Please take the time to read about Baby Levi. For his precious life's sake and his parents.
Baby Levi was born on November 29, 2007 at 2 lbs 5 oz and 15 inches. He has hypoplastic left ventricle and has been in the hospital since he was born. His father is a friend of mine from church camp back in junior high and high school, and I hadn't seen him in close to 18 years until last month. Levi is in the CICU at Children's where we go for all our specialists, so we've been checking on him often. He finally got up to 3 lbs 12 oz before he had his open-heart surgery this past Tuesday, January 8. He has had some severe challenges since and is still on the ECMO machine to help his heart and lungs continue to function. Here is the update his father posted this afternoon.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2008 01:49 PM, CST
Levi is having a great day today. His pressures are up and they have been staying up all day long. The only small issue is that he had a bath, which made him mad, and then he started to show obvious signs of being in pain (his respirations started to increase). They gave him some pain medication, but that didn't slow his respirations, so they are now going to have to put him on a drip for the pain. The only problem with the drip is that it may bring the pressures back down. Tomorrow morning is the big morning. Dr. Gandhi will take the bandage off of Levi's chest cavity and check for clots. Then he will put the echocardiogram probe directly on Levi's heart to see how it is functioning. He will also visually inspect the lungs to see how they are performing. After this, he will make the decision as to how to proceed. This boils down to 3 outcomes. First, Levi's heart and lungs are strong enough and functioning well enough to come off the machine tomorrow. Second, Levi's heart and lungs are getting stronger, but he needs to stay on the machine for a couple more days. Third, there is something terribly wrong, and we will have to say goodbye to Levi tomorrow. These are listed in the order of preference, not the order of probability, but right now, everyone needs to be aware that tomorrow could be Levi's last day. It has been incredibly hard keeping the balance between praying for the best, while knowing the worst could happen. Keep us in prayer tomorrow, as we try to handle what God allows to come our way. The kids are feeling better and will all be here just in case. Thank you all for your prayers and I will try to update once again tonight before I go home (Carrie is staying here with Levi tonight). I will update in the morning when the procedure starts and then will update as soon as possible after we hear from Dr. Gandhi. Keep praying and God will bless each of us.
Mike
I simply can't imagine the hurt this must cause Mike and Carrie to watch their precious son struggle like this. I was privileged to get to meet Levi in person, and he is so, so tiny, it doesn't seem possible for him to have come this far, but he has been a little fighter. We're praying, as we have been every day since he was born, and I hope you will too. Please leave a comment here to encourage them, and I'll pass them along to the family. It means so much to them to know so many are praying for their precious child.
If you want to visit his CaringBridge site, click here.
Baby Levi was born on November 29, 2007 at 2 lbs 5 oz and 15 inches. He has hypoplastic left ventricle and has been in the hospital since he was born. His father is a friend of mine from church camp back in junior high and high school, and I hadn't seen him in close to 18 years until last month. Levi is in the CICU at Children's where we go for all our specialists, so we've been checking on him often. He finally got up to 3 lbs 12 oz before he had his open-heart surgery this past Tuesday, January 8. He has had some severe challenges since and is still on the ECMO machine to help his heart and lungs continue to function. Here is the update his father posted this afternoon.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2008 01:49 PM, CST
Levi is having a great day today. His pressures are up and they have been staying up all day long. The only small issue is that he had a bath, which made him mad, and then he started to show obvious signs of being in pain (his respirations started to increase). They gave him some pain medication, but that didn't slow his respirations, so they are now going to have to put him on a drip for the pain. The only problem with the drip is that it may bring the pressures back down. Tomorrow morning is the big morning. Dr. Gandhi will take the bandage off of Levi's chest cavity and check for clots. Then he will put the echocardiogram probe directly on Levi's heart to see how it is functioning. He will also visually inspect the lungs to see how they are performing. After this, he will make the decision as to how to proceed. This boils down to 3 outcomes. First, Levi's heart and lungs are strong enough and functioning well enough to come off the machine tomorrow. Second, Levi's heart and lungs are getting stronger, but he needs to stay on the machine for a couple more days. Third, there is something terribly wrong, and we will have to say goodbye to Levi tomorrow. These are listed in the order of preference, not the order of probability, but right now, everyone needs to be aware that tomorrow could be Levi's last day. It has been incredibly hard keeping the balance between praying for the best, while knowing the worst could happen. Keep us in prayer tomorrow, as we try to handle what God allows to come our way. The kids are feeling better and will all be here just in case. Thank you all for your prayers and I will try to update once again tonight before I go home (Carrie is staying here with Levi tonight). I will update in the morning when the procedure starts and then will update as soon as possible after we hear from Dr. Gandhi. Keep praying and God will bless each of us.
Mike
I simply can't imagine the hurt this must cause Mike and Carrie to watch their precious son struggle like this. I was privileged to get to meet Levi in person, and he is so, so tiny, it doesn't seem possible for him to have come this far, but he has been a little fighter. We're praying, as we have been every day since he was born, and I hope you will too. Please leave a comment here to encourage them, and I'll pass them along to the family. It means so much to them to know so many are praying for their precious child.
If you want to visit his CaringBridge site, click here.
Oh sweet Levi, I am overwhelmed and I am not even close to all that has happened to you. We are praying for you and we know that God has you and your family in the palm of His hand. You are a precious life that has taught so much to so many people. What a big day for such a little man tomorrow. We will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteOh my! Levi and his family are in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteoh darn, i hate reading stuff like this!! i will say a prayer for sweet levi and his family and hope tomorrow goes ok!
ReplyDeleteMike & Carrie & Grandmother Donna, We are praying for Levi to be healed. He's in God's hands -- the best place any of us can be.
ReplyDeletePraying for all of them.
ReplyDeleteWe pray for strength for Levi's body during this post op time. For wisdom and knowledge for his surgeons and nurses.
ReplyDeleteWe pray for peace for his mom, dad and family. This is a difficult time filled with uncertaintly. Be sure that God is holding all of you in his hands. We may never know the reason for His plans but know that we are never alone or forgotten. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1