Elijah Update (April 1)

Dear Friends,

Many people have written and told us "I check e-mail several times a day waiting for an e-mail from you." WOW! We are humbled to have so many people concerned over our wee one.

Since Joel wrote last, we have had several milestones. Joel and I were able to hold him for a little bit. It is quite the process getting the tubes all in order but wonderful to be able to hold our little man once again. We do not do it often because it takes quite a bit of doing but we enjoy it when we can. I am not sure Elijah enjoys it. He sleeps through the whole process. I guess that means he enjoys every minute eh?

We are playing the waiting game. He is still draining quite a bit from his chest cavity and there seems to be some blockage in several places in his lymphatic system. We have to wait for his body to absorb these clots so that the system can function properly again.

At this time, Elijah is not on any pain medicines, he has chest tubes draining the fluid, he has once again cleared up the edema in his face and neck and keeps working hard to get everything circulating again, he smiles, looks at us, cries and "talks". We have been doing a lot of reading to him. Anything Dr. Seuss is a definite favorite of ours and we think it is a favorite of his too.

This is a hard day for me, Judy (saca). This is the first day that I have not been with him. I came down with a cold and that could be the worst thing for him. So, Joel is pulling dad duty and enjoying being over there without me telling him what to do. HA! I just talked to him to check up on the little man and he said that he and Elijah were doing "the limbo" under the crib. (Those of you who may not know what that is.....you walk under a pole and keep lowering the pole to see how low you can go). I think Elijah is winning!!!

Joel's mom and dad are coming today to give us a break. We will be going back to Ness City for a day or two to take care of business and pay bills and then we will be back in Wichita. I think Elijah's Grams will enjoy reading him stories while his Papa sleeps in the chair.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for us. We had a friend write the following to us: "When Moses was weary the Lord provided those who would lift his arms so the battle could go on. Your prayer warriors, and there are MANY, are holding up your arms so you can press on." What a wonderful thing. We are so grateful for those warriors holding our arms up for us. Elijah is grateful. He is such a fighter. We had a nurse tell us a few nights ago that she had never seen a little baby fight like Elijah. The night we came in she said that they all thought there was no way he would make it a few hours. How amazed we are that God has spared Elijah once again. Pray that this week of Easter is a significant week for Elijah. That God will once again show His Mighty POWER over death.

Elijah has received cards, notes and even a little friend in South Africa made him some pudding. She wanted to do something for him and her first thought was a cake. Her mother talked her out of a cake and she made pudding instead with special sprinkles for Elijah. Thank you so much Abigail. All the children praying have such great faith. This is teaching us a great deal. Thank you for sharing our journey and for including your children in this journey. Keep praying!

Surrounded in love,
Judy (Saca), Joel and Elijah