Baby Steps

For all of you who prayed for our meeting- Thank you! We didn't really get the answer I wanted but the meeting wasn't all bad.  The short of it is this...the rule is no holding in Room A NICU and she can't be moved until a new baby comes in or she reaches 1800grams.  This has to do with insurance and how many nurses per baby are in that room.  If you know me personally then you won't be surprised that I am not certain I am getting the "whole truth" but I really can't dwell on that.  I am here in Japan and just have to go with what is being said.  There are days that I would love to be able to go completely ballistic and demand Karis be taken out ect ect... but that is not what God has called me to do.  I don't know why this trial was chosen for us, but we are here.  I am just going to try and glorify my heavenly father through it!  I could go on and on and explain more but really there is no need too. One of the best things that came out of the meeting is we will have a traslator with us every Wednesday.  I think it will be helpful for when we have "baby training" as I like to call it.  Dr. Chiba insisted it would be awhile until we could take Karis home because I needed to learn how to take care of her...umm ok?!?!? Well you know he is not confident I know how to change diapers and give her a bath....(really are you serious???) Breastfeeding ok yes I think this might be a challenge but praying it won't, but everything else...he was really serious too! Let's just say my silence was an act of God. Ok moving on from the meeting.  Karis' two main nurses were so funny that day when I went back in the afternoon!  Nurse Miyuki was in the meeting, and talked with us about Kangaroo Care. She is very sweet but knows little English, so it is a bit like charades communicating with her and then Yuko, who is such a blessing.  Well I needed to pump and usually they stick me in a corner in the other room behind some screens. Anyways, that day they said"Oh no one is near your incubator today, they have all been moved, so you can do it bedside with screens :) This made for one happy Mama! I hate the 20 min or so I lose if I have to pump.  So as they were setting up, Miyuki said, Quick now is your chance!!  No one will see you take her out and get a little hold in :)  Now, I am pretty sure they were joking, but they are so sweet to try and lighten the mood.  These two went on and on about how they just wanted to hold Karis :) I think it will be a happy day for everyone, when the time comes.    Speaking of Yuko, she really has been a blessing to me.  She is close to my age and just got married.  Her English is amazing and it really helps to be able to talk to at least one person who understands.  She even asked about putting Karis in clothes again, I didn't even ask her to, and the answer was YES!! At least while she is in NICU A room.  So happy me, the clothes my Mom brought won't go to waste and I ordered a few cute ones.  Also, the nurses love to dress her.  They make sure to take a picture of each outfit and keep it in her scrapbook. I was told even Dr. Homa was into it and picked out the cute poka dot one with her name on it!    In other news, I was blessed by a virtual baby shower.  Some of my very sweet friends and calvary friends had a party for Karis and I joined in with my morning coffee in hand.  It was so great to talk with these ladies who have prayed for us through everything.  Thank you for supporting and blessing us in this way. It was fun to celebrate my sweet girl.   Well, how is Karis you ask?  She is doing so well.  She is off her feeding pump and doing great with feeding.  Her edema seems to be better and for the past four days I have heard her alarm only go off once. I think some main things to still pray for are-

• Her need to gain weight.  The doctors keep telling me it is fine, but if I compare other preemie babies at this stage she seems very small still and only gaining slowly. 
• Eyes- continue to pray for her ROP test.  Her eye development is of course ongoing. We pray that her eyes will just continue to remain the same or even improve!
• Upcoming- please pray for the time she will start to take a bottle or breastfeed.  Many micro preemies can develop an aversion to eating.  Please cover this in prayer as it is a very BIG thing that can impact her for a long time.  

• Edema- she has had some problems with this, and they have taken her off the meds for it a few times, but she hasn't done well with out the medicine so please pray her kidneys would start working and keeping her water retention down. 

Here is  video I made for the virtual shower, it shows how far Karis has come in 12 weeks! What a miracle and testament to God's power and Grace <3 br="br">