Today's Journey

From My Heart: I have six blogs, each with a different objective.  I opened my dashboard to post an update of my grandson on this blog.  When I looked at my list of blogs, I saw the title of this one and was struck by the irony of this situation.  The title and description of this blog is Life's Journey, Discussing life's twists and turns and the lessons we learn along the way.

Our son's hand next to our grandson's body.

A week ago today, our phone rang at 5:30 a.m.  My husband answered and our son asked him to push speaker phone.  Once on speaker phone, our son explained that he had taken his wife to the emergency room because of high blood pressure.  After three hours of trying to decrease her blood pressure, the doctor made the decision to do an emergency c-section on her.  Within 45 minutes our grandson was born --13 weeks premature, officially weighing 1.7 lbs. 

This is the ultimate life twister.  We made the decision to drive to the town where they live.  I sat down in my recliner and opened my laptop.  My husband asked what I was doing and I answered, "I'm sending out prayer requests."  Then I packed and made the two hour drive to the hospital.  As soon as I got to the waiting room, I set up my laptop.  Why?  To be connected to the people who were praying for our grandchild.  I was amazed at the messages waiting for me. Messages from friends and friends of friends.  Later that day I began receiving messages of success story from people who had faced the same thing.

This situation was certainly not something we had planned.  We planned to welcome a bouncing baby boy in August of this year.  Instead, we watch a Thumbalina-size baby lie in an incubator with his chest going up and down as if he is simply too tired to breathe.  To see him, we must perform a scrubbing and gowning routine.  We are not allowed to touch him--at the time we left the hospital..

What did we learn from this?  We learned that life is precious.  We learned how strong our son and his wife are.  Most of all we learned the power of prayer from brothers and sisters in Christ and the comfort of hearing success stories.

Update:   The baby has been removed from the ventilator and his navel tube has been removed.  He now has a pic so that tests can be administered through that rather than further piercing.  The navel line was removed yesterday.  His blood gases are good. At this time he weighs 1. 4 1/4 lbs.  He has lost 2 3/4 oz., which is not bad.  The goal is to introduce him to milk today.  We are very grateful for the progress he has made.  If you consider that he is not due for another three months and yet he is breathing on his own and will begin eating today.  

We praise God for the blessings we have received and the wonderful people who have ministered to us during these stressful times. 

Strength For Today

My Son and His Love Wife

Their Beautiful Baby Boy

I shared something on Facebook the other day that came up on my newsfeed.  It was a poster type sign that read

You never know how strong you are...
until being strong is the only choice you have.

I saw the poster the day my grandson was born weighing 1.4 lbs.  Immediately I thought of how strong my son and daughter-in-law had been through the most difficult time in their lives.  Unless you've sat helplessly by the bed of your sick child, you don't know the fear that can grip your heart.  Many were the nights I sat by this son's bedside watching him struggle for air because of asthma. I watched him gasp for breath and then take so long between breaths I'd think "Lord is he dead?"  Then without warning, he'd take a gulp of air.  Each time I noticed that I also took a breath.  I unintentionally held my breath when he did.

Now he sits by the bedside--incubator--of his son.  He watches him struggle for breath.  He watches as the tubes monitor his son's every breath, pulse and heartbeat.  Being medically trained, he knows the pain his son felt when they put those IVs in his delicate little hand.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell everyone how incredibly proud I am of my son and his lovely wife.  The bravery they've shown during this traumatic time has been admirable.  The faith they've shown in God has been a true testimony and witness for Christ. 

Did they do anything I didn't do???  No.  Why was their burden heavier than mine?  When I sat by my son's bedside, he was 5 years old and weighed about 40 lbs.  Their son is 13 weeks premature and weighs 1.4 lbs.  They have no idea how long he will remain in the NICU.  

My son was once a child with asthma.  Today he is a man, husband, father, and believer of Christ Jesus.  I am proud he is my son.  I admire the man he has become and the choices he has made--especially the choice he made in a wife.  

With Love,

From a mother's heart.