Prayers Please

James and I come to you humbled and begging for your prayers. I'll just start from the beginning...

On Tuesday afternoon, I went to see my specialist, Dr. Ashley Hickman for my usual 2 week appointment with our nephew, John in tow.  James didn't come because we didn't think anything of it at all- just another check up where they check my cervix and the baby.  You know, to hear "things look good" and "keep doing what you're doing" but that wasn't the case.  The sonogram tech, Sondra did a really good job.  I had no idea anything was wrong at all which is also all God because I've seen the black spot that represents the baby's stomach and the flutter that is his heart and so on.  I didn't see the problem until Dr. Hickman came in and pointed it out to me.  Before she gave us the bad news, she did point out that the stitch is doing it's job and well I might add.  My cervix is measuring 4 cm in length and holding strong, even when pressure is applied.  Then she moved on up to the baby.  Showing me some good things but then pointing out the baby's chest.  I could see the flutter of his heart and then right next to it a black spot that is his stomach. So, his stomach is in his chest, not in his belly where it should be.  She spoke slowly but confidently giving me some basic information- what this condition is called, a general idea of what will happen next and making sure I realize this is a really big deal.  I will tell you, I am not best in these informative sessions.  James excels in this area though.  I took in what I could, choked back the tears to spare my nephew and just wished James had been there, as did he.  She let me know we could call her the next day to answer any questions she could and requested I not Google anything and gave me a print out from the hospital database to read.  I just sent James a text message telling him I got some news and asked that he begin praying.  On the way home, I called him and got out what I could on the phone without crying and hung up.  We got home and James was a rock.  He told John we needed to talk and to play out in the living room until we come get him.  He let me cry and just held me and then asked me again what is wrong.  I was pretty hard to understand on the phone.  So, I said it all again, a little more clearly this time.   I told him that I really felt like it was important at this point to make a decision on our son's name.  He agreed and then we easily and finally agreed on Wyatt, with 2 t's!  This was our disagreement since the name had been put out on the table.  We then headed to dinner for free kids meal night at Dickey's.  It was good John was in town, a blessing, because I had a little boy to care of and feed.  I had to get out of bed and get going, as well as drive him back to Tyler on Wednesday.  The drive there was easy but the drive home was difficult, being left to myself and unable to run away from my problems.  I process a lot through music so I just found some other speeding cars, joined the reins and turned the music up.  I sung... well, screamed the words and prayed through them and cried on and off the entire way home.  One of the many songs that stuck out was one called "Beauty from Pain".  It talks about how God brings beauty from our pain and how right now it's ugly and looks like ashes but we will look back and see His beauty in it all.  

That morning, James called Dr. Hickman and she said our son has diaphragmatic hernia; which means his stomach is in his chest cavity.  This will prevent his lungs from fully developing and could also prevent other organs such as his heart from developing properly. From what we currently know, Wyatt has a 65% to 70% chance of surviving. Next steps are for more doctors to get involved and run more tests. We don't have a timeline yet, hopefully that comes at the next appointment.  We will no longer deliver with Dr. Watkins or at Presby Plano, instead we will be down at Parkland with one of the other specialist we haven't met yet.  

To explain a little more a diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect in which there is an abnormal opening in the diaphragm, the muscle that helps you breathe. The diaphragm should prevent the organs from the belly (stomach, spleen, liver, and intestines) from going up into the chest cavity near the lungs.  Thankfully, so far it is just Wyatt's stomach and nothing else up there.  I don't know if the hole is still in his diaphragm or not or if other body parts other then his stomach have a chance to move up there too.  We hope for more information maybe at my Dr. Watkins appointment on Tuesday of this week or at my Dr. Hickman appointment next Tuesday the 27th.  

Here is where James and I stand in all of this.  We are sad and a little deflated but we are also very hopeful.  We trust the Lord.  God knows we can handle this situation with Wyatt.  We have no choice but to have open hands in loving him but knowing God loves him infinitely more then we can even imagine.  He is still GOOD and loving.  God is not surprised and no matter how we respond He will be glorified.  We are surrendering to Him in prayer and in life.  We know we have absolutely no control in this situation but He has all the control.  Since Tuesday I have been praying and begging God for it to be his will that he make miracles in Wyatt.  That He move his insides to where they need to be and to allow his organs to develop perfectly as they need to and if that isn't His will, for Him to be with the doctors and to save our little man's life.  And again if that isn't His will for Him to give us strength to live through this and go on loving Him.  Tonight at church it was like God was speaking to James and I both specifically through Matt.  We covered Galatians 3:1-9 and heard God tell us to have more faith.  For us not to pray that "if it be His will" but to pray with faith for miracles and to expect those miracles, always.  And for us to also ask Him to give us more faith where we are lacking that He will heal baby Wyatt.  

We are sharing this with you for many reasons.  First and foremost, we ask that you pray for the Holy Spirit to miraculously and supernaturally heal our son Wyatt.  Second, we share to be transparent ultimately to reveal the glory of our Lord.  We also share in hope that you would pray:

• that James and I would have unwavering faith in the Lord to heal our son
• that our community would encourage and hold us accountable to where we place our faith
• for Dr. Watkins, Dr. Hickman and any other specialists we encounter

Third, we share because sometimes it is getting more and more difficult each time.  But feel free to ask us about it and we'll let you know if it's a good time.  

I'm sure there is more you can pray for and please, we beg, do so!  We will continue to share information and updates as we receive them from God and the doctors.  I will also post pictures from Spring Break and my 20 week prego pick tomorrow or Tuesday.  Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.  We already feel them from those that have known about this.

I cannot express our true love for the Lord enough and His for us.  

GOD is GOOD.