It is Finally Here!

That's right; I have finally gotten these up for you all. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer and support for the last year and a half. You have all been a tremendous blessing.

We hope you are blessed by this DVD. It was an incredible time of rejoicing in God’s awesome faithfulness. God has mercifully allowed us to see His hand, catching glimpses of His bigger picture. Our celebration focused on God’s glorious work in our lives and others through the life of Samuel.

We want to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude. To all of you who have, and continue to, pray for our family. You are the tools God has used to strengthen and encourage us as we have tried to faithfully walk the path He has laid before us. Your prayers continue to sustain us during this time of transition, as we learn to live life sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

2^nd Corinthians 6:10

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Poor, yet making many rich. Having nothing, yet possessing everything.

We would also like to thank Mike Berger for all of his tireless energy and efforts in creating this DVD for our family and all of you. Mike took a very poor quality video (we decided to video tape it at the last moment) with horrible sound and worked his splicing, dicing, and boosting magic to create a beautiful masterpiece. He has been a great service and blessing, a tool used by the Lord to further His ministry through Samuel from the grave. If anyone would like a copy of the DVD, you may e-mail me at kaitlyn@contractcallers.com . We hope you are as blessed by Mike’s work as we have been.

For information on Mike Berger’s video productions you can go to www.digitalstudiocreations.com .

Celebration of Life DVD

Hey guys, I know it has been awhile. The book is coming along, albeit slowly. No surprise there. I wanted to let everyone know I will be uploading Samuel's Celebration of Life videos this week. They are done. There will be five (?) of them, I think, each 10-15 minutes each.

Hope to talk to you all again before long!

Celebration DVD

Hi guys, it has been a while since you’ve heard from me. Our family is in the process of partnering with a video studio in crafting Samuel’s Celebration of Life DVD. There were a lot of people who wanted to be there and couldn’t due to location or prior commitment so we decided to set up an unmanned video camera in the back of the church during the celebration. Because it was unmanned we ran into some issues. We are having a company improve the sound quality since some of us were harder to hear than others (for once in my life that would be me), and they are going to improve picture quality for us. We are also adding a picture slide show to the video. Our plan is to upload this DVD to the Blog for anyone who would like to see it, although there is still some question (which I am researching) as to whether you will be able to view it in its entirety, or if it will be broken up into sections. I know that YouTube doesn’t do videos longer than 15 min., but I am looking into Viddler. I will also be uploading Samuel’s final DVD that I created for his Celebration. However, we wanted to offer a DVD copy of the Celebration to anyone who was interested. If you are then you may contact me via e-mail and we will have a copy sent to you when all the preparation is finalized. This DVD will not be a need five tissues production, so do not feel that you emotionally cannot watch it. It is a celebration, not a funeral.

Special Request

First of all, I wanted to thank all of you for both coming and supporting our family with your presence and prayers last night, or for supporting and praying for us from afar. I will have Samuel's final DVD on here in the coming week.

There was a recurring theme last night that our family should write a book on Samuel’s life. None of you who made reference too this, or asked me to never stop writing, could have known the burden the Lord had already laid on my heart the night before.

We’ve been urged from very early on in our journey with Samuel to write about our experiences as a family. My parents have been urged time and again. There isn’t really anything from the perspective of siblings available for families in similar circumstances. There isn’t really much from the parent’s perspective either. While there is some material about getting through hard situations like the ones we have faced over the past 16 months, there is rarely anything that encourages people to see the possibilities these special children like Samuel have.

My family and I believe that Samuel’s story doesn’t end here. I don’t think the Lord intends for Samuel’s ministry, or even ours, to end in his death. There is still a story that needs to be told, and I believe the primary story that should be told is how a little boy whose life was expected to be meaningless would go on to impact the world from his home and hospital, never even uttering a word.

Most of you don’t realize that I am an unpublished writer of fiction (hoping to soon be published). I’ve been culminating and honing my love for words and writing for years, but especially in the last four. The Lord doesn’t do anything arbitrarily. I believe the Lord placed me in the family He did for a reason. I believe he gave me the gifts that He did for a purpose. I don’t think it is coincidence that He has blessed me with the ability to touch lives through the words He gives me, or that He just happened to placed me as a central part of Samuel’s life to use that gift for His ultimate glory.

So, we are beginning to exploring the possibilities, and the burden laid on my heart, and that of my family. What I’d really like from all of you is your personal input. We are asking now, while the memories are still fresh, to encourage each of you to tell us any and all of your memories. Tell us your thoughts, interactions, conversations, and anything else that struck you or impacted your life through Samuel. Please remind us of things that occurred, this has been 16 long months and we are likely to have forgotten some things, help jog our memory. We would like this to not be directed to us personally, but more of story stand alone format. They can be simple statements, I’m not asking or expecting you to be elaborate (you can leave that to me).

Give us bullet points if you want. How did Samuel impact you? Bullet point. How did the Glennon staff impact you? Bullet point. How did the family impact you? Bullet point. This may turn into several different works, depending on how the Lord leads, or be one complete book.

I may use the things you say as quotes, so please be sure to include whatever name you would prefer to be known by. If you are a Joe to us, but would prefer to be called Joseph in the book, then let us know. And for any of you who feel uncomfortable with your name being in print then just let me know you would rather be title as anonymous.

I might take the things you say and interweave them as a part of the story, or I might take your e-mails and use them in their letter format. Please give me as much information as you can. This is something that will go out to families all over if the Lord blesses this work (which I believe He will). My desire is that this book will change the thinking and lives of those whose hands it falls into.

There are two things that happened at Glennon that I will never forget. Each of them has a rippling effect that cannot be measured.

The first is something that I shared with some of you last night. I will never forget when a young medical student came up to me and said “I just wanted you to know that Samuel’s life has impacted me so much that I have decided to change my major to become a brain trauma specialist to help other children in Samuel’s situation.”

The second story is one that I couldn’t stop thinking about the night before Samuel’s Celebration when I felt overwhelmed with these thoughts. One of the most tragic things that happened while we were at Glennon was very early on in our stay. I remember being in the hospital and another family down the hall from us was pressured to end their newborn’s life. They were a young couple and bought into the lies the doctors were telling them. They pulled the plug and watched their little girl struggle for her last breaths. As soon as her life was over the Father ran from the room and came into the parent’s lounge where I was sitting. I will never forget the look on his face or the words he said. “I will never forgive myself for being persuaded to end her life because it was the “right” thing to do!” I later heard what had gone on from another family who was staying at the Ronald McDonald House with us. They were room buddies with the family.

I couldn’t stop thinking the night before Samuel’s 2^nd Celebration of life, ‘What if we had done that to Samuel?’ What if we had pulled the plug? How many lives would we have impacted negatively by that one choice? How many lives would have been affected? If not for Samuel, how many children and families would miss out on the impact that that young medical student would one day have on them?

Would it have been easier? Some say it would. But I hope no family will ever go through what this young couple did, because the anguish I saw on that Father’s face has haunted me ever since. So please, seriously search your hearts and share with us and the world how Samuel impacted you personally, or those you know. May the Lord bless each and every one of us who will join together to further the message the Lord has given.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn

P.S. Please take your time, you don’t have to rush. However, keep in mind the sooner we compile everything, the earlier (Lord willing) this will be delivered into the hands of families in need. Even if something comes to your attention later, even after you have submitted your e-mail (submissions can be sent to kaitlyn@contractcallers.com ), please send it anyway. You may never know the impact that one sentence may have on someone down the road.

A Second Celebration of Life

Thank you all for sending your prayers our way.

Our desire has always been to celebrate Samuel’s life and the amazing miracle of his birth, this desire has not changed. Once again we would like to invite all of you, his faithful prayer warriors, to join us in a celebration of Samuel’s life. On Wednesday evening, October 13^th 2010, we will be having a short ceremony highlighting the life of faithful service lived out by Samuel. This event will begin at 7 p.m. and end when we are through (approximately 30min to an hour depending on how things go). After the service we invite all of you to join us in a time of light refreshment and fellowship. Our family will be available until 10 p.m. to mingle among those we love and who love us. No one needs to feel rushed or hurried; we will be there until the last person leaves.

Although our hearts break at our personal loss we want to remember the life of a faithful soldier for Christ who is now safe in the arms of God. Samuel has touched so many lives through his faithful witness, and we would like people to e-mail us ways in which Samuel’s life either ministered to, or impacted them. We would like to ask that the emphasis of these e-mails not be on Samuel’s death and our loss, but on his life and our gain. We want this time of remembrance to be about the blessing and enrichment of Samuel’s life. We will have a time during the service where we will read some of these e-mails, but if you would prefer we keep them private then we understand. People who attend will be given the opportunity to say something about Samuel’s life if they feel led.

We would like to remind everyone of how blessed we have been in having Samuel among us for as long as the Lord has allowed. Samuel should not have survived his birth, but the Lord allowed us to be able to experience the beauty of Samuel’s love and life. We wish that we had been given more time with our precious treasure, but we recognize the graciousness and mercy of Christ in leaving him with us for as long as He did.

Please dress casually, and do not feel required to wear black. Our family is celebrating Samuel’s life, and though we feel his loss deeply, we will not be mourning. This invitation goes out to all those who have been a part of our lives and Samuel’s even in the smallest and most distant of ways. This gathering is not merely for our family and church, but everyone who has a love for Samuel and our family.

The family will accompany Samuel to the graveside on Saturday, and we would appreciate your prayers for us during this time as our hearts rejoice in Samuel’s gain, but mourn our own loss.

Anyone who would like to attend Samuel’s second Celebration of Life can e-mail [ kaitlyn@contractcallers.com ]me for directions.

In Christ’s Love,

Kaitlyn

A Race Well Run

On October 10^th 2010 Samuel Ian Emery went to be with the Lord around 11 o’clock. I have known lots of heartache over the years, but I have never felt a pain like the one I now feel. I know that Samuel has no more pain, that his life has been well lived and he is now able to rest his weary body, I know Samuel has heard those beloved words ‘well done, good and faithful servant’, but those truths don’t deaden the feeling of being robbed of a sacred treasure.

God is a Rock of strength and a strong one at that, as a good friend reminded me while Samuel made his journey to Cardinal Glennon. We rest our all upon him, and there are no other arms large enough to support our aching hearts. At this point I feel utterly unable to communicate anything of substance and I’m really not sure I can say anything more. My mind is still reeling and my heart feels physically ill. I wrestle with the thoughts of ‘Why God’, all the while knowing that the answer is because Samuel has fulfilled his purpose here on earth, he was a faithful witness who never lost sight of the goal. And yet my heart still breaks as I hold my sweet little Elianna and wonder how we will break this news to her. She who idolizes her baby brother, who gives him 40 kisses after a stay in the hospital, who fixes his drool rages with the utmost of care, how will we tell her that our most priceless gift has been returned to the Giver?

Thank you all for all your love and support over the last year and beyond. This will not be the last time you hear from me, but for now I have things to do, prayers to pray, and a heart in desperate need of a Savior’s soothing touch. May the Lord richly bless you this day.

In Christ’s Love,

Kaitlyn

Urgent Prayer Needs!

Okay everybody, Samuel is headed up to the ER where he will probably be admitted into the hospital. In the last hour he has gone into physical distress. He is on oxygen, breathing treatments, and antibiotics, so he shouldn’t be needing more and more oxygen. Samuel’s heart rate has gone from 160 to 200 in the last hour and he is not doing well at all. My parents are loading him up and we hope that the hour drive to Cardinal Glennon will not make him more distressed. At this point I can’t give you any information because we don’t know anything. He’s not maintaining his saturation, he’s having diarrhea, his heart rate is out of control, and he’s breathing heavily. To complicate matters Elianna has seemed to contract whatever Samuel has and she started throwing up profusely last night. She had a fever like Samuel and is clingy and fretful. She will be remaining behind with me. Please keep these concerns in your prayers this evening, we could use them.

Christ is the Ultimate Physician. Nothing take him by surprise. We try to keep these thoughts in our minds when these situations come up. I will let you know when I have any information.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn

Prayer Update

Sorry I didn’t get back to you guys right away, things were hectic yesterday. The ultimate decision was to put Samuel on Albuterol based off of his symptoms. Samuel had responded well to the Albuterol in the past. Yesterday his heart rate and breathing increased (side effects of the Albuterol) but he seems to have some small improvement today. It normally takes 72 hours on the Albuterol before you can really see a difference. However, Samuel is less distressed than he was before, so I think he’ll be okay once he gets his treatments in his body and his lungs start clearing out.

As for my mom, she has a DNC scheduled for Tuesday; she has until then to miscarry on her own.

Thanks for all your prayers,

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 52nd Post

As we head into RSV season things aren’t as good as they could be for Samuel. Last Friday he went to the Hospital for another x-ray of his arm, and the Dr.’s office. His arm has been declared fully healed and we are glad to be over that hurdle (yeah!). Now we have a new situation we would like you all to commit to prayer.

On Tuesday Samuel started running a temp and feeling generally uncomfortable. By Wednesday morning his temp was 103 and his nose was snotting like crazy. He would not maintain his oxygen saturation, and eventually we had to put him on his oxygen. He has continued on oxygen through the night and into today. This is uncharacteristic of Samuel because he is only on oxygen when he is in distress. His temperature remains high and his nose is still running like crazy. His lungs have also become extremely junky and my mom is thinking he might be starting to wheeze. The bottom line is, Samuel feels lousy, and he looks it too.

No one in the house is, or has been, sick, and Samuel hasn’t been around anyone else. We figure he probably got something from Glennon or the Dr’s, but we can’t be sure. So, we have two options. My mom is waiting to hear back from Glennon, but the thought is we could either take Samuel up to Glennon and get a culture done (possibly exposing his weakened system to something else) or we could put him on a prescription that may not be the most accurate medication for what he’s dealing with.

Please keep Samuel in your prayers and ask that the Lord would give us wisdom in how to deal with this situation. Also, continue to keep my mother in your prayers. She still has not miscarried the twins and is coming down to the point where she has to miscarry or the Dr.’s will be forced to do a DNC. A DNC would complicate the issues my mom already has with her pregnancies, but we are getting down to the point where the situation could become hazardous to her health.

Thanks for your prayers and support. I will keep you posted on both situations.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn

We did it! We made it two miles! Samuel did beautifully! Samuel, Elianna, our nurse, her daughter, my grandmother, and I all walked. You should have seen us out there, I’m sure we were quite a sight. I had more than ten people come up and ask me why I was hauling his huge go bag around on my shoulders.

Samuel wasn’t fully corporative at first, but he was soon lulled into a restful slumber by his stroller, especially when his eyelids became heavy from the warmth of the sun. We were very proud of our prayer warriors and all those who supported Samuel when we were able to present the PCC with your generous donation of $490.35! By the end of the day the generosity and support of thousands of people brought the donation amount to over $9,000 dollars! What a tremendous blessing. That money will be used strictly for ministering to young women and preserving life.

The turnout was great. There were double the amount of people and funds this year than the previous. Praise the Lord! Once again we would like to thank everyone for helping sponsor Samuel in his Walk for Life. To God be the glory!

Samuel's 50th Update!

No news is good news, right? Samuel is still recovering here at home. Heart rate is down in the 120’s (much more acceptable), breath rate is back to normal, and his temps are mild 99. something’s. His shoulder is still healing well. The Doctor says maybe 4 more weeks and it should be good (so much for a 2 week heal time). Samuel is on Neb treatments for his Trachitis (spelling?) and doing well on that. Thanks for your prayers.

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 49th Update

Samuel just got home from a long day in the ER. Turns out you shouldn’t doubt a mother’s instinct. When Samuel got to the ER he began to de-sat and lots of yellow junk started coming out of his Trach. Chest x-rays and blood work was run, so he doesn’t have to go back in tomorrow for blood. It was concluded that Samuel has Tracheitis (spelling?), which would explain his discomfort. The ultimate decision was to bring Samuel home and start him on antibiotics. There was nothing the Doctors could do for him in the hospital that we couldn’t do at home. Samuel is still running a fever (100.4) and his heart rate is still in the 140’s, but his breathing has calmed back down. Now it will just be a process of his antibiotics kicking in and taking care of his Tracheitis. The Edema issue is still not resolved, but we’ve been living with that for the last five months so once this other issue goes away we should be back to our new normal. Thanks for all your prayers.

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 48th Update

Samuel is headed up to the hospital again. He had a 101 temp this morning and his respiration was up in the 50s. His heart rate is back up in the 140s and he seems distressed. He may or may not be admitted. My mom wants some x-rays run. A mother’s instinct is an amazing thing and my mom still feels there is something wrong, something being overlooked. Please pray for the Lord to lead the Doctors hands and minds as they try once more to probe for this hidden issue that is causing Samuel’s body so much distress.

Thank you for all your prayers. I received an e-mail this morning from one of Samuel’s prayer warriors indicating that they knew a 100 more people praying for Samuel that were not on my list. Not that prayer is about numbers, but it amazes me to know that so many of us can unite together and pray to the same end. Many of you don’t even know Samuel personally. The bible says that when one rejoices we all rejoice, and when one weeps we all weep. That is a powerful bond. Thank you everyone for your encouraging e-mails and support. May God richly bless all of you as you all have blessed us.

Kaitlyn

47th Update

Last night our family went up to the hospital to bring our baby home. Both the Cardiac and Abdominal ultrasounds came back normal. The Dr.’s are not sure what is going on with Samuel so he was released from the hospital. His heart rate was down in the twenties and his fever had broken. Elianna was so excited to get to the hospital. She’s been looking for Samuel in his room every day and was sad she couldn’t find him. When we got to the hospital and I put her in bed with him she wouldn’t stop kissing brother. She gave him kiss after kiss and stroked his head and patted his arm.

Samuel is back on his Lasix, and a third Diuretic has been added to his medications. Samuel did fine at home last night, but this morning his respiration and heart rate are back up. There is a possibility Samuel will be readmitted to the ER this morning. My mom feels concern about his lungs and would like them to do x-rays of them. We are watching him for now. At eight we will make a decision on a course of action unless he is in need before then. Please keep his little body in your prayers.

Kaitlyn

Samuel's Hospital Update

Unfortunately hospital visits tend to turn into waiting games that involve lots of tests and patience. Samuel had a 2 hour ultrasound done this afternoon, the results of which we have not yet received. Samuel is good and medicated so his heart rate has come down to the 130’s. This is still higher than normal (106-114), which indicates that something is still bothering him. His last temp was 99.8 so his fever is coming down as well, thank goodness! Respiration is still heavier than normal but not like it was when he first got to Cardinal Glennon. He’s resting now and seems to be more comfortable. An order will probably be done up for an ultrasound of his heart tomorrow and see what those results show.

I want to let you all know how much we appreciate all the prayers and encouragements that get sent our way. Some of them bring us to tears while others make us laugh and cheer our hearts. The body of believers is such an amazing entity, and prayer is the most powerful tool we are given. I have seen in my own life, and the lives of those closest to me, that God works mightily through the prayers and faith of His believers. Most of you don’t know this, but there are 689 people in the US (not including all of his E-mail buddies) who follow Samuel’s blog, 8 people in Denmark, 4 in Canada, 4 in Japan, 2 in the United Kingdom, 2 in Sri Lanka, 2 in the Netherlands, and 1 in Germany, India, and Korea. That means that quite possibly Samuel is being covered in prayer globally, not just here in the US but by people from all different countries. This also means that Samuel is encouraging and impacting the lives of people from across the globe. I think that is absolutely amazing! We are all linked together by the life of this amazing child the Lord has blessed us with. Thank you all for helping make this network of people possible, because I know I didn’t contact anyone in Germany or India.

In Christ’s Love,

Kaitlyn

45th Update

Not much of an update, but I know I’m constantly chomping at the bit for any information so I thought I’d pass along what little we did know. My mom did have the consult with the Renal Doctor. He said that they were looking at the ultra sound of Samuel’s heart done last time he was hospitalized and saw that the artery that controls the blood flow to his lower body is somewhat smaller than the one controlling the upper body. Samuel has always have a very strong heart, that’s part of why he has undergone all of the things he has. The size of the artery is not really concerning, but the Renal Doctor wants an ultrasound of Samuel’s abdomen to see if his lower body (bowels, legs, abdomen) are getting proper blood flow. They’re just trying to look at every avenue that hasn’t been considered yet. Tomorrow’s ultrasound may lead us to a dead end or reveal some enlightening information. We’ll see. Samuel did have a bowel movement on his own. An explosive, out the sides of his diaper kind of bowel movement. His stomach is still distended, but it is no longer hard. No other new information. Please pray the Doctor’s have wisdom as they seek to find the reasoning behind Samuel’s issues. Also pray for my mom and baby number six as they undergo the stress of a hospital stay.

Kaitlyn

44th Update

Not much news on Samuel. He is somewhat calmer than last night, although his fever is still up (102.7-103.0). Mom will be consulting with the Renal Doctor later this morning to early afternoon. Nothing much has changed since we left the hospital five months ago, he is still having the output and Edema issues. The major difference since our last hospital stay is that Samuel has gained fifteen pounds of fluid weight. Some of the test results show that Samuel’s white blood cell count is high. This could mean a possible infection or overexertion. Over exertion is possible since his heart rate and breathing has been elevated for the past 12 hours. However they are going to be running a culture on him and starting him on antibiotics as a precaution. He was admitted into a room late last night. If anyone would like to have the room number you can e-mail me and I will send it to you. I’ll keep everyone posted.

Kaitlyn

Samuel is on his way to the ER. His heart rate is up in the 170, he’s hyperventilating, running a fever, posturing, twitching, and his output for the day has been 25%. There are many more factual pieces of information I could give you, but for now I need to take care of Elianna and get her settled into bed for the night. Please pray for him! We are very concerned about how his body is responding. None of us are sure what is going on. I will let everyone know when we have any information.

Kaitlyn

Join Samuel's Walk for Life!

On September 18^th 2010 Samuel and I are going to be participating in the 2 mile Life walk to raise money for the Pregnancy Care Center. The Care Center provides free ultrasounds for women, free parenting classes and counseling, and they offer parent and baby supplies donated by the community. But more than these physical needs the Care Center provides hope and encouragement for those in tough situations. They offer the truth about abortions and the devastation it causes not only to the baby, but also to the family members who are left behind. The Center offers alternatives to families on how to preserve their child’s life instead of destroying it. This organization is purely donations funded, and during the last year they have really felt the financial strain of the economy. The Life Walk is an effort to raise money to continue defending the valuable life of the unborn.

So, Samuel would like to ask any who feel called to please sponsor him in his walk to raise money for the Center. The way this works:

If you feel the desire to Sponsor Samuel in his walk for life then please send me an e-mail at kaitlyn@contractcallers.com, indicating the amount you desire to donate to the Pregnancy Care Center. Include with this amount your first and last name, Address (zip codes are important!), and Phone Number. I will then fill out the Sponsor Pledge form with your information to be able to hand to the Pregnancy Care Center at the walk. They will then take your information and bill you after it is processed. It’s as simple as that! Please help us in our fight for life.

If you know anyone who would be interested in sponsoring Samuel please give them the opportunity by giving them this information.

Thanks to all,

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 42nd Update

Just wanted to update everyone and let them know that Samuel has broken his right shoulder. He fractured his humerus bone just below the ball of his shoulder. We do not know what caused the break. Nothing occurred other than his normal daily routine. The one thing we know for sure is that no one did it intentionally, but Samuel’s lack of activity and excess weight create extra risk factors.

The break occurred sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning. By Tuesday afternoon there was a definite increase in his heart rate and discomfort. By Thursday night my mom was able to identify that Samuel’s right shoulder was causing him noticeable pain. It took awhile to settle on his shoulder being the problem because he became very sensitive to being touched. He postured and cried if you touched his leg, he postured if you touched his arm; he cried just being touched period.

So Friday morning my mom and our nurse loaded Samuel up for the ER at Glennon. Upon arriving at the hospital Samuel was taken in for x-rays. When the results came back we found that the right shoulder had fractured. The good news was that it was still in proper alignment and was starting to heal. The ultimate decision was to create a strap that immobilized his arm against his body by wrapping around him. This would be something we could remove to give him baths and allow us to isolate his hand and elbow to be able to do range on them and keep those joints from freezing up.

Samuel is being given Tylenol with Codeine every 4 hours for pain management instead of Ibuprofen because of how much harder Ibuprofen is on the stomach. Since Samuel has already had the bleeding ulcer the decision was that the Tylenol would be a better option for him. However the Tylenol is only taking the edge off Samuel’s pain. His trip home from the hospital was not fun for anyone. He cried and his heart rate was in the 180’s (typically between 106-114) most of the way home.

We are trying to stay ahead of the codeine’s constipating effects; we had just gotten a handle on that earlier this week with the addition of a magnesium supplement. As you already know, any changes we make to his medicine or food causes Samuel to have a decrease in his Urine output. So after 12 hrs on Tylenol he was down to 39% output (our goal is 75%) and had gained 14 oz. overnight. It continues to be down today (24% so far). Samuel’s response to his Diuretics hasn’t been good in the past so we’re not sure that increasing diuretics will take care of the problem or just make things worse.

The concern with continued fluid retention is the stress it will put on his body which can ultimately lead into congestive heart failure and fluid in the lungs. It’s a vicious cycle. Anything we do for pain management compounds the problems he’s already been having. We already didn’t know how to deal with these issues in the first place.

Samuel has a follow up in two weeks with the doctor. Because he is a baby his body should heal very rapidly. Our prayer concerns primarily are for Samuel’s distress and fluid retention. Please keep our nurses in prayer as well. They are all distressed by the situation and blaming themselves even though no one knows how it happened. We thank you all for your prayers. I will keep you posted on his progress.

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 41st Update!

Okay, so I know many of you believe that I have probably fallen off the face of the earth. However, besides our typical busyness my computer was out of commission for 5 weeks. During this time a lot has been going on. Some of you may know that about 3 months ago we lost one of our three nurses due to health concerns and her long drive. We have since lost another of our remaining 2 nurses, leaving lots of uncovered shifts. This of course was an added stress on top of all the others since the family was now having to rotate shifts threw the nights and days not covered, sometimes up to five nights and two days a week. A few weeks ago we had an issue occur that our nursing company did not handle appropriately; this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We have had nothing but problems, uncovered shifts, and management issues since very early on in our relationship with the nursing company. Some of the staff disagreed with our stand for Samuel’s life. They are not the first, but were unable to work as part of the team to provide the care, love, and support we needed. All of this was a huge stress on our family.

We have now made the transfer to a new nursing company three weeks ago, one that we are very excited about. The brief overview is that the company is run by a family who has a severely epileptic child now in her early twenties. The mother and a son are both nurses and other members of the family have accounting and management backgrounds. Their family went thru the nursing care system and had lots of problems which we (and other friends we know in similar situations) have experienced. They decided there had to be a better way that was family friendly and actually provided the allotted nursing hours. Their company now has over 200 employees and their approach to nursing care is more of what we have been looking for.

Sheila has made the transfer with us (big relief, Sheila has become like family) and remains Samuel’s primary day nurse. The caliber of nurses being sent to our home has been better, and their approach to Samuel is refreshing. These nurses have been very interactive with Samuel. They talk with him, count with him, sing the ABC’s to him, and treat him like a regular child. Samuel love’s one of the new nurse’s voice and lays in bed with big blue eyes gazing directly into hers when she talks to him. We believe that this change will be very beneficial for our family.

At this point things are still very hectic, especially for my mom, because of the nurse training period. Most every other night my mom is up all night, sometimes even having to train the next day as well. We have found that nurses trained by another nurse tend to be overwhelmed and have not come back. On the opposite side nurses trained by my mom usually continue with us. Most of this is my mother’s approach to Samuel’s care and training. My mom takes it slow and trains as things come up instead of giving a laundry list of do’s and don’ts. It’s just a slower paced, less overwhelming situation that way. Plus it gives us an opportunity to talk about who we are, where we’ve come from, and what our desires for Samuel are.

Apart from all of these changes very little else has gone on (thank goodness!) Samuel has now been fully switched over from the breast milk/milk based formula my mom was making to a food based formula. Now that he is getting older his body requires different nutrition. So far that is going well aside from watching for signs of constipation.

Samuel still deals with Edema (he is now 35 pounds) which is our biggest obstacle at the moment. He probably has about 7 pounds of Edema (based on his previous weight gain) that is taking its toll on his body and ours. It is becoming harder to manage Samuel’s care with his increasing weight. Our prayer is that Samuel would lose the excess fluid in his body and start gaining weight at a healthy rate. As a side note the Edema limits Samuel’s range of motion making it harder to move his joints (i.e. bending his arms to put a shirt on etc.).

Exciting little tidbits around the house include Samuel riding in a swing for the first time a few weeks ago. He wasn’t quite sure about the whole thing, and his eyes were freaking out trying to figure out what to focus on. Also Samuel’s new bath chair arrived. Some families become excited over new books or eBay items arriving, my family gets excited about new medical supplies (unless we are talking about Samuel’s new inline suctions, no one likes those!). And perhaps the most exciting bit of news is… due to the weather and Samuel’s increasing ability to regulate his body temperature he has been able to go to church 5 out of the last 6 Sundays!

I am finally beginning to work on Samuel's celebration of life video, so hopefully in the next moth I will be able to add that to the blog, although I make no promises. Thanks for your patience in waiting for an update; I don’t expect it to be a month before the next one.

In Christ,

Kaitlyn Emery

What a wonderful time of fellowship and celebration we had this past weekend. Friday morning our first visitors arrived at 10:30 and our last group of visitors left at about 9:15. During that time there was about a thirty minute period that we did not have someone in our home. Saturday arrived bright and early and at 10:00 exactly our first visitors came. From then until 9:30 at night our home was filled, at one point with over 20 people at once. What a tremendous blessing!

There were some of you that we had never met before. What a blessing it was to be able to put a face with your name. Many of you are friends and family that we have known for years and came all the same to visit and celebrate with us. It never ceases to amaze me how many wonder friends and family continue to keep us supported in their prayers. Nor does it cease to amaze me how many lives a little one like Samuel can touch. We had the privilege of getting to have another little miracle in our home with similar physical struggles like Samuel. He and his parents (they lived in the Ronald McDonald house with us during our stay) can also attest to the amazing power that the Lord gifts to these little guys, not only to endure the sufferings that they do, but to bring blessings and encouragement to a world in need of these living sacrifices. They make us so much more aware of Christ’s daily presence in our lives and are living proof that miracles do happen. Both of these little guys continue to touch lives every day in countless ways that we could never imagine. Yet society as a whole says that they and so many more like them, the sick, the infirm, the elderly, and the unborn, have nothing to offer. I live with a little guy who defies that lie with his every breath, and I am so blessed to have been given the gift of life with Samuel. To know that when he hears my voice he will turn towards me, to know that when I look down at his angelic face he struggles to focus his vision on me. This is why we celebrate the life of not only Samuel, but every precious life. Because there is so much that those society looks down upon have to offer.

Another highlight of the weekend was being able to introduce Samuel to one of his youngest and most faithful prayer warriors. There are two young girls we know of specifically who have been prayer warriors for Samuel since birth. Each of these girls have prayed daily for Samuel and both families tell how their daughters are quick to remind the family not to forget baby Samuel in their prayers. One of these young soldiers of Christ attends our local church, while the other (pictured above) lives some distance and has never before met the little boy she has prayed so devotedly for. This little three year old actually crumbled to pieces when one of her older sisters wanted to pray for Samuel during their evening prayers and have her pray for someone else on their prayer list. What a blessing to let her finally hold and touch the child she has so diligently loved and interceded for.

We were also very excited to have collected a large pile of supplies for the Pregnancy Resource Center, a gift given to help further their mission not only in sustaining and saving life, but also in educating about life. Those resources will be heading over to the Festus Center by the end of the week to be put into use for the sanctity of life.

Thanks to you all who came in support of the miracle of life, and to so many more of you who were unable to make it and yet kept all of us in your prayers over the weekend. I have compiled quite a few pictures over the weekend and plan to create Samuel’s fourth DVD. As a side note, anyone pictured in these images have given me prior authorization to post their pictures on the blog as well as use them for this update.

May God richly bless you as He has our family.
Kaitlyn

Due to the recommendation of a friend I am sending out a quick reminder to everyone that this weekend (Friday and Saturday) is Samuel’s open house (our doors will be open from 10:00 am - 10:00 pm). If anyone is still in need of directions you can e-mail me at kaitlyn@contractcallers.com . Hope to see you all this weekend.

Kaitlyn

Rejoice in the Lord, for He is good! Today is Samuel’s Birthday (sorry I didn't post this when I wrote it)!!! Who said he’d never make it to a year?

Just wanted to drop everyone a note that while Samuel’s birthday is the catalyst for pondering the beauty of life and God as Creator and Sustainer, which has been the motivation behind the celebration of life, our desire is not to celebrate Samuel, but the beauty of life as image bearers of Christ. With this thought in mind we would like to ask that everyone not bring presents for Samuel. We understand that some of you may want to bring something anyway, so with this in mind we have decided to act as a donation point for the Festus Pregnancy Resource Center. I am including a list of their needs. Please do not feel obligated to bring anything; this is our concession for the family we know will persist on bringing something anyway. We eagerly look forward to seeing all of you here next week.

Pregnancy Care Center 2010 Needs List

Baby Items

Baby Furniture items such as baby beds, high chairs, etc (new and gently used)
New Baby Items such as bottles, nipples, socks, shoes, onesies, and sleepers
New Baby and Children’s Toys (no stuffed animals please )
Baby care items such as shampoo, lotion, etc.
Baby/children’s Clothes (new and gently used)
Diapers… size 5 and 6
Formula of all kinds
Wipes


Mom and Dad Items

New or Gently used Baby shower gift bags (they use them as new mommy bags)
Personal care items for Mom and Dad like shampoo, shaving cream, soap, etc.
Anything that you think Mom Dad or Baby can use!
Maternity Clothes (new and gently used)

Office Needs

Office supplies such as copy paper, folders, large mailing envelopes, toilet paper, paper towels
Computer (Hopefully newer than the one they have now!)
Cleaning supplies (bleach, toilet cleaner, Lysol)

Volunteers!!!!!!! They need volunteers in all aspects of their ministry.
Will you share your God given talents to help the born, unborn, and families?

May God bless Our efforts and gifts and use them mightily for His kingdom.

Please join us in a celebration of life!

As we look forward to Samuel's first birthday,May 27th, our hearts and minds naturally are drawn to thoughts of our gracious Lord and His awesome gifts of life, all life. From the unborn and born, to the aged, and everything in-between. He is both Creator and Sustainer. This also leads our thoughts to Samuel's faithful prayer warriors,who have rejoiced with us in his life because he is created in the image of God, not because of what society says he has to offer. And the faithful hands and hearts of the Dr.'s, Nurses, Therapists,and Staff who have ministered to, and served Samuel and our family.We would like to open our home to all of you,hoping this will be an opportunity to talk with, and get to know each of you. We have been greatly blessed and encouraged by your faithfulness in our journey with Samuel.

Come join us in celebration on June 4th and 5th, between the hours of 10:00-10:00.

Children are most definitely welcome.

Please RSPV for directions to our home.

You can contact us at: kaitlyn@contractcallers.com.

Hope to see you,

The Emery Family

Dear Friends, A Letter From Samuel

Dear Friends,

As we speed our way through 2010 I wanted to take the time to say thank you. I’m so glad the Lord has brought so many of you into my life and the life of my family. The many cards and e-mails sent to encourage us or remind us that you are still following me along my journey have helped lift us up many times. In many ways you have been with us for the many challenges and milestones by keeping up with the blog and updates. The Lord has challenged us but put each of you as a relief along the roadside to help encourage us in our lives. Often the goodness and love of God manifests itself in the people around us.
The bible says prayers move mountains. This means that every individual has played a significant part in my life. Your constant prayers for me have brought about miraculous works from the Lord’s mighty hand. Medicine says I should not be here. God says only He decides who He leaves on this earth to bring Him glory and who He takes home to be with Him. Medicine said I would never draw my own breath, yet you all joined yourselves alongside my family and prayed in faith for God to fill my lungs with life giving breath. I breathe today because God saw fit to honor your faithfulness.
God calls us to stand in faith. He always upholds us even in the hardest of times. Even in the times when it seems hard to pray we continue to stand in faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. Christ has already won the victory.
I wish I could express my gratitude, but words fail. However, one day the Lord will reward. He will say, ‘Well done good and faithful servant. As you ministered to the least of these, so you have ministered to Me also.’ He will proceed to give you a crown of glory and recompense you for your prayers and faithfulness. He will do a far better job than I could ever do with my meager words.
Through your efforts and God’s good pleasure I continue to make strides forward. Many times we forget to see the blessings in our lives. We forget that life is but a vapor and that God holds the days of our lives in His hands. Even when the trials come and we can’t see our way God is with us. Thank you for standing alongside of me and having the eyes to see past what the world sees and seeing me for all the possibilities God has in store.
God says in his word, ‘Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though it is some strange thing happening to you. Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy.’ 1 Peter 4:12-13.
We are to be as a living sacrifice, testifying with each breath given. The Lord has enabled me to speak into the lives of people who would not have heard me as a “normal” child. I have been affectionately referred to by friends and family as a little missionary because God has given me the ability to minister in places that many cannot do so. Thank you for standing beside me and my family as we continue down this road that God has set before us. We all have the same purpose in life; God just equips each of us differently to accomplish that purpose.
My sister will be sending out an invitation the beginning of next week for our celebration of life on June 4th and 5th. Hope to see you all here.

With love,

Samuel Ian, ‘God hears our prayers and answers graciously’

Samuel's 36th Update

Yes, you really are seeing what you think you are seeing. Samuel is pushing up off the bed on his hands and supporting his own head and body weight. He remained in this position for about two minutes and turned towards me when I called his name. How’s that for someone who supposedly can’t move his body voluntarily? Needless to say we were very excited. Our nurse, the Therapist who was present at the time, my parents, and all of my siblings crowded into the room buzzing around like excited bees. It was a tremendous blessing for our family to witness this gracious act of the Lord.

Samuel has continued to gain fluid. Since Saturday he has gained 3 to 3 ½ oz. every day. Nobody can figure out what is going on or what to do about it, so I believe the general consensus is this is just another aspect of caring for Samuel’s daily needs. When the Lord is ready to fix this He will, and if it’s just part of His purpose for Samuel then Samuel will continue to deal with and endure under it.

Samuel has had a number of diet changes recently, the biggest one being that we are now adding fresh pureed carrots to his feedings. We keep telling him there is a whole world of food his taste buds are anxious to experience, but he’s got to get swallowing down before he can explore them. He’s still not interested in the prospect, but we hope someday he will be. As the weeks go on we are going to slowly introduce him to bananas and sweet potatoes. It was quite shocking the first time to see how orange a teaspoon of carrots turned his milk.

Samuel’s lungs have been junky as of late but at this point haven’t developed into anything real major. We’re just watching and monitoring things. Samuel’s temp seems to be regulating a bit more. He’s not constantly one extreme or the other. For the last month he’s fluctuated somewhere in the 97.2 to 98.4 range. This is a very big step in the right direction and will make travel and daily life much easier on Samuel if he can keep his temperature manageable.

And of course we mustn’t forget his exciting news! Samuel now has two front teeth (they came a little early for Christmas) and a bottom tooth that has poked thru. If that wasn’t enough the poor guy has two other teeth rising up under the surface of his gums, and a canine that is quite determined not to get left in the dust! This has sent Samuel’s oral secretions thru the roof however the bright side is that he seems to have no apparent ear infections and hasn’t been running a fever. Praise the Lord!! I’m trying to get pictures of his teeth, but the camera doesn’t want to focus in on them, which is a pity because they look quite cute. Oh well! You'll just have to come see them at his open house birthday party!

All in all things are pretty stable for Mr. Samuel for the moment and we are enjoying some wonderful signs of growth. May the Lord bless you in the warm days ahead.

Kaitlyn

Samuel's 35th Update!!

We are so excited that Samuel’s first birthday is just around the corner! All of us at the Emery household are planning a BIG birthday bash to celebrate the occasion, and you are all invited (but shhhh, it’s a surprise!)! At this point the exact date has still not been finalized but I will let you know as soon as it is.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday. Samuel certainly did. He was able to go back to church for the first time since the winter set in! It was so wonderful to have our whole family together in church. Usually Samuel and one of my parents is missing. Now that cold and flu season are over and the weather is warming up we are hoping to be able to continue bringing Samuel to church again.

Since my last update Samuel has continued to struggle with his Edema. He still has less output than input. Samuel’s normal weight gain is a pound a month, but he has gained 1pound 5oz. in 21 days. We would like to see him make strides towards getting some of this excess fluid off his body.

Samuel is having blood draws (1 to 2 x a week) at home and it is up to Daddy and I to get the vile up to Glennon as quickly as possible to minimize any changes that might affect the test results. This is our second week of doing his blood work this way and we seem to be doing fairly well thanks to Daddy’s fleetness of foot and the skill of our nurses. The results continue to come back without much change. His Electrolytes are stable, including his Potassium.

Our nurses, bless their hearts, are not thrilled with the fact that Samuel is having blood work done at home since this naturally entails that they have to do the blood draws (however they’d rather do it themselves than have him go up to the hospital to have it done). Unbeknownst to us the nurses had devised a plan between themselves as to who was going to get stuck lancing him and dripping the blood into the vile. They decided if Daddy came into the room to have them draw the blood before six a.m. (this is our shift change) than it was still the night nurse’s shift and she would have to draw the blood. If Daddy came in after six it was the day shift and our day nurse would have to draw the blood. Daddy came in at 6:01 and our poor nurse who got stuck (no pun intended) with the task was very misty eyed over the process. She did an excellent job though.

Samuel’s teeth have still not popped through yet. We are hoping they come in soon because the pressure is causing him some discomfort. I’m not sure if I had mentioned that Samuel has been getting more control of his neck movements. Ever since he was a few months old we, his nurses, and his OT have done muscle training exercises to help strengthen his neck muscles to hold his head up when he is sitting. So it was such a blessing when Samuel held his head up for close to ten seconds the other day when he was sitting up!!!! It was very exciting! He is also trying to position himself now when he is lying in bed by twisting his head around and moving himself into a position which I personally think looks very uncomfortable but apparently he is fond of. This is just another instance that shows that Samuel has his own personality and ways of doing things! You just have to have the eyes to see them.

As always we appreciate the prayers and hope to see you all soon when we rejoice is the miracle of Samuel’s birth and life! May the Lord bless you and may you be reminded of the beauty of new life as you see the budding trees and blossoming flowers that surround us and sing of God’s amazing works of creation.

Kaitlyn

P.S. Pictures to be posted soon of Samuel and Buttons.

34th Update

Samuel is still struggling with his Edema (I was told Edema is not spelled with an A) and urine output. Before we left the hospital one of Samuel’s Dr.’s lowered his Lasix to help keep his body from flushing out more potassium. Mom is concerned that decreasing his Lasix is causing him to gain back some of his fluids. This is still our main prayer concern. Samuel will be going to the hospital today for blood work and an evaluation, so the Dr.’s will have to decide if they want to raise the Lasix back up.
On a fun note Samuel has two front teeth days away from breaking threw his gums. They are white and swollen and you can clearly see the outline of the teeth! We are very excited as Samuel reaches yet another milestone in his life.
Samuel has also been gifted a real live breathing bunny by one of his nurses. She had tried to convince Daddy Samuel needed a puppy but my Daddy said no. Instead our nurse was at the feed store (around Easter time the feed stores sell baby bunnies, ducks, and chicks) and she fell in love with one of the rabbits we now know as Buttons. She is very sweet and likes to sit on Samuel’s feet. Buttons is living with Samuel’s nurse for now and coming for visits.
I want to thank everyone for their encouraging E-mails, cards in the mail, and prayers. We appreciate every overture of love and friendship. We are also keeping the prayer concerns sent our way in our own prayers and thank you for allowing us to participate in your lives as well. God’s word says to bear one another’s burdens and we are blessed to help bear your burdens as you all help to bear ours. May the Lord bless all of you as you go through your day.
Kaitlyn

33rd Update

A quick update. Samuel arrived home yesterday. My parents decided there was nothing being done in the hospital that we couldn’t do at home, my Mom says we are playing hospital at home. We were originally going to have to do daily blood work, but neither Quest nor JMH would finger stick Samuel (we do not want to have his blood taken through his veins). Instead of driving up to Cardinal Glennon daily his doctors have decided we can just take his blood when he comes in for appointments. He will be heading in for an appointment on Monday and we hope to find his Potassium still doing well and some of his Adema reduced. Samuel has been responding somewhat to his new form of treatment, but we are still dealing with his fluids. We are so glad to have Samuel home!
Kaitlyn

Samuel's 32nd Update

I did not return home from the hospital until about nine last night and had to get Elianna to bed, so I was unable to send out an update. I will do my best to try to put all of the medical madness I learned yesterday into laymen’s terms so that the information is hopefully understandable. My mother and I had a long discussion yesterday as we waded through the information.

The specialist came yesterday after running his tests and thinking over Samuel’s situation and has decided on a course of action. The Renal Dr. thinks that there is an imbalance in a hormone secreted from the adrenal glands. Apparently this hormone signals the kidneys to dump potassium and retain fluids. The hormone basically tells the body that there is not enough fluid in Samuel’s blood and will not let the body release any fluid as a form of self preservation, thus creating the decreased urine output. This hormone, called aldosterone, is thus causing the body not to respond to the Lasix.

The next question was why the fluid in Samuel’s blood is low. The Dr. thinks that there is a possibility that Samuel has low albumen. When there is low albumen in the body this can cause the blood vessels to leak fluid into the surrounding tissue causing the adema.
Why is the Albumen low? Possibly because of low protein. The question is, is Samuel dumping protein, or just not getting enough in his diet. Nutrition came in and said that although Samuel has sufficient calories, he is low on potassium in his diet and proteins. This has led them to change his vitamin and begin exploring the different options of how to add protein into his diet without added calories. We are still waiting to see if the urinary tests show whether or not Samuel is spilling protein into his urine or not.

All of this is really going to be trial and error. Samuel started a new diuretic (like the Lasix) last night in the hopes that it will help reduce the fluids. This new drug inhibits aldosterone, so hopefully it will allow the Lasix to do what it is supposed to.

Until we get some of this fluid off of Samuel we will not be able to bring him home. The adema is still our biggest issue, along with the decreased urine output. Everything else affects, or is affected by, this in some form or another. Once we get the adema under control we will start seeing everything else fall into place.

Thank you for your prayers,
Kaitlyn

Samuel has made progress since my last update and has also had some new developments. His electrolytes and potassium have regulated themselves with the help of his IV. Once this was accomplished they were able to start him on some Lasix yesterday in the hopes of bringing down the Adema. The hope was if we could get his Adema down through the night that he could come home today. Instead Samuel gained weight through the night and put on more fluids. This left the Dr.’s with some questions. Samuel is not putting out as much fluid as he is taking in. A Renal Dr. has been added to Samuel’s case for a consultation and this today he will be getting three doses of Lasix. The Dr.’s do not think that this will take off Samuel’s excess weight, but they are hoping it will maintain his weight and keep him from putting more fluids on his already swollen body. We are reevaluating Samuel’s kidney’s to see if something was overlooked as we try and figure out what is going on in his little body. The Renal Dr. also wants to run some urinary tests tomorrow to find out some more information like is Samuel spilling protein into his urine and so forth.
Samuel has a new trach now. There was some question as to whether or not Samuel’s air leak (all trach patients have this, it allows them to be able to vocalize) has become too large and he needed to move up to the next trach size. This could account for his previously high Bi Carbons. He has moved from a 3.5 to a 4.0 and we are seeing how he does with this. The Dr.’s are still tweaking Samuel’s vent settings since he has gone from having high carbon dioxide to now having low carbon dioxide (not low enough that it is a problem). He is leveling out at a slow, steady rate.
Thank you all for your prayers, after I get back from the hospital tomorrow I will try to get another update out and let you know how he is doing. Right now Samuel’s biggest struggle will be getting that water weight off. The Lord has been very good to us and keeps Samuel’s little body fighting. He is doing fairly well in spite of everything, and holding his own. All of you play a crucial part in Samuel’s life as you pray for him and give our family encouragement through all Samuel’s trials. Thank you for partnering with us in the journey of Samuel’s life.
Through Christ all things are possible.
Kaitlyn

Samuel's 30th Update

We took Samuel to the Dr. on Monday as planned and had blood work and Ultrasounds taken. The good news is that on the surface Samuel’s kidney’s seem to be working fine (praise God!) and there is no obstruction to Samuel’s bladder. The disturbing news was that the blood work came back with Samuel’s potassium fatally low and that he was being under ventilated causing a rise in his carbon dioxide levels.
The potassium in your body is part of what regulates the heart. The fact that Samuel’s was so low puts him at risk for Cardiac Arrest. In fact, his potassium was low enough that had we given him the Lasix (you may remember that we had filled the prescription and placed it in his medicine drawer) we would have flushed out even more potassium from his body and possibly could have killed him. Our God is amazing, carefully orchestrating every action we make. The Lord saw to it that we did not feel the need to give Samuel the Lasix thus preserving his life. What an amazing Father.
Our family was then given a choice. Our first option was to do nothing. We do not feel that this is an option because of the value of human life. Another option was to try to treat Samuel at home where he could be tended by us and his nurses, people who love and care about him. This would also be much less stressful on Samuel and he would not have to undergo some of the trauma that being in the hospital naturally entails. The final option was to admit Samuel into the hospital.
My mom brought Samuel home from his appointment late Monday evening so that we as a family could discuss our options and prayerfully make the choice that we believed was best for him. The difficulty was how pressed for time we were. We needed to make this decision as soon as possible. As advantageous as staying at home with Samuel sounded there were some downsides. We would not be able to give Samuel potassium directly into his bloodstream. We would have to give it threw his g-tube and wait four days for him to start receiving the amounts of potassium that he needed. Potassium is also a very lethal drug; it’s actually used on Death Row, so just giving Samuel the potassium could send him into Cardiac Arrest. Were we at the hospital they have the equipment to monitor him much more closely in a controlled environment.
Members of our church family gathered together in our home and prayed with us and Samuel as we made our decision which was ultimately to admit Samuel into the hospital. He was admitted to the TCU and began his treatments. His potassium levels dropped down to 2.2 by the time we got there, normal levels are 3.5. Blood tests have been run and sent off, we are still waiting for those results, and the Doctors have been tweaking his vent settings to deal with his under ventilation. No one is sure what the underlying cause of all of this is or why he is having the issues he is. We will just have to see where the tests lead, if anywhere.
We are praising God that the ER nurse was able to get an IV in Samuel. There was some concern that with his Adema, and the fact that he is very hard to stick, we would have to resort to a chest tube which would require a minor surgery. The nurse got the IV in Samuel on her first try. God’s mercies are unending and new every day.
Our nurses have been wonderful through all of this; we thank God for the three women who are his primary care. Our nurses have been discussing taking shifts at the hospital to insure that my mom gets sleep and Samuel is properly cared for (this is something they will not receive pay for). In fact, one of our nurses was up at the hospital last night and stayed with my mom till around 1:30 in the morning. She had told her husband that Samuel was in the hospital and he had said it was going to be okay, she could still visit him. Her response was she was moving into the hospital so he needed to kennel the Dogs. J
We obviously ask for your prayers concerning Samuel, but we would also ask you keep our nurses in your prayers. Samuel is their sole patient, so if he is in the hospital then they are without work and pay. We hope our hospital stay will be short so that they are not without work long or they do not have to search for some other way to pay the bills. Keep little Elianna in your prayers as she has to deal with the confusion of her missing parents again, and the rest of us who are not able to be at the hospital with Samuel as we would like. I will be sure to keep everyone informed.
In the Love of Christ,
Kaitlyn