Grateful

Listen to me

Good morning everyone. It is a lovely 🌧☔️ day over here in New Orleans. I am sure many of you read up on Emerson’s update this past week, but I figured I would giver everyone a run down and catch up on some things.

✅imaging done shows no sign of leukemia 

   *brain (which had multiple lesions)=now NONE

   *left groin (large mass, which would have required radiation)= GONE

✅bone marrow biopsy: cleared

✅blood counts: I’m recovery mode

Evaluations

✅had a swallow study: to evaluate his ability to swallow Click here to watch

Mac is breastfeeding just fine, but remember he has the mucositis during this last round, and he has lost weight. So we, medical team and I, want to make sure he doesn’t have an issue with feeds (bottle or table food)

*he did aspirate, milk giving by syringe

Now this is not good, that means he would be at risk for food/liquid getting into his lungs. Now the good this is, as soon as it happened Mac was able to cough well enough to bring it back up and for it to go down the right way. 

✅he saw a dietician, whose sole purpose is to fatten Emerson up. She was very sweet and gave us a plan on how we should give the formula and utilize his feeding tube. 

*now there are times I have to pause the feed or adjust how much he gets, if he gets fussy, and he is enjoying some table foods

✅saw speech therapist, who reviewed the swallow study and the recommendations of the dietician. She agreed with what I was doing, except she too along with tech who did the swallow study, to go down with the nipple for the bottle

*funny thing is 🤣 Mac doesn’t want to take the bottle much since we have been home. It’s like he is back in his element and he just refuses. Well this mama is not going to stress herself, so I just breastfeed, give him 2 feeds via the pump, and place him on a continuous feed overnight Feeding time

Right now Emerson is taking a little nap. I call it that because often times, by the time he falls asleep and I put him down, his eyes pop open 😳 HEY mama!

We have been so blessed to be home and to be one big family. I would love to say we are back to normalcy, but since the day Emerson was born God had planned that nothing was going to be Normal. This world would have you to think that if you live a good life and do good things, well good things come to you. Some may view it as what goes around comes around. The real truth is God gave us free will, he allowed it with Adam and Eve, knowing good and well that they would defy him, Sin, and that he would have to make the ultimate covenant with his people. He would allow His son, unblemished and Holy to die for us. 

Now I say all this because it would be easy to blame myself in this situation, but I won’t. Because this was never to be some sort of punishment, for me or my family not doing enough good. If anything a test of our faith. I have often spoken about Job, and how God allowed such tragedy to occur to his family. Not because he enjoyed to see suffering, but to show how faithful Job truly was. 

I believe that despite the suffering our faith in God and His plan, will only grow us stronger. You see nothing about my family is normal, look a little harder, Emerson is going to be used for greatness, to give glory and honor to Jesus. His testimony will touch so many. 

Father God thank you again that we are home. That Emerson is doing well and his counts have been recovering. That his siblings have been able to play and enjoy their little brother. That family and friend have continued to pray and surround us with support. I am grateful for how you are using me to tell this story through his eyes. We love you. In Jesus name, amen

My big sister lets me give her big kisses!