Sunday, March 18, 2007

Three weeks old today...


Where has the time gone?! Isaac is three weeks old today & its amazing how much has happened since arriving in Chapel Hill on February 25th. His incisions from surgery continue to heal well & it looks as though the scar will be very thin & small. Dr. Mill & his incredible team certainly did a fantastic job!

Extubation was attempted yesterday. Praise the Lord - Isaac's diaphragm worked correctly during the process, pulling air in on his own! What an answer to prayer! During the procedure, a bronchoscopy was performed. A small camera was passed down his throat & windpipe to look at everything from his mouth down to his lungs. Most everything looked great - no scarring & minimal edema in his lungs. However, Isaac's left vocal chord did not function when breathing & his pharynx was collapsed & swollen. So the breathing tube was left in for now with a second attempt at extubation to be performed on Monday. Sometimes these two situations resolve themselves over time. Sometimes they do not. We just have to wait & see how things progress in the days ahead. Please pray for this as extubation pends on the function & correction of these two problems. Pray that his left vocal chord becomes active again & his pharynx elevates once more.

As you remember, Isaac had another central line put in on Monday as his other IV access lines had become inactive. He also had a line put in his right foot. He has been receiving all needed medications & blood draws through these lines. Last night, his central line began to leak. This morning, doctors attempted to thread a new line into this access port over a wire in hopes of remedying the situation. However, a clot has developed & thus the new line was not able to function. Also, the line in Isaac's foot has become inactive as well. Dr. Joyner & his team are currently trying to establish another point of access on Isaac so that he can continue to receive all necessary meds. One possible new site has already been attempted & failed. They are currently trying another option. Should this not work, Isaac will most likely need to undergo a surgical procedure to gain needed access.

Please pray that this attempt is successful. Being an infant, his veins & arteries are so small, making this process incredibly difficult. To be continued...

4 comments:

Krystal said...

Criticism challenges it- adventure arouses it- danger ignites it- threats quicken it. Courage- another word for inner strength presence of mind against odds, determination to hang in there, to venture, persevere, withstand hardship.
You Leino family- are a true example of courage, and for God be exalted by all of it!
We miss you and cant wait for you to come home! We send our love!

Unknown said...

My name is Leanne Pitts from Panama City, Fl. A friend of mine sends prayer requests out in an email. Just before Isaac was born I received one for your family. It has been my honor to be able to follow your story almost every day and see how God has so richly blessed your family and to see the strength He has given you. I stand amazed! You have been in my prayers and the people I have told also! I am looking forward to seeing the great and mighty things God has in store for your sweet baby boy!

Anonymous said...

We continue to pray for the three of you and want you to know that there is prayer all over the world for you - my aunt from Tennessee called this weekend to see if we knew an update on Isaac and her son and family, who are missionaries in Africa, are also in prayer for your family. Just a reminder that you're all loved and your strength continues to strengthen those you don't even know.
Sharon & Jimmy Jackson

Mary said...

I justed wanted to tell you both a story...Adam & I had the pleasure of leading the youth part of the Gideon's DelMarDc convention in OC, MD this weekend. We had an 8 year old boy who had a pace-maker. He was so full of energy, kept up with the other children amazingly and was even a bit ornery! I didn't find out until the end of the weekend that he underwent the SAME procedure as Isaac when he was born!!! What a little miracle! I'll send you a picture through facebook later, but I just thought another success story would boost your hopes that much more...GOD IS SO GOOD!! We're still praying!!