Give Thanks

"In everything, give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything, give thanks.

Everything.

These past few days have been rough for me and Bethany. Seeing Emma Kate in pain hurts worse than when I am in pain. Watching her lay in bed and cough and cough and grunt and then throw up is awful. We take turns rocking her, holding her chest when she coughs, and we try constantly to make her smile. When she does, it makes it all better for a little while. It is just so frustrating that she can't seem to keep down her food.

The doctors still aren't sure what is causing this but are trying several different things. Emma Kate is on a continuous feed now through her ng tube at a very slow rate. Perhaps her stomach is still waking up from the anesthesia and needs a little more time to digest. She could also: have a stomach bug/ be swallowing mucus/ be allergic to motrin (she is no longer getting it)/ be nauseous still from surgery. Whatever it is, Emma Kate will not be discharged until she has gone 24 hours without throwing up. The longest she has made it so far is 8 hours. So we wait.

And though we wait, I am very thankful. Emma Kate's heart is exactly the way they want it to be. Her lungs look great. Her sats have been incredible for a glenn baby. Other than the eating, she is doing awesome. Even though the doctors aren't sure what is causing her throwing up, they have told us it is not serious. Because she is doing so well otherwise, they feel this will be corrected in a short while. This is comforting that they aren't worried about it.

And though Emma Kate is going through what she is, I am very thankful. She is my little girl. She knows my voice and smiles at me and laughs at me when she can. She is overcoming something so phenomenal and she laughs while doing it. She fusses and cries a lot right now, but she is still happy. And she will beat this.

We are also thankful for your prayers. I know I say it a lot, but it is overwhelming the amount of love and support you have shown for us. And we are thankful to be a part of it. Because your prayers have been mighty, I would like for you to pray for a little girl here in the hospital that has HLHS, also. Her name is Katelyn Stone and she had her Norwood (first stage) last week. She had to go back on heart bypass this morning and her parents are understandably upset. Please pray for Katelyn and her parents.

And in everything, give thanks.