Thursday, June 12, 2008

Emmie Shai

Last night on the way to Toddlers' Class, I stopped to pick up some items for snack time. While standing in the checkout line I received a telephone call from a dear friend who is one of our church members. That afternoon her daughter, Jaclyn, had been admitted to the hospital and was soon to be transported by ambulance to another hospital an hour away. She knew that my husband would very soon step into the pulpit so she asked if I would come and pray with them before Jaclyn was transported. A very traumatic evening was about to unfold.

Jaclyn was 28 weeks and 5 days along into her pregnancy. Her due date was August 29. She had a doctor's appointment to receive some tests results but received a call to come early. They learned that her spleen and liver were enlarged, her kidneys were beginning to fail, she was painfully swollen and fluid was causing her breathing to be labored. Her blood pressure was dangerously high, her protein could was 800+ when it should have been, as I understand, around 30 and she was one point away from gestational diabetes. As it turned out, her body was mirroring what was happening to the baby and the baby was making mother very sick. They did not know why the baby was having these health issues.

I made it in time for prayer and ended up driving Grammie to the new hospital. Grandpa was in Houston on business and the baby's father had to get their 10 month old son settled with a friend before he could come.

More tests were run and compared to the ones from earlier that day and they discovered that mother and baby were both going downhill fast. To save both mother and baby they did an emergency Cesarean section. My sweet husband was on standby and waiting to hear from me as to whether he should come then or not. Not knowing what the condition of the baby would be, I called him and told him I felt he should come. He made it before the birth.

The surgery went well and Jaclyn is doing good and improving physically. Understandably, her emotions can be compared to a roller coaster ride. Little Emmie has been given a 50/50 chance of survival. Her internal health problems are her biggest hurdle. Outwardly, she is absolutely perfect. Her condition is very rare and they do not know what causes it even though they have a name for it. This evening they plan to do an ultrasound of her head and brain to see if they have been affected by this situation. Emmie is blessed to be in a very good hospital that specializes in neonatal care. Her doctor is one of two in the state specializing in critical care infants and we were told he is the best.

PLEASE be in prayer for beautiful little Emmie, her parents, Jacyln and A.J. and all the grandparents and other family members. They have a long hard road ahead of them but we know that God has the last say in all of this. They are Christians and know where their help comes from, but they need the support of body of Christ to lift them up in prayer.

I will be posting updates as I receive them.

Life at the parsonage . . prayerful.

Sherry




1 comment:

annette said...

I was just listening to "He Knows My Name" and the little child sings in the end,
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call
I have a Father
He calls me his own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call.
I'm praying for them this morning, Sherry. Love, Annette