Our little God Sent Angel!

Well, this is day 17 this trip in the hospital. She has been smiling right much the past couple of days. So I believe she is at least starting to feel a little better. The plan is to schedule another swallow study this week to see if she is still aspirating into her lungs. She has been fed by the feeding tube that you see in the pictures for the good part of her stay this time. If she is still aspirating into her lungs after the second swallow study, they will plan to do surgery to put a "G" tube, (permanent feeding tube) in. While she is under, they are also planning to put tubes in her ears, do her colostomy reversal and shave some tissue from her trach in addition to the "G" tube.

Your prayers are greatly needed for our family at this time. We have now been separated for the 3rd time in 6months since she was born. We have our good days and "not" so good days. We are still leaning on God for all answers and unanswered prayers. Most of the time, the unanswered prayers are the biggest blessings!

Sometimes we go through life and never stop and think about our blessings that God has given us. As you can see in Dani Jo's pictures above...she is happy. Every time she smiles I feel like she is thanking God for another "breath" of life. Even as she lies with tube in her nose, in her belly, and even though as much as she loved eating from a bottle and baby food, this has changed in her life, but she is not brought down by this. She continues to be happy and that is a blessing in itself.

A lot of us take for granted, myself included, the little things in life. My eyes have been opened since the beginning of her birth, things that I took for granted before, I don't take for granted so much now ....breath....As I watch her sleeping knowing that she is giving no effort of her own and completely dependent on her ventilator with no "man's" cure (except for healing from God), I begin to thank God for each breath. So often, I would see people on Oxygen for whatever reason and I would, how pitiful...and go about my business. Now as I watch my own baby depend on a machine to do her breathing for her, I look at it a little different.

This scripture has a whole new meaning now...Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalms 150:6).

The separation of our family over the past few months have been also hard. Absence makes the heart grow fonder...couldn't mean more to me now. I love my husband very much, but I have grown so close to him over the past couple of weeks a love that I can't explain. I don't think he realizes just how much I truly treasure him and thank God everyday that I have such a wonderful husband, daddy, partner, and friend! He has always been very involved with Jordan, Jamie, and Dani Jo. And I know if we weren't such a great team Dani Jo would not have done as well as she has so far. We all miss each other when we are apart and hope that we can be together again really soon.

We want to send a thank you to those who have donated in monetary to our family. In these times of her hospitalization, it can get rather expensive. And the money has helped our family while I have been out of work. Back and forth to the hospital each day, sometimes twice a day, meals at the hospital, and just everyday living can get quite costly. It is appreciated with our whole hearts and hope that you all will be able if not already, meet Dani Jo soon! She is very precious to our family. Jordan especially misses her a lot.

Dr. Karlson just walked into her room and informed me that he was going to check to see when the swallow study was going to take place and also speak with Dani Jo's surgeon that if her swallow study meant that she needed a "G" tube, was Dani Jo strong enough for the surgery. We should know something in a couple of days.

DOLLARS FOR DANI JO
I know that a lot of you have been asking about benefits for Dani Jo. Dickie Crump from Pilot Mtn. is going to host a "DOLLARS FOR DANI JO" benefit on Saturday, May 31st from 5-9pm. He will be serving all you can eat hot dogs, drinks, desserts, etc...at no charge. We are only accepting donations for the food. There will also be music. We are going to try our best to have Dani Jo at the benefit so all can meet her. It will be held at the Squeeze Box right on main street. I hope to see all there.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers--we love each of you and thank you all for your compassion on our family.

In Christ,
Joey, Amanda, Jordan, Jamie, Dani Jo