Lucy's Week/reflections on Feb.

Lucy went to a follow up appointment with the Pediatrician, Dr. Jones. She gained one ounce, making her 7 pounds 9 ounces. Dr. Jones said normally that would not be enough but I told her all that she is eating and that she is having plenty of full diapers. She thinks that she is continuing to lose fluid and gain weight at the same time.

Grant was holding Lucy and he yelled out, "what happened? all the hair on top is gone. It wasn't like that in the hospital now she has a cul de sac!"

I have found when I am not directly involved with talking to someone or doing something that requires thinking, I am thinking about Lucy and all that has happened in her life so far. I was thinking today about how different it feels to be praying for someone or something that is so important to you all on your own versus knowing that so many other people are also praying with you for the same thing. I felt so much strength behind me knowing of so many that were also praying for Lucy.

I talked to my brother on the phone this evening. He was one of the people that I had called on the evening of Lucy's birthday when we were at Salmon Creek and there was the 2 hr. time frame left that Lucy's blood gas had to improve in order to move forward with treatment. I had a short conversation with him just letting him know she was born and that she was in the hospital and asked if he would pray for her body to be able to improve to the point it needed to within the two hours. Today was the first day we talked since that night. He and my sister in law have been following the blog since for updates. He told me when we got off the phone he told Liz and they said a prayer together. A few minutes later they were just both standing there in the kitchen and they had an impression come over both of them that Lucy's situation was more serious than they realized. They both had this feeling independently without saying anything to each other. They brought my nephews back together and prayed again and they continued to kneel and pray every 10 minutes for that next two hours from the time I hung up with him. I know there were others of our family and friends doing the same at that time. I am so thankful for that. I was praying during this whole time as well but I was so exhausted and I was hearing what the Dr. was saying but I was kind of denying to myself that it was as bad as it was. I didn't feel like I could handle it if we lost her at that time so I just felt scared and frozen and we were continually getting updates and info. from the Dr. There have been so many miracles along the way and her turning around in that last two hours is one of them. We were also talking about how during a relatively short time frame Lucy influenced so many from all over to be humbled and turn to God in prayer for her. Like my brother Porter said, I know Lucy is still with us today as a result of the power brought down from so many prayers. That is a gift from everyone to us that is like no other gift that we could ever receive. Dr. Paulik from the ER was so focused and intense for several hours initially finding the problem, taking the steps to start to turn things around. We prayed for the Dr.'s and nurses several times a day. During the first week or so of her life I had to keep telling myself that this was real. I am really driving to Emanuel hospital to be with my baby who is being kept alive by a machine......I am washing my hands to go in the NICU where my baby is in critical condition. During the couple weeks with her home now I am finding myself having to say to myself, she is really here and she is doing well and yes all that did really happen and now I am sitting here feeding her and watching her make all kinds of the cutest new born faces.

Lucy had a new born photo shoot on Mon. Tara Mansius came to the house with her fun props, head dresses, pink scarves etc... and we moved Lucy around from setting to setting while trying to keep her sleeping. Tara will be getting the pics. to us by the end of the week. We'll get some of her best looks posted once we get them.