Many thanks to Mammaw and all of the others that have put so much effort into making it a success! The proceeds for the benefit will go towards her wheelchair and braces (whatever insurance does not pay). Any funds received above what is due for the wheelchair and braces will go toward any needed accessories or customizations to her chair. Anything after that will go towards her hi-low chair (whatever insurance does not pay) and any accessories or customizations to the hi-low chair. After these are paid, anything left will go towards making Rachel's home wheelchair accessible. If there are any funds left these will go towards installing her wheelchair ramp (praise God, He has already provided the ramp; it just needs installation!). Any funds after this will go towards Rachel's outstanding medical bills or other medical equipment she may need. If there is anything left over it will be saved for future use towards medical equipment or medical needs. If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will try to answer you or direct you to someone who can answer your questions. Again I want to thank everyone who has been involved and I want to thank God for all He has done! Many, many blessings to you!!!

2009-04-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here is Rachel in her stander. Many thanks to Amber and her family for donating this stander after their sweet angel, Allie went to be with Jesus.

Some New Info on Rachel

2009-04-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

Rachel has finally seen the new surgeon! He has made some suggestions and has also referred Rachel to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist. (She will see him next week.) The surgeon was very concerned about her strider and breathing difficulty so he said she needed and evaluation from the E.N.T. Dr. before anything else could be done. When the surgeon said the worst that could happen would be that Rachel needs a tracheotomy and would breath from a trach my heart sank but since I feel quite a calmness about that. I don't think she'll need it at all!

Rachel also got her leg braces in last week! She hated them at first but she's getting used to them now. I have seen progress with her legs lately and I thank God for it!

Rachel was able to go to the park the other day and I got some great shots of her and her sister and daddy! She's growing so much! Thanks to all for your continued prayers and encouragement!

Going to See a New Surgeon

2009-02-17T09:13:00.000-08:00

Rachel will be going to see a new surgeon on Wednesday. Her new doctor thinks her vomiting may be because of the placement of her button in her stomach. They are looking at moving the hole in her stomach to another location. Hopefully the surgeon will tell us he can go through her existing button and down her throat and will not have to cut her open again. She does have another hernia and he may want to repair this and redo her Nissen again. If this is the case, it will mean another extensive surgery. Pray all goes well and that we hear good news. Above all, pray God be glorified in it all! Also, please be in prayer for my sweet pastor's wife, Nancy. She is having some medical issues and needs divine intervention. You can read about it here: http://www.justforjesus.net/2009/02/update-for-nancy-allen.html
Thanks for the prayers and God Bless!

It's been a While!

2009-01-22T10:07:00.001-08:00

Wow! Has it really been since Sept. that I have had an update? Sorry Guys! Rachel is doing well. She has still been having a lot of vomiting but she's progressing! Her seizures seem to be under control right now, praise God! She is holding her head up some and getting stronger every day. We now know that she has cerebral palsy but God is working miracles in and through her because of it. She has had many doctors appointments and tests and we hope to have some results soon. Attached is a video of her in her saucer. She'd been trying to get that toy for a month! Keep praying for her...your prayers are availing much!

Please pray for this family!

2008-09-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

I received the email message below. I know how much prayer can impact a child so I am asking everyone to pray for this family. Thanks!!!

"Hi everyone! I'm asking for a very special prayer request for the little guy in the green shirt you see here, being held by his dad, Rob. His name is Bayler Teal and he is 5 years old. He was diagnosed with a rare childrens' cancer called Neuroblastoma this week. He is a very sick little boy and the Teal family desperately needs our prayers!

When I heard this news Pete and I immediately called our church (Highland Park UMC) and had him placed on our prayer list. Our church secretary also sent out a mass email prayer request for him. I encourage each of you to add him to your church's prayer list as well as your own. We all know that prayer is a powerful thing! I can only imagine how terrified Rob and Risha are at this moment, so they need our support as well!

Rob's sister Brittany gave an update today with a little good news: After hours of testing they've determined that Bayler's cancer is not in his bones and spine as they first thought. Praise be to God!!---Our prayers are being heard already! Bayler will start chemo on Monday.

This is a picture of the Teal family: Rob, Bayler, Bridges, and Risha. I have known Rob and his family my entire life. (Benefit of growing up in a small town.) I will continue to send out updates on Bayler and I ask for your continuous prayers. Please pass this along to everyone on your email list. You can never have too many people praying!

Thanks!
Kathy"

The Latest on Rachel's Surgery

2008-09-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Rachel came through the surgery yesterday! Her pain management was MUCH better last night than her last surgery. Praise God! Thank you so much for all of the prayers. I know that's what carried her through. Today she is doing good. She is still having some retching so please PRAY this goes away!!! The surgeon replaced her G/J Button with a G button. This means all her formula will now go directly into her stomach again. Pray that this is successful. If it is, it will mean no more feeding pump to lug around everywhere!!! Pray that Rachel will learn how to eat again. She will no longer be offered a bottle. The therapists are trying to introduce her to a sippy cup! She still has a VERY sensitive gag reflex so pray that God would intervene and she can learn to eat on her own. Pray that she recovers well from the surgery and that we can get her home. Thanks to you all and we love you!

It's A Party!

2008-08-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Rachel's surgery is Thursday, Sept. 4th (on Rachel's birthday!). Because of this we have had to reschedule her birthday party. It will be this Saturday, Aug. 30th at 11 am at the church. All are invited!

Bring the Rain

2008-08-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

The doctor found the cause of Rachel's vomiting and retching! What an answered prayer. Rachel has a hernia on her stomach that runs up her esophagus. When the hernia fills with fluid it gives Rachel the sensation of needing to vomit. Rachel will be having another surgery(probably this Friday). They will undo her Nissen, remove or reduce the hernia and then redo her Nissen. Please pray that the surgery goes well and recovery goes much better than last time. Pray for pain management! Most of all, Pray that God gets the glory for it all. As Jason and I have learned to pray, Jesus Bring the Rain...

Checking In

2008-08-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

Rachel has had some ups and downs since the last post. She had some issues with her seizures but Praise God they are once again under control! The power of prayer is amazing!
She is having trouble with retching and vomiting again so please continue to pray for her. We have learned that she will likely have to stay on the feeding pump for 2-3 more years. Jesus has given me such a peace about that. It's a long road, but the Driver knows where He is going!

Something New!

2008-06-17T05:48:00.000-07:00

I am happy to announce that Rachel is finally over her stomach bug! Hooray! I thank God for all He did for us last week. We couldn't have made it with out him. On a different note I wanted to share Rachel's new accomplishment. She has acquired her first tooth! Pray that the pain is not too awful since she can't coordinate to get anything in her mouth to relieve herself. Thanks for the prayers while she was sick. They worked! (Like you had any doubt!)

One Sick Puppy

2008-06-11T15:10:00.000-07:00

:( Baby Rachel is one sick puppy. She started yesterday with severe crankiness and vomiting. This was followed by a fever. The next thing we knew she was having a seizure pandemic that lasted over 30 minutes. I really thought I was going to have to call for an ambulance to transport her but the episodes slowed and finally stopped once I got her to sleep. Praise God for that! Rachel had a really rough night last night. She had LOTS of loose stools and stayed awake much of the night. It turned out to be a very long night for Mom and Dad, too! This morning when I went to check on her and she had very dry, cracked lips and a very dry mouth. What I thought was impossible turned out to be possible! My little tube fed baby got dehydrated! We took her to the doctor this morning to find out she has a stomach virus. This is also why she had such seizure activity. Pray that all goes well and she recovers quickly. She is still dehydrated, but she's on Pedialyte and Prayers. That should do the trick!

It is Well

2008-06-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Rachel is growing and getting stronger every day. She is still having a tough time with the retching and vomiting, but God's timing is perfect and we trust that He has a plan. We hope to eventually get her off the feeding pump. Right now the doctor says it will be a while yet. She fianlly has TEFRA medicaid...what an answered prayer! Those medical bills can haunt a mailbox! Continue to pray for Rachel on her journey. God has great things planned for her!

A Shocking New Discovery

2008-05-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

We left you hanging on the post about the last PH probe. Sorry about that. It took us two weeks to get the results! Good news...Rachel does not have to have a repeat Nissen surgery! Thank you, Jesus for all You do! Since she was still retching and vomiting often, we still had to wonder what the issue was. If it wasn't that her Nissen had come undone, then was it? That's where the new discovery comes in. Her doctor ordered a type of nuclear radiological study that measured how fast she digests food. Last week we were able to take Rachel to one of the local hospitals for the procedure. Yesterday we finally got the results. It turns out that this whole time Rachel has had a digestive issue. Food leaves her stomach too slowly, thus giving her a full feeling much, much longer than normal. I can only assume that this is also why she can't hold any volume. In normal people, as you eat or drink a slow amount goes out of the stomach into the intestines at a fairly consistent rate. This is why doctors suggested the continuous drip into her stomach because as it dripped in, it should have dripped out. With Rachel her stomach would not drip out properly and she would get backed up, thus causing the retching and vomiting. When you add the Nissen (which is designed to prevent things from coming up) then you get this dilima in that the milk going in can't go out or up. How miserable she must have been before they moved her feedings to her intestines! After thinking about it I began to cry. What had I done to my baby all those months before her surgery?! I thought of all the times I forced her to eat, crying and screaming all the way. No wonder she fought with all her life! It tears me up to think of it. All I can do is beg her forgiveness when she gets older and pray somehow they can fix her. Right now they are trying a medication to stimulate her stomach to contract and push things out faster. Please continue to pray for her. Pray that God would heal her of all her GI issues. Pray that she can live pain free. Pray that God get the glory for everything as He is the ALL FAITHFUL One that deserves it! Thank you for your prayers!

Time to Testify!

2008-04-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you that follow Rachel’s Story, you know that I don’t usually post anything unless it is specific to Rachel. Today, I felt compelled to share something that has to do with Rachel, but not so much having to do with her health. My husband and I have been struggling with finances these last few months as many of you probably figured out. Satan kept whispering in my ear that God had all but given up on us in that area. My head and my heart knew better…look at all God had done for us! But still, the enemy was almost convincing at times. Last week seemed to be the worst for us. We were behind 2 mortgage payments & we were putting formula, food, etc. on credit cards. I can remember saying a few times that all I wanted to do was be able to feed my baby. Although tithing has never been a weakness for me, the enemy showed me time and again all the things we could do if we quit tithing. I now know in my heart that God was testing us. (Susanne, you played a role in helping me to see that…thank you!!!) Sunday we knocked the enemy in the eye and paid our tithes (Thank you Jesus for the strength). Tuesday I came home from work and was greeted by several cans of formula. God had provided my deepest need! (Thank you Sunday School class. You guys are the best!) As if that was not enough, Wednesday I was greeted with a much needed Medicaid card for Rachel! (We had been waiting over 3 months for that!) Then comes Thursday and we get our state refund check. Now we can pay our mortgage! Ain’t God good!!! He is ALWAYS faithful and His timing is perfect. I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow! Thank you for praying for us!

Rachel off to Richland Again

2008-04-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

We will be leaving Wed. night after church to take Rachel back to Richland. Pray for a safe trip and that all will go well. She will be having another PH probe done. This will determine if her Nissen (stomach wrapped around the esophagus) came undone and whether or not they will have to redo her surgery. Pray for a good report! We love you all!

Over The Flu

2008-03-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

Rachel is alive and well! She has finally shaken the flu bug and things are getting back to normal. She is taking a new seizure medication that makes her quite irritable so please pray for our sanity! She is gaining weight, praise God! We are up to 11 lbs 15 oz! Ain't God good?! Thanks for your constant prayers on her behalf!

Finally Home...Again!

2008-03-03T07:42:00.001-08:00

Rachel had another week long stay at Chateau De La Hospital! Seriously, she made it back home yesterday afternoon and seems to be doing well. She had to have her G-button replaced with a G/J button. This allows milk to bypass her stomach and go directly into her small intestine. She was having some vomiting and a lot of retching (or gaging). This new button seems to be doing the trick though. The downside is that she is hooked to a feeding pump 24 hours a day. This is quite inconvenient for her daily commutes to daycare but it's a small price to pay! I have to stop and praise God for her daycare while I am at it. Ms. Babb and her staff are awesome! I praise God for leading me to that daycare. They take WONDERFUL care of her so I can work. We wouldn't have health insurance if God didn't bring us there and one thing's for sure...with Rachel we definitely need health insurance! I thank God for all He has done in Rachel's life. I praise Him for His faithfulness once again! People ask me how my husband and I cope with everything. I have to say that God's peace really does surpass my understanding. All I can say is "It's Jesus all the way!!!"

New Button

2008-02-19T05:33:00.000-08:00

Rachel has a new button! She had her G-Tube replaced with a button which is much easier to take care of. She has had some adjusting to do and so have Mom and Dad, but things should start improving soon. She is having some dificulty taking in as much food as the doctors want but she is still doing much better than before! Keep praying!

Double Digits!

2008-02-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

Rachel has finally graduated to double digits! Her last doctor visit proved a successful surgery! She now weighs a whopping 10 lbs 1 oz! Praise God! It took her 5 months to reach that goal, but she finally did it! She is at home now and doing well. She got a cold that had her feeling down a few days, but she seems to be getting better now. Thanks for all your prayers! Keep them coming!

We love you!

Seeing Improvement

2008-01-17T17:24:00.000-08:00

Rachel seems to be improving. The medical staff now has her pain under control. We have been able to get acclimated to the G-Tube in her stomach. She still will not take a bottle, though. Please pray that she learns that the bottle is no longer her enemy! I have to praise God for all His faithfulness and all of His blessings. We have been through the fire but Jesus has been that unfailing "fourth Man in the fiery furnace" once again. I kept telling Rachel over and over before they whisked her away that even though I could not follow her to the operating room Jesus would never leave her side. How precious are His promises! Your continued prayer is so very valued. We appreciate it more than words can express. How could I ever explain how much it means to me to have someone intercede for my precious Rachel? Please keep her big sister Samantha in your prayers as well. She has been through so much without having her parents at her side. God has made her a strong little lady and for that we are so grateful. (I'm going to pay for it when she is a teenager, though!) God bless you and we love you!

Urgent Prayer Needed

2008-01-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

Please be much in prayer for Rachel. She was in pain most of the night last night and cried uncontrollably most of the time. This has made her tummy quite sore as you can imagine. The surgery went well but the epidural they gave her for pain management came out some time during the night and no one knew it. She finally got some morphine at 7:30 this morning and went to sleep. After that wore off they gave her Tylenol with codeine. They both work, but not for the duration so she is still battling the pain. Please pray that God would intervene and she would have more manageable pain or even no pain...God can do either one!
Thanks and God bless!

Surgery Today

2008-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Rachel will be having her surgery at 1 pm today. It should last about 2 hours. Please be in prayer for her. Also, Rachel's Poppy is having some health issues that require immediate care. Please be in prayer for him as well.

Thanks and God Bless!!!

Upcoming Surgery

2008-01-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

Baby Rachel has had many, many tests to find the cause of her eating issues. It has been determined that her Reflux is bad enough to require surgery. One of the tests (called a ph probe) measured how much acid is going back into her esophagus. In a 24 hour period little Rachel had 170 episodes of reflux. A surgery called the "Nissen" procedure should correct this problem. It is a procedure where the surgeon takes her stomach and wraps it around her esophagus. Then he attaches the stomach to her abdomen wall and puts a PEG tube into the stomach. She will be able to eat through this tube if needed. Please pray that the surgery is successful and without complication. Pray that God keep her safe and that she will have a speedy recovery. Please pray that she will not be in too much pain after the surgery and that she be protected while they administer morphine and Tylenol with codine. She will possibly have the surgery as soon as Monday. To God be the glory for all things. We praise Him for answered prayers!

Life at Richland

2008-01-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

Rachel is now at Richand's Children's hospital undergoing various tests. Since her recent weight loss the doctors decided to try to find out why baby Rachel has so much trouble eating. Her weight has pretty much plateaued in the last couple of months. She has had a variety of blood tests and urine tests (praise God she didn't have to get a cath!). She is currently in the middle of a test called a ph probe. She has a tube (about the size of a feeding tube) run into her nose and down her esophagus. It is hooked to a little computer that measures the acid in her esophagus. This will determine how severe her reflux (or GERD) is. The test lasts 24 hours so we should know something tomorrow. The staff here at Richland is great. She has 7 different doctors checking her progress daily. They are all informative and helpful. The nursing staff is also a blessing. It is hard to be away from home and away from Rachel's big sister, but god has been faithful in keeping our spirits up! Baby Rachel has been such a trooper threw this entire process. God has given her a special touch to make it through. He has also been with both Daddy and I and for that we are eternally grateful! We want to thank everyone who has helped us during this week! Jen, thanks for taking Samantha at a moment's notice. Thanks to Dayna for keeping Samantha at home and taking her to school. Nanny and aunt Shellie, thanks for keeping Sam, cleaning and for everything else you have done. Thank you Mammaw and Pappaw for keeping Sam as well. Thank you Susanne for getting Sam from school and keeping her for us. Thanks to everyone who has called, came to Columbia to visit, sent flowers, and most importantly, thanks to everyone who has prayed!!!

A Bump in the Road

2008-01-04T18:54:00.000-08:00

Baby Rachel was doing well, praise to Jesus! She has hit a bump in the road. She has lost more weight. Monday she has to go back to the doctor for another weight check. If she has lost weight again, she will be admitted to an out-of-town hospital for a few days for testing to see what is going on inside her little belly. The next resort is surgery or a feeding tube inserted into her naval. Please pray that she gains weight and gets better! To God be ALL glory, honor & praise!

Some answers...Finally

2007-11-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

As Rachel's mom I can honestly say that I stand here today with the biggest lesson of patience that God has ever taught me. Two and half months ago sweet Rachel was born into this world to be whisked away by a wonderful team of doctors and nurses and to be subject to test after test after test over the course of her short life. Many of the tests confirmed what wasn't ailing Rachel but none could really confirm what was ailing her or why. Last week we were able to finally get some test results confirmed. The doctor looked at her EEG and said there was still some evidence of seizure activity, but no visible seizures were noticed. She will continue to take seizure medication. He read the CT report from the radiologist and it confirmed that Rachel does not have a calcium deposit in her brain (praise God!)...that little spot on her brain was a bleed. However, her pediatric neurologist did find some soft tissue or "dead spots" on her brain around the area that the bleed was. He sent my husband to the hospital to pick up the film of the CT scan. While my husband was gone the doctor had me wait in the waiting room. At that point he did not explain the extent of her injury or what it meant for her. I can remember being in the waiting room wondering what caused parts of baby Rachel's brain to die. What would happen now? Would it get any worse? Would the damage continue to spread until all of her brain was dead? That hour was one of the longest hour of my life. I remember telling my husband about the blind man that Jesus healed. The one the people questioned Jesus concerning the cause of his blindness. Was it his sin or his parents' sin that caused him to be blind? Jesus answered that it was neither, but that God might be glorified. That thought was what kept me sane that hour. My husband had to leave after giving the doctor the film so I was able to spend some "one on one" time with Jesus. Right when my husband called to get an update, the doctor came out to the waiting room to get me. My first thought was "Oh no...how often does the doctor himself retrieve a patient from the waiting room. This must be really bad." I quickly hung up on my husband (sorry, dear) and hastily followed the doctor to an exam room. That's when he told me the news. He believes the soft spots were caused by trauma during her delivery. When she was born she had meconium (stool) in her amniotic fluid and the cord was wrapped around her neck (though not tight). Either of these issues could have caused her to have a stroke at birth. It is scary to think of your little baby having a stroke but it is certainly better that the alternative! The dead tissue would not spread and she would not get any worse! Praise God for the news! We will not know how the injury will affect her until she is at least a year old. I guess God is not done teaching me patience! There is a 50/50 chance that she will live a "normal" life. No matter the outcome, we will continue to praise God for who He is and what He accomplished on the cross over two thousand years ago!

Keep on Truckin'

2007-11-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

It has been a few weeks since our last post so I thought I'd give an update. It grieved me to my soul to make the decision to change doctors...for now. Rachel's primary care doctor has been through everything right along side of her and we love him dearly, but my husband and I felt that it was probably best for her to have a pediatrician since she has had so may bumps in the road since her birth. We hope that we can return her to our family doctor when she is a little older. Rachel's eating difficulties have caused her to loose a little weight. We have been going in circles with the weight thing. One dr said she weighed 8lbs, another said 8lbs 12 oz and her new dr says 7 lbs 14 oz. It is little less than a pound any way you look at it, but to a two month old it must mean a lot. The new doctor has a plan of action for putting weight on her so I pray all is well in that area. She was able to get some of her vaccines but not all of them because of her history of seizures. Her last EEG showed signed of seizure activity so she has been scheduled for a 48 hour VEEG which she will be admitted for. She will also have another CT scan. Hopefully we will be able to find out some answers with all of the testing. We are hoping to get a nurser practitioner to keep Rachel so I can return to work. Pray that that will turn out well. Even if not, God already knows the answers and what the future holds for baby Rachel and for us and that gives me the strength to keep on truckin'!

ER Visit

2007-10-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-01T14:37:00.001-07:00

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

2007-10-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

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!

CT Scan Miracle

2007-09-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sept. 25th Rachel went for her second CT scan. I witnessed a full blown miracle right before my eyes. My husband and I were really concerned about how they were going to keep Rachel still for the CT scan. We didn't want her to have to get stuck again (she had been poked and prodded so many times in the NICU that I couldn't bear the thought of any more). We didn't want her to have to be sedated again. This would likely mean another feeding tube, etc. until the sedation wore off. All we could do is pray that God would somehow make her still long enough for the scan to be over. Low and behold...here's what happened. We were in the waiting room getting ready for Rachel to be called. It was past her feeding time (nothing like trying to keep a hungry baby still). I decided to go ahead and start feeding her hoping to get through before they called her back. Rachel got half way through her bottle when the tech came in and said it was her turn. My human brain started swirling things, "Now she will be really mad that she can't finish her bottle" I thought. She and I were escorted to the "big doughnut" and I was instructed to lay her down. She was not really crying, but wasn't still either. I put her down with a silent prayer that somehow God would prevail and this thing would turn out okay with no sedatives. As soon as I laid her down she literally went straight to sleep! It took her all of ONE SECOND to fall asleep. She stayed still the entire test and woke right up as soon as they were done with the scan. All I could do was thank God and cry tears of joy because I KNEW what Christ had just done for Rachel and I. There was no doubt at all that God was in that room at that very moment taking care of one of His children. I am still amazed at His power. What a mighty God we serve! We won't know the test results until Monday, but are continuing to pray for healing for baby Rachel. Pray that God grants healing to baby Rachel and that the CT scan comes back missing one troublesome spot that was there just days before!!!

The Big Day

2007-09-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 16th (my original due date) we got to take Rachel home!!! How ecstatic is that?! Wow, God's so good. We spent the night before in the hospital with her (it's their way of letting you "test drive" your kid). It was actually a great experience because the nursing staff was right across the hall for anything we needed. The doctors and nurses were all great. We were so thankful to have the NICU in our home town. I have to thank all the doctors and nurses that I can remember caring for my precious Rachel: Thank you to Dr. Harlan, Dr. Brigges, Dr. Cox, Dr. Murthy, Audry, Allison, Dale, Claire, Patty, Jean, and thanks to all the other wonderful nurses that I cannot recall your name. You all did a FANTASTIC job with our little one. Many thanks to Dr. Shaw for his great care for me while I was in the hospital and thanks to Dr. Alexander for continuing to care for Rachel. My utmost thanks to My Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ for all Your work in our lives. Rachel would have never made it this far without You.

No More Feeding Tube

2007-09-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 14 they took out your feeding tube! Hallelujah! Praise God you are eating enough on your own. This is the last step to taking you home. Some of the test results came in and they were all negative for the various things the doctors were checking as a precaution - God at work again. This journey has been tough by all means, but we have seen so many answered prayers that it's amazing. His grace continues to amaze me. The strength He has given my husband and I is nothing short of a miracle. We thank God for all He has done in Rachel's life so far.

Graduating to Intermediate

2007-09-30T10:45:00.001-07:00

Rachel graduated to intermediate! I went in to check on her on Sept. 10th and she wasn't in her incubator. I had to search the NICU to find her! I was not expecting to have her move up so quickly (that's what I get for doubting God!) The intermediate side is where they go when they are no longer in need of "critical care". This means she wasn't on and IV, her temperature was being regulated by her (with ALL glory to God) and her SAT levels and oxygen intake were good. Her monitors looked good. It was a pleasant surprise! Again, we had to praise God for His faithfulness.

Feeding Troubles

2007-09-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Rachel had to have a feeding tube inserted in her nose. She still can't get the having of eating. Since she doesn't have any IV fluids or nutrients anymore it is vital that she get her milk in. They took her off seizure medicine for a day to bring her levels down some. We prayed that she would not seize during this process and she didn't! Praise God for answered prayers! He is SO awesome! Rachel is continuing to grow little by little. We know God is in control and He will bring Rachel home at the perfect time.

Feeding Time!

2007-09-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

The doctors are finally let Rachel eat! It took one and a half hours for her to take 15 ml of milk but it's still progress. She has had to have occupational therapy to "teach" her to take a bottle and it has been a struggle but Rachel will get through it. We trust that God will be faithful as He has in the past. We are still praying for Him to remove that spot on her brain. We also pray every day that God will save her soul at an early age and continue to use Rachel for His glory! We did have to trust Him ALOT on this day since the hospital "kicked me out". Okay, they discharged me and were very understanding, but still, I had to leave my precious baby and go home without her. She did come off oxygen for a day but had to go back on oxygen the next day. She was still having trouble regulating her temperature so they had to keep her in an incubator. She is a trooper though!

Heartbreaking News

2007-09-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say that it was no coincidence that we heard the news on Sept. 6th. My husband and I went in to check on little Rachel and that's when the doctor tracked us down. What we had feared had just happened. "Rachel has a spot on her brain. This is what is likely causing the seizures. It is a very small spot. We are not sure if it is a calcium deposit or a bleed on her brain. If it is a bleed, then it will be reabsorbed and will eventually go away. If it is a calcium deposit, then it will stay there. It is too far in her brain to remove. We will wait a few weeks and do another CT scan to see if it shrinks or disapears." the doctors tells us all this at once and our brains are swirling. He took us to see the scanned image of our baby's troubles. That image still haunts me, I must admit. Right away I began to pray for Rachel knowing this was going to be a battle, not just in her little body, but also in her parents minds. We needed Jesus then more than ever. He is faithful as God's Word reminds us. We had to trust him. Just after I prayed I heard my husband ask, "Could it be cancer?" Why didn't I think of that, I wondered. Right then my heart sunk even more. But sure as God is faithful, the doctor assured us that he was almost 100% positive this was not cancerous. Praise be to God again and again. We looked over Rachel one more time then we turned and walked out of the NICU. Both of us had held our composure until we rounding the corner of the elevator. One look at my husband was all it took to break me. We quietly walked back to my hospital room and I knew we had to talk. Just when were about to really break down, God sent us a much needed diversion. A precious friend from church came in at a time we needed one the most. I know Kristy has no idea how much she was there for us that day. I pray God bless her bundantly and I praise Him for sending her to us at exactly the right moment. She encouraged us more than she will ever know. After she left God reminded me of something that happened one year ago to the day. On Sept. 6th the prior year one of my dearest friends found out the news that she had cancer. Right then I remembered all of Jennifer's struggles and all the things God did in her life. At that moment God showed me that I could trust him with my baby...no matter the outcome. If he could do miracles for Jennifer, then he could do miracles for Rahcel as well. In the midst of turmoil my heart was lifted and God carried me...I praise God for friends He sends our way. How else would one make it through a crisis?

Day Three - Held

2007-09-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Day three was an exciting one. They winged Rachel off the sedative and she did fantastic. We were so proud of her. We even got to hold Rachel that day. She felt so comforting in my arms. She looked like and angel, or at least what we humans tend to think angels look like. The seizure meds were working and there was no sign of any seizure activity. Rachel still looked peaceful. it was a good day for all of us. We praised God and prayed and prayed for those test results.

Day Two - Tests and more Tests

2007-09-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

On day two the doctors ran all sorts of tests on both Rachel and I. The told us that they would likely not find out the cause of the seizures and that was really the best option. They also said they were going to run a CT scan of her brain. They assured us that it was routine for all newborns with seizure activity. They also told us the worst possible scenario would be that they find something on the CT scan. Right away we started praying they would find nothing. Rachel had not been allowed to eat yet and I was so afraid she was going to starve. I inquired with the nurses in NICU about when she would be able to eat. "Maybe tomorrow" they replied. We sit and play the waiting game. Torture for a parent who can do nothing else for her child. Meanwhile Rachel is still having "episodes" and can get no rest. Both my husband and I plead with Jesus that he will have mercy on her and give her body some rest. Praise God! They tell us that they have sedated Rachel to give her the CT scan. When we went in look at her she looked so peaceful. She looked the best than she had since she was born. They also had her on seizure medication. Both drugs made her sleep and sleep...for days! I thank God for His awesome power and His love. He gave us so much support that day. People called and showed up from every direction praying for Rachel and us as well. We even had visitors we had never met before come in and pray for Rachel's healing! What an awesome God we serve!

The Beginning

2007-09-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

It all began September 4th of this year. I went into work just like any other day. All day my hips hurt and I really didn't have any idea why. By the afternoon I found myself leaving my brother-in-law's surprise party and heading for the hospital. I was not at all sure what was wrong, but I did not want to take the chance that something was wrong with the baby I was carrying. After about a 30 minute wait the hospital staff put me in a room and hooked me up to all those baby monitors. The look of relief on my husband's face when he heard our little baby's heartbeat could have melted a hardened criminal. She was alive and seemed to be well. At that point I fully expected the nurse to come in and say all was well and we could go home. Instead, she came in and looked pointedly at me and said, "We're having a baby tonight!". To say the least, I was quite confused. At only 38 weeks along, I was not quite ready to meet my little bundle of joy. There were lots of things planned in the coming week and I had already set up a time to have a C-Section for the following Monday. Why the hasty surprise, I wondered. She then told my husband and I that our doctor said the baby's heart rate was elevated and I was contracting sooo...he was coming in and we were having a baby!
The C-Section went well (I even got into trouble from the anesthesiologist for talking too much!). Around 9:30 that night baby Rachel was born. She was beautiful. My next thought was about how little she was. It took her a while to cry but when she did it was music to my ears. That night I noticed what appeared to be seizures. I mentioned it to the nursing staff and she told me not to worry and that it was normal newborn behavior. I noticed that night that Rachel didn't sleep all night long. She cat napped a coupled times while I was holding her, but she just didn't rest well. The next morning the doctor came in and they took her to the newborn nursery for him to look her over. About and hour later I sent my husband to see about her and he came in and said they were admitting her to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). While I wasn't totally shocked, I was concerned so I went to the nursery to see what was going on. When I got there, they were whisking her away and I barely got to touch her face before they took her. I asked the nurse why they were sending her to NICU and she said her color wasn't good and that they witnessed what they thought were seizures. I got a little anxious but knew at that point I had to hand my precious baby to Jesus because I knew I could do nothing for her. I had to put my total trust in the One that made her.
Later that morning we got report that they were calling in a specialist to look at Rachel. Her SAT levels were low and she was on oxygen. Her little body seemed taken over by the seizures and she still could get no rest. It was heartbreaking looking at my precious newborn knowing how tired she looked and how her body must have been aching from the seizures. There were so many tears and so many prayers for Rachel that day. God had her in His arms and was beginning to work a miracle in her life that even we could not comprehend. Praise God for all things...this is what we learned that fateful day.