Sara is looking good!

She is continuing to improve. She will be tapped today for the third time (I know it seems like the plans change every day - they do), and if all clear then a fourth and then surgery. Her pediatrician is very happy with how she looks and he is doing great. You know there are some blessings we can find in going through this right now. Sara has her days and nights mixed up, up all night, asleep all day. We told them to get that worked out before they send her home, and she probably will. We also were dealing with colic a lot at night, and that seems to have subsided. So you can find those slivers of sunshine on a cloudy day.

Heard an encouraging word this past weekend, maybe it will encourage you also. James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." I was listening to a pastor whose podcast I subscribe to preach on this passage. And he was encouraging his church to remember God's purpose in our trials.

You see, Jennifer and I have caught ourselves through this recent ordeal just longing and wishing for Sara to get better and get home. And I think in a way putting our hope in the normalcy that would return when she came home. But God's purpose in our trials is not for our lives to return to "normal". Nor for our situation to be solved and made better according to ours or anyone else's definition of "better". His purpose is for us to be made "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" Or as Paul would put it in Romans 8:28-29 - to be made like Jesus. His purpose is to make us like Jesus. Now that changes everything in a trial.

We aren't looking for the situation to get better or get solved for our joy to be real. We aren't looking to get through the trial to bring us joy. Our joy in the trial is the work God is doing in us in making us more like Him. Something Jennifer and I knew, but maybe we had lost sight of. Knowing a truth and having to live it are two different things. Maybe that will encourage you, pray that we won't forget it and find our joy in Him to be exceedingly abundant.

Infection still clearing

The preliminary results from the 2nd culture are negative, so the infection is clearing or cleared. Just to be safe he will take 2 more samples next week to make sure it is still gone. The doctors and nurses have let us start holding her (very carefully, we can't move her around) and feed her. That is nice, and Jennifer and I are noticing changes in Sara. She is locking into our eyes more than she did at home. I am desperately trying to get her to smile at me before she smiles at Jennifer, that's something you can pray about. Ha! She is eating more now, and her weight is over 8lbs after she lost a little bit. Thanks for praying, keep it up! (especially that special request)

Not Much New

Not much new to report on Sara. Just waiting for the antibiotics to run their course. Supposed to tap her today to check infection, but the plan may have changed until tomm. Don't know why. Thanks for praying, keep praying for no new news until surgery - that would be good.

So Far So Good

The 24 hour preliminary report on the cultured bacteria is negative. We will know 100% sure tomm. The plan is to check again Wed, Sat, and Mon. If all clear - new shunt next week.

Good Weekend

Sara had a good weekend. Just doing normal baby things - sleeping, eating, pooping, being awake, talking, walking, ok maybe not the last two. A tap was made of the spinal fluid yesterday to check for infection. We will get preliminary results today and final results tomorrow (48 hours after tap). Hopefully and prayerfully we will see that the infection is clearing. Then later (don't know when yet) he will do 2 more cultures and when we have 3 clean cultures then we can look at replacing the shunt. Until then we wait, pray, and live life.

Back in NICU

No reason to be alarmed, she was moved back into NICU tonight primarily due to staffing issues. She has continued to progress today. She is eating good, resting well, even feeling well enough for the colic to return this evening. Poor nurses. The neurosurgeon said Jennifer would get to hold her tomorrow. Thanks for praying, keep it up. God has been good and faithful once again. Praying for another good day tomm.

1000 X Better

Just saw the pediatrician, she said Sara is 1000x better. The other day when we brought Sara in she was worried about life or death. She said she is not out of the woods yet, but much better. She will get some blood today. She has continued to eat well and now it is just wait and heal.

The two bacteria she is fighting could have possibly come from the skin and bowels. What is unusual is that they passed into the blood stream and attached themselves to the foreign body in Sara - the shunt. Thus infecting the spinal fluid which brought on the meningitis. This did not happen during the shunt surgery. Sometime after we left PICU and now. Who knows?? You are so careful, yet your taking her into dozens of doctors offices. Even though we wash hands constantly and require family to wash hands, it could have even come from us. Just one of those risks you take from procedures like this. Can't worry about the why, just get her better and continue to be careful.