Ways to Pray and Lessons Along the Way

We are in the cardiac ICU with Maggie.  We were admitted on Monday after a 2nd trip to the ER with fever, vomiting, and left side joint pain.  The plan was 24 hrs of IV fluids and monitoring to help her kick what looked like a virus.  Tuesday morning things took a turn for the much worse.  Maggie started seizing and went flaccid on her left side.  A CT scan revealed 2 brain bleeds.  One is weeks old in her Thalamus and the other is fresh in her Frontal Lobe.  They suggest some kind of clotting disorder related to her heart condition that was exacerbated by the illness.

Here is where we are and ways you can pray immediately:

1. For the bleeding to stop completely.  We are hopeful for recovery if she can get out of the phase of insult to her brain and start healing.

2. To know what is causing the bleeding.  Apparently blood disorders can be hard to diagnose when there is acute inflammation and they can take a while to get back anyway.  We can't treat what we can't diagnose and that leaves her at continued risk for bleeds.

3. Pray for us to see return in her left side soon.  I am hopeful for this and would be greatly encouraged if I could see her acknowledging her left side.

4. For health for the Trent and I.  We are run down and starting to feel it.  Pray for extra measures of strength and immunity for us.

5. Pray for protection of her heart through this.  She has a very severe heart defect that puts her at risk for more complications.

6. Okay this last one is completely selfish.  We are in a room with a 40 year old adult (I have no idea why he is at Children's) and a newborn.  There are private rooms in the unit and given that we will be here for a long time, it would be nice to have one of those rooms for privacy.


So Here is what I am learning and remembering:

1.  Here I Raise My Ebenezer.   In the old testament an Ebenezer was a stone that the Israelites placed in a location to remind them of God's presence and help.  In this moment I have to hold onto ways I have seen God move in the life of this child up until now.  If I look at her presentation, it looks grim but we have been there before and we seen God do amazing things so I am raising my Ebenezer today and focusing on the faithfulness of God.

2. Maggie is loved and so are we.  I am overwhelmed by the texts, messages, and visit we have received since Maggie's episode.  I could spend all day returning them but need to focus on her.  Thank you for loving this child, praying for her, and encouraging our family.

3. Today is the day to put down what you are doing and hold your babies.  There was a point yesterday when I had been holding her and my arms were tired.  I tried to lay her down and she said "up" in a quiet, sleepy little voice.  For a moment my selfishness felt like a had lost in my efforts but then I quickly went to a place where she was not with us and how I would give anything in that moment to hold my baby one more time.  Circumstances change so fast.  Viruses turn into brain bleeds and suddenly the plans of your day, your summer, and your life are radically altered.  Hold your babies today.