Is This It?

Caring Bridge - July 7, 2019:

We’re thankful for the improvements in Asher’s health while he’s been in inpatient care this week. His blood chemistry has improved significantly, and appears to be under control. He was even well enough yesterday that he got a day pass to go to the Memphis zoo to spend time with family. We all had a great time.

Asher is, however, still struggling in a few key areas: elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, low oxygen, vomiting, and an increase in moderate to severe headaches. These symptoms are expected to a degree with the type of tumor he has, but the MRI he had this week showed no tumor progression, and marginal change in the cyst (which we tend to blame for a lot). He also had a fever Friday night. As of Saturday evening, he is still in inpatient care.

This has been one of his toughest weeks. He’s fought hard, and is exhausted. Please pray that God would be merciful to him.

Pray for Leah. She’s been taking the hospital shift, as I have been ill a few days this week. Pray that she would be strengthened in every way.

Pray for Annelise. She has been a little sick as well. Pray that she will continue to improve, and that no one else gets sick.

Pray for wisdom for Leah and I as we will be having some difficult conversations on Monday with multiple doctors and other medical professionals concerning where we go from here. We want to do what’s best for our son, and sometimes the path forward doesn’t seem clear. Pray that it would be made clear for us.

We need your prayers now more than ever. Thanks so much for supporting us.

While he was an in-patient guest at St. Jude, Asher had a couple of visits from the RRT (Rapid Response Team), as his vitals were generally terrible for days - for example, it’s bedtime, and his heart rate doesn’t want to come down. The RRT is a group of medical staff that come to the patient’s room to evaluate and address a patient’s immediate and potentially life-threatening issues that may be occurring at the moment. It’s like a medical SWAT team of sorts - top-notch people that you don’t want to be in the position to need.

After so many days, I was beginning to wonder if Asher was going to die there. I absolutely know he was getting the best care possible, but it seemed like the severity and volume of symptoms was going to overwhelm his body. Without the St. Jude team, I think they would have.