Waiting And Praying

An update from Jen:

Just wanted to let you know we all are fine. Still waiting and praying.


GiGi will most likely need the shunt soon, as her head size increases. Fortunately her weight is increasing (3lbs, 10 oz). They will do the shunt after 4lb is achieved. Everyone is hoping she can maintain her current status until her neurosurgeon returns from vacation on Oct 3 (there is neurosurgeon covering for him, but he doesn't 'know" our baby). If she shows a decline in her status and needs surgery earlier than that, then we know it is God's will and won't question His reasons. He has given me a peace about the surgery, and I see every day how he is at work orchestrating the many details of our life.

Please pray for God to bless Gigi's physicians and nurses with wisdom and clarity in determining when she will need a procedure done and which procedure... shunt or reservoir( to reduce the pressure the fluid is causing on her brain). Because she has a rotating schedule of care-providers, it is difficult for them to all know her "baseline". Pray for clarity!!!!!!


"He is a Shield to those who take refuge in Him." —Prv 30:5

GiGi is doing beautifully today... as she turns 4 weeks old! She's very alert and curious, and once again reaching for her tubes... she's got spunk! After not being able to interact with her very much following her ventricular tap Thursday, I was so happy to be able to hold her again and feed her a bottle! She seems to have bounced-back and is gaining weight well ...3lbs, 6oz today!

Since her ventricular tap Thursday, we received news from her neurosurgeon that the fluid in her brain is returning quickly. He believes she has canal stenosis, disabling the flow of cerebralspinal fluid from her ventricles. He anticipates the need for a shunt placement very soon. Although we are preparing for this and thankful this technology exists to help her, we continue to pray faithfully for a miracle... for the Lord's healing & sparing from this surgery.

Well, many have assured us that this would be a roller-coaster ride..... it now surely is! I'm so glad God is at the controls of this ride!!!

Once again, we had an enotional morning after hearing the news, but His word again spoke the truth to me! Friends shared Romans 4:17 and Acts 2:25 and Mark 11:23 yesterday, and Psalms 145...... Thank you ladies! God is so loving and faithful! He IS at my right hand, leading us. His angels ARE with GiGi, ministering to her right now! He WILL deliver her! Praise be to Him!

Drew and I keep hearing so many voices (numerous physicians, articles, test results).... it gets very confusing and heavy. I was so thankful for God's timing when hearing the song "Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns Friday on the radio. I've heard it so many times, but every word sunk into my heart at that moment as I tried to sort through it all, "Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will chose to listen and believe the voice of truth." We will rely on His word...His truth... His promises and claim them for GiGi! Thank you for your prayers!

About the Tap from Jen

Praise the Lord! GiGi is doing very well today following the ventricular tap and blood transfusion. When I saw a vial holding 50 ml of water in her room, I found it shocking to realize it was the same amount drained from her little head... quite a load for such a tiny girl!!! Her vital signs are stable. She is uncomfortable at times (probably a headache... I imagine), but moving well and more alert.

We prayed yesterday and early this morning for God to make it very clear to us and her surgeon exactly WHICH procedure to do.....the tap or the reservoir. They both had advantages and disadvantages. Well.... He once again answered us! We are thankful they found the e coli presence in time... as this was a major determining factor in the selection to choose the tap..... and pray she will not become infected. Now it's watch, wait and PRAY!!! As far as management of the ecoli colonization.... she received antibitoics yesterday. If she needs a surgery down the road, they'll treat her ahead with antibiotics again. There's not much they can do to get rid of it unfortunately. Please specifically pray for protection from this bacteria. It would be devastating if it entered her brain or body. God will protect her!

It was wonderful having Drew's dad here to guide us through the options. His mom came to the hospital this afternoon for a few hours, and my mom will be here for the weekend. Our friends have been pouring out love on us in countless ways.... meals, playdates, laundry, groceries, flowers, lawncare, scripture, phonecalls......and ENCOURAGEMENT!!! We are abundantly blessed!!!!!

Thank you, my prayer warriors!
Jen

update from kristy-noon on thursday

Jen just called.
The neurologist called and said that due to lab results showing colonized e-coli they did not want to do the reservoir today and increase the risk for infection for GiGi.
He went ahead and did a ventricular tap this morning and drained 50ml of fluid (roughly 1 1/2 oz.) This will result in a tough day for GiGi with headaches and irregular vital signs.
From Jen: Pray for protection for GiGi.
Because the fluid drained was clear, they now know that this is not residual fluid from the bleed, it is new fluid showing that this problem is not from the bleed and is probably due to her prematurity and that an area of her brain just pumping out extra fluid. Therefore the plan now looks to be surgery at some point to place a permanent shunt so that the fluid can drain from her head and be absorbed in GiGi's body.
Pray for Jen & Drew....the Lord keeps showing them His peace but they are exhausted.
They know that Satan is attacking but they need full coverage of prayer also.

Prayers for Surgery and PICTURES & Understanding

Our Littlest Angel

These pictures of GiGi were taken when she was about a week old.

Hello Everyone

Thursday morning Jen and Drew will need to make a decision as the neurosurgeon will

be taking sweet little GiGi in for surgery to reduce the amount of fluid in the brain.

It appears the fluid is not draining on its own and may possibly be increasing again. They do not know why this is happening at this point, they only know that they need to take care of it.

PRAYER

Wisdom for the decision Jen and Drew will need to make Thursday morning regarding the procedure that will be performed.

Wisdom and Courage for the doctors and nurses caring for her during this time and afterward.

Strength for Drew and Jen as they wait during the procedure.

Healing for Gigi after the procedure.

PRAISE

Gigi is three pounds!!

The neurosurgeon is leaving for vacation on Friday so Jen was relieved that this unfolded now, instead of after he was away.

Her nurses at the new NICU are very caring and supportive of her.

UNDERSTANDING

Understanding...our children do not always understand what we do to them, how we treat them, they simply trust us.....we do not have to understand all God's ways of dealing with us, or Gigi or someone else in our lives....we simply need to trust HIM...and someday we will see the glory of Him in the things we do not understand. J.H.M

just in FROM JEN:

GiGi will definitely undergo the surgery Thursday at 1:00pm, as long as she is stable medically. The procedure will involve placement of a "subgalean reservoir" under her scalp that will drain excess cerbralspinal fluid from the ventricles of her brain. It will also enable the physicians to have an easy access if they determine the need to actively drain her with a needle in the future. She will be sedated and will most likely be on a ventilator for a day or two.

This was a suprise for us today. we kept thinking this was "down the road" and hoped she could resolve the hydrocephalus on her own. We all (Drew, me & his dad) went in to see her this morning, as I felt something was "off" yesterday during my visit. Praise God for His perfect timing in getting GiGi's neurosurgeon, neonatologist, and nurse ALL in the room SIMULTANEOUSLY during our visit!!!!! We were all able to hash out her recent changes, and God provided wisdom and discernment, just as we had asked!!!! I know this was a miracle, because it has been difficult trying to connect with any doctor over the recent 5 days in this NICU...let alone 2 at the same time!!!!! Also, the fact that Drew and his dad(a pediatrician) were there, too, to make this decision, was in God's perfect timing!!!

We went back to see her tonight, and she looked so sweet as she rested. She looked at us when we spoke to her, and God gave me tremendous peace, through her looks and facial gestures, that she wants this. He is in control and will guide the surgery, with His angels right there. After struggling all day with this decision, I am so very thankful for His gift of peace.

Prayers are Urgently Needed

This is an update from Courtney....please read:


I spoke with Jen late tonight. She has a specific prayer request.

One of the previous cat scans showed some particles floating around in the fluid in Gigi's head (possibly from a previous brain bleed, not sure). At some point these could also cause blockage. Please pray that "God will protect Gigi from any damage that these particles might cause and also that they would disappear totally." The cat scan today showed that her head did swell a little bit, after not swelling for four days ... not sure why.

God put these verses on my heart as I'm typing this ... Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." and a previous verse, Ephesians 3:18, "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ."

monday update from jen

Hi!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend! Things here are going well... finally getting used to the GIANT changes associated with Fairfax Hospital's huge NICU. GiGi's had great nurses... praise God! They make it bearable for us to leave her each day!

We do have several praises!!!!! She is now 3 weeks old, and weighs 2 pounds, 12 ounces!!!!!!!(one more ounce and she will have hit her "1-pound" growth goal)! Also, her head circumference continues to be unchanged, which is an answer to prayer. I am hopeful this means the production of Cerebral Spinal Fluid is balancing-out with her flow, and reducing any pressure on her brain. She is being followed by a Pediatric Neurosurgeon, and we'll to talk to him within the next day regarding GiGi's plan of care. She had an ultrasound of her head last night, but we haven't heard the report yet.

She looks beautiful and is doing all of those wonderful "baby" things... I just love to stare at her face. I see a lot of Kelly in her... time will tell. And she's starting to show her personality. I am actually feeling like I "know" her.... her favorites and her dislikes. What a blessing as her mom to feel this and to be able to tell her new nurses such things as her "voice".

I have to be honest, this week's transition has been overwhelming, and we have all felt tremendous stress. To top it off, Conor had a 4-hour emergency room visit Saturday evening after swallowing a toy. Although thankful he was not harmed, I was discouraged that "something else" had been added to our already overflowing plate. As God's timing is always perfect, we received a call from our pastor in the height of the chaos Saturday evening. The fact that he took time on a Saturday night to call (when preparing for 2 services on Sunday) shows what a true shepherd he is, but also that God laid it on his heart at the perfect time. He was deeply encouraging and shared God's truth and promises in scripture from Isaiah. But he also reminded me that Satan will try to attack us when we are tired & weak, out of desperation. But our faithful God rescues us, even sometimes at the "last watch"... and He did! And He will continue to be faithful on our journey with GiGi. After all, He loves her even more than we do!


God Bless!
Jen

Something to Ponder

The smell of rain

A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the
doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. She was
still groggy from surgery.

Her husband, David, held her hand as they braced themselves for the
latest news.

That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only
24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency Cesarean to deliver
couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing.

At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they
already knew she was perilously premature.
Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs.
"I don't think she's going to make it," he said, as kindly as he could.
"There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and
even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could
be a very cruel one"

Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described
the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived.
She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be
blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic
conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on
and on.

"No! No!" was all Diana could say.
She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of
the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.
Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away
But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and
Diana.
Because Dana's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially 'raw',
the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they
couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to
offer the strength of their love.
All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet
light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would
stay close to their precious little girl.
There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger.
But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here
and an ounce of strength there.
At last, when Dana turned two months old. her parents were able to
hold her in their arms for the very first time.
And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly
warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of
normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital, just
as her mother had predicted.

Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with
glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life.
She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment.
Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending
is far from the end of her story.

One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in
Irving, Texas, Dana was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers of a local
ball park where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing.
As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several
other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms
across her chest, little Dana asked, "Do you smell that?"
Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana
replied, "Yes, it smells like rain." Dana closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you smell that?"

Once again, her mother replied, "Yes, I think we're about to get wet.
It smells like rain." Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin
shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced,

"No, it smells like Him.
It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest."

Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with
the other children. Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and
all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their
hearts, all along.

During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life,
when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding
Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.

"I can do all things in Him who strengthens me."

Update on the head swelling

Praise! Praise! Praise!

I just spoke to Courtney and Jen said GiGi's head stayed the same sizelast night!!! The doctor's feel that this is a turning point for her and the hope is even greater that she will not need any invasive treatment to reduce the fluid present in the brain!

.....perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10)

The Wind of Change

Happy Three Week Birthday GiGi!

The winds blew and change came as GiGi was transferred to the larger NICU on Friday afternoon. She went by ambulance and after getting the older children settled with Courtney, Jen and Drew followed her to her new home away from home. Jen said that there is a neurosurgein available at the new hospital who will keep a close eye on GiGi's increase in fluid in the brain area. She said the immediate plan is to "wait and see" if GiGi can "move" this fluid on her own. It seems they are encouraged by her handling the bleed on her own and would like to proceed in the same manner before doing anything invasive. I will keep you posted on anything new as the weekend progesses.

I was encouraged that God provided this move on a Friday so that Jen and Drew would have the weekend to get used to the commute to the new hospital without the added burden of Beltway Traffic (at least not Weekday Beltway Traffic). And that they could get used to the new surroundings during a quieter time. However, I am sure that quiet is a relative term, as this new NICU has 80 beds and all of them are full.

Jen feels blessed by God's Healing Hand though because to quote her...."GiGi seems very comfortable in her new "home"..... she's a wee little fish in a giant pond... 80 beds in this NICU!!!! But God has used this to show us just how blessed we are in GiGi's health. There are MANY smaller babies in this NICU, and many with much bigger needs than our sweet girl. I know God is there with her, and His angels are right there in her isolet!"

All day Friday I ran across references to the Cross as I prayed for Jen and Drew and GiGi. I was hesitant at first to post the scriptural message but after seeing it again and again, I am relinguishing my fear and putting a verse out there for reflection. " Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad" Song of Songs 4:16

There is mention in Cowman's Streams in the Dessert of carrying one's cross in applying this verse and I quote: "What inexpressable charm seems to encircle some Christians, simply because they carry upon their pure countenance and gentle spirit the imprint of the cross! It is the holy evidence of having died to something that was once proud and strong but is now surrendered at the feet of Jesus."

I think of how much surrendering Jen has done with GiGi during all of this..in the past 24 hours alone, surrendering her to the CAT scan machine, surrendering her to the ambualnce, surrendering her to the new intimidatingly large NICU, surrendering her to the neonatal team as she left to return home to Kelly and Conor. And with it being the first full week of school (wouldn't you know that Drew had to work evenings this week) that she had to surrender the full blunt of motherhood to nurses, teachers, friends and neighbors as she travelled back and forth to be with GiGi. She has to "let go" and put so much of being a mother at the foot of the cross this week, yet the more she did it, the calmer and more peaceful she sounded. Don't get me wrong, she still has tears that overflow, but not out of hysteria. She still has moments when she feels Satan's bite of fear but she channels the fear easily into prayer. There is the nagging burden and overwhelming feeling that comes with the first week of school and a house put on "hold" ie.... all the paperwork, the mail, the cleaning, the caring for the older children. However, she rests in that God will provide the strength to do what is most critical and in the end, the rest will all be taken care of eventually,, she lays everything at the foot of the Cross. When people shake their head and nod and say "where does she get her peace and strength?" Well she got it by not running from the WINDS that blew into her garden of life but by turning her face to the cross and laying all those needs at the Cross.

Jen, thank you. You surrender your life and Gigi's life and allow His will to be done and the bitterness that could invade you turns into joy and gratitude to a loving God. Your fragrance is spreading abroad! You are letting God work through you and the people you touch in this experience, will forever be positively changed by it. Let the roots of their garden deepen in the soil and the growth overflow.

Specific prayer requests are for the fluid to decrease on its own and that the invasive procedures will not have to be done. And that the fluid will not have an impact on GiGi's neurological development.

Update on the Bleed and Fluid

Hello Everyone

There is a brief update on Gigi's condition. It appears the bleed has completely reabsorbed itself (PRAISE). However, the fluid has continued to increase (PRAYER<>

Please continue to pray for the doctors, nurses and other staff that they will use wisdom and discernment and that Gigi will be placed into the care of faithful hands. Also pray for Jena nd Drew and the kids, as this NICU move will place more limitations on them as a family as Gigi will be even farther from them (in distance but even more closer in mind and heart, if that is possible). Also pray for peace and understanding and that they continue to lean heavily and trust the Almighty. Please continue to pray for Gigi's health and that this will not impact her nervous system in any way.

I know we are all anxious to see her, to hold her and to do what we can for Jen and Drew. Let's turn that anxiety into prayer and good works that we can offer for them. If this is reaching someone who has not spent time with the Lord in a good while maybe this is an oppurtunity to get to know Him again. He loves you and would love to hear from you! Dust off that Bible and come to the Lord.

Urgent Prayer Request

Please pray for GiGi.....this update is from Jen an Kristy directly:

From Kristy: Gigi's head has been growing a little faster than what they would expect.
She has some extra fluid and they have decided to do a CAT scan today to determine the reason.
Please pray for the CAT scan to go well and for the result to show a minor blockage that is easily remedied.
Because the result of this will determine the next action to take which could include a transfer of Gigi to another hospital, I felt that it is imperative that we get the prayer warriors praying!

From Jen:Today (Thursday) we received news that her morning head measurement increased considerably since yesterday, so the physician has ordered a CT scan of her head instead of an ultrasound. I'm senseing urgency, and trying not to let fear creep in. God will give us peace and He will handle this in His way and timing. Please pray for her comfort & healing, and for God to bless her physicians with wisdom and discernment concerning the upcoming decisions and procedures.

Please continue your prayers....

Trusting

Good Evening Everyone,

I spoke with Jen tonight. We had one of those conversations that just stopped me in my tracks because I saw the issues we were discussing as so serious, so life changing, so challenging and my heart just cried for my friend. Here she is having discussions on a daily basis with specialists and nurses and physical therapists about this or that diagnosis, the long term implications, the overall tedious nature of the situation GiGi is in right now AND then she leaves the hospital to go out into the world....to deal with, say.. a crazy driver or listening to someone complain about gas prices or to hear about the weather report and not even be able to tune in to the simple mundane facts of life. I wonder how she keeps it all together so well for GiGi and Drew and the kids and I wonder if I could? I stand back and admire her motherly strength and yet I want to step forward and take the cup away and protect her from all of it. I want to protect her myself and I asked how could I possibly do it, even as I got off the phone with her, I was still asking myself, how can I do it...so I prayed and as it so happened, the Lord spoke to me that it was His job I was trying to do. As Jen so appropriately put it "He will take care of the details" So, as much as I argue with Him about it, I believe He is in control of the details. I need to trust Him with the sincere childlike trust that GiGi knows, that Kelly and Conor believe and that Jen displays.

Which brings me to tonights PRAYER REQUEST. Please realize this is second hand from Jen and I am not very good with the medical terminology or the details of all the procedures. What I do know is that GiGi's head size continues to increase and the scan yesterday showed fluid present in the head/brain area. Fortunatley, her plates are not fused so the head can handle the swelling/growth and that is a good thing. However, it is related to the bleed they saw on the last scan and there is concern about the situation. It appears the bleed is an old bleed, but the debris from this bleed may be causing the fluid increase. If the fluid is draining into the spinal cord then they will tap the spine and/or head to drain the fluid. If the fluid is not draining to the spinal chord, the debris is causing a blockage and then GiGi will have to be transferred to the Children's Hospital to have a shunt placed. The prayer request is for the medical staff placing these needles into her little spine, for the procedure to go well without any secondary problems. Also, God please, that there not be a blockage so that the spine can be tapped and that the fluid can be drained and that GiGi will not have to be moved to a hospital so much farther away from her family and will not have any long term neurological problems as a result of this situation.

The PRAISES are that she continues to amaze the staff by drinking TWO bottles a day. The ability to do this is weeks ahead of schedule and is a reassuring sight admist the concerns for her cognitive and neurological health. She is also up to 2lbs 6 oz. and is doing beautifully. Sometimes you have to look at the patient and not at all the tests and just trust that God is working here, in a way that we do not understand.

Which brings me to tonights scripture...Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.....Proverbs...I forget!! If you know, let me know the chapter and the verse.

Keep praying Everyone....and Jen & Drew when you read this, rememeber we love you all!

Two Weeks and Thriving!!

GiGi had a great weekend! Because she has been tolerating full feedings of breastmilk through her oral feeding tube, the doctor ordered her PICC line to be removed. So now all of her nutrition goes right into her tummy! She has handled last week's blood transfusion very well, and was very "perky" on Saturday. It's wonderful to see her now with no IV's. She only has her feeding tube and her nasal oxygen tube... her little arms and legs are finally free! She still weighs about 2 pounds 3ounces and hopefully will begin to gain weight soon.

Surprises:
Kelly was able to hold her baby sister for the first time on Saturday! GiGi was wide-eyed & awake the whole time, and Kelly was thrilled!
Drew fed GiGi her first bottle on Saturday! The doctor and nurses had counselled us that it would be just a trial, and that it may take weeks for her to coordinate her sucking/swallowing/breathing simultaneously. Well, GiGi got right down to business and figured it all out for herself. She finished her whole bottle in 15 minutes, and even burped! She'll continue this once daily, since it requires so much more energy than the tube feedings (she needs that energy to breathe and to grow!)
Jen was able to initiate breast feeding. Although GiGi's energy was dwindling and it lasted only a few short minutes, she did a great job and Mommy was so proud of her! It will take several weeks for GiGi to master it, so we'll try it when she's up to it.
Conor had a fever Friday night, so he wasn't able to visit her. Fortunately, he's feeling better. The good news is that he learned to ride a 2-wheel bike with Drew last week!

Prayer Requests:
GiGi will undergo a head ultrasound on Tuesday, to follow-up the one from last week that showed a small bleed in her brain. Please pray for the results to confirm a reduction in the bleed. Please also pray that she continues to show no signs of neurological effects from the bleed.
Kelly and Conor have adjusted to our new "routine" fairly well. Please pray for the Lord (and us) to ensure their tanks are filled with lots of love amidst all the changes.

The Lord has revealed Himself to us over and over again in miracles on this journey! When we sought Him... He answered. He has blessed us abundantly!

"I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14: 13 - 14

PINK!!! and Specific Prayer Request

THis is a post from Jen to all of you. Please note a SPECIFIC PRAYER request at the end for Gigi.........

GiGi is as PINK as pink gets!!! She had a blood transfusion on Tuesday, partly due to her anemia, as well as the simple fact that she's had so much blood tapped from her for testing, that her little body can't reproduce it fast enough. Her "depletion" was putting a strain on her, and the transfusion became neccessary. Fortunately, she tolerated it fairly well, and seems more comfortable, and much more "PINK"!!!

Praise God!! ALL of her lines have been removed. The only "tube" remaining is her oralgastric feeding tube through which she is fed 18cc's of breastmilk every 3 hours. She also gets a calorie booster and vitamins mixed with the breastmilk. Praise God! This was a huge achievement, because she needed to reach the intake level of 18cc's set by the Nutritionist in order to have her PICC line nutritional support removed!!!

She continues to breathe independently with oxygen via nasal canula (40 - 50%). The increased fluid volume she received from her blood transfusion unfortunately resulted in some "overflow" of fluid into her lungs, causing more labored breathing. She received a diuretic(thus, lots of very heavy,wet diapers!) and her breathing has improved considerably since her body is free of all that excess fluid!

A HUGE prayer request is for the healing of a small bleed that was detected in GiGi's brain via head ultrasound this week. It is an IVH.... Intra Ventricular Hemmorhage... Grade 1-2. This a fairly common in preeemies, and will be monitored weekly with head ultrasounds to ensure it is resorbed and not worseneing. We feel confident God is managing it and that Gigi will not have any complications, but ask you to lift this matter in prayer.

My mom was here until Weds, and Drew's mom arrived Weds to help us until the weekend. It's been great having them here, and Kelly and Conor have really enjoyed the time with them. Next week, it's back to just the four of us!!!

It's been a scary week in the NICU for us, but every time we felt fear, we called on God. He faithfully answered us, providing peace and the knowledge that He is in control! He has placed prayerful friends in our path each day, feeding us encouragement and love. Thankfully, we feel him ever present (to quote Michele). He also blesses GiGi and us continually with wonderful nurses and physicians caring for her around the clock!

Thank you for all the love and prayers!!!
Jen

Please use the Comment Section

Hello All

I have left the comment section, after each post, open to anyone to leave messages for Jen and Drew and Gigi. I am going to print the Updates and the Comments for her and put them in a scrapbook or on a CD so she knows someday how many people were praying for her and her family. Feel free to post, when Jen can look at the Comments and prayers left there for them, lifting them in prayer, I know it will help her. It will also free up the answering machine :)

Keep Praying and Thanks to all, Michele

One Week on Saturday

Jen's Update to All of YOU:

Praising God for milestones, Gigi had her one week birthday on Saturday, September 2nd which is also the day that she made it to two pounds! She had all of her family, including grandparetns there to celebrate this major achievement with her!

As for her health, we prayed for success with the central line and our Awesome God heard. Mercifully, little Gigi went through this procedure uneventfully and her line was placed successfully. It is called a PICC line and she recieves her TPN (total parental nourishment) through this line. She also has a (nose to stomach ) Gastric tube through which she is recieving 5cc of Jen's breast milk every 3 hours. The plan is to increase the feeding by 1cc each day. The goal and hope is for her to have 18cc's of breast milk and at that point they can stop the TPN feedings, and might also be able to remove the PICC line.

Drew, tear eyed and feeling blessed, was able to hold her on her 1 week birthday and she settled in and napped with him, quite happy and content.

Recently, "kangaroo care" was started... which is just as beneficial for mommy as it is for baby!! Jen holds Gigi on her bare chest.....chest to chest...skin to skin... with her head turned so she can listen through her chest to hear her heart beat. She has been tolerating this beautifully for about an hour each time they visit, and she receives her breastmilk at this time, to associate a full belly with being held by mommy. She'll hopefully start developing more of a sucking ability in about 3 weeks, then work will begin to coordinate her sucking/swallowing/breathing simultaneously before she can take a bottle.

The following are Jen's words exactly:
It's so wonderful to hold her, and smell her, and kiss her!!! She is beautiful and doing lots of "baby" things.... yawning, opening her eyes, hiccupping, streching, trying to suck her thumb. We love to see something new each day! Her nurses are wonderful, as God has provided her with a loving team of people each day. This is a huge comfort each time we have to leave her behind as we head home. Kelly & Conor have been in to see her and have responded very lovingly... both can't wait to hold her.

We've been tremendoulsly blessed by the outpouring of love... prayers, meals delivered to our home, offers for rides to the hospital for Jen when Drew is working, offers for help with day-to-day household needs, playdates for Kelly & Conor...and our friend even mowed our lawn today!! Gigi's grandparents have been here providing love and support, and helping Kelly and Conor maintain some normalcy through this all. We are so very grateful!!

Every day God reveals himself to us more and more, and provides us with more than we could have ever hoped for. The praise we give Him just never seems like enough to us, as we are in awe of His amazing works in Gigi and in us!!!

I apologize, I am speechless, I have no words but THANK YOU, GOD! I have cried over and over when I have read these words from Jen. To feel the happiness that she is feeling when she holds her and has thos "baby moments" and is providing "kangaroo time" it leaves me just feeling full of love for the baby for Jen and for the whole family. Their family has grown in numbers with the early arrival of this sweet tiny one. She may be tiny but she has made everyone's heart overflow with hope, wonder and love!

Thou has enlarged me when I was in distress. Psalm 4:1

Ever Present Help

My posting is late, I have not been an ever present help to Jen and Drew; my own family needed me this weekend as we prepared for the beginning of school. Life pulls us in all differnet directions, yet we remain rooted in our Lord. Our God is an ever present help to Jen and Drew, providing fortitude, odedience and strength. Our God is ever present to Gigi, hearing our prayers, sensing our sorrow and apprehension and our joy. In this life, I do not know where I would be without His ever present help because even when I did not know that I needed Him, He was there. When life pulls so that we cannot be there for Jen and Drew, He is there with/for them. When Jen and Drew have to leave Gigi, HE is there with her.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)

Kristy has provided a specific prayer list for conditions associated with premature birth:
"Please continue to pray for Gigi as she still is battling all of the "normal" complications of prematurity.
You may want to do what I do.....pray for specific body parts that can be heavily affected due to prematurity to include:
Her brain -no big "bleeds"
Her eyes -no long term eye damage
Her heart -no long term heart problems
Her lungs -no heavy need for oxygen or long term ventilator needs
Good IV access so that Gigi can get all of the extra needed meds,transfusions, etc. and that they all do their job WELL the first time around
Steady and healing hands for her caregivers to include the nurses and Doctors."

Keep the prayers flowing to heaven.....

Pearls

Yes, Jen did not get to go home yesterday. However, there is a pearl in that change of plans! When she walked down to the nursery to visit her precious daughter, she found the nurse changing the sheets on Gigi's little princess bed. The nurses said PERFECT TIMIMG and they laid Gigi in Jen's arms and there they stayed together for a good thirty minutes. Jen had not had anytime with Gigi like this, to just sit, rock, hold and spend precious time together. She said Gigi was so relaxed and calm, I am sure Jen was, too. How wonderful. How perfect the Lord's timing! If Jen had gone home, that Precious Moment would not have happened! Praise God for His Timing!

Specific Prayer requests: Gigi will have the central line placed today, please pray for "all is well" with that procedure. There was no further discussion of Blood Transfusion, but there is some anemia so please pray for the anemia. Please continue to pray for Jen and her doctors and the after effects of the HELLP syndrome to go away, especially the High Blood Pressure and easy healing from the surgery. Jen will be so busy and we pray God Please, that she be in good health soon.

The burden of suffering weighs heavy around our neck, yet it in reality it is simply the weight necessary to hold the diver down while he is searching for pearls. Julius Richter