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I’ve always loved the smell of rain. The way the grass
smells greener, the air cleaner and the pavement cooler on a hot summer day. In
Colorado where I grew up, it wasn’t this constant drizzle that we experience
here in the Pacific Northwest when it rained. On most early summer afternoons,
the swollen black clouds blew in dramatically and dumped their contents on the
thirsty high desert ground.
I believe God is taking Tim and I through one of those
summer storms right now. One minute it’s looking a little brighter, and then
the storm clouds roll in suddenly and the sunshine is temporarily interrupted.
We had another ultrasound on Tuesday of this week and were
able to see Sam’s perfect, beautiful face via a 4D ultrasound. We were awed by
his little nose, mouth and even thought we saw a little hair on his head (which
explains the horrible heartburn)! We were so encouraged to see that even though
things on the inside aren’t exactly perfect, the outside looks completely
healthy (including how he’s moving, growing, etc). That excitement was a little
short lived. When we spoke to the doctor after he read the results of the
ultrasound, it turns out that little Sam’s brain ventricles grew .3 millimeters
from our last visit. We were hoping that they would stay the same size as our
last ultrasound, but unfortunately, the docs see this happen more often than
not in babies with ACC. With the part of his brain that’s missing, his body is
trying to compensate for the empty space so it’s filling it with fluid.
What this means for us is that on Sam’s first day of life,
he will more than likely go into surgery to have shunts put in his brain to
drain the fluid into his abdominal cavity. If we opt out of the surgery, the
alternative could potentially cause more damage from the pressure of the fluid
on the brain. But there is still hope for a miracle; the doctors are basing
this information on a trajectory, given the growth rate of the fluid stays the
same. If it does, then we will for sure be sending Sam off to surgery as soon
as he’s born (also meaning a C-section for me because of the swelling of the
head).
We’re continuing to stay on our knees in prayer and asking
for all our friends and whoever’s reading this to pray for our sweet boy. We have our final ultrasound on August 4th
which will determine the final outcome of the birth details. We’re asking you
all to join with us and pray that the fluid in his brain will reabsorb and that
surgery won’t be necessary. I think the C-section is inevitable, but prayer for
my original birth plan (natural) would be welcome too even though it’s not
about me.
I’ll close with a couple of verses that are encouraging to
me. Rain mentioned in the Bible always results in fruitful harvests. It has to
rain or there is no life, no growth and no benefits to reap. God is faithful
and the purpose He has for this time of hardship will be fulfilled and not
returned empty, just as the rain that falls from the skies doesn’t return empty
but produces abundant life-giving growth. We’re trusting and holding onto hope
while looking forward to the promised time of blessing.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11
