Job Update

So the past few days have been draining and rewarding at the same time. Last time I blogged I told you about one of my little kids Job who had a 105 fever. He is our sickest kid. We got his fever down he has fluid in his lungs from Aspiration and has pnemonia. His blood work came back showing he was very low on IronLuckily we have 2 ER nurses on this trip, they have been a huge help in helping Job get better. The workers used to feed job laying down, since I have been here me and Courtney both said this needs to change so 2 days ago I took over feeding Job for every meal. I worked on different feeding techniques. not giving any textured chunky food and only giving baby cereal enhanced with iron and putting baby formula mixed into it to make a consistancy I could suck into a seringe. I found the best place to feed him is in his wheelchair but he spit out half of what I would get into him and it would take over an hour and half each feeding and probably only got 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup of food in him each time. He has been the same weight for the past 7months which is not healthy to begin with and now he was beginning to lose weight and he was severly dehydrated and it was so hard to get liquids into him because of his underdeveloped swallowing reflex. Courtney and I brainstormed and if he were in the states he would be tube feed but that is too dangerous here because of infection rate. Courtney said why don't we tube feed him from the nose down straight into his stomach. We talked to the ER nurse and she felt this was a good idea. So last night we had him tubed. We called him our little snuffulucus. He hated the tube and was very uncomfortable with it. I heard him crying from upstairs so I went down and got him. everytime I set him down he sobbed. So I decided He would sleep with me last night. I moved a pack and play and a rocker into an extra room and I kept him all night. He would not sleep in the pack and play. So I used a boppy pillow to lay him in because his head always has to be elevated or the tube will come out. He would go to sleep by me bouncing on the bed. He woke up every 30 minutes all night long and would go back to sleep with me bouncing until 5 AM and then I moved into the rocker and propped pillows all around and we snuggled. Though is was a really hard night It really gave me lots of time to pray and communicate with God and to bond with Job. He is so darn cute and I so much want him to start feeling better and get Healthy. This morning we had the tube stitched into his nose which was hard to watch them do but I am glad I was there to comfort him and love on him. We call him our little fighting drama king because he makes everything worse than it is but is a true fighter. I am giving him 60 cc of pedialite every hour and it took him till 3 this afternoon to finally pee he was that dehydrated. At 4 this afternoon I gave him formula for the first time 30cc and then 30cc pedialite. He is tolerating tube feeding much better this afternoon and if I do it while sleeping some times he does not even wake up which is the best. Please continue to pray for Job and for all of us working to help get him better for wisdom and guidance and for comfort for Job.

When I am not with Job, I have been busy doing evaluations. Miriam is so awsome to work with, God really gave me someone who our personalities mesh and we are able to teach each other alot. We got the evaluation down to a routine and it takes us about an hour a kid to evaluate and about 30 minutes to write up the results. We are evaluating 11 areas of fine motor and doing a GM assessment, wheelchair assessment and fixing their wheelchairs when needing, evaluating feeding positioning and tummy time positioning. We are taking pictures of all these positions and all the appropriate toys for them to use which will be used to educate the workers and laminated and posted to remind the workers. Evaluating has been very rewarding and I have learned so much and been so blessed. 

Yesterday I evaluated JU-JU who has CP she gets around by flopping around of her knees or scooting on a little car. We got her to stand up on her own (AMAZING) and then stand there for a whole minute (WOW!) and by the end of our evaluation we made her a walker and she is able to walk around now! WE also got a stander and got her to fit in there to do activities and she can already tolerate 10 minutes. This will really help her strengthen her legs and be able to walk better. Another girl Kim is always slouched over in her wheelchair so we rolled up towels used lots of ductape and hot glue gun and adapted her wheelchair so she is sitting properly. I took her in to evaluate her and I have never seen her do any activity, I never thought she was capable. I layed her on the matt and there was a stacking toy to her left and I walked away. when I came back she was unstacking all the blocks off and she put them back on (AMAZING!). We got her a table that comes to her height in the wheelchair and she able to do so many activities I never thought she could. This is going to enhance her life so much to have stuff to do and not just lying around. Our next goal with her is I think she can feed herself and we are going to work on that. 

Today I evaluated 5 more kids...after I took a lil nap because I was exhausted...lol... but today I was saddened more than surprised because I evaluated my 3 amigo's Den-Den, John, and Steven. All have detoriated since I was here last in their mobility which makes me sad. Don't get me wrong they all surprised me in one way or another. Den-Den is my most determined kid. He has very limited use of his hands due to spasticity but he works so hard to complete activities and completes ones I never thought he could. He constantly amazes me. He used his feet alot to help him. Steven amazes me with his fine motor skills despite his spasticity he was completing some of my hardest tasks. John has an amazing tripod grasp and can color and cut amazing. He is my only kid that can cut well using the adapted scissors and he not only cut through paper but also cardboard. 

To top off my day I am eating pizza right now and having a coke. Delicious!!!! I have been trying not drink pop but have caved a few times. 

We watched the second Beth Moore Video today. It was so good. It was on Singing the Psalms and the power of songs. She talks about how songs are outlets to express our deepest feelings that we can't put into words. This is so true, songs and psalms help me put to words what I am feeling when I can't. Emotions and experiences can be expressed through songs in ways spoken words never can.  There is so much power in worship songs and allowing yourself to enter into worship with the God of the universe. A song can greatly change our entire perspective and can also greatly affect the heart of God. I encourage you all to spend some time worshiping to God in the car, lying in Bed, sitting in your living room. You can break out in song to God anywhere. 

I found a verse last night that describes Courntey and my relationship..."Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down his friend can help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. I am going to miss Courtney so much when I return home. We are both counting down to when I can return hopefully next summer. I am praying about it. please pray for me on this decision as well. Courtney has done an amazing job with running the miriam center and developing programs and taking time to learn about the kids. She amazes me more everday in the way she loves and serves these kids. Her major in college was Bible and she new nothing about handicap kids when she started working with them. You would never be able to tell. 

I miss you all! Thank you for all your prayers and support. It really helps knowing I have all you at home encouraging me and supporting me.