dear friends,
once again, we are asking for prayer for our sweet brennan. yesterday brennan hit a major milestone because he was allowed to begin oral feeds. I was supposed to give him a bottle with one ounce of formula four times a day. I was warned by the doctor that he would try to take it all at once and that I had to slow him down and spread out the feed over 20 minutes. I was so excited to start this process, even though it solidified how sad I am not to be able to nurse him anymore. But to be able to begin normal feedings was something we have been looking forward to as a big goal. Unfortunately, things didn't go as expected. Brennan is refusing to eat anything by mouth. He pushes the bottle out of his mouth and eventually cries and screams when I lift it to his mouth. He obviously can not progress until he re-learns how to take things by mouth. He is safe because he is still getting all his necessary nutrition through his feeding tube, but even when he has been off the feeding tube for four hours he won't take anything by mouth. I was so discouraged last night and this morning, but the doctor has assured me that Brennan will learn eventually. Like grandma said, this too shall pass. please pray this simple prayer for brennan - that he will latch onto the bottle and re-learn how to eat by mouth. in so many ways we are starting over with this little one.
thank you for praying for us. we feel our need right now and are grateful for friends who are lifting us up. I never thought I would be sending out a big prayer request that our 3 month old would learn how to eat, but that's how life is - full of surprises. right now we are learning anew how to trust the Lord with our children, realizing they have been entrusted to us by Him and that He loves them more than we ever could. I have thought so much about the biblical imagery of food - that God invites us to the wedding feast and the banqueting table. And watching Brennan be unable to eat, I have thought of those things in such literal ways - how much I want Brennan to physically be able to come to the table! And what joy we will have with each step he takes. Brennan has done so well with each aspect of this, we know he will catch onto this as well, but it has been hard.
please continue to pray for us as well. I am still sick but am thankfully back with both boys. We're camping out at my parents right now so they can help me. please pray that we won't get discouraged or focus on how we wish things were, but take them one step at a time - as they are - trusting that Jesus is constantly standing in the gap for us, enabling us to walk this path and holding us up even as we cling to his hands (even in those times when we don't perceive them there), taking one wobbly step after another.
with love,
kim & jeff
Baby Brennan Eckert
This blog is devoted to Brennan Charles Eckert, born November 16, 2007, to parents Kim and Jeff and big brother Tommy. On January 25, 2008, 10 week-old Brennan was admitted to T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital. He was severely dehydrated and eventually diagnosed with Slick Gut Syndrome. Brennan's doctors tell us he will be here about a month with a lengthy recovery at home as well. This blog is meant to update all those who are loving and supporting us and our sweet Brennan.
UPDATE: Brennan spent 21 days at TC Thompson and was discharged from the hospital on February 14, 2008. He began receiving food by mouth on February 18. His oral feeds were gradually increased as his tube feedings were decreased until he was shifted to 100% oral feeds on February 29. His feeding tube was removed on March 3, and his central line was removed on March 6. According to his doctor, Brennan is now a "normal baby with a recovering gut." He is home with us and doing great!
Although we never could have prepared for this experience, we are more grateful than we ever could have been for the gift of our son. We have been so blessed by a community of folks who walked with us on this journey. Some were people we hardly knew, and others were lifelong loved ones, but we were given to abundantly at a time when our needs were great. And we are so thankful for how God met us in our need through the hands and feet and love of so many of his people.
"Let the Great Rabbi hold you silently against His heart. In learning who He is, you will find out who you are: Abba's child in Christ our Lord."
-Brennan Manning
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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3 comments:
Kim,
I am happy to hear that you are feeling better and back with the boys!! I know that you must be thrilled! We will continue to pray for Brennan and his feedings. Babies are amazing and he will soon realize how to take a bottle! I pray that God gives you and Jeff strength and encouragement during this time particular time!
Dear Kim -
I have just prayed that tomorrow will bring you new hope with Brennan's eating. I thought of the verse and hymm, "morning by morning new mercies I see." I know that God will prove Himself in this instance just like He has so many times before. I'm glad that you are back with your babies. I know that that is a huge relief in itself.
Dearest Kim and Jeff,
I continue to pray for you, the boys and Jeff...I know it must be hard to have faith sometimes, especially when it seems you take 2 steps forward to be knocked back 3...just "be still" and know in those times of weakness God is making you all so much stronger...I just keep thinking of the next book you will write and how many of us will be blessed by your family's victorious testimony in the end!...as my grandma use to say as well, "this too shall pass" dear hearts...loving and holding you all in prayer.
Ozella
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