Pray For Baby Jack

This morning I sat on the floor, listening to and watching my beautiful, healthy baby boy coo and smile as he happily played on his activity mat.  And I prayed...hard... because a contrast weighs down heavy on my heart and mind.  You see, this very same morning, the life of our friend's baby, Jack, hangs in the balance.

Jack is just a little older than Josiah.  We have been praying for him since before he was born.  Their road has been a long one.  Her pregnancy was difficult...problems with the placenta, and blood pressure...lots of tests and bed rest.  Jack was born prematurely.  He has been in and out of the hospital ever since.  He has had multiple procedures.

The biggest problems they have been trying to solve are the fact that he has trouble eating and keeping food down and he has trouble breathing...ocassionally just stopping breathing.  How scary is that!?  Mommas and daddies out there, just imagine your child having problems with those two most basic functions essential to life! 

This weekend, the situation went from scary and trying to horrid and life threatening.  He was most recently hospitalized after a throat surgery hoping to improve his breathing.  He had been hospitalized for over a week and things were looking up.  His breathing was improving.  But because he had been on a respirator for so long he was having more trouble eating.  He was regurgitating 50-90% of what he did eat.  Finally they were set to be released from the hospital Sunday.  But he needed a feeding tube inserted through his abdomen in order to return home.  During this routine procedure Friday night the doctor punctured his small intestine.  His gut became badly contaminated and massively infected.  His poor little belly swelled up to the size of a basketball.  It is my understanding that he was in septic shock and his organs were starting to shut down.  His kidneys especially having a hard time functioning and filtering the way they are supposed to.  They figured out what had happened and repaired the hole in emergency surgery Saturday morning.  It is a miracle that he did not die Friday night.   

He is currently on life support in the form of ventilation, cardiac medication and heavy antibiotics.  And willl likely be in this condition for the next week.  It seems to be just a waiting game.  Waiting to see if his little body will fight off this massive infection and begin to return to health.  I beg of you to pray for Baby Jack and for his family.  They are strong believers in the Lord and attribute how well they are holding up to all the prayers and support so please keep them coming!  They are physically being cared for by being able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.  And I beg you to spread the word.  

More tangibly, if you are in this area and you or your spouse work at the Shipyard, you can help by donating some of your annual leave to this daddy.  Over the course of his son's short life, he's used up all of his leave and has gone weeks into the red.  Would you please donate what you can?  Any hours will help!  Thank-you all in advance!  I will update as I know more!