Procedure Moved A Week

Dr. Cantu told Melody that she needs to wait another week because she is still congested.  He does not want to take any chances.  I have great confidence in him and trust his judgment.  Infection is the primary risk of this procedure.  While there will be some inconvenience, we of course welcome doing the right thing.  The date was approaching very fast.  Some extra time to prepare and pray is, in a way, welcome on my part.  Melody is a bit frustrated, largely because she is still sick and is not sure when she will be better.  Please continue to pray for her.  God has his reasons and his timing. 

Melody is Sick, Jacob has a doctor in Monterrey

Melody is sick.  She has a relatively minor bacterial infection which has produced a sore throat and a cough.  Our primary doctor didn't have an appointment available so we went to the Newark ER (an urgent care center which has served us well over the years).  They prescribed Amoxicillin which she began to take this morning. 

I just got off the phone with Dr. Cantu.  Turns out that he wants her clear of the infection for 15 DAYS!  He suspects that she will be clear by Friday.  So, providentially, we may be just in the nick of time.  Melody is scheduled to see our family doctor on Friday.  We are concerned, however, because these things tend to hang on with Melody.  She has always taken longer to recover from anything involving her lungs. 

Please pray for Melody to recover quickly.  This setback could be an inconvenience of some magnitude should she not recover quickly.   

Dr. Cantu also said that he knew several good English speaking specialists in Monterrey who could take care of Jacob.  His recommendation was to coordinate with a pediatric ICU doctor who was trained at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston (rated #4 overall in the nation as a children's hospital).  Dr. Cantu said that he would arrange for this doctor to see Jacob to get to know him and have a feel for him.  If something occurred, then this doctor would do the triage work and coordinate the care.  He said that they would coordinate with CHOP as well.  That's more than we expected.  Praise the Lord.

Very concerned about Melody.  Please pray for her complete recovery.

Prayer for Peace for Melody

Before we know it we will be packing for the trip to Monterrey.  As the time approaches Melody has waves of anticipation and anxiety.  She does not doubt that it is the right thing to do.  Its simply that the idea of being completely unconscious for five days is daunting.  I told Melody that I was going to ask for more prayer for her to have peace about everything.  She is not completely anxious all the time, but nevertheless has some pangs of anxiety.  I have my moments as well, though they tend to be more fleeting. 

God has brought together many, many details.  There has been no "frustration" in the process of arranging this trip.  While this is not a guarantee of any future result, the Lord has certainly provided for this need without difficulty at a time when large financial needs are difficult to meet (normally a need this large is always difficult to meet).

One overwhelming blessing has been the love and prayers of all of you people, and those with whom you share this information who pray for us.  God is sustaining us through your prayers.  This is his way with his people.  We depend on the love and care of one another and he gets the glory.           

New Help In Mexico

Our good friend (and fellow elder) Rob is going to join us in Monterrey to assist with Jacob's care.  Rob will be with us for the whole time.  He emailed me yesterday and said that, while he did not want to insert himself unnecessarily, if we still needed help he and his wife both felt that he should come along.  Rob has lots of experience with Jacob's routine.  He took care of all the children the morning Susanna was born and has been a mainstay of helping us with Jacob's early morning routine when Melody has had to go to Philadelphia for RSD appointments.  His offer brought huge relief to Melody.

When we mentioned Rob's coming Jacob he was very excited.  His first words were, "Good, be sure to remind me to pack my chess set!"  (Jacob is looking forward to honing his skills against a seasoned veteran.)  Andres and Ruth are still looking for someone to assist us in Mexico.  With Rob coming the number of hours needed is greatly reduced so I think that will make it easier to find someone.