Another Big Step; A Call to Arms

Ayden's breathing tube was taken out this afternoon. As you can see, he is starting to look like a normal baby again.

This is another important step in his recovery, not only in relation to his surgery, but also because he had been on a breathing tube since last Wednesday. Hopefully he will be ready for his pacifier again soon. If you are wondering, the tube heading up his left nostril is how he is going to be fed now - i.e., no more IV fluids. He will finally get to use some of that milk that Mom has spent so much time pumping over the last 10+ days. The tube actually goes all the way into his intestines, rather than his stomach. His tummy has never had food in it, so they don't want to run the risk of him puking it all up the first time (I guess they are saving that for us when we finally get to take him home). As with everything else, it's possible he'll tell us this was too soon and we'll need to take a step back, so please continue to pray for him. He still has many more steps to go.

I have more pictures and a video (which is more interesting to listen to than to watch). I want to briefly mention something much more important, so I've put them after the jump below.

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A Call to Arms

Ayden has two fellow residents here in the PCCU who have the same congenital heart defect (Ayden was the third born at Vandy in three consecutive weeks with HLHS). Those two babies have also recently had their first surgery. I do not know which ones they are, I have not met their parents, and I do not know anything specific about their status. I have, however, heard rumblings that Ayden is faring better in his recovery than both of them, even though he is not as far removed from his surgery. I do not know what kind of support network these children, or their parents, have, though I would be surprised if it is as deep and as far-reaching as Ayden's.

I do not know if they have an Army praying for them. I know that I can ensure that they do. I cannot give you their names (I don't know them), but I hereby request that all of Ayden's Army also volunteer to be warriors for these other two little ones. So, any time you say a prayer for Ayden, please also think about them and their families. I know what their parents are going through. I know that I welcome every prayer that someone is willing to say. I'm sure those parents would, too. Let's see if we can have three babies come out on the other side of this huge challenge, not just one.

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