September 19, 2006
Dear Friends,
Yesterday at 2:21 PM, our Alison turned six-weeks old. Our Lord has been faithful and merciful! The Lord has blessed our little girl with healing that is truly miraculous. Yet, we must once again kneel before His holy throne and petition Him for Alison’s healing. Does the Lord need our prayers in order to move in Alison’s life? No! Yet, they are sweet incense to our loving Father. So we must pray. He cherishes every moment we choose to seek His wondrous company in prayer.
Our Alison has hit a speed bump. She is much better than she has been. Yet, the continuing fight with the fluid buildup in her pleural space (upper chest cavity) is slowing her recovery.
The fluid is creating a hardship for her lungs and their ability to properly oxygenate her body.
Our daughter’s body seems to be suffering from some side-effects of the oscillating ventilator (the doctors warned us this was a possibility).
Her thoracic duct, which runs through her chest cavity, is showing signs of trauma. The doctors think a small tear in the duct is causing the continuous buildup of fluid in her pleural space.
Friday, a pediatric surgeon was called in for consultation. The pediatric surgeon said that she is confident and prepared for surgery, but that a tear in the thoracic duct would be hard to find. So instead of surgery, the doctors took Alison off the medical milk (due to the continuing buildup of fluid) and went back to liquid nourishment through an IV. Her attending neonatologist also started her on a medicine that he hopes will assist in her healing. The doctors hope (by giving Alison’s digestive system a break and allowing the medicine time to work) that Alison’s body will be able to heal the small tear in her thoracic duct. Please pray that the Lord would heal our daughter from the buildup of fluid. Please pray that the Lord would give Alison’s doctors wisdom in diagnosing the cause of this fluid buildup and how to treat it effectively.
Her many medicines are beginning to have a serious side-effect. They are caustic to her little veins. Her veins are collapsing at the IV where the medicines are being inserted into her circulatory system. This allows the medicines to leak onto her skin which in turn burn her skin. Her little hand is badly bruised and burned. And each time an IV gives way, Alison’s body has to be probed for a new IV—which is difficult for her caretakers and painful for her. Please pray that the Lord will strengthen her blood vessels and protect her skin from the caustic nature of the medicines. Please pray that the Lord will give wisdom to Alison’s doctors as they discuss whether to insert a more permanent type of entry into her circulatory system.
Saturday, the right chest tube had to be pulled because it had worked loose from her pleural space. Sunday, the left chest tube was pulled as well. While this is an enormous blessing—it lessens Alison’s chance of infection and limits pain to her body—the tubes will have to be reinserted if the fluid begins to reaccumulate once her milk feedings restart through the stomach tube.
She will not be fed through her stomach for at least 7-10 days. Please pray that the Lord will bless Alison’s body with proper nourishment during this time.
Alison’s little bedsore on the back of her head is beginning to heal. Alison’s physical therapist made a special pillow for her head so that the sore would not be touched and would allow oxygen to freely reach it. Her nurses are cleaning it four times a day and putting a topical medicine on it. Please pray that the Lord would continue to heal Alison’s skin and prevent other sores from developing.
Alison is doing well overall. Her care at Woman’s Hospital continues to be excellent. We truly appreciate how much love and attention she is being given by her doctors, specialists and nurses. We are able to sleep at night knowing that Alison is in capable and loving hands. Please continue to pray for these dedicated professionals that the Lord will bless them with wisdom, love and compassion for our little princess.
We continue to lean on your prayers as you offer them up to the Great Physician. The peace and confidence we have been blessed with and the healing that Alison is experiencing is directly tied to the mercy of our Lord. He has been visibly moving to your prayers and we continue to stand amazed. Praise be to the Lord! Thank you for continuing to stand in the gap for us and our blessed daughter. May the Lord continue to richly bless you for your sacrifice of prayer.
Blessings to you,
Langston and Stephanie
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