Gigi Comes Home!

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone." —Isaiah 9:1

Praise Jesus, the newborn King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

There were some dark alleys and gloomy roads along Jen and Drew's travel but together they pulled and picked each other up when the times were tough and fixed their eyes on the great light of HOPE and LOVE, Jesus. And in doing so they streghthened Gigi when she was weary and weak, they helped others see His Glory and be saved, they brought many to know Jesus more deeply this Christmas and experience our Father's gift of His Son, our Saviour; more personally and more profoundly. Thank you Jen for sharing your story openly with all.

Gigi's homecoming occurred at around 6PM on Christmas Eve!! Thanks to some clever designing by some friends, Jen and Drew were able to set Gigi's carseat carrier at the front door, place a wrapped gift box (with three open holes in the top for fresh air) over the carrier and ring the doorbell! Kelly opened the door to find the surprise Christmas gift, her baby sister was home! The whole neighborhood proabably heard her scream "Gigi's home!" when she saw the little baby inside that present.

What a fitting Christmas story, babies arriving and the people around them being delighted and amazed by their sight. Thank you God, for your baby Son, our Saviour and thank you Father for baby Gigi's arrival home!

Thanks to some kinks in the world wide web (or what I think was divine intervention) this post was not able to be made public until now. I think that is fitting because it gave them a chance to be together as a family, quietly (as a baby will allow) and and relish their little miracle that has come home.

Merry Christmas to all!

Healing Beautifully

Our Gigi is healing beautifully since Monday's surgery. Her neck and belly are a bit sore, but improving greatly. Her shunt seems to be doing it's job well, based on her first head ultrasound. They are now treating her like a month-old baby.... none of this "preemie" nonsense anymore(ha,ha). She weighs 7.5 lbs (!!!!!) and is back to bottle-feedings and eating when/how much she wants. She's been dealing with reflux which required thickened feeds and a switch in formula. Fortunately she tolerates breastmilk well and we hope to have her fully breastfeeding soon. She sleeps well and is very alert when she's awake. She nearly gave herself whiplash yesterday when her nurse walked-by... she was wearing a very colorful and festive holiday smock which caught Gigi's eye. I laughed out loud as I watched Gigi's reaction... her eyes were so big & they just followed her nurse around the room.

One of the biggest joys is that we are allowed to hold her for long periods of time now that she has her internal shunt. Previously, the external drain limited us to about 20-30 minutes. So, it has been wonderful to hold her while she eats AND while she cuddles up to sleep. It's getting more difficult to leave her each day, and we are so very thankful for the loving and caring nurses to which God enables us to entrust her care. They are all so wonderful and so special to us!

She'll undergo some final pre-discharge tests next week (vision and hearing) and will complete her final round of IV antibiotics. Her neurosurgeon has planned for one more head ultrasound ealry in the week, and if all is well, we are hopeful to have her home sometime Christmas week! Please pray for continued healing, as well as protection from infection and obstruction of the shunt.

Thank you for the emails containing specific scripture, as I know God uses you to reveal Himself to us! I always print them to read and pray over Gigi.

Moving Along In Recovery

Hi friends,
So excited because Gigi is moving right along in her recovery. Drew and I arrived at her crib to find her awake and looking all around. Her pain medicine was stopped early this morning, but she'll still be a little sedated for a day or so as it leaves her system. We each were able to hold her, and she seemed very comfortable dispite the incision on her head for the shunt and the incision on her belly where the surgeon tucked in her tubing. She even started back on the bottle today much to our surprise! Like I said... moving right along... Praise God!

Our hopes of having her home for Christmas are probably not an option, as we found out today she will require IV antibiotics for a "few weeks"... still waiting on the details. After her last bout with menigitis, we certainly won't push skimping on antibiotic coverage, and will gladly wait as long as the Infection Disease expert deems neccessary. She is in wonderful care at Fairfax Hospital and I hope she can remain in their NICU during the full length of her stay (instead of being transfered to a Peditric unit).

Please continue to lift her in prayer for healing and protection from infection and shunt obstruction!
Blessings to you all!
Jen

Quick Update on Surgery

Hi friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers! Our sweet girl is resting comfortably on the ventilator after surgery yesterday, still receiving lots of pain medication which keeps her sedated while she recovers. Drew's parents were with us at the hospital yesterday, as well as Pastor Bowman. My mom was home caring for Kelly and Conor.

As difficult as it was realizing surgery was a probablility for Gigi, God carried us in the palm of His hand. We asked Him to guide us.. He told us to trust Him, and He faithfully revealed Himself around each turn. Praise Him for the peace He gives us!

Please pray for continued protection from anything unseen or unknown(infection, blockage), strength and healing. Please pray for continued wisdom to be given to those caring for her. Our prayer is also that she will be discharged home next week... in time to celebrate the gift of Christ with Kelly and Conor!

Blessings!
Jen

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!

Here is another Update from Jen with her Happy Feet!

Hi friends, I am so excited to share our news... could barely sleep! God has healed Gigi! I believe what we saw as a decline in her health over the last few days was a final attemp by satan to attack our girl. No doctor can explain what happened. All labs/scans came back normal, yet she was not responding for 2 days. This morning Drew & I were led very strongly in our devotions to "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinth 5:7)...... trust was once again the word and the feeling God placed in our hearts. We prayed strongly for satan and all evil to leave Gigi... that God had already claimed victory through Jesus's sacrifice. We prayed for God's protection, for Him to command His angels over her. I am so happy to tell you that we left the hospital this afternoon after spending over an hour with an alert, interactive Gigi!!!! Praise God!!!

The other hours we spent there were with doctors... the time was truly a blessing from God! We know He orchestrated every second and every detail, as they listened to our concerns (that Gigi is healed and doesn't need the shunt) and they felt it needed further investigation on their side. Praise God...... He got our foot through the door! It's the first time anyone would hear it without immediately discounting the possibility of healing!!! Drew's parents also arrived to join in the discussion... timing truly orchestrated by God. We've also been able to glean info received by our brother-in -law Steve.. a radiologist in Pittsburgh. God has placed so many people around us for His purpose!

A specialist... a neuroradiologist... re-read her brain scans yesterday, and finds no occlusion in her ventricular canals. Because she has very little drainage from her external drain, there is now more acceptance medically to the idea of removing her drain, with hope she will manage the fluid on her own and not need a shunt. Her neurosurgeon has been away all week, and this will be presented to him Sunday when he returns.

Ultimately it will be the decision of Drew and I in giving consent for any surgery. PLEASE pray for us in the days ahead... that we keep our eyes fixed on God.... that He continues to reveal Himself... that He continues to bless Gigi in health.... and for protection against the enemy. Please pray for God to guide us and give us strength, as this may all result in us having to stand against medical opinions. Most importantly, please pray that God will draw closer those who don't know Him... that they may know of His love for them personally, and the price Jesus paid on the cross for their eternal life! May they see His wonderous works in all of this!

Thank you for your prayers and your love!!!
Jen

More from jen

Thank you friends for your prayers! I just wanted to give you a little update on Gigi. She had a great weekend... very alert and active.... playing with her mobile and all-around amazing. Her staus suddenly changed Monday....and she now is very lethargic, barely eating with some vomiting after almost every feed. Lots of tests are being run. Please pray for wisdom and clarity for us and for her medical staff.. In the midst of the healing we've witnesses, it's very hard to be in a valley again... very confused. We've placed it all in God's hands, and are seeking His guidance. I am praying He will use this all to reveal the Good in His works.... that in some way He will reveal the truth about her not needing the shunt.
She is scheduled for her shunt placement Monday, at which time we will be asked to give consent. We will use this time over the next few days to push for justification from the doctors, and to seek the Guidance of the Lord. I thank you, my friends, and continue to request your prayer, encouragement, scripture, and testimonies. I know God is working through YOU in all of this. I am praying He gives us the strength as we attempt to walk by faith and not by sight. When it's the health of our baby....I want to be sure we are fulfilling God's will and not stepping out in fear instead.
Blessings!
Jen

Gathering Strength in Prayer

Hi Everyone,

Jen sent an email last night and she could use your prayers for strength and for continued healing with Gigi. After a really nice weekend of normal baby stuff: lots of cuddling, feedings, playtime and happy sleep; Gigi has had a serious decline inthe last two days. She is barely waking for feeds and having some issues with vomitting. They ran a CT scan and labwork and results should be in today.

Could you please step away from the everyday today and momentarily lift them up in your prayers for strength, understanding and for healing.

Lord, we ask you to send your Holy Spirit unto the whole Family. We ask for your wisdom to know the right decisions to make, we ask for the gift of peace when worry sets in, we ask for patience to let the healing take place that needs to, we ask gentleness and kindness for those who come into contact with them today. Heavenly Father, bring Gigi peacefully past this and into the health we know you desire for her. AMEN

Jen, Drew, Kelly, Conor and Gigi, we love you and we are praying for all of you. God Bless>