Forgive my lack of updates. We've been busy making some lovely memories (and I WILL share some pictures ASAP) but I've also struggled with finding words to say. In some ways nothing has changed and in other ways it seems like everything has changed. Noah is still as stable as he really ever can be. He just finished antibiotics for a pretty resistant and nasty bladder infection which produced high fevers and really knocked him down for a little while. We give thanks to the Lord that the antibiotics did in fact do the trick and the infection was cleared.
We saw cardiology a week and a half or so ago. Noah was due for a routine visit but even if he hadn't had a standing appointment, we'd have scheduled one because he's been having some pretty persistent elevated heart rates. It seems that doctors don't give what we'd term "good" news much anymore - it's down to "bad news" or "really bad news" or "devastatingly bad news." Perspective is an amazing thing and when the cardiologist said that Noah could be in heart failure, we were greatly relieved to learn that the elevated heart rates were "just" a sign that his body is working very hard just to do the work of living. The work of breathing in particular is making his heart work harder and beat faster, and while that isn't particularly good news per se, we were glad that his heart is doing what it is meant to do. It is certainly better than heart failure!!!
We've also seen hematology recently. Noah's blood is still not clotting properly but the good news is that he hasn't had any significant bleeds in several weeks. He did get a transfusion when we were there but his numbers have looked good since then.
Noah does appear to have a local infection around his central line. In our experience, it really doesn't look that bad - he's certainly had sites look far worse - but everyone is showing a lot more concern simply because we cannot afford to lose this line. Several months ago we'd just have taken a wait and see approach, but the very day this started looking a little bad, our hospice nurse called Dr. B who immediately ordered some pretty big-gun I.V. antibiotics. We'll just need to wait and see what happens there.
In other big news, Jeff has a job interview on Thursday. He's been working close to full time as an industrial trainer for the continuing ed. department of our local state technical college. He's not teaching college classes - he's out in the community at various industries teaching all sorts of things from statistical process control to safety to interpersonal relationship skills to computer classes and so forth. It's an hourly job which means he doesn't get paid if he doesn't work, and he has no benefits. We are immensely thankful for the hours he has but have also been praying for an actual full-time salaried position. An ideal position has opened up at the college and he and two other candidates have interviews Thursday. They will announce their selection on Friday. This would be wonderful as it would be a lot of what he's already doing but as a salaried employee. Please keep him in your prayers!!!! It would be such a blessing to have a stable weekly income to budget and the benefits would also be a blessing. Jeff loves his work and he has the best co-workers around. We'd both hate it if he had to look elsewhere for a salaried job.
Hannah Grace is now working at our brand-new Publix just a mile from our house. She's considered part-time but they are talking about moving her to full-time before too long. Even at part-time she's getting almost 40 hours a week. She loves her job - it seems to be an incredibly positive work environment - and we love having such a lovely store just around the corner! Her store and district managers have had some very, very positive things to say about her and we are very proud of her. Please pray she continues to find favor and that she can eventually move to greater and greater positions within the company.
One more BIG prayer request, and I'll apologize in advance for being a bit vague. Jeff and the children and I have had a big dream for many, many years. It has always seemed just out of reach but recently things have transpired which make it look just almost possible. God will need to work in some extremely specific and incredible ways to make this happen, but we know nothing is too big for Him. I can say that if it works out, we'll have a truly amazing God story to tell. This is something we've longed for in the deepest way and I'd just ask you all to pray that the Lord would bless and pull this all together for us. There are definitely some mountains He'll need to move and we are prepared to give Him all of the glory. In particular, I've felt led to pray that the Lord would protect this dream/opportunity and preserve it until He is ready to swoop in and make it happen. It would mean a great deal to us if you'd join is in praying fervently for this!!
I'll get some great pictures up soon and I hope to have great news of Jeff's new job on Friday.
Blessings,
Kate
