Wiersma Family Blog

WIERSMA FAMILY BLOG
A glimpse into our lives as a family with micro-preemies. Our twins boys (Lovingly referred to as our Miracle Men) were born almost 16 weeks early.

Our journey continues when our son Max was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3. This is his story....


Sunday, April 19, 2009

No real improvements

The boys have not had any big improvements over the last few days.  Max's oxygen needs did come down into the 50s for a while, but are back up in the 60s now.  Wes needed to have his vent settings turned up a little bit last night due to high CO2 levels in his blood, but already this morning those levels look better.  Granted, they do not turn the vent settings back down until they look too good.  We also heard that Max's blood gas this morning showed high CO2 levels, so it is likely his vent pressures will be turned up as well.  They have not been getting much more junk out of Max or Wes' lungs over the last day or so, but we will keep praying that God will work through the antibiotics to heal their infections.  The nurse last night said it is very common with infections that things almost get worse before they get better...and it would be nice if things started to get better at a rapid pace!!  One answer to prayers is that Max is passing some fluids again.  He had been a little stopped up and puffy following his PDA Ligation surgery on Tuesday, but he had a diaper that weighted 34 grams last night, and another 30+ gram diaper this morning...that equals 2 ounces, or roughly 7% of his body weight!!  Also, they did start feeding Max 2 ml of breast milk again yesterday and he has been tolerating that well.

Kate and I know that this process is going to be a long one, we just really want these infections to break up and their lungs to heal.  It is obvious that the boys do not like being on the jet vents and they need to be given sedatives and Valium to calm them down so they don't pull wires and sensors off.  Max is on the 7th day of the 7-day antibiotic treatment and still has significant hazy areas in his lungs.  We will continue to trust that God is in control, we just wish that His timing was much more in line with our timing.  Our plan would be for them to both be perfectly healthy, just small...because we could really use a few less things to be concerned about right now.  

Father God, you know the desires of our hearts.  We are struggling with Your plan and Your timing right now.  Give the boys a good day, a day of improvements on their vent settings, continue to break down the infections in their lungs, keep them calm and keep us calm.  You have blessed us with the opportunity to be parents, a journey that took nearly two years of heartbreak and fertility treatments.  Although we have not been able to hold and cuddle our little boys, it has been so amazing to watch them grow and develop in their incubators.  The path ahead seems dim, the next step on this journey is unknown.  Guide us Lord, reveal your path to us, give us the strength and the feet to walk that path in faith.  Cover Maxwell and Wesley with Your love, be the air that they breathe, calm their tiny bodies, heal their lungs.

In the name of Your son, Jesus Christ,

Amen

9 comments:

  1. Loving you and continuing to be on our knees!!!

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  2. Praying with you, especially on your Birthday, Mark, that God would give a big smile, a big blessing, a big answered prayer for big improvments for Max & Wes!

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  3. Praying there are small things to celebrate on your birthday!

    Joel and Sarah

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  4. Mark, Kate, Max & Wes,

    We are thinking about the four of you, and are praying this verse over your family...

    Colossians 1:11

    "We pray that you will have the strength to stick it out over the long haul - not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy."

    All of you continue to be in our thoughts and in our prayers.

    Jason, Mary & Bella

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  5. Glad to hear that Max is getting breastmilk again and passing fluids. We are saying lots of prayers that the antibiotics will take care of the infecion.

    Give those little wonders a touch for us, we sure are missing them.

    Happy Birthday Uncle Mark!!

    Stacy, Geoff, Cassi, Evan & Sadie

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  6. I found this poem today may it encourage you:
    Max and Wes are gifts indeed
    And blessings from the Lord
    These little lives sent down to us
    We so easily adore
    Although the task ahead of you
    May seem so very hard
    With faith placed in God each day
    He will strengthen your weary heart

    © By M.S.Lowndes

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  7. Praying without ceasing - with love and hope and anticipation...

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  8. Mark and Kate, John 17 records the prayer of Jesus Christ as He anticipates the cross and His return to His Heavenly glory. In this prayer Jesus asks God to guard us (v.12), protect us from the evil one (v.15), and to let us know that God loves us even as He loves Jesus Christ (v.23). This is our compassionate Savior who, before anyone of us lifted up even the very first prayer, was interceding for you, asking our sovereign God to sustain you and the boys. We are all praying in perfected unity (v.23) for your peace, for clarity and faith in your journey, for miraculous evidence of God's hand in the boys' progress, and glory to God.

    We love you and continue to pray.

    Tim, Libby, Lisi, Abby, and Sylvie

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