Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Saying "goodbye" to more tubes... and Heart Talks

Well, tonight I (Erika) get to take a crack at the blog...lets see how I do. I wanted to post a few things last night, but fell asleep before I could get more than two sentences out...so Matt took over.

We took our daily trip in to see Asher today and had a nice little surprise when we got there (I love those). He was laying on his left side, facing the window, and someone had placed his little stuffed lamby in his bed, where he could see it, and moved his happy birthday balloon (1 month...woohoo) close by. They also had the instrumental music we brought in playing gently. Usually we have to come in and set up his music to play again because the timer had shut the TV off and nobody cared to put it back on. It was just really nice to see that extra time had been spent to stimulate and comfort my little guy. It touched me. After I got over the nice atmosphere he had kicken...I noticed that they had taken out one of his chest drainage tubes...."another one bites the dust". Then, while we were visiting with him, a nurse came in and removed his oxygen cannula (the little nose tube giving him extra oxygen). Matt and I were a little concerned that he might need the extra little help breathing because he still has moments where it looks labored, but the nurse said that the oxygen had been turned off for a few hours, they were just getting around to taking the tube off him. So, that made us feel better. As far as updates.....they took him off the heart medicine, a pain med and lowered his other pain med. I believe he began getting the methadone yesterday to help him come off the pain meds. He had been on such high doses for such an extended period of time that he became addicted to them. But they are weening him off slowly now...we just need to pray strength into that little body to cope well. They were going to remove his arterial line just after we left (that is a port inserted directly into a main artery in his groin....where they frequently took blood for testing his gas levels) So, I think that will have him down to two IVs and one drainage tube. He's ever getting closer to me being able to hold him....maybe even tomorrow ;) I'm a little nervous that he won't like being held at first...simply because for the past month, whenever he was touched it was usually for the purpose of starting another Iv or in his eyes, to hurt him! On top of that, I'm nervous because he looks so frail.... he has lost weight and is just a little stiff from laying in bed so long. But I know that he needs to be held and I really do long to hold him and make him feel like everything will be alright and that he is finally safe! He really seems to respond when I gently stroke his head....it makes him calm down and relax which is reassuring to me. Otherwise, I would feel like there was nothing I could do to help him....and that is the worst feeling in the world for a momma.

We had some friends come to the hospital yesterday to pray for Asher. They hadn't been able to follow along with the emails or blog, but what God was showing them about Asher lined up perfectly with other words I had received. I took a silly picture of them....

Maria and Michelle in the CICU waiting room. Thank you ladies for sharing your hearts and time with my family. We love you!!

The last thing I had on my heart to share was a verse that I stumbled along while Matt and I were at OHOP yesterday. I was reading Psalms 91 because it has become one of the main verses we stand on for Asher's healing and protection. Well, when I had finished, I kept reading Psalms 92 thinking, "hmm...if Psalm 91 is a now Psalm for our little boy, then I wonder if Psalm 92 will be a later one for him?). So, I read down until Psalm 92: 12 - 14 caught my attention:

Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Psa 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

I felt the spirit quicken my understanding and at the same time confirm to me through verse 13 that the prescription for Asher's recovery and continued well being was for him to be "planted in the house of the Lord" ....just like Samuel went to live with the priests, he to is to grow up in the House of Prayer. I was speaking with my mother about him today and she felt that his participation in the HOP was going to bring talents out of him...things to give him a sense of self worth and value, even in spite of any learning disabilities or other challenges he may have. My question to God now is what being "planted" looks like on a practical basis. I was already planning on homeschooling Joel and feel even stronger about that decision with Asher. I have heard about IHOP's home school curriculum being focused around the house of prayer and I think that is a big part of the puzzle. Our mission base is looking to bring that system down here, but I may have to forerun the early programs since they are looking to start at the middle school age. God will lead me, I have no doubt. He is already bringing people and things across our path at the precise time we need them....why would he stop now!?

Alright...it's late and I have to get some sleep before the next pumping session rolls around. But, before I do, I want to thank Dixie for stopping by today with some healthy food for me and my family. You are an amazing woman Dixie (mother of 7 folks) and I'm blessed to call you my friend! ;)

Blessings!
~Erika~

1 comment:

Dixiemom7 said...

It was such encouraging news to read about Asher! And I stand in agreement with your understanding of Psalm 92. I am already looking into homeschooling at OHOP, and if you are willing to come alongside, I think we can do it! You are an amazing mom and woman and I am so happy to count you as my friend.