Friday the 13th isn't a bad day when you are hanging out with Jude!

Hi friends!
Brian and I are hoping to go to bed soon and get some rest but we wanted to give you a quick update on Jude's day.

• The medical team continues to make changes to Jude's settings on the ventilator and he continues to handle the changes well. His blood gases today were all good too! Please join us in praying that Jude's blood gases continue to please the doctors and please pray that he will continue to be able to take steps towards coming of the ventilator. Please also pray that Jude's lungs will continue to open up and that the fluid on his lungs will continue to come off. Please pray specifically that he will not have any set backs.
• Today Jude's stomach drain was removed and Jude started receiving very small breast milk feeds (through a tube in his throat) to see how his digestive system will handle it. Keep in mind that Jude has not had any food in his digestive system since birth. He only received nutrition through his IV and his mouth was swabbed with breast milk to give him access to antibodies. The hope is that these small feeds will wake up his little system and get it started in the right direction. We will find out more about how Jude handled his feedings in rounds tomorrow. Please join us in praying that Jude's little system is happy to welcome mommy's milk!
• Jude has lost quite a bit of the fluid weight that he put on as a result of his surgery. He is considerably less puffy today. It's great to see our little man getting closer to his normal size again!
• It also appears that Jude's pain is more under control. He is only receiving pain medication through his drips and he is not requiring any of his PRN pain meds. We are SO happy to see that he is in less pain and that he is not requiring more medication. He is not as sedated and was looking around quite a bit today and this evening. Please continue to pray that Jude is comfortable and pain free.
• Jude should be receiving an echo-cardiogram sometime this evening. The results from this will give the doctors a better idea of the presence or lack of  pulmonary hypertension. Please join us in praying that he will be completely healed of his  pulmonary hypertension.
• Brian held Jude for the first time today!!!!! That is a HUGE praise! We are so thankful that the Lord provided a way for this to happen! I (Rose) did not get to see Brian hold Jude (I was out sick for the day) but the nurse took pictures for me. I will post them tomorrow for all of you to see. Brian said that Jude fell asleep eventually and that it was so great to snuggle his little man. 

Honestly, we are quite in shock over how well Jude has done since his surgery. Jude's journey over the last month (and a week) has been especially tough for our little man. He has endured quite a bit. It's been such a rough ride that we are having a hard time allowing ourselves to believe that he is on the other side of his CDH repair and that we can breathe a little. We have no idea when Jude will be "out of the woods". We are trusting in the Lord and remaining hopeful. We are certain with all of our being that the Lord has been present at all times and that he has carried us through. He has loved Jude every step of the way. We are continually thankful for the Lord's love.

I have a favor to ask of all of you. Today, I was made aware of a sweet little boy who is enduring a tough medical journey and it seems that he may be at the end of his journey soon. Since we learned about Jude's CDH we've become more aware of the many medical problems that little babies can face and this sweet little boy has traveled a long journey battling Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa. Will you join us in praying for Tripp, his mother and his family? I know that they need our prayers and I know that they need to know that the Lord is with them at all times...especially right now. Here is a link to their blog: http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/

Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10)