Cuddle Care

I'm sorry it has been so long since we last sent an update. It has been a busy week once again. After Suzie's surgery on Monday, she had a rough couple of days. Everything was very normal as far as her recovery, but since she had been stable for several days before her surgery, it was difficult to see her take a few steps backward. She was very sedated the day following her surgery and had a difficult time breathing. The pain medication seemed to make her heart rate race as well. Within a couple days, she was back on the Sipap machine which is the scuba looking mask they put on her. On Friday she was doing well enough for them to put her back on the nasal canula which is the most mild ventilator. I think she really likes this ventilator because she has been doing really well ever since then! Her heart rate is more normal, although it still does jump up at times and her breathing is much more stable. They continue to drain between 5 and 10 ccs of fluid from her head every day. They will be taking another ultrasound in a week or so to make sure that the swelling isn't getting worse. In about five weeks they will most likely put a shunt in.

Our favorite part of the day is when we get to hold our precious little girl. I started doing "Cuddle Care" as of yesterday. This is where they place her on my chest so she can have some skin to skin contact. This is supposed to be very beneficial for her as all the little bugs and germs on her skin transfer to my skin during this time, and then my body produces all the antibodies against those little bugs. When she drinks my breast milk after we have done the Cuddle Care, she then receives the antibodies to these germs. Not only is it good for her, but it's great for mom too! I certainly enjoy my Cuddle Care time and look forward to doing it every day as long as she continues to do well with it. It is the most precious bonding time for me. Today when I held her, she pushed her head back and opened her eyes really wide as if she was trying to get a good look at me. It just melts both of us every time we get to hold Little Suzie. We are having trouble uploading pictures onto our computer right now but we will post some as soon as we fix the problem.

The other day I read the following verses in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4, "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure." I thought of how so many of you have dealt with far more trying circumstances and much greater affliction than what we are currently experiencing. And yet your hearts are to encourage us and to care so deeply for us. We praise God for the examples that we have in our lives who have had their faith greatly enlarged in the midst of trials, whose love toward the brethren grows greater and overflows onto to our family. We pray earnestly for the Lord to continue enlarge our faith during this time and continue to increase our love for the brethren. You all make it very easy for our love for you to increase as you have chosen to bless us in too many ways to even keep track of. We cannot thank you enough for your prayers, love, faith in God, and example of going before us. It is our joy to speak proudly of our church family--the body of Christ--to all those around us.