Wednesday Evening

Here is Samuel "unplugged" and playing with a few toys we had on hand. Glad to have the frustration of IV tubes out of the picture for now.

4:00 AM giggles

Samuel is curled up with his blanket sleeping soundly as mommy and daddy try to stay awake waiting for the doctors to make their morning rounds. Wednesday evening they took Samuel off all IV fluids and encouraged us to feed him whatever he would eat. He ate some ""healthy" Chef Boyardee, yogurt, apple juice, crackers and played on a makeshift pallet on the floor. We all went collapsed into a deep sleep around 9:00 pm, but Samuel decided he had slept enough for one week and was up and down most of the night. Superman Daddy gave in and stayed up with him about 5:00 am --- shortly after they took his blood. To my utter joy and delight we are getting the old Samuel back this morning. Giggles, smiles, talking, eating, and walking. ALL of these had been absent for a week!!!! So we sit and wait now as Samuel snoozes.... I hope we will be sent packing and out the door today. God is good.

Wednesday and Crackers

Samuel just fell asleep with a half eaten cracker in his hand and little bits of cracker scattered across his bed and pouty chapped lips. Normally I have to restrict his cracker addiction, but today I am just thankful he is eating anything! Doctor report was good this morning as well. He said Samuel was just hours away from Dialysis, but after just one blood transfusion and a few morsels of food he is out of danger! Praise the Lord!!! They will start tapering off the iv fluids as Samuel eats more, but his body is finally fighting back! No significant change in our case is good news! Dr. Powell and his sweet wife came down to visit this morning and "listen in" on our daily prognosis. We ended the visit in prayer and praise. Now its time for us to enjoy the wonderful abundance of food we've been given!

Tuesday

Well I made it back to Birmingham, walked in the door, and hugged Samuel extra tight!! He looks so much better after just one transfusion! His appetite seems to come and go as well. Also an improvement! He has been put on a low phosphorus/low potassium diet. These 2 build up in his kidney and hinder kidney function. We will find out if the doctors order another transfusion in the morning.
I want to say thank you for all the phone calls, prayers, food, and just general support. You guys are bridging the gap and God is sustaining us in ways words cannot describe.

HUS

Also known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. 

Wow! We have had a whirlwind week. Samuel started off the week with a nasty cold that progressed to doctor visits and dehydration. Somewhere along the way we decided it would be nice to pick up E-COLI. Noticeable traces of blood in his diarrhea gave us alarm and our pediatrician reason to run some lab work. Our lab results sent me packing in a flurry and a fast pace drive to Children's Hospital in Birmingham, AL. He was admitted for dehydration and observation to determine if he truly had this nasty bacteria. As of now,  His small body is having a hard time pushing through.  Tim and I are prayerfully biding our time. Have I ever mentioned I have the BEST-EST in-laws?! Because of our quick exit from home and uncertainty of the length of our journey, they tagged along to help in any way they could. Decisions were made and i reluctantly sent home 12 week old David to avoid picking up hospital germs. Its been hard for this stressed out mommy and daddy!

WRITTEN ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON