So Tiny & So Sick

Leah is in need of extra prayers today! She'll be one month old tomorrow, but her tiny body is just facing even more challenges now compared to before. New symptoms have developed, including Diabetes Insipidus, which is caused by a lack of the hormone vasopressin. Vasopressin is an antidiuretic hormone that is produced by the hypothalamus gland in the brain and stored by the pituitary gland. In the body, vasopressin limits urine output by increasing the concentration of the urine. Without vasopressin, the kidneys cannot function properly and the body experiences rapid water loss in the form of diluted urine. Then in a vicious cycle, this rapid water loss causes people with this disorder to become extremely thirsty.

Our precious Leah's body is not able to stay properly hydrated, no matter the amounts of fluid she is given. On top of that she is now sick, with a very nasty sounding cough and junk in her lungs. Because she has low muscle tone, it is a challenge for her to clear her lungs, as she is not strong enough to cough productively as you or I to prevent pneumonia from settling in. And on top of that, she is not able to keep her feedings or medications down. When she spits up her medications, then all the assistance her body has been receiving the past 4 weeks to function more properly is lost. As you can imagine, this creates a vicious cycle, thus increasing her seizure activity as well.
As her parents, we know fully that we have done and will keep doing everything possible that can help Leah. Yet, as we’ve known all along, her time with us will be very brief. And now it seems clearer that her body cannot go on like this for much longer. Yet, we still don’t know if that means hours or days. In light of this please pray for the following things:
 For God to be with Leah and bring her comfort as her body may begin shutting down
 For God’s goodness to be seen even in the events of her body passing away and her spirit being received into Heaven
 Strength beyond that which is humanly possible for Luke and I, as we continue to care for Leah and watch her body struggle daily as she fights to stay with us
 For Kyla, who loves her baby sister so deeply – that she’d learn to trust God through our family’s circumstances
 That we could have God’s perspective on Leah’s life and the blessing that He has given us

Even with all the challenges of these past 5 months, I have never before felt so blessed and so provided for by my God! The Lord gives and the Lord takes away…..blessed be the name of the Lord! The words of a song by Matt and Beth Redman has become my anthem these past months. You can click here to hear it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp11X6LKYY
Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

Pre-Chorus
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in
Lord still I will say

Chorus
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Verse 2
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Bridge
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name