Caden is doing really good. He is growing like a weed, over 17.5 lbs now, and seems as happy as ever. Caden is still getting very little food by mouth. We still feed him for nutrition totally by g-tube and have to suction him quite a bit during awake hours. He does make it mostly through the night without needing suctioning which allows for Sherry and I to go to bed together and use the baby monitor. We do not have a date on the next botox treatment, but we will keep you posted.
Sherry and I have been struggling again with whether or not to continue posting to Caden’s Page. We very seldom get responses and kind of feel like a circus act at times where people just look in but never say anything. We prayed about it and God answered our prayers. I felt like it was a pretty clear answer. Pastor Greg asked a fellow pastor how God spoke to him. I fell like I got a few very clear responses from God this weekend myself. It was only a few hours after asking God to give me some guidance on Caden’s Page when I check my email and found the following from Ryan in Minnesota. By the way, unknown by me, this email was already in my email inbox when asking God for some guidance on this subject.
“…a verse my mother had dedicated to me as a child.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11This blows me away I needed to be reminded of my future and I also got to hear of your sons story and I must say there is a reason for this. I will be sending his story to people I know and praying for Caden and your family as much as I can. I hope and pray things will be better and stay strong in your faith
God Bless you Caden and keep you in his graces
and Bless the family as well
Amen
thank you
Ryan”
I emailed Ryan back and told him that his message came very shortly after discussing the end of Caden’s Page with Sherry and praying about it. Ryan encouraged me and assured me with this response:
You should continue to update Cadens page don’t quit now. It only takes a little time and it shouldnt cost anything to maintain a webpage. The Lord is with your son and your family Hank and if even 1 person comes to know the Lord because of Cadens story then its worth keeping the page updated in fact there is no question. I will be giving my mom and dad the site to look at and they will let everyone in MN they know as well. So I’m sure the somehow things will work out thru prayer!
I believe that God has spoken to me through Ryan this weekend and I will continue posting to Caden’s Page. Thank you Ryan for delivering such an important message!
News on other Cool Kids
Emory is the little boy that I wrote about a few days ago. His mom recently told us that it was okay to post his name. We feel it is important for you to put a name with your prayers. Emory had the MRI last week that many of you prayed would be possible without sedation and it was completed without sedation. During the MRI Emory was diagnosed with Hydrocephalous. It is my understanding that this is when fluid gathers around the brain and can cause the brain not to grow as expected. We want you to pray for Emory this week. He is going in Friday for a surgical procedure. Emory is getting a shunt placed under the skin of his scalp to drain fluid of off the brain. This is to relieve pressure on the brain to allow for more normal brain growth. This is a shunt that he will have for the rest of his life. Please pray for protection over Emory and for peace for Emory’s Mom, Dad, and older sister.
I am saddened to report a little girl named Ella has passed away. She was just a few months old and was in line to get a parathyroid transplant at Duke this week to repair her immune system. This is the same transplant that Caden’s friend Hailey had earlier this year. Please pray for Ella’s family in this time of loss.
Hailey’s parents track Caden and a few other kids. They report on them on their Care Page sponsored by the Children’s Hospital of Boston. Hailey is about a month older than Caden and is going to be celebrating her 1st birthday in grand style in about six weeks up in Massachusetts. Please join us in wishing her a happy birthday. Hailey is another living example of God’s power to heal. These kids diagnosed with DiGeorge are living miracles of God’s awesome power.
Pictures and Heart Walk
Don’t forget to scroll down to view the last two postings since the last email update was sent out. There are new pictures as well as more information on the Low Country Heart Walk. You may also want to check out a story about another answered prayer of mine this weekend on my personal blog called The Land of Ozz. I also posted a link to a blog run by a few MUSC medical students that was featured in the local Charleston paper today.
God Bless.