Dani
First of all, HI RACHEL!!! I got your message, and I am still learning how to respond and all that fun stuff... It's so nice to hear from you!!! Love ya!!

Oh ya and Susie, so many people out here are praying for you..all over the Island.. Even the Long Island IHOP is praying 24 hours for Joshua. We are all so excited that he is still here! I wish I could jump on a plane and come and see you to get a chance to get at those cheeks. He's awesome. I love all the pictures on your blog.

I have been trying to post but the Tavares family has had a little snag for the past week. My dear son Samuel has asthma. He has been struggling for the past year with it. Last year he was hospitilized because of it and now again he is struggling. My poor kid is on 2 different steroids, albuteral, and antibiotic. Now I know that my situation pales in comparison to what Susie is going through, but I can say I can understand to an extent that feeling of your kid is sick, you would do ANYTHING to take that away from them and put it on yourself, but there is nothing you can do. We were in the hospital again on Sunday and they had to take Samuel's temperature you know where. He was less than thrilled. Then he had to take Motrin for a fever right after that. Less than thrilled again. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there crying myself because I'm watching my son cry so hard that his lips are purple because he can't breathe as it is and he's making himself even more upset. What an emotional ride it is to be a mom. I am so sad that he runs around and runs out of breath and has to stop to sit for 15 minutes to take a nebulizer. I have such a good doctor and respitory therapist working with him. I thank God they are not just "medicine pushers" and that they are encouraging me that this problem doesn't have to follow him his whole life, that if we get it under control right now, he has a good chance of being ok. Lets pray!

While I was in the hospital I was thinking a little bit more about this. My husband grew up with very bad asthma as well. He used to spend weeks in the hospital because they could not get his oxygen level up (explains a lot huh :-) Just kidding!! I love my husband). Anyway, I was really blessed to see Josh pray over Samuel the other night. Josh has always been afraid of Samuel getting asthma. I think he carries a sense of guilt over the fact that Samuel has it. After talking to him about it and encouraging him to just pray, it really warmed my heart the other night when he got up for Samuels treatment at 4am. I heard him get up, set up the nebulizer and before he started it I heard him praying over Samuel that this would come out of his body and would be healed. It was encouraging to see Josh take that step of faith in believing, rather than worrying, that he would be ok. Anyway, Samuel is doing a lot better. Has to stay on the treatments. Thankfully they've moved him from having them every 4 hours to twice a day. I just wanted to ask for prayer for him.I know that this is not that big, but he has to take this medicine called Prendisone. It is a very strong steriod that tastes like Robitusson x10. It is really gross. We have to fight him every night to give it to him. We have to hold him down and basically shove it down his throat which makes him more upset which makes the asthma worse. So please pray that he takes it and recovers soon!

So that has been my week. I am exhausted, but I feel myself getting closer to my little baby through it. I love him!!
1 Response
  1. Unknown Says:

    I'm praying for him. I know the struggles of asthma - Cate has it - it's really scary when they're crying and making it worse... but your heart's breaking coz they're in tears. A thought on the Prednisone - is he attached to candy or ice cream or a particular video? Can he be bribed into taking it? I know, I know, should I be admitting on a public forum that I'm one of "those" moms? But it's an issue of his health, so all bets are off!