UPDATE ON BABY MICAH

Micah is still in need of so much prayer. In the last update which was a praise report, Micah had gained 1 lb. and 2 oz. over the weekend. He weighed in at 9 lbs., 6 oz. That was 3 weeks ago. Micah has still not gained any more weight. He is three months old and is basically still at little over birth weight. Stephanie has been giving Micah as much as he will eat by bottle and then giving him the remainder of his feeding in his feeding tube. He is throwing up his food frequently which is probably why he cannot gain weight. While he is currently on a medication for reflux, the doctor says they will probably put him back on the Reglan medications that he was originally on to see if that helps. I met a young lady today who has a 6 month old son who had a similar problem beginning at 3 weeks of age. After an ultrasound of his stomach, her son was diagnosed with Pyloric Stenosis. The pylorus is the lower part of the stomach through which food passes to enter the small intestine. When an infant has Pyloric Stenosis, the muscles in the pylorus have become enlarged to the point where food is prevented from emptying out of the stomach. Babies then projectile vomit their food after feedings. The condition is easily corrected by a simple, 25 minute surgery. After hearing this today, it really sounds like it is something that needs to be looked into with the doctors, although they have not suggested anything other than reflux. Micah should have doubled his birth weight by now.

Chris and Stephanie still have not heard back from Medi-Cal on the status of their application. It has been 2 months. We found out today that apparently their application is still pending. We do not know what that means, but Stephanie left a message for their case worker to contact her about it. Hopefully she will hear back soon on that so they can begin to take Micah to CHOC specialists and CHOC Hospital (if and when needed), and perhaps get more aggressive care for him.

Saturday, Chris, Stephanie, Micah and I are flying to Pennsylvania to the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. While I am enjoying and caring for my precious grandson every day, Chris and Stephanie will be attending a week full of intensive teaching and training on the brain and brain injury. They will hopefully come home with a treatment plan for Micah to help to re-pattern his brain. My concern is that Micah’s ongoing health problems (i.e. not keeping down food and not gaining weight) may prohibit Chris & Stephanie from beginning any therapies for Micah’s brain re-patterning. It seems the most important thing right now is for Micah to start gaining weight and getting the nutrition he needs to his precious little body and brain.

Here are our prayer requests:

PRAY THAT GOD WOULD HEAL WHATEVER CONDITION IS CAUSING MICAH TO THROW UP & THAT HE WILL GAIN WEIGHT UNTIL HE IS AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT.

PRAY THAT HIS ABILITY & DESIRE TO SUCK WILL INCREASE AND STRENGTHEN & THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE “FULL” FEEDINGS BY BOTTLE.

PRAY THAT CHRIS & STEPHANIE HEAR BACK FROM MEDI-CAL SOON & THAT THEY GET APPROVED SO THEY CAN UTILIZE CHOC & THEIR SPECIALISTS.

PRAY FOR TRAVELING MERCIES FOR ALL OF US AS WE GO TO & FROM PENNSYLVANIA.

PRAY THAT CHRIS & STEPHANIE WILL HAVE A SUCCESSFUL TRAINING AT THE INSTITUTES & THAT MICAH WILL DO WELL WHILE THEY ARE AWAY FROM HIM DURING THE DAYS.

PRAY FOR PROTECTION OVER MICAH AGAINST ANY INFECTIONS OR ILLNESSES.

PRAY FOR A COMPLETE HEALING OF MICAH’S BLINDNESS.

PRAY FOR HEALING OF MICAH’S BODY AND MUSCLES. PRAY THAT GOD WOULD TAKE AWAY ALL SPASTICITY IN HIS HANDS, ARMS, LEGS & FEET, AND THAT GOD WOULD GIVE MICAH FULL USE OF ALL OF HIS BODY PARTS.

PRAY FOR A COMPLETE HEALING & RESTORATION OF HIS BRAIN.

Thank you for continuing to pray with us. While I realize that our updates have not been as frequent, the urgency to continue praying for Micah still exists. Please remind your family and friends to continue to pray as well.

The Lord knows and sees the whole picture – even though sometimes we may momentarily forget that. He loves Micah even more than any of us could and that is the most comforting thought of all.

Love,

Grandma Teri

PRAISE REPORT!

We just wanted to give you a praise report on Micah’s doctor visit yesterday afternoon.

As you know, last Friday Micah weighed in at 8 lbs., 4 oz. which was his birthweight – and he is two months old. The doctor said that if he didn’t gain sufficient weight by his appointment on Tuesday (yesterday), then he would have to hospitalize him to find out why he wasn’t gaining weight.

Well, yesterday afternoon at Micah’s doctor appointment, he weighed in at 9 lbs., 6 oz.!!!!!! Praise God!!!!! You can already feel the weight on him. He actually feels heavier!

We just wanted to share this great news and ask you to keep up the prayers. We are hoping for a little butterball soon!

With love and thanksgiving,

Grandma Teri

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST FOR MICAH

It has been two weeks since our last update. Micah has been doing relatively well; however, he is not gaining weight. I believe at one point he was at 8 oz., 11 ounces but as of last Friday, he is only at birth weight (8 lbs., 4 oz.). At Micah’s appointment last Friday, the doctor told Stephanie that if Micah didn’t gain enough weight by Tuesday (today), then he may have to hospitalize him to see what is going on. Stephanie stepped up his feedings and began using the feeding tube again to get as much nourishment into him as possible.

Although Micah still does not have a strong suck, he had been doing fairly well at taking in up to 2 ounces of milk at a feeding in minutes. Now, however, he is not sucking for very long and does not take in as much. Micah has not been successful at breastfeeding. His suck is not strong enough. He does enjoy his hospital issue pacifier which is great for calming him.

Micah’s reflux is well under control. The doctors have changed the medication that is given to him to one that has lesser possible side affects and he is tolerating it well.

The Regional Center of Orange County contacted Stephanie about physical therapy for Micah. They said that they would pay for Micah to have his therapies at the CHOC Clinic. They have wonderful therapists there so we are excited about that. They are still waiting to hear if they have been approved for Medi-Cal. If they are accepted, then all of Micah’s treatments, hospitalizations (if needed), doctors, etc. can be done at CHOC and with CHOC specialists. Right now, they cannot and are going to the professionals on their HMO insurance plan. Without Medi-Cal, they will have to put Micah in the HMO hospital if he needs to go. Everyone would rather have him at CHOC where he can get the best treatment possible.

At last update, Chris and Stephanie had sent in their applications to the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Pennsylvania. We were waiting on a response from them to find out if they got a spot in the December courses. Stephanie had to be interviewed in a sense on the phone by their intake person. What they are looking for is a sense that the mother will be committed to a treatment program for her child if she is accepted. They are insistent that the mom is a full-time, stay-at-home mom since it really is the mom who will be heading up and doing most of the therapies with her child. So the good news is that THEY WERE ACCEPTED TO THE INSTITUTES and we will be flying out there the first week of December. Of course, this is all dependent upon Micah’s health. Children are not allowed at these initial seminars as the purpose is to educate and train the parents to assess and develop an appropriate therapy program for their child. I will be traveling with them and will take care of Micah while they are in their courses.

Micah seems to be exhibiting some neurological symptoms other than ones we already know about (cortical blindness; spasticity in his legs, feet & hands; weakness in sucking; crying; etc.). He has begun making grunting sounds quite frequently during his awake hours and is having moments where his cry is frantic in nature. Stephanie and Chris are very patient with him and seem to be managing pretty well. I know it must be so difficult, frustrating and overwhelming at times for them. Thankfully, though, Micah is a very good baby. He is still as cute and sweet as ever. You just want to eat him up!!!!

PRAYER IS STILL URGENTLY NEEDED FOR MICAH & HIS PARENTS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO LIFT THEM UP IN YOUR DAILY PRAYERS:

PRAY THAT MICAH WILL GAIN WEIGHT AND ACHIEVE A HEALTHY WEIGHT.

PRAY THAT MICAH WILL NOT HAVE TO BE HOSPITALIZED.

PRAY THAT HIS ABILITY & DESIRE TO SUCK WILL INCREASE AND STRENGTHEN & THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE “FULL” FEEDINGS BY BOTTLE SOON.

PRAY THAT THEY GET APPROVED FOR MEDI-CAL & SOON SO THEY CAN UTILIZE CHOC & THEIR SPECIALISTS.

PRAY FOR PROTECTION OVER MICAH AGAINST ANY INFECTIONS OR ILLNESSES.

PRAY FOR A COMPLETE HEALING OF MICAH’S BLINDNESS.

PRAY FOR HEALING OF MICAH’S BODY AND MUSCLES. PRAY THAT GOD WOULD TAKE AWAY ALL SPASTICITY IN HIS HANDS, ARMS, LEGS & FEET, AND THAT GOD WOULD GIVE MICAH FULL USE OF ALL OF HIS BODY PARTS.

PRAY FOR A COMPLETE HEALING & RESTORATION OF HIS BRAIN.

CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR CHRIS & STEPHANIE’S RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY WOULD GROW IN THE LORD AND THAT THEY WOULD WALK IN HIS WILL FOR THEIR LIVES TOGETHER.

PRAY THAT CHRIS WOULD COMPLETE SCHOOL SO HE CAN GET A JOB TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.

PRAY THAT STEPHANIE WOULD CONTINUE TO DRAW HER STRENGTH FROM THE LORD TO TAKE CARE OF MICAH & HIS NEEDS AND THE MULTITUDE OF RESPONSIBILITES THAT SHE HAS AS A MOMMY.

PRAY THAT THE LORD WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR INEXPENSIVE HOUSING SO THAT ONE DAY CHRIS & STEPHANIE CAN HAVE THEIR OWN PLACE.

PRAY THAT GOD WOULD SEND THEM GOOD, CHRISTIAN FRIENDS AND THAT ANY UNGODLY RELATIONSHIPS WOULD BE BROKEN. ASK GOD TO BLESS THE SPECIAL FRIENDS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.

Thank you again for all of your calls and emails of encouragement and prayers. God bless you for continuing to lift our grandson before our Father in heaven.

Love, Grandma Teri