Kidneys

Emily is once again facing an obstacle. Her kidneys are not working well it all and she was not extubated this morning. A kidney specialist is being brought on as her kidney levels are close to needing dialysis. She is off of all meds but she is not processing them correctly so she still has levels of meds that she has been off of for 5 days. Extubation has been postponed until the kidneys are addressed. She is still sedated even though she is not on meds.

Pray that they can identify quickly how to help her.

Extubate tomorrow?

Quick update as I am traveling...

* breathed on her own since 9.30 AM
* showed emotion for first time
* she is uncomfortable but ok
* plan to extubate in AM if all goes well

Pray to that end

6 Hours...

...is how long Emily breathed on her own today!!!! Are you kidding me?!?!

They turned off the respirator this morning around 9 AM and did not know if Emily would be able to last a couple of minutes, 30 minutes or an hour breathing on her own for the first time. And now, 6 hours later, Emily is just now getting some much needed rest. They have turned the respirator back on now but she is still having to initiate the breaths on her own. It allows her to rest a bit more and not have quite as much work.

The plan is to allow her to rest for the remainder of the day/night and try again in the morning with the hopes that they can pull the tube either later Wednesday or more likely Thursday. She is still sedated but is now completely off morphine and is now on a "3" for the other drug that helps with her nerves. They were both at 15, so this is a big adjustment. She was fairly alert today with eyes open and interactive which I know was a big relief and encouragement for Jason...but exhausting too as he watched his wife for 6 hours do things she has not done in almost 3 weeks.

She is resting well now so let's keep praying that continues with no interruptions. And let's pray that she can finally move past the need of this machine within the next 48 hours that has been breathing for her and get that tube out of her throat!

Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Big Day Tomorrow

Alright everyone...it's one of the moments we've been waiting for. So let's be in prayer heavily on Tuesday.

Emily's sedation meds were cut in half today (from a 15 to an 8...but I'm not really sure what those numbers mean) to begin the process of waking her up. They want her awake enough to receive coaching from the nurses and doctors about how to breathe again with the hope that she can come off the vent. They are going to give her a chance to initiate a breath while she is still on the vent and see how she does. They tried today to see if she would breathe on her own and she did not take a breath when they turned the machine off but she was still not awake at all at that point. It was a scary moment for sure but today, she once again squeezed Jason's hand...YAY!

Right now, the vent is set to initiate her breaths for her but once she is alert and able to take instructions, they will change those settings to allow her the chance to re-learn what it is like to breathe after almost 3 weeks of being on the ventilator. So basically, tomorrow is a HUGE day for her in so many ways and will be a big determining factor of whether they proceed with taking her off the vent or doing a tracheotomy.

Specific prayer requests include...
* Emily to wake up without any of the "episodes" she has been dealing with
* A smooth transition off of the sedation meds (she's been on A LOT) and for there to be no long term damage
* Emily to receive instructions well and for her to understand and reenact what she is being instructed to do
* Patience and teamwork present for all involved
* Emily to initiate her first breath tomorrow
* Progress to be made towards full recovery
* A sweet "reunion" of Emily "rejoining" Jason, her family and friends
* Emily to be encouraged
* Jason & family to have hope & patience and for them to be encouraged as well

Please leave a comment to let them know that you will be praying for them on Tuesday.

Pretty much the same

Emily has basically maintained the same status since the last time I posted. Her oxygen is still at 40% and her PEEP is still at a 5. All in all this is a very good thing. Yesterday during the late afternoon she did have a very random heart rate increase that shot up to 160 to which they had to give her a med to bring it down which made her blood pressure low again. However, they were able to get her stable fairly quickly and it seemed to be an isolated incident.

Jason believes the doctors will probably make a decision on Tuesday or Wednesday to start weaning her off the vent or do a tracheotomy. So let's keep praying for Emily to improve and for the doctors to have wisdom and discernment to make the best decision for Emily's care.

Heading in the Right Direction

There is a big smile on my face as I get to share some encouraging news and some answers to prayer!

Emily's oxygen has been moved down to 40% (where it should probably stay) and her PEEP is down to 5. These are the key numbers that indicate the possibility of coming off the vent! Everything should probably stay the same today but the may take down some of the other machine settings on the vent as well that should make her breath rate go down (another big step in the right direction).

There is not an official plan in place from the doctors to start weaning her off the vent but the nurses are starting to talk about it more and everything seems to be moving that direction. From what Jason has gathered, the weaning off process can take a few days rather than being a quick change so we are still looking at next week at the earliest. And all of this is not a guarantee of getting off the vent but things are definitely much more in favor of that than they have been.

A funny anecdote from today...Emily had the nurses and her Dad laughing a bit this morning. She was kind of awake a little bit today when the nurses needed to move the tube a little bit further down in her throat. This actually happened twice. Emily decided to bite down on the tube so that they could not push it down any farther. When the nurses could get no further they asked her "Emily, do you understand that we need to put the tube further down your throat?" to which Emily nodded yes. "So you need to stop biting down on the tube, Emily." To which in true Emily fashion, she shook her head no. Of course the nurses won but it is so encouraging to know that she is comprehending, making choices, and that even the stubborn part of her personality is shining through. :-)

All in all, Jason is very encouraged and asks that we pray that she continues on this path and that everything keeps heading in the right direction. Yesterday marked two weeks on the vent and three weeks in the hospital. There is definitely a lot more work to do even after getting off the vent involving rehab, etc but it is wonderful to see some drastic improvements right now.

Tim and Jason are both doing fine and Emily's sister Callie may come again. Stephanie will come as soon as they take the vent out to help with rehab. AND, sweet Faith is doing really well too. She has a couple of times a day that she is sad and asks for Mommy & Daddy but grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins, and the lovable dog Maggie are dong a great job of keeping her entertained and doing well.

So spend some time praising the Lord for what He has done and keep praying for Emily and her family.

Thursday

Quick update...hopefully many more details tomorrow. :-)

Emily's feeling a little bit better today. Her PEEP is down to 10, her oxygen is down to 70% and her O2 sats are staying in the mid 90s. She is able to rest well. The hope is that she is over a hump and will continue to get better. Let's pray to that end. Not much else has changed at this point.

Wednesday

Today was a little bit better than yesterday. Still not much to report. Emily's vent settings are at 90% oxygen and she is back to holding steady in the upper 90s for her O2 saturation which is much better than it has been. This should make it easier for her to breathe.

I'm rereading that paragraph over and over and just not sure what else to say...partly because I don't have a lot more info and partly just because I just don't know how to say anything else. I'm so thankful that Christ paid it all and promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

Romans 12:12 - Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

I miss you Em...but I'm rejoicing in the hope that we'll get to talk to you again soon and the truth that we will have new bodies in our future home...I'm doing my best to be patient in this process by trusting in the Lord and encourage you to do the same even when it's consistently tough (and I know it is)...and I'm constantly praying for your healing, for Christ to work through you, and for a miracle with your name on it.

Tuesday

The rest of the day yesterday continued to be troublesome but overnight last night was much better. Emily got settled down and was able to sleep well. This morning she has been unsettled again and Jason is just hoping it is not a repeat of yesterday. She really needs to have a couple of good days in a row before she can look at getting off the vent. Her oxygen is back up to 80% on the vent so in some ways it feels like she is heading in the opposite direction. It is such a delicate balance with all of the drugs, her vent settings, and her stats...trying to keep everything in the perfect balance is proving to be very challenging. But I know a God who holds her and this entire world in the palm of His hand. Please Lord, hold her up with your righteous right hand.

As I know many of you in the Birmingham area are wanting to help more practically, I asked Jason very specifically if there was anything anyone could do that would be a help and not a hindrance. And as I expected, there just is not much at this point. They don't want to leave Emily for too long, visiting Emily is not really a beneficial option and she does not have any needs that anyone can meet at this point. Jason and Tim are staying in the UAB Townhouse but it is a different set-up than what they had before. There is only a dorm size mini-fridge (no freezer or microwave) and an oven/stove and very, very little storage room. They have stocked it with their basic needs. Trying to coordinate meals or visits right now would probably be more of a hindrance just because it all depends on how Emily is at that very moment which changes constantly.

This all could change and I will let you know if it does. I believe their transplant fund is still active (bottom right of the page) and if you really want to do something now, I would suggest contributing to that. All the money goes towards Emily's medical expenses which as you can imagine, continues to increase. I know it is not a tangible, immediate need but right now the best thing to do is to just pray. I'll try to get an address to where you can send cards and I'm sure their loved ones in Lubbock would appreciate encouragement as well. Another idea for the future maybe some airline miles or rapid rewards that could either get family from Lubbock to Birmingham or reunite Faith with her parents at some point. Everything is a little bit at a standstill until Emily's status changes a little more.

Pray for her lungs to get stronger and continue to fight this infection. Pray that the delicate balance mentioned above can be reached and remain stable for at least two good days. Pray for Emily's future recovery as I know she felt beaten down before this and I can only imagine the battle she will have to fully recover from this. And continue to lift up the family to have strength, patience, endurance, and hope.

Very Difficult Day

This morning started off with some routine hygiene care for Emily that basically set the day in a downward spiral. She became agitated at being moved and began fighting the tube, so she was given some meds to help her relax; which sent her blood pressure plummeting, so she was given some meds to regulate that; which sent her heart rate skyrocketing to 170, so she was given some meds for that...not fun to watch I'm sure.

Things have calmed down some but the team is still working the kinks out of this very difficult day. Please pray for a better night and for there to be some light at the end of this dark tunnel.

Psalm 31

31:1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame;

in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
save me in your steadfast love!
17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,
for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go silently to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
which speak insolently against the righteous
in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
20 In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!