Hope for Baby Bennett: A few updates

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

A few updates

Bodie is doing well - has now been over 11 pounds for several days now! Praise God! He is having some issues with feeding, mainly that he has thrown up once a day for the past 4 days now. They're not sure why (they suspect it may have to do with the fact that his volume is just so high - basically, his eyes are bigger than his tummy), but since he doesn't seem bothered by it and is still gaining, they're just watching it for now. Please pray that he continues to gain and stops throwing up!

And some other updates for you all:

My mom Nancy: please pray for my mom tonight. She is having her breast cancer surgery tomorrow morning (Thursday). The good news is that the doctor thinks he can do a lumpectomy and the tumors are estrogen positive, which means she can take tamoxifin and avoid chemotherapy. YAY!!! Please pray for a successful surgery tomorrow and that there are no surprises. Pray for her body physically as she recovers and her spirit as well.

Dusk's brother Paul: His initial diagnosis of kidney stones was apparently a red herring. It turns out he has shingles and possibly some sort of immune disease. The doctors are having a hard time figuring out what's wrong and continue to run tests. Please pray for clarity for the doctors and that Paul's pain would lessen considerably.

And Bodie's heart friends:

Addie (Bodie's long-term buddy from the cticu):

Addie is doing GREAT at home!!! She's working on her feeding (and could use prayer for that), but has adjusted to being back home wonderfully. She is LOVING being with her big brother and sister. Thank you so much for your prayers for Addie and her mom Dana. Please pray for continued increased heart function for Addie.

Isaac (Bodie's roommate):

Isaac is also home and doing well, completely off oxygen and feeding tubes! He's working on gaining weight just like Bodie. :-) And, like Bodie (for the whole 10 seconds or so of his life that he's actually spent at home), Isaac is on a LOT of meds. He's also on breathing treatments. Both of which make life complicated for Cindy and Jeff, who already have 3 other young boys at home. Please pray for Isaac's health (that he can come off some of the meds) and Cindy and Jeff's sanity!

And a new heart friend, Josh (Josh actually lives in London - thank goodness for things like Facebook to bring the CHD community closer together)! Josh is 2 and 1/2 months old and has the same heart condition that Bodie has. He was at home but was readmitted to the hospital earlier this week in extremely critical condition. They were able to stabilize him, but will have to do his Glenn surgery and a valve repair tomorrow. Although the Glenn is generally less risky, his will be riskier simply because he is so young. Please pray for a smooth surgery for the little fighter!

Thanks!
Amy

2 comments:

Rebekah WilsonJuly 8, 2010 at 6:58 AM
I love hearing the updates from Bodie's friends :) I find bonds with moms who have heart babies. For some reason you just connect, you know the ups and downs, the stress, the worry, etc. You just look at each other eyes or read each others words and you can just see so much deeper. I am glad you are out there for other moms who are going through HLHS. Wouldn't it be fun to have a get together of heart babies? What a beautiful pic of a group of babies with beautiful scars :) Scars that show the miracle that God has sent to this world...oh, tearing up now.

I am thrilled Bodie is continuing to stablize and increase his weight. He is working hard to prepare for his surgery and he is going to do great :)
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danaJuly 10, 2010 at 10:59 PM
thanks for including us on your amazing blog, amy, and thank you to all of the prayer warriors who i'm sure helped get addie home!!!! soooo glad bodie is gaining and so smiley!!!
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The Chosen Mothers by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer." The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy." "Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it." "I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you." No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps -"Selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted. She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them." She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side." "And what about her patron Saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."