130 Days

Jude's 130 days old! He had a pretty good day today, relatively speaking. Here's a quick rundown on what's new:

• Jude's blood gas this morning was really good! Please join us in thanking God for this bit of good news and pray that his blood gases will continue to improve in the coming days.
• The amount of pressure that the ventilator is having to use in order to deliver the necessary volume of air to Jude's lungs was lower today as well, which is good to see and generally means that his lungs may be a little more compliant. Please pray with us that his lungs will continue to expand, that any secretions or mucus inhibiting lung expansion will disintegrate, and that the pressure necessary to ventilate Jude will decrease.

• Since Jude's experienced a little bit of respiratory improvement, his ventilator settings were turned down just a wee bit today. Please pray with us that the Lord will allow Jude to continually improve such that he can be further weaned on his vent settings.

• Jude will be getting a 10-day antibiotic treatment with a drug called nafcillin. A pulmonologist who consulted with Jude's doctor recently requested that some secretions from his lungs be collected and sent to the lab to be cultured. Today we learned that staphylococcus aureus bacteria has been grown from the aspirate/secretions that were drawn. There's a possibility that Jude's breathing tube is merely colonized with the bacteria and that he doesn't actually have an infection that's actively causing problems in his lungs, but his doctor nevertheless thinks that it's reasonable to treat him with antibiotics to ensure that any possible infection is eradicated. Please pray with us that God will use the antibiotics and any other means He chooses to rid Jude's body of infection and to strengthen him in the coming days and weeks.

• Jude is now being fed enough breast milk that his IV nutrition has been discontinued. That's great news! There is still room to increase his intake of breast milk, but he's getting quite a bit now. Jude's surgeon has been adamant that he get good nutrition, as it is purportedly important if Jude's second hernia repair surgery is to be successful. Please pray with us that the Lord will use the milk Jude's receiving to nourish and fortify his little body so that he can withstand any trauma or insult that he may encounter in the future.

• Rose and I have both had opportunities to hold our little boy in the last two days, and as always, it warms our hearts to embrace our child and remind him that he is dearly loved by his parents and his Heavenly Father. Please pray with us that God would take our imperfect gestures of love -- holding Jude, reading to him, holding his hand, speaking affectionately to him -- and use them for His glory and for Jude's benefit.

God has brought us into contact with many other families who are hurting and whose loved ones -- in many cases, children -- are experiencing physical suffering. Please pray with us that our Father would pour out His mercy on these families and that they would have a felt, ineffable sense of peace, even as they weather storms in their lives.

As always, thank you all for checking on us and praying with us and for us.


    O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
        give ear, O God of Jacob!
    (Psalm 84:8)