PLEASE PRAY for Seth! Plus new weights.

Hi all,

I spoke with Dr. Burgess this morning, and in his words, "We have got to get that [lung] inflammation under control." Seth is needing MORE help from the ventilator and MORE oxygen (56% or so) than he has before, so he's heading in the wrong direction. Oxygen itself can damage the delicate lung tissue as preemies don't have the ability to neutralize the radicals O2 can create. Yet, they need it to survive, obviously, and Seth isn't doing well on reduced settings. They can't risk brain damage.

 Seth's lung x-rays continue to look very hazy (inflamed) and show very poor aeration. This time period is pretty normal for preemies - about a week-and-a-half to two weeks after birth, if they've been on a ventilator with O2, the NICU starts seeing this inflammatory response. Grace is on much less oxygen (about 32%) and so far is doing okay. Thank you for praying for her.

As for Seth, the plan is to PRAY, to give a very potent steroid and rapidly taper over a nine day period, and during that time if Dr. Burgess and medical staff see lung improvement they are going to wean him down on the ventilator and O2 settings as quickly as possible.

Please pray for healing, obviously, by the Hand of the Great Physician and through His servants who have the training and medications, that He would grant them wisdom and that He Himself will intervene on Seth's behalf. Specific complications that can arise from the steroid use include increased chance of infection due to depressed immune function, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Thank you for praying that none of these will happen.

Of course, we always pray "Thy will be done," but He does invite us to boldly approach the Throne of Grace with confidence that He will help in time of need. I know He is helping me to trust. A CD of Christian lullabies I've been listening too while pumping at night has a line that's very meaningful to me in a prayer for the babies: "be safe and secure in His keeping, and rest in the arms of the First and the Last."*

On a happier note, all the babies are over two pounds now: Will is actually at 3 lb almost 1 oz., David is 2 lb 7.5 oz, Marcie is 2 lb 2 oz. and doing GREAT - she self-extubated at 4 this morning, and I get to hold her today while Dad holds David; Seth is 2 pounds 7.2 ounces - almost completely caught up with David!, and Gracie (aka "Little Girl" and "little Miss Grace" to the NICU staff) is 2 lb 1 oz. Hurray! Will, David and Marcie are thriving, and Will and David no longer have a central line; they are on oral feeds only (via a tube still). So there is much to be thankful for, not least of which is your intercession on behalf of Seth. Off course, we want to continue to lift them ALL up to the Throne of Grace.

Thank you and bless you all,
Carrie for Gavin, too

*(Thanks, Aunt Linda W. for the CD! Isaac has used it for years to calm fears at bedtime, and here we go again with five new babies!)