Ella’s night and early morning has been rough.

About 10:30pm, the nurse increased the fentanyl. That seemed to do the trick and Ella slept most of the night. But when she would awaken, things were touchy.

The blood gas at 3am was not good. Her pH balance was off and the cO2 was very low (alcalotic). Dr. Kays was paged immediately. He made changes to the vent setting and asked that they place the brain oximeter back on her forehead (you don’t want the alcalotic condition to be absorbed into the brain). He asked for a repeat blood gas in an hour.

At 4am, her blood gas was better (pH of 7.45, cO2=49, pO2=62). But the next blood gas this morning was back in the wrong direction with the carbon dioxide too low (pH level=7.29, cO2=36, pO2=76).

The other day, Dr. Kays had switched Ella to the oscillating ventilator because her cO2 level was too high and to help the lungs expand more. But with the cO2 numbers getting so low, he may decide at some point to place her back in the standard ventilator.

Her chest x-ray this morning shows that her right lung has collapsed a bit. This, of course, is making it tougher for Ella to breath since that is her better lung. They have positioned her towards the right in the hopes of getting that lung to expand again.

When Ella is awake, they are giving her sedation to keep her calm (remember she also does not like laying on her right side). Without sedation, she is getting very upset and is having a tough time breathing. Her saturations are in the high 80’s to mid 90’s and she is on 100% oxygen. She is struggling.

Please continue to pray for sweet Ella this morning. We are walking on thin ice in this moment: we just need for her to remain level and not nose dive. Dr. Kays plans to be at the hospital later and we look forward to getting an update from him.

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

UPDATE (3:15pm EST): Ella does not look good. We have not seen her look this way in weeks. She is so puffy and having such a hard time. She looks like a completely different baby.

As we sit near her bedside and try to not make any noise, her saturations are in the high 80’s. After this morning where her cO2 was too low, now her cO2 has gotten too high again, 96 (should be around 40).

Dr.Kays looked at the x-ray and said that he does still see fluid on her right side.

The brain oximeter shouldn’t be below 51. We are seeing high 40’s.

Again, the numbers are glaring and she does not look good. But God prepared our hearts for today. Thanks for all your posts and prayers – – all of you are ministering to us in this time.

This hymn keeps coming into our mind and we keep singing it:

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power through-out the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

UPDATE (5:30pm EST): Your prayers are making a difference in Ella’s comfort and her strength to keep fighting. Her last blood gas was traveling in the right direction, cO2 went down to 85 and her saturations have been between 98 and 100.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

UPDATE (9:30pm EST): The Lord is so good. All of your prayers mean so much.

He has placed a hedge of protection around us and filled us with joy. The nurses can’t figure out why we are doing so well in a moment that seems dark. The Holy Spirit has been continually feeding us truths and promises. As we seek Him more earnestly, we are experiencing His works first-hand, and being filled us with an amazing oneness and peace.

And the words of encouragement and hope from all of you are amazing. God is using so many of you out there to minister to us. Some are posting, others are emailing, some are leaving voicemails and others are simply on their knees. It is so amazing to see God work and know that He is in control and orchestrating every detail!

Ella’s last blood gas was ideal – – pH level was 7.5, cO2=44, pO2=117. Dr. Kays was amazed.

We take it in as fresh air, knowing that it means Ella is experiencing the same. There may be dips, but we trust that He is sovereign and Ella is resting in His hands.

We continue in prayer this evening at her bedside and will keep you updated on her progress. Thanks again to all of you. It is such a privilege to be Ella’s parents and to experience this journey with all of you.

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!