The Power of Prayer

Nicole talked to Ezra's nurse a little while ago at around 11:30 pm.  His oxygen requirement has decreased from 66% to 55%, along with a decrease on another one of his oscillator settings.  They were also able to decrease the nitric oxide to 15ppm from 20 ppm (20 is the highest and then they drop it to 15, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 all done very slowly).  They decreased the rate of the dopamine drip (blood pressure medication) he is on as well.  His team is quite surprised at this based on his condition and gestational age. We truly believe this is all because of prayers so thank you, thank you, thank you and most of all praise the Lord.  We do have a concern with his potassium level.  It is rising since there is no way to get the potassium out by his urine.  This is an urgent prayer request.  A high potassium level will put his heart at risk and could put him into a lethal cardiac arrhythmia.  We are praying with God's hand in it and some help from sodium bicarb that they will be able to slow this rise down.  They are rechecking his potassium level at 2 am.  It is pertinent that we find a way for Ezra to regulate his electrolyte balances, potassium being one of the important ones.  To do this we either need some kidney function, an outlet for that kidney function if he has it, or dialysis (which we have to get stable enough to get transferred to the children's hospital to do if it can even be done).  The children's hospital pediatric interventional radiologists don't have privileges to do procedures here at UCSD but Ezra's urologist was able to talk to the interventional radiologist here at UCSD and they are willing to to come and put a drain in whatever is on Ezra's right side where his kidney is suppose to be.  They are planning on doing this at around 10am this morning.  Although this wouldn't necessarily be considered a very big procedure it will be for Ezra.  We don't know if this large mass is a cyst, extremely dilated renal pelvis, or something completely different.  It has seemed to increase in size in the last 24 hours.  Best case would be that it is part of his kidney and by putting a drain in it we can allow the kidney to continue to function and drain to the outside.  We are also praying for the doctors for wisdom.  Ezra's abdomen may not allow us to do peritoneal dialysis either.   This is a huge concern if we don't have kidney function and we aren't able to to do the dialysis.  Finally, Ezra has a fair amount of tubes coming in and out of him so we also pray for protection from any infection.  Jeff has been fighting a cold for the last 2 weeks and they made an exception for him to be able to see Ezra the first 24 hours with a mask and gloves but we have since decided it's not worth taking the risk anymore and so he is not able to come see Ezra anymore at this point until he his symptom free for 24 hours. Kids under the age of 12 aren't able to come in either (understandably) so Malachi and Mikayla have just been praying and looking at pictures of their baby brother.        

We are reminded that God's plan is the best plan even if it's not our plan.  As hard as it is to do we are trying our best to lay down our worries and concerns at his feet.  

With love,

Jeff & Nicole