Praying for Miracles

After being at school all week, I was able to see a big improvement in Aron’s alertness. He has been opening his eyes for longer periods of time and is now better able to track our movements when he is alert. Also, when we ask him to look at us, he will turn his head and focus his eyes on our faces. I also feel that Aron is sometimes able to recognize who we are.

For yes or no questions, we have been working with Aron to nod and shake his head appropriately. It still takes a lot of effort and is a work in progress, but he is improving. On Saturday, the nurses got to see Aron alert. He tracked their movements with his eyes, squeezed their hand on command, and gave a thumbs up in response to a question. Although none of this is new to us, it was good for the staff to get to see Aron’s progress for themselves. To them, our observations do not mean much until they witness it.

Aron has now been off the ventilator for almost a week. He no longer is on the cool aerosol but instead has a tube of oxygen, which is one of the last steps before being completely disconnected from any breathing tubes. The next step is to take him off the trach, when he is able to breath through his nose and mouth. When the respiratory therapist plugs the trach to test this, Aron has trouble breathing through his nose and mouth because of an obstruction in his airway. This could either be from his tongue or from the trach itself. There are different types of trachs, and they are going to try a speaking trach so that he will be able to swallow on his own. Once Aron is off the trach, he will have to move to a different facility. We are hoping that Aron will be more alert before he is able to be off the trach. In which case he will be able to transfer to a better facility that is more equipped for rehabilitation.

Please continue to pray that Aron will become more alert and more responsive, especially before they take him off the trach, and he is forced to move to another facility. Also, Aron’s parents are advocating for insurance to allow him to have a cranioplasty, a surgery that will replace the part of his skull that was removed to relieve the pressure in his brain. Please pray that Kaiser will approve this surgery with the doctor we want. Right now Aron’s brain is vulnerable and mostly unprotected without the skull cap on his forehead. We all will feel more comfortable after the cranioplasty.

I was reminded by our pastor today in our church sermon that we should be praying for miracles both in and through this situation. Meaning that we should continue to pray for healing and full restoration, but also for miracles in our own lives and the lives of others touched by Aron—that we would grow in love and patience and that others would come to know the Lord. Thank you again for your support and prayers, especially to those who have come alongside us as encouragement and comfort.

—Amy

Psalm 130—Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.