Dec 4th - In His Loving Arms

We haven't been blogging everyday...some days we just can't squeeze it in...first priorities are our children...then there are everyday things that just need to get done, like grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning, esp. when you have a toddler who loves to create mess!

...so today there are two blogs.

Kaitlyn has developed her sucking reflex. I'm very excited about this because baby's with trisomy can have low muscle tone which can result in difficulty with nursing...but she's sucking on her tube which is in her mouth and down her throat. Kaitlyn may go into surgery for her PDA ligation at 9pm tonight...this means they have kept her stomach empty all day...so this sucking reflex may be a combination of just being hungry and reaching her due date milestone. Although she was scheduled to be delivered via c-section on Nov 17th, she surprised us all and arrived early on Nov 13th. Her real due date, however, was Nov 30th.

The GI (Gastro Intestinal) doctor (one named doctor Gutman!!!) think that her high bilirubin (Soo is that the right spelling?!?) may be caused by her transient anemia...it has another medical name but don't know how to spell it. Transient anemia is similar to luekemia but it is meant to get better on it's own...but the doctors are now talking about giving her some chemo therapy...they will talk to us more about it tomorrow. Please pray pray pray that it's not luekemia. Children with trisomy 21 have more prone to developing luekemia. Because Kaitlyn was born with transient anemia she has a 30% chance of developing luekemia in the first 3 years of her life. However the success rate for treatment is 80-90%. Still it just seems like too much for a baby to have to endure.

I was talking to my sister last night...who has been a great comforter and encourager (along with our awesome New Joy Community)...she was reminding me that Kaitlyn's middle name is Faith. And that standing firm in the midst of this trial is all about faith. Thanks for preaching it to me!

It's highly unlikely that my parents will read this blog, not because they don't care...but they just aren't computer or technology savvy...I haven't called them yet...not because I mean to be a bad daughter but I know I won't be able to talk to them without breaking down completely and I mean completely...the blubbering crying where you just can't talk...I just can't go there right now. My sister has been the middle man, updating my parents...why am I sharing this? As much as I am sharing this blog with everyone...it's also a way for me to journal everything we're going through; the good, the bad, the ugly.

As we pray for Kaitlyn before she goes into surgery. I pray and place her in God's loving arms...and I say to God...if He takes her I understand...and if He gives her back to us, that I will love her with everything we've got...so we entrust her completely into His loving arms knowing that He is trustworthy, good, faithful and most of all, that His love is perfect.

We just signed the consent for the surgery with the cardiac surgeon...she's now slated for 6.30-7pm.