Miracle Child

[MarriedLadyTara]

I will continue to hold her in the light.

[digigal]

continued prayers, sounds like a miracle to me

[ValerieP]

I am keeping her, you and your whole family in my thoughts-may her strength heal her

[connieg]

Thanks for the update Maureen, will continue to pray for Bekah and your family.

[ang66]

What a little fighter!! Continued prayers going your way!! She certainly is a miracle child!

[Scrapbird]

Maureen, she continues to amaze us! Thanks so much for sharing this, and I'll continue holding her in my heart.

[maureenreynolds]

I think this will be my last post for a bit unless anything major changes. Dick, Michael and Rich are going back to Phoenix today and Dick flies home tomorrow. Sharlah will stay in Tucson in a small apt they found for her while Bekah is still in the hospital. I truly do appreciate all your prayers, words and silent wishes from the bottom of my heart. This is from Dick yesterday.

"I've learned to discount the journal entries about what the Drs are doing - they are monitoring about a hundred variables and so a few will always change slightly and call for correction in med dosage or whatever. *the big news is that Rebekkah does not have the graft issue that they feared so as soon as she can recover from the wound to her intestines, the sooner they can get her back on track for healing from the BMT. *A Dr. x is her BMT specialist - he is very patient with R & S in explaining what's going on. *Meanwhile, Dr y is her surgeon who operated 3 times in 48 hours. *She is the one who asked them both to prepare for the worst but is now cautiously optimistic.

Meanwhile, Sharlah wanted Rebekkah to hear Michael's voice so that is why she wanted him down here. *But he gets antsy after *an hour in this small room where there is so much equipment and tubes. *So then Granddad takes him down to the playroom for an hour to release some of that energy. Fun for both! *Sharlah also reads to Bekah"

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

This is great news, Maureen. I will continue to pray for your brave granddaughter.

[sawdust]

I just got email notification that Bekah is having surgery again this morning at 10 MST to relieve fluid around her kidneys. Please pray for Bekah. You can read the post here. It is the second one down.

CaringBridge / prayersforbekah / Journal

[jazzmatazz]

Maureen, that sounds fabulous! Bekah is such a little scrapper! And I'm thrilled the graft issue doesn't seem to be a concern now. Still praying ...

Sawdust (sorry, I don't now your name), thank you for directing us to the blog and the information about the surgery.

[earlofoxford]

It's so good to hear that Bekah does not have GVHD. Still praying.

[susiecw]

Continued prayers, Maureen. I hope she'll begin to mend soon.

[cheska99]

Thank you for sharing this good news with us, Maureen!

[Aino]

Her story and she is such an inspiration. Bless her heart.

[maureenreynolds]

Sawdust was correct...Bekah had a build up of 2.5 litres of fluid and that's a lot on a little one.

Dick said Sharlah decided not to go back to the Ronald McDonald house again because it was getting her down to watch so many children around her die. There were times I could hear her concern about so many other children and we worried about her burning out with compassion. Being in an apt will give them all a chance to make it a bit like their own home for the next couple of months. Dick was also glad to have one on one time with Michael who is not as rambunctious as he sounded in the posts and is also really smart. He has the floor plans of the hospital down pat and helped guide Dick to the right parking and the right path each day!

Today Bekah opened her eyes and what a gift that must be to see!

[SharLamb]

Opened eyes. What a joy. Still praying.

[Monique1971]

You are all still in my thoughts. Hope she will recover soon and not be ill anymore. I still think it is so horrible that such a cute little girl has to fight so hard for her life. That makes you sad. A big hug and lots of strenght.

[maureenreynolds]

This is a long post but I think it's good to hear how Sharlah and Rich felt as what was fairly 'normal' turned into a nightmare. If you've ever had to balance hope with acceptance you'll understand.

"I want to begin with thanking so so many people. This week has been a haze and I can barely believe that it has been a week since this last storm began. I had a difficult time finding a verse that describes exactly how I feel, but I found two:

But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16).

I pick these two verses because I am overcome with so much love and joy to know that so many people are praying for Bekah. I would acknowledge you all, but there are so many! (I will try to later when things are more calm.)

I guess I have to go back a week ago before this began to explain why I feel a miracle happened with Bekah. I have prayed and prayed since the beginning of Bekah's Dx, but it had almost come to a point, that I accepted what her medical problems where. I felt so torn... If I accept that Bekah has these problems and might not make it and I stop asking for her to be healed is that the same as giving up hope and faith? I honestly didn't know how to feel about it, then last Thursday (a week ago) I received some books about endurance. One of the books was on a CD and I decided to listen to it Friday going to Tucson for Bekah's endoscopy. It talked about these EXACT things (yes, I think I was a little dumb founded). One of the things it talked about was not giving up, but yet accepting the situation. Jesus never gave up faith or hope in his father, but he accepted that he would be put to death and did not fight it. This was exactly what I needed to hear. Little did I know what was about to take place..

Bekah had her endoscopy and I had thought it was fine. My friend Lori (a nurse practitioner) had actually come out with us during this to help support us with what ever news we would get from the procedure. WE were just about to finish clinic (we went to after the endoscopy because she needed red cells.) when Bekah passed out and her blood pressure dropped. From there it became very surreal. They did a blood draw for CBC's and found her 7.8 hemo had dropped down to 6 (AFTER) the transfusion. So they did another one- this one was 4!
They called up for another unit of blood - which was rushed and they started to push it in to try to bring her blood pressure back, mean while we were being sent to the ICU, where they kept giving her blood and did a cat scan. The surgeon looked at it and called for immediate surgery. Her colon had been perforated and she was bleeding internally. This was the beginning of a very long evening. She had 4 back to back surgeries (and one a few days later- 5 total). That first night was a nightmare. It was like a scene for the TV ER shows. Nurses yelling for blood, nurses bringing coolers containing blood bags coming because it took too long to wait- then two nurses skipping the transfusion bag process and transfusing the blood directly into her line with large syringes. While another nurse cleaned up the blood that was oozing out of the incision and her colon areas. I just remember asking God to please be there. Just to be there. Nothing else. When Bekah came back after the 2nd emergency surgery we were told again they couldn't stop the bleeding. We needed to be prepared. I had just watched through the night my daughter almost bleeding to death. I was so numb and only asked God to be there with her and us. I was too afraid to ask for more. I was so tired of begging and then this happened and I didn't know what to pray for. This is why I know it was a miracle. We were being told she would might not make it....not once or twice but several times by the surgeon. Then she made it! 25 something transfusions later (all differing blood products) and she just stopped bleeding late Saturday afternoon! She has since had 3 or more a day, but she is slowly improving! Thank-you Lord!!

I have no words to describe how we are so so thankful that Bekah is with us. She continues to fight for her life, but it looks better and better every day. She has a road that our family must all travel with her, but I truly believe it is your prayers that asked God and brought about Bekah's healing and guided the Dr's and nurses to do their best to save her life.

She continues to be in critical care, but it is so wonderful that we are moving in a more positive direction!

Much love to you all~Sharlah"

[susiecw]

Oh my, Bekah's parents are so strong in their faith and their fortitude. I can't imagine going through all this with one of my daughters or grandkids. Bless their hearts. And, I continue to pray.

[cedarhil]

She just HAS to make it. Lots of love to her and all of you

[beehive50]

Bless that sweet little thing... continued prayers for Bekah and her family.

[LauraBean]

Wow--I can only imagine. Christ, have mercy!

[emfullante]

What an incredible and brave little girl. Sharlah's faith is so inspiring because like Laura just said - I can only imagine what it is like to see your child endure so much pain. I continue to pray...

[ValerieP]

I am happy to hear that Bekah's journey is moving in a positive direction and can only hope that it continues to do so and that Sharlah can continue with so much strength-yes I think we are trying, here, to hold both of them up- such a heart wrenching battle

[sarahw2275]

Wow, I just read through the past posts about Bekah & her family & I'm in tears. Such an inspirational family.
I don't know whether this will help or not, but my father went through a very similar surgery some time ago, we were told the same thing & he had almost 30 blood tranfusions but today, he is fighting fit & back at work at almost 62.
I pray that this will be the case for Bekah too. She sounds like such a little fighter, and I'm sure she is drawing strength from her family surrounding her.

[jonipossin]

What a little fighter! Bekah, you and your family are all in my prayers!

[digigrandma]

Maureen....I just keep marveling at this little girl's fight.....I have tears for her because no little one should have to endure so much.....and, yet, here it is a real story about a real little girl and her family....my heart goes out to all of you.

Sharla, thank you for sharing these stories of your faith experience while going through this with your dear child.

I will continue to pray for Becka's recovery.

[kathleen.summers]

Thank you for sharing Rich's testimony with us. I continue to pray for Bekah and for her family and for His peace that surpasses all understanding.

[quilter422]

i had to talk with a doc today about truly minor surgery for my son and was all upset just preparing for it. i cannot fathom what Sharlah and Bekah and the rest of your family are going through. Sharlah's faith is truly admirable. continued prayers for all of you.

[dugarner]

I just recently stumbled on Layla Grace Marsh's blog (laylagrace.org) and followed her unbelievably sad, heart-breaking story. I have been following her story and Bekah's progress at the same time, and when Bekah took the turn for the worse, it just weighed on my heart. So many children who are so sick. But then Bekah's CaringBridge journals were cautiously optimistic! Praise the Lord!

Layla Grace died this morning, after hanging on more than two weeks beyond what anyone thought possible, giving her parents precious time to be with her and to be ready to meet the day when she would not be with them anymore.

I cannot possibly even begin to imagine what Sharlah, Bekah, and the family has been enduring, or what the Marshes or any other families with sick children endure. But I do know at any moment any parent with a sick child would change places in a heartbeat.

I continue to pray for Bekah and the family, her progress and her fighting spirit comfort and inspire more people than she will ever know.