It has been a tremendous month. SF fell sick just before his last dose of Methylpred and was admitted to High D (he’s never been to ‘normal wards’ yet). One day after he was admitted, he became very well, and was to be discharged the next day. Then he suddenly contracted some virus, and started puking, and ran a fever. I guess for many ‘normal’ babies, it wouldn’t have mattered. But it did for SF. Just when he became well again, and was to be discharged, he had an episode of sudden desaturation after puking. His SpO2 went down to 59, and they had to bag him. So all in all he stayed at KKH for a good ten days.
So now we are looking forward to his last dose Methylpred next week, and guess what, he fell sick again two days ago. He started having more secretions, and a slight cough on Friday, and it got really bad on Saturday. He ran a fever, and had one episode of vomitting. Today, he suddenly got better again.
We really have to pray up. Things always happen after someone shares his testimony.
Anyway, this is a praise report.
Today, someone noted: SF’s head is really small. Okay, I am paranoid. The last time CH mentioned the same thing, I actually googled and thought SF has Angelman Syndrome. I mean, small head size, smiling disposition, fascination with water, delayed milestone (he was 7 months old then), and an entire laundry list that he seemed to check off. And yes, I actually got the Neuro team, in all perplexity, to do an assessment. I must have been their comic relief that day.
This time around, I didn’t panic. Not exactly. But I did check him out, from different angles and perspectives. Hmmm… yes indeed. His head size seems smaller than average. So I brought the issue up to EC. He looked, and commented, “Yes, it seems small.”.
I commented that it is expected, given his “lower cerebral volume” after his ECMO bleed and thrombosis. EC just shrugged, and commented, “They won’t do anything about it, he is hitting all the milestones. Unless he stops hitting milestones, then we have to worry about microcephaly.”.
Yes, it is amazing how SF has been hitting milestones. He sat independently shy of 8 months, and pulled himself to stand at 9 months. He waves ‘bye bye’ to family members now, and crawls towards the door when we leave, crying. And today, just when I was musing how much miracle this ICU/CHD/chILD baby can pack, he started cruising along the sofa, and even transferred his weight shakily to the rocker.
Ah, God. SF might not be the poster gifted child parents love to post on their FB feeds, but he is God’s very big gift to us. He might not have a big brain to rely on, but he has a big God to depend on. Small brain? That calls for a big miracle. How blessed.
Today, I saw this over Facebook,
So this is the time to pray up a miracle.
The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
Psalms 116: 6-9