Sticking to the script

Well, I'm back up in Isaaac's room. Janel and Isaac are both catching a little nap so I'm left to stare at the monitor and reflect again at how similar this whole scenario is to Joshua's and Jenna's. The good new is, Isaac has been eating well the last 12 hours. He guzzled three ounces this morning, which was great. The bad news is, he continues (just like big brother and sister) to struggle to maintain his blood oxygen saturation. The docs would like it to stay between 94-100%. This morning, Isaac has been hanging out in the upper 80's and lower 90's on 1 liter of oxygen (a relatively low dose). Every time he dips out of the 90's the alarm goes off, and we listen to it beep until he gets back in the 90's. This is all too familiar territory. Joshua and Jenna did the exact same thing.

Sounds like they'll try to move us out of PICU and onto the floor today. That means progress, but it also means all new doctors, fellows, residents, and nurses. It means we get to tell the whole story a hundred more times and watch new caregivers scratch their heads and potentially try to order all the same tests again. Obviously, we're not planning on letting that happen. We'd love it if they just sent us home from PICU, but it seems unlikely. Janel and I would like to think that one more day of good rest, eating, and oxygen will be enough. Of course, optimism comes and goes.

The big decision for today is whether or not to allow them to draw blood for analysis by the geneticist. This is a tough call. There's no gaurantee they'll find anything, but if they did, it could be a big deal later in life for all three of our kids. How do we weigh the pros and cons? What about the stress of getting the blood for Isaac? Janel and I both feel like the stress from yesterday set him back a half a day in the recovery process. Ugh.

It appears that Isaac likes it when I blog. Since I've been blogging his O2 sats have been pretty good. Perhaps I'll make this the longest post in www history...


Oh yes, I must also mention again (especially since the blogging seems to be helping Isaac!) how unbelievable the support has been that we've received from family, friends, our seminary community, and those who have kept up online. We are recipients of grace and mercy because of you. Your generosity astounds us, and our minds, bodies, and souls would be in much worse shape if it were not for you. Thanks to ALL of you for prayers, calls, food, gifts, help with kids, time, laughter, and tears. All that you have shared with us brings life. I find myself dreaming about posting that final blog about this particular chapter of life. I trust it will be a day of tremendous celebration. As you have shared in our tears, we trust we will soon also share in celebration.