Modern Day Miracles

Recap:  Sawyer was admitted to Dell Children’s Hospital Monday evening for observation due to his symptoms, inconclusive tests and labs, and his high risk of intestinal blockage since he has Crohn’s disease.

 

Tuesday morning the pediatric gastroenterologist on call at the hospital came by to visit.  After examining Sawyer and asking tons of questions, the GI doc decided he needed to do a rectal exam.  Poor Sawyer!

 

After the rectal exam, the gastroenterologist discussed with me the severe scar tissue he and stricture he was able to feel upon examination.  He explained that he wanted to do a type of MRI called an MRE that is specific for gastrointestinal diagnoses.  The GI doctor felt Sawyer had intestinal blockage somewhere in his GI tract, and the MRE would help to pinpoint where and help determine the course of action, which would be surgery.

 

Tuesday afternoon, Sawyer underwent the two hour MRE.  He was such a brave trooper because the machine is the same as the MRI where it’s claustrophobic city in there, and he did great!

 

The MRE results showed no obstructions, which we were happy about, but the gastroenterologist explained how hard it is to diagnose intestinal obstructions.  He explained that the innermost lining of the intestines may not show up on the MRE, and there could be a mass and/or twist in the inner lining causing obstruction.  The doctor had already felt scar tissue and a stricture upon rectal examination, but he needed to see how severe the stricture was and if he’d be able to repair it with dilation or if Sawyer would need surgery.  So the doctor ordered a barium enema, an X-ray/radiology test that would look at the inner lining of the colon.  Unfortunately, Sawyer couldn’t get that test until Wednesday morning, which wasn’t a problem for the GI doctor because he felt Sawyer would be here for at least a week, which would include either surgery or a dilation of the stricture he found.

 

So, bright and early Wednesday morning, Sawyer was taken to radiology for his hour long barium enema X-ray.  We didn’t receive those results until Wednesday afternoon.

 

Here’s a description of Sawyer’s healing miracle I posted on Facebook Wednesday, July 31, at 4:30PM:

• Lorraine Immel Patterson
• 3 hours ago

I think we just experienced a healing MIRACLE for Sawyer! So, the gastroenterologist just left, and here's how the visit went:

GI Doc: Knock, knock...may I visit with you out here, Mom?

Me: Sure.

GI Doc: I want to show you Sawyer's pictures (of his barium enema and MRE). {He pulls the pics up on the computer and explains that everything looks BEAUTIFUL.}

GI Nurse: I mean these intestines ar...e PERFECT. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

Me: Well, FABULOUS!

GI Doc: But it's not really fabulous because it doesn't line up with what I felt when I performed his rectal exam with my fingers. I mean, I used two different fingers to confirm what I felt in his rectum yesterday. I definitely felt a stricture, which is an obstruction. He had tons of severe scar tissue in there. I felt it...not with one finger, but with two different fingers. I have no doubt of what I felt. Your son cannot be discharged with that type of stricture. He will need to stay more days, and I will turn the case over to Dr. Zwiener (Sawyer's GI doc) because he will want to do another colonoscopy on Sawyer to decide what the best course of action will be. We have two options: surgery or dilation of the stricture area, but the options will depend upon the results of his colonoscopy.

Me: Well, gosh, that doesn't make any sense. Wanna just feel again to make sure of what you felt yesterday since test results aren't confirming what you felt?

GI Doc: I know what I felt yesterday, without a doubt. It was obvious. Severe scar tissue and an obvious large stricture. Your son won't be very happy with me if I put him through another rectal exam.

Me: {Thinking...but he'd be way more happy with a simple rectal exam than a colonoscopy!}

GI Doc: Well, let me just go ahead and do another rectal exam. Then I can confirm my thoughts on the size of the stricture since the barium enema X-ray doesn't align with what I felt.

Me: Ok, that sounds good.

GI Doc explains it all to Sawyer, then performs a second rectal exam on Sawyer, 26 hours after the first rectal exam.

GI Doc: Hmmmph. I'm completely baffled. I've never had this happen before, but what I felt yesterday isn't there now. It's impossible for this to disappear on its own, but, indeed, it's not there today. Hmmph. I just don't understand. I KNOW what I felt yesterday. {He looks at his hands with bewilderment!}

Me: {Thinking...NOTHING is impossible with God!}

GI Doc: So, Sawyer, I don't understand this, but it looks like nothing's wrong. So, if we can get you feeling 100%, you might be able to go home TONIGHT!

Sawyer: That sounds good.

Me: That sounds FANTASTIC!

GI Doc: Shakes head in disbelief, shakes my hand, and walks out.

Modern day miracles exist! They really do! Thank you, Jehovah Rapha!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s 8:21PM Wednesday night now and we’re still at the hospital, BUT we’ve been told to expect a discharge, so that’s what we’re believing!  I just love when God shows off.

 

UPDATE:

Sawyer was just discharged!  Here are a few snapshots of his discharge paperwork:

Note:  Small bowel obstruction-brief

HEALED by our mighty healing God, Jehovah Rapha!  Praise Him!!!

Surgeries and Hospital Visits

We got home Sunday evening from Chicago, spent some quality time with the kiddos, then hit the ground running Monday morning.

 

Selah had her ENT appointment to discuss her enlarged tonsils that seem to be the culprit of her severe sleep apnea. Her tonsils are a size 3 (0 being no tonsils and 4 being tonsils so large they actually touch each other).  The ENT is scheduling Selah for a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, ear tubes, and a sedated hearing exam (ABR).  With all of Selah’s brain malformations, she’s never had a hearing exam (we had a failed attempt at her ENT appointment).  Selah will not be able to have prescription pain medication following her surgery because she’s under age six and has severe sleep apnea.  I have a call in to Selah’s neurologist to discuss possible medications to help Selah with her pre-surgery anxiety (in the waiting room at the hospital), as well as post-op meds (Selah must spend the night in the hospital because she’s under age six and has severe sleep apnea).  It’s going to be ROUGH, to say the least, but hopefully this will fix Selah’s sleep apnea!!!

 

I returned home to discover that Sawyer was having extreme nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, different than his usual Crohn’s abdominal pain.  Sawyer had to get labs drawn Monday morning because his liver enzymes were increased during routine labs a week ago during his Remicade infusion treatment.  Sawyer was vomiting bile and couldn’t stop.  He vomited 20-30 times, with severe pain.  We notified his gastroenterologist, who advised us to go to the ER because of Sawyer’s high risk of intestinal obstruction since he has Crohn’s.

Sawyer was admitted to the hospital for observation because his tests and labs are inconclusive.  He has an extremely high white blood cell count, and his X-rays didn’t rule out intestinal obstruction, but his severe symptoms subsided (praise God!!!).  His abdominal pain decreased from a 6/7 to a 3/4, without pain meds.  He stopped vomiting after being given IV Phenergan.  However, the GI doctors want to see Sawyer in the morning and brainstorm and perhaps do more testing.

 

I’m grateful for each of our children, and feeling extremely blessed to be their mom, even when that means doctor’s visits, hospital stays, therapies, etc.  It is truly a privilege to meet the needs of my children as their mom.  My heart is grateful to be home and reunited with all my kiddos, even if I had to step away to spend the night at the hospital.  Each and every one of our children are worth it.  Thank you, Jesus!

An Overdue Update

Long time, no update.  Thanks for patiently waiting.

 

Here’s a quick review of the last few weeks of our lives:

 

• Samantha (our oldest, “unofficially adopted” daughter) got married on July 6.  We’re so happy for her and her new hubby, Chip.

Their wedding was an intimate, beautiful wedding at Chip’s parent’s lake house.

It was truly a beautiful ceremony and reception that we were blessed to be a part of.

 

• Selah had a sleep study July 8 (which was much more challenging than her sleep study nine months ago), but good data was received.  The results revealed severe sleep apnea (waking 26 times/hour!!!), most likely due to enlarged tonsils and possibly enlarged adenoids as well.  She has an appointment with an ENT Monday to discuss a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

 

• Cooper had an adenoidectomy July 18.

He saw his ENT in June, had an X-Ray of his adenoids, which showed his adenoids were MASSIVE and needed to come out quickly.

Cooper did EXCELLENT with his recovery.  Never cried a bit, not even coming out of anesthesia.  He’s been able to breathe through his nose, which is a first!  He’s still in the recovery phase, so we aren’t sure yet of the final results, but we hope that not having adenoids will help Cooper not to snore, to sleep better, and to breathe more easily through his nose.

 

• I’m reading Love Does by Bob Goff.  It’s GOOD.  Really, really good.  I highly recommend it!

 

• Matt and I spent a few days in Chicago (just the two of us) on a business trip for Matt (Farmers Insurance).

We enjoyed our little getaway, but always look forward to getting back to the kids.

The view from our hotel room window was big-city beautiful, which was wonderful because we mostly spent our days in Chicago napping, reading, and relaxing.  People said, “Wait, you can do that at home!”  We replied, “Nope, we can’t.”  Smile. 

 

We’re not big-city folks, and our lives are always crazy busy, full of running around and very little R&R, so while most people would spend their time in Chicago exploring the city, we were ecstatic to spend it simply relaxing with just the two of us.

We spent our evenings celebrating at Farmers’ events.

Our favorite event was a night at the Museum of Science and Industry where Matt and I played around like we were kids.

Matt was attempting to catch simulated grains of sand with his shadow.

And the simulated butterflies enjoyed landing on my green blouse.

 

It’s back to life on the run!  Thanks for supporting our family and ministry!!!

Riding Into Heaven

Photo taken directly from the blog of Teresa’s family.

 

I am sorry for my delay in posting an update here on the beautiful princess, Teresa, whom I asked you to pray for.  It is with great sadness for those left behind that I share with you that Teresa has left her shell on this earth and is now living with Jesus. 

 

Here is what Teresa’s mom wrote shortly after Teresa’s passing:

At 3:23 pm on July 1st, Teresa has ridden her princess bike into Heaven to meet Jesus. She had her ears pierced shortly before her last breath. While we were not there when she took her first breath, God blessed us to be there when she took her last.

 

While our hearts are deeply saddened and there is much grief when we lose a precious treasure on this earth, it is important to know that EVERY child is WORTH it, even through trials and tribulations, tears and pain, every life is precious in His sight.  LOVE is worth it, always, even when pain is involved.  Teresa’s family loved well.  They risked their hearts for the sake of a former orphan with only half a heart, and while their hearts are crushed right now, their hearts are also more full than ever because of the depth of love God allowed them through the gift of Teresa.

 

'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.  ~Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

Because of the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Teresa is able to live eternally in Paradise, free of suffering, pain, and tears.  She has entered her glorious Home knowing the pure, unconditional, self-sacrificing love of a family.  And, through the hope of Jesus Christ, her selfless family will one day be reunited with her again.  Sacrificial love.  Our Father demonstrated it best, and now we love His way because of the way He first loved us.  Teresa’s family is a beautiful example of His love.

 

Please pray for Teresa’s family and loved ones left behind, those separated from the pure joy of Princess Teresa.  You may leave condolences on their blog HERE.

 

Memorial contributions may be made to:

Believe in Miracles
PO Box 21199
Catonsville, MD 21228

Thank you for the Love and Support with Teresa's Medical expenses

 

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” ~CS Lewis

 

Here is a link to a news article announcing Teresa’s death.