Author of time

Wow, it's crazy how fast things can change. It's only been about 72 hours since I updated the blog but since then we have come to have a very real and personal understanding of what David meant when he wrote "valley of the shadow of death".

Brace yourselves, Graces last few days have been rough, but remember that God continues to carry us and hold Grace in his hand. Sam and I hold fast to his promises and trust his perfect will. We proclaim his healing over our daughter in Jesus' name and know that he can and will do it. He has shown us that time and time again as he continues to sustain all of us and work so many miracles!

We were told on Friday morning when we came to see Grace that her vitals (mostly oxygen and blood pressure) had been all over the place so they felt that they needed to intervene in a dramatic way. They didn't know what was causing it, so the doctors made the decision that because it could be from the pressure in her brain they would stick a needle right into her ventricles to get out what fluid they could. They also re-intubated Grace in hopes that this would stabilize her oxygen. They had to sedate her for this so she was not like herself all day and very lathargic. It felt off to me but they said it was because of all the procedures that had done and that she would perk up soon.

Then we got a call yesterday morning saying that Grace had regressed overnight and that they had discovered that somehow in the last 48 hours or so she had contracted a bacteria in her stomach called Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). They said they also tested the fluid they got from her brain and found bacteria there as well, which means she has meningitis in her brain. They had started antibiotics right away, but her little kidneys and heart were having a hard time with it all. They struggled to get her blood pressure up because her body was in distress and was allowing her veins to leak fluid. We were told by many different doctors that at this point they were doing all they could and that it was hour by hour. Grace was and still is in critical condition.

My parents, Sam's parents, his brother, and his cousin had spent all day with us and after it looked like Grace was somewhat stabilizing we sent them home. Only to call my parents back 30 minutes later because the NICU had called us to come to Grace's room ASAP (we had been trying to rest and recharge in the Ronald McDonald Family Room). I begged God as we rushed there to have mercy and to rescue our baby, and to give us peace no matter the outcome. When we got to her bedside they told us that an X-ray they had just preformed showed that a part of Grace's intestines had died from the bacteria and needed to be removed quickly. They asked if was wanted to proceed and we declared that if God wasn't giving up neither were we. That although they may think us selfish it is not us who gives life or can take it and that we trusted that God would work through surgeon and the hands of all involved. You could see the pity in their eyes, and that many had written Grace off already. Sam signed some consent papers and they took our daughter away.

At this point Sam and I were so exhausted, we had no tears or words left and could barely put one step in front of the other. But God carried us and provided loved ones to rally around us, to pray with us and over us, and to worship God through it all. I pray we were witnesses for Christ last night as we sang songs of praise through our tears.

By only God's Almighty hand Grace survived the surgery and has lived to see another day. We continue to surrender Grace and our wills to God and take it day by day. As long as there is breathe there is hope!

"Have patience. God's not finished yet."