GIVE GLORY TO GOD

Let this day be a testament to God's grace, mercy and healing power. Leila will not need surgery this week! The neurosurgeon reviewed her head ultrasound and decided that things had improved enough since last weeks scan that she doesn't need a surgically implanted reservoir to drain the fluid off her brain. That is a direct answer of yes from God that he heard our prayers and your prayers. God still works miracles. Thanks and praise to God. We have been  blessed. This is a big victory and we are so grateful.

More good news... if Logan keeps progressing with his bottle he might be discharged as early as next week. That will be another big victory. Keep praying for Logan and Leila. It feels like we are on the home stretch. The ultimate victory will be the day when both Logan and Leila will be at their own home together again... and it is coming.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.

IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS

We thought she was clearing her throat getting ready to sing. Looks like she was just coughing a little. Leila's progress has been outstanding lately... until we get the results of her latest head ultrasound.

The neurosurgeon reviewed the scans and said that her ventricles were significantly enlarged. They said they would scan her again on Monday and decide if they were going to proceed with phase 1 of 2 surgeries. Phase 1 surgery will be to place a temporary reservoir in her head so that the nurses and doctors can drain the fluid off her brain when needed. They will do this for some amount of time then re-assess. If her ventricles don't improve then she will need a permanent shunt. This is basically a small pressure relief valve in her head that will drain to her stomach if too much fluid accumulates in her brain.

This is our last chance to see God do something before the doctors take things into their hands. I would rather see a miracle from God and things be healed on Monday so we don't need a temporary reservoir or a permanent shunt. If they still decide to put the reservoir in, there is still a small shred of hope that she won't need the shunt. We cling to the smallest possibilities of hope these days. Church (with a capital C, universal), we ask that you lift Leila up to God.

Let it be known that this blog is not about me, my wife or my two kids. This blog is about Almighty God. With that in mind, I will do as King David and record my prayers to God for the entire world to see. I fully believe that God can heal Leila with a single word (he created the entire universe by speaking). I have zero doubt that God is able. I pray because I have to ask God to show grace and mercy, to be the Great Physician and to choose to heal Leila's problems.

God, you are ALMIGHTY and are the GREAT PHYSICIAN. You can do miracles now just like you did 2012 years ago when you made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. You raised Lazarus from the dead. You died and rose from the grave yourself. The woman with the issue of blood was healed just by touching your clothes. The centurions child was healed just because he sought you out and asked. I am asking now, as clearly as I know how and am able like the centurion 2012 years ago, that you speak the words and heal everything in Leila's head. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. I take that to mean that the mercy that spared Noah and his family is the same mercy that you can show Leila. Please show the world that your grace and mercy still abound and that your healing miracles can be applied to people as unworthy as me and my family. Please forgive us when we are weak in the flesh and doubt your power. Thank you for reminding us of your word. Please let this be your victory and not the doctors' victory. You made Leila's eyes better, please remember her brain. AMEN

I don't want any comments on this post. I don't want anyone to see me. I do want God's response to this prayer to be seen.

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people


Matthew 9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.


Luke 9:11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.


Psalm 86:15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.


Psalm 86:16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant


Psalm 90:14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!


Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.


Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy


Psalm 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,


Psalm 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy


Psalm 130:7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption

SHOWERS OF BLESSING

How does God show us His love? One of the ways is through His people. We had two baby showers this weekend. I was again impressed with the generosity of friends, family and fellow Christ followers. All I can do is say thank you. Leila and Logan will be thankful one day too when we are able to show them the pictures of their baby showers.

Here's the update on Leila. She is still growing and they have increased her feeding again today. Every day she is able to continue handling the increased feeding she will get another increase in order to get her off the artificial nutrients the hospital staff call TPN. The TPN's have kept her alive the past 11 weeks but tend to make the liver and kidneys work overtime. All you prayer warriors out there, Leila needs prayer for her liver and kidneys so that her problems will be fixed in a few days when she reaches full feeding and comes off the TPN.

Logan still crusing along. Doing well on his reduced flow rate. Doctors are also watching his liver and kidneys closely.

Leila happy to be held by momma

PROGRESS TRACKER

Let's review Leila's progress so we can see how God has shown his love:
Born March 4, 2012 approximately 15 weeks premature - check
Recover from jaundice - check
Recover from intestinal perforation - check
Recover from drain tube protruding from right side - check
Recover from heart murmur surgery - check
Recover from intestinal surgery and removal of 3 cm of small intestine - check
Recover fom potential problem with eyes - check
Start getting fed milk again - check
Recover from infection - check
Recover from pneumonia - check
Ween off the ventilator - check
Breathe on her own with CPAP - check
Achieve weight of more than 5 lbs - check (was 5lb 5 oz today)
Still needs prayer for - brain that there would be no long term effects
Still needs prayer for - liver and kidneys from being on TPN (baby gatorade) so long

WOW! I love seeing the balance shift from a list of bad things to overcome to a list of good things that have been overcome. Praise God.

Got to hold Leila tonight. She was happy.

Chunky Monkey

Love that passie

Let's review Logan's progress too:
Born March 4, 2012 approximately 15 weeks premature - check
Recover from jaundice - check
Dodge the intestinal problems bullet - check
Heart murmur closes on its own - check
Start getting fed milk - check
Ween off ventilator - check
Breathe on CPAP - check
Knock CPAP off and breathe without it - check
Get high flow cannula - check
Recover from infection - check x2
Eat a lot of milk and need additional calories from formula - check
Dodge the eye problem bullet - check
Dodge the brain problem bullet - check
Achieve weight of more than 5 lbs - not quite there. was 4lbs 10 oz today
Still needs prayer for - liver and kidneys from being on TPN (baby gatorade) so long
Still needs prayer for - hernia

Logan is so good natured. I'm starting to wonder if he is my offspring :)

Sleepy time

ROAD TRIP! LOTS OF PICS

At the end of last week, the eye doctor told us that there were some concerns with Leila's right eye and that they wanted to look at it again in one week rather than the normal two weeks. Since the eye doctor is from Vanderbilt and they only travel to Chattanooga every two weeks, Leila had to take a road trip to Nashville today. Apparently it was important enough to take her so they could treat her eye if needed. We were told that the treament might include laser correction and that she would lose some of her peripheral vision. If she needed the treatment then she would have to stay at Vanderbilt overnight. 

So she took her road trip today, saw the doctor and came home, err, I mean back to Chattanooga. The diagnosis: her eye has is certainly not worse and perhaps it is a little better. No laser surgery today. Glory to God. Thank You.

When she got back home to Chattanooga she got a new, open bed. Yep, you know what that means, dress up time. 

This was the only preemie thing we had for her and it was too SMALL :)

Chunky Monkey

Must... Devour... Passie

This passie is her Kryptonite. Fussy baby? Insert  passie.

Leila burrito

Face gear

What are you looking at?

Happy Logan

Looks comfortable

Left footprint=day2, Right footprints=day70

ROAD TO RECOVERY

Finally we have had a few good days. Leila is recovering from her surgeries, coming down off her ventilator and starting to get fed again. The nurse put her isolet on air-mode which means they are trying to get her into a regular crib. Her hair has grown back in from where they shaved it for an IV a couple of weeks ago. She is over 5lbs today and looks like she is feeling much better.

Logan is back to full feedings and has stayed on the cannula for a while now. He graduated to a regular crib and gets to wear clothes now. He's a bit smaller than sister weighing in at an Earth shattering 4.5 lbs. Is that a light at the end of the tunnel I see?

I've missed several posts so there are lots of pictures here.

Logan happy to be held

This picture makes Logan look tiny and my head look huge.

First time wearing his new clothes. It was almost difficult finding something to fit him.

Getting bigger.

I call this the Logan burrito. It is a warm blanket on the outside with a Logan filling inside.

Little man... Big crib

I know karate

Hair like daddy's

What are you putting in my mouth?

Baby fat

Psalm 37:39-40

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.

WAIT, TIMEOUT

I have had a lot of people lately quote me the verse that says God won't give you more than you can handle. There is even a song about it by Group1Crew called "He Said" with the words "I won't give you more, more than you can take".

The verse people have referenced is I Corinthians 10:13. I don't read those exact words. I read the following words from the NKJV:
"There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it."

The word temptation or test is used in at least 6 other English translations that I looked up. This is very encouraging that God is faithful and that He will not give us more temptation than we can take and will provide a way out. Seems like I need to understand the original Greek word to understand if this means temptation, test or tragedy or all of the above. We commonly see and hear of people in other countries persecuted for their faith in Christ. This is a lot of tragedy and sometimes it costs people their life. All I can do is believe what it says and that word is temptation, not tragedy.

Instead, I like the following verses for encouragement for tough times (thanks to mamawallin by the way). If you are experiencing tough times, go find a Bible and look at Isaiah 43:1-3. Here is what it says in the NKJV
"But now thus says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you , O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."

God knows my name, and Amie's name, and Logan's name and Leila's name. He will be with us (regardless of what happens in the NICU). We are standing in the fire. We will not be burned. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, our Savior.

NICU-ITIS

NICUITIS (nik-you-eye-tis) - severe mental and physical exhaustion caused by extended stays in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). That's what the nurse practitioner called what Amie and I are experiencing. I thought it was pretty funny.

Leila is doing a little better today. Still no word on exactly what was/is wrong. They brought her down on her ventilator rate and oxygen was almost back down to 21%. She was doing ok tonight.

Logan got to wear his first shirt today. Actually, it looks more like a karate gi than anything, except perhaps a bath robe. They started weaning him off his incubator so he has to wear clothes now. I got to hold him tonight. It was good.

Ready for karate lessons

The most eventful part of tonight was getting stuck in the elevator. We take the elevator from the fifth floor to the first and when we got to the first floor, the door wouldn't open. We had to use the emergency phone. The elevator decided to go up to the second floor and the door opened fine. We decided it would be a good idea to find another elevator. Note to self: don't use the M elevator on the far right.

ONE MORE DAY

We are still not sure what is going on in Leila today. She was responding better though. All we can do now is wait some more and keep praying.I can not describe how much I wish we could go home, but I would much rather be with my two sweet kids at the hospital than anywhere else right now.

Logan is still doing ok. He was filling up lots of diapers tonight which is a good sign.

If Paul was able to have joy in prison by the power of the Holy Spirit then I can too in this time of trouble. I find it interesting that Jesus told his disciples it was better for him to go to heaven after He arose from the grave. Why? Because then the great Comforter could come. That's the Holy Spirit and I need some of that power. (see John 16:7)