We would very much appreciate prayers for Ryan right now. He threw up several times on Thursday and hasn’t been right ever since. Today he started throwing up again so Travis took him to the pediatrician. Ryan had blood drawn (normal), a strep test (negative) and an abdominal xray. As I suspected based on his symptoms, he has a partial bowel obstruction (he has had several in the past). Travis asked for the xray to be sent to the GI doctor and we will talk to them tomorrow to see what they suggest. For now the pediatrician said to increase his Miralax, but I really want to know what the specialists say as they are the experts on this plus they have treated Ryan for this in the past.

Many of you may remember two years ago after Ryan had his fourth brain surgery when he cycled with eating and stooling just fine then gagging and throwing up. It started two days after his corpus callosotomy, and we went home after four days in the hospital then were back in the ER within 12 hrs due to vomiting. The xray was normal but we were back in the ER 8 to 12 hours later because he still could not hold anything down and that xray showed a partial obstruction. He was hospitalized again and went home after a week. Within 24 hours we were in the pediatrician’s office, and Children’s Hospital sent their ambulance down to pick him up from the office. He was then hospitalized, had a PICC line and was on TPN for almost two weeks. He also had surgery to change his G tube to a G/J tube and went home on 24 hour feedings into his small intestine because his stomach refused to wake up (gastroparesis).

As many of you would expect, I have been in tears on and off all day as I suspected this was happening again. I know my son better than anyone else on the planet and I never forget anything with him. I know God is faithful and has it all under control. That said, I’m still fearful of what is to come in the next few days and am praying this does not worsen and cause Ryan to end up in the hospital again.

We are only ten days out from leaving for Ryan’s Make a Wish trip. And while we can certainly delay the trip if needed, this has been six months in the making and the older kids would be absolutely devastated if we have to put it off. And honestly, I would be devastated too.

In the past twelve days, two teachers have asked Sidney and Trevor separately when their brother is going to die or if he is dead when they mentioned our trip because they were concerned about assignments they are going to miss while we are gone. Then on Friday my boss told me someone told her they didn’t appreciate hearing about my Make a Wish trip and that they now know every detail of my life and don’t want to know all that. It upset me because for one, this person doesn’t know squat about me and they shouldn’t have been listening to a conversation that has nothing to do with them, and two, get a life! As my boss said, some people are just miserable and don’t want to hear about anything good happening in other people’s lives. Well, if you want to live the events of the past ten years and all we have endured with Ryan, be my guest. It’s hasn’t been roses and I would gladly trade a Make a Wish trip for a healthy, talkative, strong boy. But God gave me Ryan just as he is and I’m going to enjoy every minute and be thankful for this trip that is a huge blessing to our family.

Please pray with us that God will heal Ryan’s GI system quickly and completely so we can go on this trip next week and have the time of our lives. God is the Great Physician and I trust Him even though my mind is prone to wander toward fear and “what if’s”. As my favorite verse says:

He will cover you with his feathers and under His wing will you take refuge. His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

I just read Psalm 91 this morning before heading to the gym. The Lord must have known I needed it today; I literally sat on the couch and my Bible opened to this page.

I will keep you updated. Thank you for your prayers. You are all very loved and appreciated.

Psalm 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling– even the LORD, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”