Aa lot of great things happened today. First thing this morning, William had his JP drain removed. This is a long, rope like cord that was lying underneath his skin across forehead. It acts much like a tile drain would in a pasture. It catches excess fluid build up and shunts it out behind Williams ear.

JP drain going across forehead

JP drain going across forehead

Thankfully the output was low enough that it wasn’t necessary any longer. There is one less tether on his little body. We’ve been praying that infection wouldn’t attack that site as it seemed an easy spot for bacteria entry.

He also has begun eating the tiniest amount of food again. Good news here is that he doesn’t seem to be gagging quite as much. However it is still a battle to get him to do it. He also is consistently drinking more and more fluids.

The best news of the day came as a relief to some consistent and concerning high blood pressures that William had been showing for the past couple of months. These blood pressure readings were high enough that the pediatric nephrology team (kidney doctors) decided to put William through a litany of kidney tests i.e., blood panel, urine, ultrasound, and improved monitoring. The nephrology team also recommended placing William on a blood pressure drug if any new readings showed higher than a systolic of 110. Knowing that we would need to do these tests and that the minimums BP readings were so low and that maybe there was something wrong with his kidneys came first as discouraging news. This was especially true as he hasn’t had a BP reading that low going all the way back to December.

However all tests came back normal (Praise God) and his next two BP readings (spaced 30 minutes apart) both came in at and below 110!!! This really is the work of the Lord.

We don’t often receive visible reminders that God is completely in control (we walk by faith not by sight afterall) but this mercy was a real and  visible reminder that the God of heaven and earth hears the prayers of His children.