The Unexpected...and Unwanted Phone Call

So, it appears that Wednesdays are not our day around here lately.  Last week, we received our first calls to go and have Explorer checked out at the Children's Hospital in the big city.  This week, well, we got another call.

It appears that Explorer's liver enzymes are still elevated.  The Dr didn't expect them to be elevated.  Apparently, if blood is drawn through the heal-like Explorers was at our local hospital-it can actually traumatize it slightly and he thought the elevated enzymes were due to that.  But, at the Children's Hospital, they used a tube in Explorers arm...and they are still elevated.

I received the call yesterday afternoon from the same receptionist that had saved our initial appointment.  She has been there 20 years, and I think she has some pull around the office.  That was a big help yesterday.  She explained the the Dr wanted to see Explorer for a follow up.  I was honest with her when I said that I was told there wouldn't be another appointment unless something was wrong.  She asked me to hold on a minute, and then told me that the Dr wanted to speak with me.

The Dr himself was willing to discuss with me Explorer's high enzymes (though silly me forgot to ask what the levels were).  He also told me that he would like to see us on the 4th of January.  He followed that up with, I'm not usually in that day, but I really want her to come back soon so I'm making an appointment for her.  Is that a good time for you?  I could come later in the day if you needed.

First off-WOW-a Dr that is working an appointment just for us.  Second off-Uh oh-this is possibly pretty serious.

I have done many Google searches, and it does seem that elevated liver enzymes of any sort in a baby is an indication that something is going wrong in the liver.  It could be inflamed, damaged, or being attacked.  What that something is, we do not know, but the goal now is to find out.  We DO know that it is not enlarged, nor does it have any growths or tumors.  So that is good news!

I have been amazed at how the Lord has continued to go before us in this.  For an early Christmas present, my husband purchased me 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I had a number of books on my list, but this one was available in Kindle format, so he picked it.  Oh, how the words that the Lord has given Ann to write in her book are exactly what I have been needing to prepare my heart for this journey.  He has been challenging me to trust Him in the highs and the lows of life, and believe that He will extend enough grace to cover my heart no matter what valley or mountain top He leads me through.

He has also been providing us amazing relatives and friends who are willing to lift us up and cover us in prayer.  We are so thankful for those of you who have been doing so!  If you wouldn't mind, I would ask if you would continue to remember my little Explorer in your prayers for a bit.  Please pray for healing, and an easy answer to her high levels.  Please also pray that the Alpha 1 is negative.  After reading about it, it is not a simple thing at all, there isnt a cure from what I can see.  

On a positive note, we are all ready for Christmas and looking forward to spending time with our amazing families.  The children have been wrapping presents for each other tonight and it has warmed my heart to watch them pick the paper and the tags for their brother or sisters.  It is also so fun to have that short amount of one on one time with each of them.  I am so thankful for each of my little arrows, and pray that God is molding them to be used by Him in the perfect way.

I pray that you are preparing for the celebration of Jesus' arrival as well!!

Merry Christmas and God Bless You!