Prayers for Bryce

Oh my gosh!  I just realized that more than half of the last post is no longer there!  I have no idea how that happened.  I am so sad.  It was a long listing of all the amazing blessings that have been happening in our lives over the last few months with Bryce and Annalise and it's gone!  Just makes me want to cry.  Did anybody see the entire post at all?  There was more information about Bryce and some about Annalise.  So frustrated that it is gone!

Anyway, I will have to try to go back and rewrite that later.  For now, I came to let you know what is up with Bryce and Annalise now and ask for some prayers for our little guy.  Annalise ended up at urgent care this past Thursday.  She began running a fever on Wed. and then threw up Thursday morning.  She threw up a few more times throughout the day and by late afternoon was lethargic, pale, unable to speak, and obviously becoming dehydrated.  She has a hard time getting enough fluids in on a daily basis, so when she becomes sick, she gets dehydrated so fast.  The scary thing is that she was in the hospital for the same reason less than 3 weeks ago and needed IV fluids due to dehydration.  That time I believe it was from some of the food she had eaten, this time it was a little stomach flu of some sort.  Luckily this time she did not have to have any IV fluids.  They gave her the Zofran and after waiting for a bit she had a Popsicle.  I was told that if she kept that down, they would let us go home.  If she threw up any more, they would have to send us to the hospital for fluids.  They had us wait for about 20 minutes.  Luckily she kept it down and we were able to go home with strict instructions to take her to the ER if she threw up again!

She was better by Friday although still very cranky, having a tough time with her speech, and took a 4 and a half hour nap.  Obviously she was still working on healing.  Although still a little weak today, she was back to her happy self and able to play and get around a little better!  Thankfully I think we are over the worst of it for now with her.

Bryce now seems to have caught whatever Annalise had.  He began running a fever yesterday morning and not long after lunch, he threw everything up.  The big fear with him is aspiration.  He doesn't have the ability to get everything out and he often aspirates when he throws up which can lead to Pneumonia.  Not long after cleaning him up, I noticed that he was sounding very raspy.  He was able to keep a little bit of coconut water down and slept well.   So this morning, I attempted to give him his water and it all came back up.  A little bit of coconut water is all  that he has been able to handle today.

As for his breathing, he has been struggling today.  I have had to suction him multiple times throughout the day and he has given us a couple of good scares with choking, oxygen levels going low, his heart rate being high, and multiple apnea episodes.  I hate those!  He is sleeping now, but I don't want to have him out of my sight.  We are hoping and praying that he will be able to stay out of the hospital and be home for Easter.   We would be grateful for any extra prayers that we can get.

March 18th
I have neglected the updating of this blog far too long.  Isn't it interesting how life seems to move like a wave.  Sometimes we are up, things are good.  Then it seems to come back down and we struggle.  Then life always goes back to good and the cycle continues.  Sometimes, especially when dealing with medically fragile children, waves of life can change multiple times even within the same day.  Things are changing and I need to document all of the blessings and wonderful things that have been going on before life's waves take a different turn and I forget to record all of the wonderful blessings we have been experiencing over the past few months.

March 25th
Time to get back and let you in on all the great things that have been happening.

Bryce continues to do very well with tolerating his new foods.  In fact, he is doing better than tolerating them, he is thriving!  He did have a little dip in his weight, but that didn't last long and he is back up.  He has made it to 34 pounds!  At his last appointment with Dr. McOmber, Bryce was up in weight and also in height.  Both fantastic things.  The only issue is that since he grew so much (height wise) his Weight to Height ratio actually dropped from 7% to 4% That is important because this is actually how they track Bryce's progress.  It isn't just the weight that matters.  So anyway, not a big deal.  We just upped his calories a bit more and continue to be thrilled that he is growing so well!

The weight is an important measurement to make sure Bryce is getting what he needs from his new diet, but there are many other factors that are making all the time and effort to make and feed a blended diet all worth it.  Bryce has begun to roll over again!  He

She's Coming to our House!

Some exciting news...Wed. morning Marsha Dunn Klein, one of the wonderful ladies that has been helping us as we switch Bryce to a Blended Diet, is coming up from Tucson.  She will be attending our appointment to see Dr. McOmber with us.  This is a huge step in the "blended diet in the phoenix area" story!  

After the appointment, she is coming to our house for a little get together with a few people from this area who are interested in doing a blended diet.  If you are interested in coming or know of someone who is, we will be meeting at 11:00.  Anyone is welcome!  We will be having a little pot luck and question and answer time with her.  I'm super excited about it!  Now just to get my house ready for company!