Sorry it has been so long!

We apologize for not updating for quite some time. A LOT has taken place since we last posted. As of now Malachi is doing well. To recap the last several weeks...

Malachi was sent up to the floor the day after Thanksgiving and was doing okay. He was still breathing fast, but we thought it was normal for him. He started on feeds and the staff attempted to try larger feeds at one time. This was too much for Malachi's tummy and he began to spit up and reflux. (He was showing major heaving when spitting up, and he cried after he spit up.) They did an Upper G.I. test (having him swallow barium and seeing if it comes back up.) That test showed that he did have acid reflux. They put in an NJ tube (goes from the nose to the beginning of his small intestine) to help with his reflux. The goal is to get him to gain weight so that he is bigger for his next surgery in two or three months. Everything was going well until his saturations began to drop into the 60's. He eventually was placed back on oxygen to help raise his saturations. Malachi had also become fussy and not consolable for about three days. We were impatiently waiting to go home, wondering why God had kept us here for so long.

He answered our prayers Monday morning, December 10th. I had got out of bed after Malachi had a long night of fussiness. I stood there by his bed trying to comfort him, and prayed that he would feel better. I asked the Lord, "I know you love him, but why are you allowing him to continue to hurt?" (Thinking that he had developed Colic.) I started to cry as he calmed down for about a minute and then he began to cry again. I picked him up and held him in my arms to try once again to console him. I suddenly realized that he felt very warm, his heart rate was very high, and he was breathing very fast. I called for Philip to come over and see what he thought. He took Malachi's temperature and it was 102! We called for the nurse and she came in and took his temp and found it to be the same. We were unwrapping him and getting him undressed to cool him down. I commented about his grunting, thinking he was trying to have a bowel movement. The nurse said that it was a sign of respiratory distress. Just then the surgeon, Dr. Morrell was doing rounds and came in the room. He looked right at Malachi's breathing and said to get him down the CICU. They quickly gathered his things and rushed him down. We thought they would just help his fever and all would be better. When we arrived down stairs the doctor told us that they had decided to intubate him. He said that Malachi was showing signs of what could potentially become a very bad respiratory problem. We were a little shocked, but relieved they had caught things before they got worse. It was determined that his hole between his Atria was beginning to close and was causing blood to back up in his lungs. The solution to try was to take him down to the Cath Lab and punch a hold through the wall.

Tuesday, December 11th, Malachi went in to the Cath Lab for his procedure. Dr. Kritchure (spell?) prayed with us before the procedure. It took about two hours. She came out and told us that Malachi did very well. She said that they used the balloon procedure and it worked very successfully. The hole made a huge difference in the pressures. We also found out that they were concerned about the Pulmonary Band and whether or not it was tight enough. Dr. Wearden (another surgeon) told us that he didn't think that there were any problems with the band. He wanted to avoid taking him back in for surgery.

Now we have graduated back up to the Seventh Floor. Malachi is doing well, except for a few adjustments to his medications. Dr. Wearden told us today that all he is waiting on is for Malachi to gain weight and it looks like we could be going home the end of this week. Please pray that it happens! We would LOVE to be home in time for Christmas.

This part of the journey has taught us a lot. It is so hard to stand back and watch your beautiful baby boy go through so much. To be on so many meds, to be intubated more than once, to have his feet poked to get a reading for his sugar, and to see his reach out to you while all this is taking place. I know that we have asked the Lord why quite a bit. We have read Gene Cunningham's Psalm 119 study and been humbled by the praise that young captive gave to God in the midst of horrible, unthinkable circumstances. We have listened to parts of Gene's study on James and cried through most of it knowing that the Lord was talking right to us. The phrase that always sticks in my mind is: "not asking why, but what." What can we learn from all of this. What is it that the Lord is wanting to teach us. How can we glorify and enjoy (crazy thought!) what He is doing in our lives through this trial. What can we see Him doing through it all. How can we honor and praise our Great God for having a plan for us and being in control. I will not pretend that I sailed through this easily and didn't get extremely mad and very close to just giving up, but one day it just hit me. I can get angry and doubt what God is doing, or I can hold on for the ride and wait it out to see the blessings He has in store. It almost always gets harder before it gets easier, but in the end God shows Himself in amazing ways. I feel honored that He would allow us to go through all of this. That He would give us this opportunity to "pass the test" and be able to present Him with our rewards, and anoint His feet with the tears we have shed. We are not through anything yet, and I think this will be a lifelong journey, but God has never left and always been faithful. May we live our lives proclaiming, as Malachi's name means as: "Messengers of the Lord."

Thank you all for your encouragement and prayers for us. WE SO NEED THEM! We love you all.

Safe in His Arms,
April (for all three!)

James 1