Sunday, December 18, 2011

Trial off of ECMO - Please pray!

Sorry it's been a few days since our last post. We have been very excited about Jude’s progress over the last several days but we are also very tired and weary. Our family’s journey over the last several weeks has been a tough one. But we are thankful for the answered prayers and the support we’ve been given. We are thankful that the Lord is carrying us each step of the way. Please pray for endurance and rest for our whole family. Jude needs rest for the physical challenges that he will face in the next several days. Brian and I need rest simply because we are on the go constantly and we are not sleeping well. And Annabelle needs rest….well, because she is two years old!

Jude continues to make progress on ECMO and all of his “gases” are looking good at this point. He will be taking a big step at 4am Monday morning…he will participate in a trial off of ECMO. Basically, this is a test run to see how he will handle being off of ECMO. If all goes well, the doctors will begin taking steps towards removing him from ECMO. If he doesn’t handle the trial well then they will return him to ECMO and try another trial in a day or so. Please pray for his trial. We’d love for him to pass his trial with flying colors but we’d also like for the doctors to be confident that he is ready to come off of ECMO.

It’s been tough for me as a mom to know that this next step is before us. I am so excited about the fact that he is showing signs that he might be ready to come off of ECMO but I am also so nervous about Jude not having ECMO. ECMO was scary when we needed it but now I am scared to leave it. Both sides of the coin have their concerns and challenges. Mostly, I am just nervous about the next steps in Jude’s journey: coming off ECMO, surgery and recovery from surgery. Please pray that we will trust that the Lord has prepared our steps long before we arrived here. Pray that we will continue to remember this as we approach the ups and downs of our next steps.

I am so proud of Jude for doing as well as he has. He is such a beautiful little boy and he has worked so hard over the last few days. Please continue to pray that his lungs remain open and healthy. Please continue to pray that the pleural effusion stays small and pray that his pulmonary hypertension will abate. And please pray that all of the rest of his little body will work towards healing and not towards sickness.

We covet your prayers this week. This could be a HUGE week for Jude. We promise to update you as often as possible.

3 comments:

  1. That is wonderful news! Praying that the trial goes well!

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  2. Jude and your family have been constantly in my thoughts and prayers! Reading this brings back so many memories. As my family.and I have been through the exact same thing! We now have a healthy and very smart 12 year old. One piece of advice I do offer you is to take pictures to document his journey and to show him what ECMO is. You may have done this already. But, I did not because I didn't want the reminder If things did not turn out the way we'd prayed. Ian has had Sooo many questions about it! I am a friend of Rita McInville and have been keeping up with your progress. But, just know that we've been praying hard for you! Lori McCants lorimccants@gmail.com

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  3. Praying for Jude!!

    Psalm 46:1-3 "God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

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