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.