Thanks to all of those who have written comments and offered prayers for William. He has shown improvement since Christmas Day and we are thankful for that. The comments make us smile, laugh, remember you, and provide encouragement.
Following are some notes I took after Dana and I spoke with one of the doctors yesterday.
*Consistently stable-to-better lung x-rays. The doctor was going to review his x-rays to see if any trends appear, but on the whole the last few days have shown that the lung collapse is focused on the upper right side.
*Please pray for increased digestion so that his feedings can be increased. Currently he is on a three-hour feeding schedule where after about 2 hours or so they pull out the contents of his stomach via his feeding tube. (It's somewhat of a vaccum, so it's really pretty simple.) After examining the contents and the volume, they determine whether to increase feedings, check for infection, etc.
*He was to have another brain scan today. Please pray for no bleeding in the brain. This has probably already happened but Dana and I have yet to communicate with the NICU staff today. We are heading up there soon so I will update this later today.
*He started receiving hyrodrocortisone Tuesday morning. It is a steriod to improve his lung development. The course will be at low doses and last for about two days. This is a somewhat new methos of treatment so please pray that it works and that no side effects appear.
*It looks like his movement, muscle tone, and motor skills are developing well.
We love you all and thank you for your prayers.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thank you, Lord, that you make babies resilient!
We apologize for our lack of communicating information concerning our son. Between visits to the hospital, keeping family updated, and preparing for and celebrating the Christmas season, we haven't had lots of free time. ;) Dana and I created this blog to keep you updated and so that we could read and collect your prayers and words of comfort and encouragement. As you pray for our son, PLEASE also write comments on this blog so that we can read them.
Our son needs your prayers and he needs God’s healing. He has been in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for 12 days now and is creating quite the intrigue. Not a Curious George-type of intrigue but an upper-level-college-course-study-group-which-can’t-seem-to-solve-the-group project kind of intrigue. It seems that the doctors can’t exactly figure out why his lungs are not developing better and why they persist in a constant state of migrating collapse. (One lung collapses one day only to be fine the next. Then the other lung collapses. Add numerous permutations for each day. Cook for several days and watch parents’ emotions go haywire.)
After about five minutes in the NICU tonight, I told Dana, “You just never seem to know what you are going to get when you walk in here.” That line pretty much sums up the last three weeks of our lives.
We will try to fill you in on more details in the coming days, for now please be praying for these things:
1. Lung Development. Some of his lung problems are simply due to his prematurity. He was delivered at 31 weeks and 6 days. He is now 33 weeks and 4 days. Hopefully his rib cage, muscles, and neural connections will start figuring out this whole breathing thing and he will take off from there. Until then, though it is flattering that he is such a source of intellectual stimulation for the medical staff, I don’t really care for my son to be too interesting right now. Boring and normal would do just fine!
On Sunday night he had the best blood gas levels (Oxygen, CO2, etc.) in several days. Bascially, if he can’t breathe well or if he is fighting the oscillator (heavy duty ventilator), then the carbon dioxide will not be expelled from his lungs. High CO2 means toxicity, not global warming. Sorry, I meant climate change. Oh wait, it is snowing in Texas. Warming?! What? Oh, sorry, I got off subject. My apologies, I was simply reminded that the world needs more CO2 for my son to live. Someone please tell the “smart people” about my new discovery; it’s probably Nobel Peace Prize worthy.
2. Genetic Screening. On Monday a blood sample will be sent to a lab for genetic screening for any disorders. Currently, none appear to exist. The doctors are mainly doing this to “rule things out.” Not exactly a comforting phrase, as you can imagine, but sometimes that’s how the practice of medicine goes. The results will be back in anywhere from 5-10 days. You should be able to figure this one out on your own; but for the slow ones out there, please be praying for no disorders, etc. Couldn’t resist.
3. What Looks Good? So far his heart looks good, he is back on feedings of breastmilk (through a tube), and brain scans look good. I am sure I have forgotten something.
If you are family or friends and want to share more details about Will’s condition in the comments section, please feel free to do so.
The doctors and nurses taking care of him love his spirit and have positive comments just about every time we talk with them so we are encouraged by that. We greatly appreciate all of their efforts. Many of them are believers as well.
Psalm 27 encouraged me a few days ago. Not all of it relates to William's circumstances, but it's a pretty apt verse for right now.
I have a new appreciation for parents who have, or have had, children who struggle with sickness, etc. This has to be one of the most helpless feelings in the world.
God is good and sustains us each day. We love our families and we love the church. We thank Christ for holding us together and making us His bride. We pray that William’s circumstances bring glory to our Father, the almighty God, and maker of all things new!
Our son needs your prayers and he needs God’s healing. He has been in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for 12 days now and is creating quite the intrigue. Not a Curious George-type of intrigue but an upper-level-college-course-study-group-which-can’t-seem-to-solve-the-group project kind of intrigue. It seems that the doctors can’t exactly figure out why his lungs are not developing better and why they persist in a constant state of migrating collapse. (One lung collapses one day only to be fine the next. Then the other lung collapses. Add numerous permutations for each day. Cook for several days and watch parents’ emotions go haywire.)
After about five minutes in the NICU tonight, I told Dana, “You just never seem to know what you are going to get when you walk in here.” That line pretty much sums up the last three weeks of our lives.
We will try to fill you in on more details in the coming days, for now please be praying for these things:
1. Lung Development. Some of his lung problems are simply due to his prematurity. He was delivered at 31 weeks and 6 days. He is now 33 weeks and 4 days. Hopefully his rib cage, muscles, and neural connections will start figuring out this whole breathing thing and he will take off from there. Until then, though it is flattering that he is such a source of intellectual stimulation for the medical staff, I don’t really care for my son to be too interesting right now. Boring and normal would do just fine!
On Sunday night he had the best blood gas levels (Oxygen, CO2, etc.) in several days. Bascially, if he can’t breathe well or if he is fighting the oscillator (heavy duty ventilator), then the carbon dioxide will not be expelled from his lungs. High CO2 means toxicity, not global warming. Sorry, I meant climate change. Oh wait, it is snowing in Texas. Warming?! What? Oh, sorry, I got off subject. My apologies, I was simply reminded that the world needs more CO2 for my son to live. Someone please tell the “smart people” about my new discovery; it’s probably Nobel Peace Prize worthy.
2. Genetic Screening. On Monday a blood sample will be sent to a lab for genetic screening for any disorders. Currently, none appear to exist. The doctors are mainly doing this to “rule things out.” Not exactly a comforting phrase, as you can imagine, but sometimes that’s how the practice of medicine goes. The results will be back in anywhere from 5-10 days. You should be able to figure this one out on your own; but for the slow ones out there, please be praying for no disorders, etc. Couldn’t resist.
3. What Looks Good? So far his heart looks good, he is back on feedings of breastmilk (through a tube), and brain scans look good. I am sure I have forgotten something.
If you are family or friends and want to share more details about Will’s condition in the comments section, please feel free to do so.
The doctors and nurses taking care of him love his spirit and have positive comments just about every time we talk with them so we are encouraged by that. We greatly appreciate all of their efforts. Many of them are believers as well.
Psalm 27 encouraged me a few days ago. Not all of it relates to William's circumstances, but it's a pretty apt verse for right now.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;That’ll preach!
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
I have a new appreciation for parents who have, or have had, children who struggle with sickness, etc. This has to be one of the most helpless feelings in the world.
God is good and sustains us each day. We love our families and we love the church. We thank Christ for holding us together and making us His bride. We pray that William’s circumstances bring glory to our Father, the almighty God, and maker of all things new!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
William Wallace Shewmaker joined the craziness on Tue, Dec 15!
Below is an email sent to friends and family the night of Tuesday, December 15.
THE FACTS
William was born via emergency c-section at 5:30a on Tuesday morning.
It looks like Dana will be discharged on Saturday. William still has several weeks to go in the neonatal ICU -- best guess right now is 4-6 weeks. We have great doctors and nurses and are so thankful for that.
Our main prayer request for now is that he be able to get off the ventilator asap (1-2 days) so that we can hold him and that he will be able to take some breastmilk thru his IV in a day or two.
Will's' Vitals:
*born at 31 weeks, 5 days (that's close, if not accurate.)
*good heart rate, blood pressure, and does not need oxygen
*3 lb, 13 oz (Dad was actually off here. He was 16 inches long.)
*20 inches (again, close)
And see the attached picture taken about 30 minutes after delivery. He looked much better by the end of the day.
THE COMMENTARY
You know, you would think that when your wife is at the hospital and could go into labor at any hour, that I would be ready to just wake up and hop in the car to be at her bedside. Not to mention that on Thursday no less, I had a practice run at all this. Well, when Dana called on Tuesday morning at 2am telling me to get to the hospital, I was still scurrying around the house trying to find everything I needed. Really, is anyone surprised? (I know my family isn't ;) )
So, for those of you who don't know yet, Dana had an emergency c-section on Tuesday morning at 5:30a. After several hours of recurring sharp lower abdominal pains later accompanied by contractions, William tried coming thru the birthing canal feet first like he was jumping into a laundry chute -- neither of which usually end too well; but he gets points for his daring courage. As I waited in the hallway for the cue to be brought into the c-section room, I kept thinking, "Boy, this is happening fast. My son must be freaked out." When the nurse walked out and told me that the c-section was done and that our son was ok, I was disappointed to have missed the big show. My one condolence: for all of the times women have been "all dressed up and nowhere to go," I can now sympathize.
Walking with William to the neonatal ICU is a trip I will never forget. And so was the hour spent alone in a labor and delivery room waiting on news about Dana. (I should confess that I did sleep for about 30 minutes, so Dana might be a little concerned that I wasn't worried enough.) However, God was right there with each of us (It is amazing all of the different ways the Holy Spirit works.). And please KNOW that your prayers comforted all of us. They still do.
For those of you who emailed with congratulations, prayers, questions about visiting, etc., first, thank you so much; second, obviously, the visiting situation will be a little different so let me visit with Dana about that tomorrow.
We love you all!
p.s. A friend wrote this tonight: "Well, extra days in the womb when 90 percent of women deliver within the 48 hours [after water breaks]…PRAISE THE LORD!" So true! And I love it!
p.p.s. The subject line of this email was going to be "Freedom!," however, on second thought I didn't think that moving from a womb with a single umbilical cord to an incubator with several tubes would qualify.
NOTE: We later learned that Willie Nelson was playing in Austin on the day Will was born. That's pretty cool! However, it doesn't give anyone license to call him Willie. His mother will look at you ever so harshly, if you do!
THE FACTS
William was born via emergency c-section at 5:30a on Tuesday morning.
It looks like Dana will be discharged on Saturday. William still has several weeks to go in the neonatal ICU -- best guess right now is 4-6 weeks. We have great doctors and nurses and are so thankful for that.
Our main prayer request for now is that he be able to get off the ventilator asap (1-2 days) so that we can hold him and that he will be able to take some breastmilk thru his IV in a day or two.
Will's' Vitals:
*born at 31 weeks, 5 days (that's close, if not accurate.)
*good heart rate, blood pressure, and does not need oxygen
*3 lb, 13 oz (Dad was actually off here. He was 16 inches long.)
*20 inches (again, close)
And see the attached picture taken about 30 minutes after delivery. He looked much better by the end of the day.
THE COMMENTARY
You know, you would think that when your wife is at the hospital and could go into labor at any hour, that I would be ready to just wake up and hop in the car to be at her bedside. Not to mention that on Thursday no less, I had a practice run at all this. Well, when Dana called on Tuesday morning at 2am telling me to get to the hospital, I was still scurrying around the house trying to find everything I needed. Really, is anyone surprised? (I know my family isn't ;) )
So, for those of you who don't know yet, Dana had an emergency c-section on Tuesday morning at 5:30a. After several hours of recurring sharp lower abdominal pains later accompanied by contractions, William tried coming thru the birthing canal feet first like he was jumping into a laundry chute -- neither of which usually end too well; but he gets points for his daring courage. As I waited in the hallway for the cue to be brought into the c-section room, I kept thinking, "Boy, this is happening fast. My son must be freaked out." When the nurse walked out and told me that the c-section was done and that our son was ok, I was disappointed to have missed the big show. My one condolence: for all of the times women have been "all dressed up and nowhere to go," I can now sympathize.
Walking with William to the neonatal ICU is a trip I will never forget. And so was the hour spent alone in a labor and delivery room waiting on news about Dana. (I should confess that I did sleep for about 30 minutes, so Dana might be a little concerned that I wasn't worried enough.) However, God was right there with each of us (It is amazing all of the different ways the Holy Spirit works.). And please KNOW that your prayers comforted all of us. They still do.
For those of you who emailed with congratulations, prayers, questions about visiting, etc., first, thank you so much; second, obviously, the visiting situation will be a little different so let me visit with Dana about that tomorrow.
We love you all!
p.s. A friend wrote this tonight: "Well, extra days in the womb when 90 percent of women deliver within the 48 hours [after water breaks]…PRAISE THE LORD!" So true! And I love it!
p.p.s. The subject line of this email was going to be "Freedom!," however, on second thought I didn't think that moving from a womb with a single umbilical cord to an incubator with several tubes would qualify.
NOTE: We later learned that Willie Nelson was playing in Austin on the day Will was born. That's pretty cool! However, it doesn't give anyone license to call him Willie. His mother will look at you ever so harshly, if you do!
Dana and William update, Dec 14
Below is an email sent to friends and family at 12:15p on Monday, December 14.
Ok, here is the latest news on Dana and Will.
Everything is still going great. She has done well responding to the medications to slow contractions/labor pains and the antibiotics to prevent infection. From now on, she will be in the hospital until delivery. If she makes it another two weeks or so, then they will probably try to schedule a c-section. Other than that, it's pretty much a day-to-day thing.
Dana was moved to an ante partum room yesterday afternoon. It's pretty much the same as the labor and delivery room where she had been but with a more comfortable bed and without the sound of random moans due to a pending birth in an adjoining room -- that was kinda fun, actually.
Everything is still going great. She has done well responding to the medications to slow contractions/labor pains and the antibiotics to prevent infection. From now on, she will be in the hospital until delivery. If she makes it another two weeks or so, then they will probably try to schedule a c-section. Other than that, it's pretty much a day-to-day thing.
Dana was moved to an ante partum room yesterday afternoon. It's pretty much the same as the labor and delivery room where she had been but with a more comfortable bed and without the sound of random moans due to a pending birth in an adjoining room -- that was kinda fun, actually.
Please pray for these things:
1) that she would be able to continue having good progress and Will would not want to come join the rest of us for at least another 2 weeks or so; and, if it is longer than that, say 3 or 4 weeks, he would probably be able to bypass a trip to the Neonatal ICU;
2) that Dana would be comfortable enough to sleep well;
3) that Dana and I would be able to glorify the Father as we display Christ to the nurses, doctors, and fellow patients -- several other women in the hospital are in the same situation and apparently they try to get together every once in a while to visit; and,
4) that we would find peace and comfort in God through these circumstances.
We are blessed by all of you and are so thankful for your prayers.
Dana and William update
Below is an email sent to family and friends at 2:50p on Thursday, December 10.
Well, so for those of you who don't know, Dana and I headed to the hospital this morning at 3am, as her water had broken. You can come see the puddles in the bathroom, if you want! We saw an OB GYN without too much wait, and everything with William (and Dana) seemed to be fine -- just no dilation and not much in terms of contractions (ha!) for Dana -- even after only 31 weeks.
Dana's doctor came by around noon and said that he was pleased with everything. With the baby's current position (breech) and no cervix dilation, it appears that the delivery will need to be a C-section, unless something changes. They are hoping to keep William in the oven for at least another week, but he could start painting his face blue, trying to pick a fight, and yelling "freedom" within 48 hrs (He said that this is the case in 90% of patients he has seen in Dana's condition.). Or, he could try defending the Shewmaker womb and hunkering down.
Everything seems to be great right now. We are to see a premature specialist later this afternoon/evening. If anything changes we will let you know.
We love all of you and covet your prayers. God has been so gracious to us and we have both learned to trust Him more each day of this pregnancy.
Well, so for those of you who don't know, Dana and I headed to the hospital this morning at 3am, as her water had broken. You can come see the puddles in the bathroom, if you want! We saw an OB GYN without too much wait, and everything with William (and Dana) seemed to be fine -- just no dilation and not much in terms of contractions (ha!) for Dana -- even after only 31 weeks.
Dana's doctor came by around noon and said that he was pleased with everything. With the baby's current position (breech) and no cervix dilation, it appears that the delivery will need to be a C-section, unless something changes. They are hoping to keep William in the oven for at least another week, but he could start painting his face blue, trying to pick a fight, and yelling "freedom" within 48 hrs (He said that this is the case in 90% of patients he has seen in Dana's condition.). Or, he could try defending the Shewmaker womb and hunkering down.
Everything seems to be great right now. We are to see a premature specialist later this afternoon/evening. If anything changes we will let you know.
We love all of you and covet your prayers. God has been so gracious to us and we have both learned to trust Him more each day of this pregnancy.
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