7 quick takes

1 - Some day I will sleep again.  I had hoped that day would be last night, but instead L's stomach decided to not like her supper and she threw up four times.  The poor girl told her daddy, "I don't want to do that any more."

2 - Ben is adorable.  Like really, really, super duper cute.  Oh my goodness!  One of these days I'll get my act together and upload pictures and videos.  You've gotta see this kid!

3 - Why do my kids insist on sitting on my lap while I type?!  Do other moms have this problem?

4 - Today I had an hour long massage.  It was pretty much awesome.  Blogger friend RCM recently went through a tough time and had weekly massages to help her with the stress.  Taking a cue from her, and some encouragement of my mom and husband, I went to a massage therapist to treat myself.  She spent a lot of time working on all the bumps in my shoulders and upper back.  In the end there were two knots, one on each shoulder blade, that she had to push on while I breathed deeply.  It was pretty cool to feel them dissipate.  It was also cool to feel the headache I had arrived with disappear with her touch.  The bad part is that I already feel tight again.

5 - Today we spoke with JF's physical therapist.  She wouldn't say that he was improving, but she did say that he was progressing developmentally at a good rate.  I told her that for us, that translates to, "He's improving."  She gave us a few things to work on with him and explained that his next goals are to support himself on his elbows during tummy time and then to reach for things and begin to explore with his hands.

6 - JF will not eat from a bottle.  His only food has been from the ng tube for the last two days, and before that it was tapering off.  We do not know why, and this is not good.  I tried giving him a bottle today.  He was calm, happy, hungry, sucking, in good posture, holding my hand with his, yet he didn't take in a single ml.  I'm pretty worried about this because, as I understand it, he's still in the window of time for losing the ability to eat completely.  Can you imagine a life without birthday cake, homemade pizza for Bears games, root beer, ice cream cones, Christmas cookies, and Thanksgiving dinner?  Please pray for the feeding therapist, doctors, and nurses who care for my son, that they will quickly discover what is troubling JF.  And please pray that he will again take a bottle, becoming better at it with every feeding.

7 - Today we also spoke with the developmental pediatrician.  He wants JF to be home now and politely seemed annoyed that he didn't have a g tube yet.  Next week he will look at JF's second MRI (which will also happen next week).  At that point the damage that is done will be done.  The brain will be what it is, although there is still the opportunity for other parts of the brain to pick up the tasks the damaged parts were supposed to do.  I therefore see this week as our opportunity to pray hard for some major miracles. 

Eternal Father, You alone grant us every blessing in Heaven and on earth, through the redemptive mission of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and by the working of the Holy Spirit.


If it be according to Your Will, glorify Your servant, Fulton J. Sheen, by granting the favor I now request through his prayerful intercession - that JF's brain be healed completely, that his muscles function normally, and that he is able to take a bottle safely and successfully.

I make this prayer confidently through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.