It's serious, but not an emergency. The hope is that the narrowing is due to scar tissue that has formed since the original surgery. In a few weeks she will need to have a catheterization procedure to stretch that segment of her heart. Though it will be less invasive than her first surgery, she will go under full anesthesia and be intubated. (Sigh, our poor girl!) If everything goes well, she will only be kept in the hospital overnight, and we can hope she will avoid a long stay in the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, we have come to expect crises and "bumps in the road," as her care team likes to call these medical setbacks.
In addition to that, Adelyn's interest and/or ability to breastfeed has really dropped off. Laura is pretty heartbroken. Though there is a small chance Adelyn will rally, this change is disappointing and does not bode well for our goal that she will be able to take all her calories by mouth anytime soon. She is still taking some (about 40% of a feed) of her breastmilk by bottle, so there's that. We are all doing the best we can, Adelyn included. And that has to be okay. But when our best is different from what we hoped, we must grieve the difference.
Finally, James is leaving for China next week (Monday, July 29th). He needs to renew his visa and business permit. If he allows those to expire, he will have to start the whole process over again (which can take a year or more to complete). We are not yet ready to make a decision about our family's future in China, and this is a necessary trip to leave that door open. With Adelyn needing the catheterization procedure before the end of August, he has to go NOW. He will grab our winter clothes and some of Owen's toys that we left behind; check on our apartment, business, and friends; finish his paperwork; and hopefully return within a week to ten days.
It's all fairly daunting, but we keep on keeping on!
Prayer Requests
Please continue to pray for Adelyn Gray:
1. Praise God that Adelyn's growth rates have improved! Baby girl just hit 11 pounds and is now in the 10th percentile range (up from 1%)! Yay for chubby little rolls!
2. Please pray that Adelyn will progress in her eating by mouth goals. Specifically pray that she will nurse at the breast well. We cling to the hope that she will take all her calories by mouth by the time she is eight months old.
3. Please ask that God would heal Adelyn's heart, that our little fighter will remain strong, and that her catheterization procedure in mid-August will be successful in permanently fixing the narrowing of her aorta.
4. Please pray that Adelyn's brain will continue to recover and grow normally. Ask that her left vocal cord will also heal.
4. Pray that Adelyn will qualify for the programs, therapies, equipment, and nursing she needs to thrive at home, and that these services will be covered by insurance! Pray we find excellent nurses and therapists to assist in her care.
5. Pray that James' trip to China is quick, safe, and successful. Please pray for Laura as she solo parents, for Owen as he misses Dad, and for all those who will be pitching in to help while James is away.
6. For stamina, strength, hope, and rest for James & Laura. For patience and understanding beyond his years for Owen.
7. For God's provision in all the Rosenbergs' needs.
Help!
If you still want to help beyond praying, we need it as much now as we have in the past. If you feel so led, here are a few ideas:
1. If you are local to Durham, NC (and even if you're not, you can pick up a meal by sending delivery), you might like to participate in the MEAL TRAIN that Laura's sister has organized for our family. Not needing to worry about cooking dinner once in a while has eased the stress in our daily schedule.
2. Give Adelyn the gift of diapers and/or wipes through IncrediBundles. This is a super practical way to help us care for our baby girl!
Thank you for all your help, love, and support!
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