Kales is very confused about where her sister has been and wanted to go find her

For those of you who don’t know from Facebook, Karis has been in the hospital the past four nights due to pneumonia.  We caught it really early, so we think the infection is under control (after some antibiotic swapping).  The problem is, Karis is incredibly weak from all of the respiratory therapy and the pneumonia.  She just isn’t able to cough right now.  We can loosen up everything in her chest but it is just going to stay there until she is able to cough it out.  (And yes, we have been using a cough assist)  The skin on her face is beginning to break down from all the masks being placed on her face.  Her tiny little nose is sore and bloody from deep suctioning.  She has been sleeping the past two days.  Please pray that it is a deep, strengthening sleep that restores her and allows her to cough.

Another concern we have is that Karis is continuing to have more extremely bright green stomach contents.  Blood work has shown that her liver levels are high.  It could possibly be inflammed due to gallstones, or it could just be due to the pneumonia.  She will have an ultrasound today for a look at her liver and gallbladder.

As I was sorting through these things and felt the worry rise, I received some much needed encouragement from a precious friend (we’ll call her Jill).  She reminded me not to focus on anything but the UNSEEN.  Counter intuitive, isn’t it?  When you’re in the hospital all you’re presented with is EVIDENCE.  Numbers…xrays…lab results… but God tells us in His Word, “ Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  (Hebrews 11:1 ESV-emphasis added)  What a precious reminder that Karis will cough at the time that God has appointed her to cough (and I believe He will do this through your prayers, by the way!) and that she is safe and secure and we can trust in what we don’t see. 

I have also been hiding our family’s verse in my heart the past five days and wanted to remind you of it, too   ”Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”
(2 Corinthians 1:9-11 ESV)

The Lord has placed one particular respiratory therapist, Sara, in Karis’ life who has been integral in her healing.  Sara has been her night RT every time she has been hospitalized since Kales was born.  I have been sleeping in the bed with Karis and every morning Sara likes to play the game, “What you said in the middle of the night.”  It has been some much-needed comic relief during these tough days when our family has been separated, so I thought I’d share a few with you.

1- Every time Karis is in the hospital for respiratory problems she has used the cough assist, IPV machine, and had chest percussion therapy (CPT).  Sara reported me helping her position Karis for CPT.  I was completely asleep the whole time.

2- Sara: “Hey Katie, did you want to use the Vest or IPV for Karis this round?”  Me: “Karis hasn’t ever had that thing before.”  Sarah: “um..what?”  Me:”The IPV”  Sara: “Go back to sleep, Katie.”

3-This was the first time we were praying for Karis to cough.  It was 1:15am and Sara had just finished using the cough assist, IPV, and doing CPT on Karis.  I was lying right next to Karis and slept through the entire thing.  Sara did a deep suction on Karis and Karis let out a big cough.  Sara said I sat up straight in the bed, lifted my hand and shouted, “PRAISE JESUS!”- then laid back down.  BAhaha!  I don’t blame her at ALL for being a little freaked out!

In our St. Patrick's Day green