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!