August 24, 2006

Good Morning,
Thank you all for your prayers!! Gabriel stopped vomiting and spitting up on Friday. His appetite has picked up and he has gained weight. He was scheduled to get the feeding tube this week. But GOD had had other plans. This week was not a week to do it. I’m not going to go into detail, but there were many obstructions to getting this done. I did however met with the surgeon Yesterday regarding the procedure. HE told me the feeding tube he would like to give Gabriel is called a PEG. It takes less then 10mins and the only cut he would have is a little dot. They would put a scope down his Esophagus, to his stomach, turn on a light to locate his stomach, poke him with a needle, put a wire through the needle, pull the scope out, insert the tube and that would be it. The risk with this procedure would be, being that they are not cutting Gabriel they may hit something with the scope they shouldn’t like his kidney. This is called a ‘blind surgery.’ If they can’t get a good visual of the stomach then they will have to cut him inserting another tube which can cause more infections around the site.
Gabriel’s Hem/Onc doctors and dietician agreed to wait until next week to see if he can gain the weight, + on his own. He went from 9.1kg last week to 9.5kg this week. They want him to continue this path. Next week they want his weight to be 9.9kg. If he does not meet the weight and his nutrition does not come up we will get the feeding tube.
Gabriel’s counts were good except his platelets. The doctors are impressed his ANC is so high; they were expecting it to be low given his high dose Chemo last week. They did not increase his dose of MTX this week because of his platelets. The VIN is causing Gabriel more leg pain and he shuffles his feet when he walks instead of lifting them up. I have started giving him Tylenol with Codine to help with his pain. Gabriel is going to be taking about 6 meds right now to help him. He gets one more dose of MTX next week, then he will get two weeks off chemo.
The doctors also spoke to me about Gabriel having a pattern of low blood sugar because of the chemo especially on procedure days when he can’t eat or drink. From know on Gabriel cannot go 10 hrs without food anymore when he has procedure. If I notice symptoms of low blood sugar I will have to give him things with high sugar content.
Gabriel is a living testimony of GOD’s faithfulness. A testimony of the power of prayer, a testimony of when people gather together in HIS name what miracles can happen. I pray everyone’s relationship with GOD continue to grow. All of our troubles are to bring us closer to GOD and they are good for us.
“2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-3
I thank the LORD for my trails because I know they have brought me closer to HIM. And I am continuing to be a student of GOD’s word. Learning to lean not on my understanding, but seeking GOD for the truth.
I pray that God’s will is done in everyone’s lives. We will understand we are all called to be witnesses and our faith in the LORD will not cease when we are faced with afflictions and trouble. Be encouraged in the LORD. HE is the way to truth.
My prayers are with you,
Angela