A God Bigger Than Ever
Today is worse than yesterday; God is bigger than ever.
Micah is not doing as well today. She had a rough morning, and needed several changes to her therapy.
She is on a different ventilator. She wasn't responding as they had hoped to the others. Who knew there were so many different ways to help her breathe? She spent most of the morning breathing 100% oxygen. Of course, they don't want her to do this forever because of the problems it could cause elsewhere, but she needed it this morning. The machine makes her whole body shake as it keeps her lungs from collapsing so tries to open smaller vestibules for air exchange. She has been able to go as low as the 80's, but is currently a little higher. The idea is to do what she needs and then try to back off slowly as she improves.
The lung culture they took yesterday indicates small traces of a staff infection. There are several kinds of staff infection (you probably have one on your skin right now without knowing it!), and it will take another 24 to 48 hours of growing the sample they have to determine exactly what sort it is. At that point they will be able to fine tune her antibiotics, but for the moment Micah is on two broad based antibiotics which work pretty well with the majority of possibilities.
They have also discontinued feeding Micah her Mama's milk, giving her nutrition, lipids, etc. through a new IV. (Our poor girl has several now.) This liquid nutrition bypasses the digestive tract, allows her body to focus its energy, and keeps her food from going sour in her belly. It is the right thing to do, but is also a sign of how much she needs help. She doesn't act sick, except for her O2 levels, which is making it more difficult to figure out what exactly is going on.
But, though she is generally not doing as well as she was 24 hours ago, there are indicators that Micah is fighting hard to get better. In addition to the changes in her treatment, Micah has required an additional blood transfusion, which (combined with everything else) gave us a positive bump in the right direction regarding her blood gases (pH and CO2). Also, she has remained relatively calm this morning (compared to yesterday when the nurse described her as "jumping off of the bed"). Other good signs: she does well with Olivia's milk when she can have it, she still has lots of energy, and (conversely) she has had moments of peace and rest.
Olivia and I spent several hours at her bedside, before we had to take a break to eat and rest. We have been fighting for our little girl with prayer, scripture, and worship. Allow me to encourage you to do the same. When you are praying, ask God's Holy Spirit to be with our daughter. When you eat, pray for her body to get the nourishment it needs from her IV. Ask the Lord for specific scriptures for Micah Ahava. And (above all) praise God for who he is in this and in every situation. He is faithful and trustworthy, able to work ALL thing for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. God is still in control, and that is a powerful reality.
So, since Micah is worse than yesterday, how has God shown Himself bigger than ever? In worship. That's why I say it has been the biggest weapon in our warfare today. We have sung songs ourselves and played worship over Micah today. One Kari Jobe / Matt Maher song in particular ("We Exalt Your Name" which Micah loved in the womb) seemed to resonate with Micah's spirit. You see, God inhabits the praises of His people. This is our proper response to all that He does, and He is there in the midst of it. And, where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom reigns. As we worshiped, we poured out our hearts to God, literally feeling deeper levels of His love for Micah flow from our chests as His presence increased in the little bed she has lived in for 13 days now. It was powerful, and I have no doubt YHWH was in it.
How deep the Father's love for us?
How vast beyond beyond all measure?
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one
Bring many sons to glory.
(by Selah)
Micah is not doing as well today. She had a rough morning, and needed several changes to her therapy.
She is on a different ventilator. She wasn't responding as they had hoped to the others. Who knew there were so many different ways to help her breathe? She spent most of the morning breathing 100% oxygen. Of course, they don't want her to do this forever because of the problems it could cause elsewhere, but she needed it this morning. The machine makes her whole body shake as it keeps her lungs from collapsing so tries to open smaller vestibules for air exchange. She has been able to go as low as the 80's, but is currently a little higher. The idea is to do what she needs and then try to back off slowly as she improves.
The lung culture they took yesterday indicates small traces of a staff infection. There are several kinds of staff infection (you probably have one on your skin right now without knowing it!), and it will take another 24 to 48 hours of growing the sample they have to determine exactly what sort it is. At that point they will be able to fine tune her antibiotics, but for the moment Micah is on two broad based antibiotics which work pretty well with the majority of possibilities.
They have also discontinued feeding Micah her Mama's milk, giving her nutrition, lipids, etc. through a new IV. (Our poor girl has several now.) This liquid nutrition bypasses the digestive tract, allows her body to focus its energy, and keeps her food from going sour in her belly. It is the right thing to do, but is also a sign of how much she needs help. She doesn't act sick, except for her O2 levels, which is making it more difficult to figure out what exactly is going on.
But, though she is generally not doing as well as she was 24 hours ago, there are indicators that Micah is fighting hard to get better. In addition to the changes in her treatment, Micah has required an additional blood transfusion, which (combined with everything else) gave us a positive bump in the right direction regarding her blood gases (pH and CO2). Also, she has remained relatively calm this morning (compared to yesterday when the nurse described her as "jumping off of the bed"). Other good signs: she does well with Olivia's milk when she can have it, she still has lots of energy, and (conversely) she has had moments of peace and rest.
Olivia and I spent several hours at her bedside, before we had to take a break to eat and rest. We have been fighting for our little girl with prayer, scripture, and worship. Allow me to encourage you to do the same. When you are praying, ask God's Holy Spirit to be with our daughter. When you eat, pray for her body to get the nourishment it needs from her IV. Ask the Lord for specific scriptures for Micah Ahava. And (above all) praise God for who he is in this and in every situation. He is faithful and trustworthy, able to work ALL thing for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. God is still in control, and that is a powerful reality.
So, since Micah is worse than yesterday, how has God shown Himself bigger than ever? In worship. That's why I say it has been the biggest weapon in our warfare today. We have sung songs ourselves and played worship over Micah today. One Kari Jobe / Matt Maher song in particular ("We Exalt Your Name" which Micah loved in the womb) seemed to resonate with Micah's spirit. You see, God inhabits the praises of His people. This is our proper response to all that He does, and He is there in the midst of it. And, where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom reigns. As we worshiped, we poured out our hearts to God, literally feeling deeper levels of His love for Micah flow from our chests as His presence increased in the little bed she has lived in for 13 days now. It was powerful, and I have no doubt YHWH was in it.
How deep the Father's love for us?
How vast beyond beyond all measure?
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one
Bring many sons to glory.
(by Selah)
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