Family Camper

Long time no update, huh? Well, that is good news because I've had nothin' to tell ya! The boy is growing and overall doing pretty well. His current stats are 19.5 lbs and 28.5 inches. Will continues to have some issues with digestion and respiratory infections. But, Connie and Al have gotten pretty good at knowing when something isn't quite as it should be and getting Will in to see his pediatrician before major problems develop. Will's heart tests show no changes. While he still has heart issues, they are not getting any worse at this time.

However, the biggest news that we have to report is that Will was a first time Family Camper at Gull Lake Ministries! The week got off to a rough start with a trip to the ER the second day and then another trip to the pediatricians office a day or two later. But once Will got a couple doses of antibiotics to treat his lung infection, he was one happy camper! He enjoyed lots of attention from cousins, in-laws, out-laws, rednecks, etc. and he told all kinds of stories to anyone that would listen.

And the last bit of news is that Will will be going to Bronson for an overnight on Wednesday. They will be doing some GI testing and it will be best for everyone if it is done inpatient. Please pray that Will tolerates the testing well and that the results will give the doctors a definitive answer as to what is the best way to proceed with treating Will.

Check-Up Update

Will saw his Doctor buddies today in Kalamazoo. The cardiologist is very pleased with his current status. His blood pressures have improved significantly since she saw him last and since he was at U of M. Your prayers are definitely being heard! As he grows (and the boy is growing!), his aorta may be growing also allowing for some better blood flow. We know there is still a major issue there that will have to be addressed. But, for now, we'll take it!

The other bit of news, unfortunately, not quite so good, is that Will needs to have his stomach procedure re-done. That is the funky little twist thing that helps to keep his food in his stomach where it belongs. He is vomiting quite a bit right now and some of that aspirates into his lungs which is contributing to his chronic respiratory and lung infection issues. So, we don't have a date yet, but it will likely be soon that Will makes a little trip to Spa Bronson to see his girlfriends (aka nurses) and gets a little twist to the stomach. There is actually a name for the procedure - it is called a Nissen or something like that. But, since most of my medical knowledge comes from reading fiction novels, I'm not quite sure of the spelling. This will probably entail a one or two day stay at the hospital and in the grand scheme of things, is a pretty minor issue.

Thanks for all your prayers, words of encouragement and all you do for the Arny family. We so appreciate all of you! In the not quite so accurate words of Bobby Flay - "...and for all you awesome prayer warriors out there, keep doing what you're doing and ask yourself, 'are you ready for a prayer down'?" Or something along those lines!

Happy to be Home

The 'lil man is just happy to be home. He squealed with delight when he got home and back to his own little world. Please continue to pray for Connie and Al as they are monitoring Will's health very closely. Pray that they will have good discernment in knowing when to seek further medical treatment for Will and the best course of action for the treatment.

Heading Home

What a week! What a roller coaster of emotions! Will and his entourage are on their way home. Most of the testing this week focused on his digestion issues. The tests did show some reflux problems that do need to be addressed. However, we aren't quite sure what the treatment is for that yet. The testing also indicated that Will has a lung infection and that is being treated with antibiotics. As of right now, the Doctors have decided to hold off on the heart surgery and try to allow him to get a little bit bigger before that is done. Will's regular cardiologist wanted the surgery to be done. However, the Doctors at U of M did not think he was bad enough yet even though his blood pressures indicated that he is within 10% of what U of M defines as "bad enough". His cardiologist was taking the approach that she didn't want to allow him to get "bad". But, the surgeons at U of M seem to focus on critical cases only that tend to be imminently life and death situations. It seems as if they sometimes lose sight of the quality of life issues and forget that these little one are people too who are trying to develop and grow and lead "normal" baby lives. While we are relieved that Will did not have to go through a major surgery, we are still concerned that many of his health issues are related to his reduced blood flow. Please pray for wisdom for the Doctors that they will use good judgment in their treatment decisions for Will. Pray that Will's health remains stable.

Cancelled

As of right now, Will's open heart surgery is cancelled. U of M wants further testing and all the doctors involved are not on the same page. So, limbo anyone?

Delay

Will's surgery has been delayed. The doctors at U of M want to do further testing. Unfortunately, we have many questions with very few answers right now. Please pray for little Will as he has to go through more testing. Pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctors as they review these tests and decide on the best way to proceed. Pray for patience for Connie and Al. This has been a very frustrating day for everyone.

Lucky Number 12

That is the room number at Ronnie's - room #12.