February 12, 2016

Jehovah-Rapha

Jehovah Rapha: "The Lord who heals." 

As I type this my cousin Ryan's son Rapha is being born. Like right now. My cousin Ryan and I were best buds growing up and it makes me so happy to think that Justice is getting a built in best bud just 3 months after he was born...these two boys are going to have so much fun together I can feel it.....and really, just by name alone they are already tied, for we have seen first had that Rapha's namesake is true to His word....

A few weeks ago I posted on Facebook a picture of Justice and I making funny faces with the caption that our gastroenterologist appointment was going really well...well it did, in fact, in the last few weeks we'd dropped one of his medicines down to once a day ( we had started off with four times a day and then dropped down to three and then two over the last few months-we've been highly motivated to drop this medicine because it has some nasty side-effects), and his thickened bottle feedings down to just three times ( the evening and nighttime feedings). We've taken away these various steps slowly, understandably so, and yet with each one Justice's condition has barely changed. The kid is just not spitting up.  

I was pretty excited about our follow-up Swallow study and Upper GI, not because I didn't already know what the study would show but mostly because those were the studies that first diagnosed Justice with severe GERD and the radiologist who did those studies was so effected by the results that he called our pediatrician and urged her to put us into the hospital-something he said he had never done before with a baby. He also put Justice in the top ten cases of reflux he had EVER SEEN. All that to say, such severe GERD sticks around....sure you can treat it, something that a week in the hospital trying to figure out treatment was able to accomplish...but for the most part something that terrible? Babies  usually struggle all the way until they are around 1 year old.  It doesn't just go away.  

But it did. 

The same radiologist who did the first Upper GI was able to see with his own two eyes that Justice does not have GERD anymore. 




Here is a quote from Justice's follow up Upper GI that was done last week:
 " Substantial interval improvement. minimal reflux..." 



In fact, during the 10 minute study Justice only refluxed once...which, well, he's a baby and all babies spit up! 

When we went yesterday to the Specialist to receive our results in writing ( it wasn't worth the $50 co-pay...but whatever. live and learn) the doctor walked into the room and said, "Good Job Mama! Whatever you did! It worked!!" 

To which I responded. "No. Definitely not. Good Job, Jesus!" 
Because let's be honest here, no amount of "good mothering" fixes a sick kid. I know this all too well by watching and learning from plenty of amazing Mamas who's babies are sick....if we could wish it away, or do it away you know we'd have hardly any sick kids running around today! No, Justice was healed by something much greater than a Mother's love. And that's saying something!
No, once again we have seen first hand the gracious hand of healing. 

Thank you for all those who prayed for Justice's healing. I am humbled by how many prayed for him and cared for us, I am equally humbled that the Lord would heal Justice in such a clear and remarkable way. I realize how blessed we are in that regard and I hardly know what to do with such a blessing minus to shout it from the roof tops. Yes, Justice is a now the happiest 3 month old you could ask for and is developing some substantial rolls of fat. Sure he spits up a little bit, but most babies do...and I'm happy to say that he is now a completely from the source breastfed baby...no more pumped feedings for us!!! Let's just say the extra 15 minutes of sleep I get at night is really just as amazing as I thought it would be. 


No comments: