Yesterday was 4 weeks of our 6 week inpatient stay. Last Tuesday we asked specifically for prayer that Paige’s ANC would increase. Wednesday I woke up to read that her ANC had made a big jump from 50 to 210! God not only hears our prayers, but does answer them! While 210 is still so incredibly far from where she needs to be, it was enough for her vomiting to lessen and equally important it allowed her smile and her joy to return! I can’t even begin to tell you how much that made this moms heart happy to hear Paige laughing and giggling some. She’s been up for a few visits to the playroom, which is a nice change of scenery for her. Also, her voice is slowly coming back and the swelling in her face and gums has gone down some. She’s even been up for some virtual schooling, which we’ve been so thankful for. Over the last week she’s had a handful of pretty good days. So we are praising God for these special days and cherishing them when we get them. She still hasn’t eaten on her own, so she continues to get her nutrition through her central line and gtube. Gtube feedings haven’t been going smoothly. She gets about a teaspoon of food over 2 hours/4xs a day and often that is more then her stomach can handle right now. Most times it is the nutrition piece that keeps the patient in the hospital longer. We are praying that her stomach begins to tolerate feeds and increased one’s as well.

 

Big praise, her ANC is at 700 today!!

 

Today I had training to learn how to care for both her central line and gtube after discharge and will later learn how to administer feedings. Medical procedures or anything blood related don’t sit well with me, so this will be somewhat of a challenge for me to stomach on our own!

I continue to find strength through my faith in God and your prayers. I often wonder how different I’d handle this circumstance without this faith. My daily devotions no doubt is one of the ways God speaks to me and most often they couldn’t apply anymore perfectly to my current life situations. Earlier this week was such a great example of this. An excerpt from it read “Do not resist or run from difficulties in your life. These problems are not random mistakes; they are hand-tailored blessings designed for your benefit and growth. Embrace all the circumstances that I allow in your life, trusting Me to bring good out of them. View problems as opportunity to rely more fully on Me.” I certainly still don’t understand why our little girl has this disease and has had to endure so much pain, but we continue to be grateful for this opportunity to cure her because we know none of these are random mistakes. We will continue to rest in Gods sovereignty and trust that He does continue to go before us and into each day with us. He has a plan for this all.

 

Thank you to those who have been earnestly praying for us all. Please continue praying that her ANC and other markers continue to rise, for her feeds to improve, vomiting to stay minimal, and for my family who we so desperately want back together. I’ll share a video with you of Paige ‘singing me to bed’ last night. Not surprising she chose her favorite song to sing to me. I love her and her heart!

 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

-Philippians 4:6