as of Saturday...

*** This is from Grace's Blog, she is a much better writer than I am***

Yesterday was an encouraging day going into the weekend. One big relief is that Evelyn's blood pressure has been in the normal range and the results of her second heart echo confirm that her heart is beginning to function stronger and normally. Additionally her kidney ultrasound showed no abnormalities.

Every single test they have run has come back within normal ranges. She shows no signs of infections or typical abnormalities. Regardless, she is improving dramatically. We are so thankful for her obvious resilience. As organ defects or failure and infections are seemingly being ruled out, the Doctors are leaning towards metabolic/genetic problems and have ordered many more specific blood tests.

Yesterday they gave her a more complex IV with simple protein. Today they will continue to decrease her phentenol (?) and other medicines that are keeping her sedated. She has obvious periods already where she is "awake" i.e. responsive to touch and sound and tries to open her eyes a little.

Please pray for me as I am having a very hard time with the idea of her waking up. It is so hard to even see her like this and I really need more strength to deal with knowing she may be aware of all the needles and tubes in her. Throughout the morning, a little toddler a few doors down from us, who I have heard wimpering off and on the last few days, is alert and crying in obvious pain and confusion. It is truly unbearable and not even my own baby. There is so much heartbreak and sadness here.

Before I started this post, I sat down and read all the posts on other blogs where so many of you have notified your own friends and family of our situation. I am sure it may be redundant to some who read a lot of these blogs, but I want you all to know how encouraging it was to me to know that you are soliciting prayer on our behalf. We need every one. The doctors are amazed by how quickly she is bouncing back in so many areas. Regardless, they still need wisdom to figure out why this happened so it doesn't happen again.

However, things slow down here on the weekend. We will most likely continue to wonder a lot of things until Monday. Please pray that fear of the unknown will not become overwhelming. Pray also that we will get rest and know how best to balance our time as parents of children in two different worlds right now.

- Grace