Monday, August 30, 2010

Praying for a miracle

Jaron had an important appointment this morning with the neurologist.  He has been having infantile spasms 3-5 times a day for the last 20 days.  Basically it looks like a full body crunch and they come in clusters.  So every several seconds his whole body tenses and then relaxes, it lasts 10-30 minutes.  This is a type of seizure that is common with very severe brain abnormalities.  But the neurologist said today that it is actually very rare in general.  It is an indication that the child will never be able to have normal brain activity and development.  With lissencephaly (smooth brain), infantile spasms are inevitable.  But WITH GOD, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!  Over the last 3 weeks we have been increasing the medicine he was already taking for the first type of seizure he had.  That medicine was having no effect on the spasms but rather making Jaron extremely irritable or sleepy. Some nights he was getting very little sleep and some days he was sleeping for 7 hour stretches and crying a lot more than usual when he was awake.  We spent an hour and a half with the neurologist this morning discussing the next option, which is steroids.  He had blood drawn, blood pressure taken, and a urine sample.  Tomorrow we will start Prednisone to control the spasms.  There are multiple, severe possible side-effects.  Including, extreme irritability, sleeplessness or too sleepy, weight gain and swelling, increased acidity in stomach, extreme hunger, high blood pressure, increased risk of infection (most dangerous side-effect, could quickly lead to death).  The treatment lasts 25 days and is given at a high dose for 2 weeks and then weaned off over 10 days. There are 3 outcomes: 1.) he could do great with the treatment, with or without side-effects, and reduce the amount of spasms or cure them altogether 2.) He could have horrible side-effects making the treatment ineffective so that we have to stop and try some other medication, or 3.) The treatment could work but eventually he could relapse and start having them again.  Basically, being cured of infantile spasms would be nothing short of a miracle.  I am asking you to pray that he does not have any of the severe side-effects and that he would be healed of the spasms.  I believe God can heal Jaron of these spasms and I believe if all of us pray together, very specifically, that God will hear our prayers and bring glory to Himself.  A few promises from the Rock, that I've been thinking about today (sorry I didn't find the exact references).  The prayers of the saints rise to the foot of the throne- He hears us (Revelations).  With man, it is impossible.  With God, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).  I don't want to be like a wave tossing aimlessly, our faith must be firm.  Faith, the size of a mustard seed, gives one (through the power of Holy Spirit) the strength to move a mountain.  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, and healed the lame, blind, broken, bleeding, sinning, sick of the world, worked through the disciples (in the book of Acts) and is in each one of us.  Will you 
claim that power with me?  With complete, confident faith, please join me.  No room for hesitation or doubt.  We bind any foothold the enemy may have in our minds and claim the blood of ChristThe plan: I will give him the first dose tomorrow morning August 28th at 8 a.m. again at 2 p.m. and then 8 p.m. for the next 14 days.  On September 11th it will be 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.  From September 17-21st it will be 8 a.m. only and then he is done.  Let's see what God has in store for sweet baby Jaron!

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