“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 119:14

How magnificent is the Lord in His grace and mercy and how awesome are the works of His hands!  Looking at little Seraya we are convinced of this over and over – His sovereignty is unspeakable!

Seraya needed to have several blood transfusions through the night on Saturday and Sunday turned out to be somewhat of a ‘stable’ day. 

Sunday night they met with the doctor to receive a head to toe evaluation of her overall condition.  Since Group B Strep was contracted in-vitro this makes Seraya’s situation very serious as it is fatal to infants.  She is currently being treated with antibiotics but it is too early to tell if they are being effective.

Her lungs, as stated earlier are quite underdeveloped and the administration of steroids did little to help them develop more quickly due to the infection in her blood.

She is still currently on the ventilator but was not responding well to it because she is so small so they administered surfactant which is a compound that is intended to reduce the tension and strain on her lungs.

The bleeding that she developed in her brain is also quite serious and the doctors continue to be concerned about this and the discolouration of her stomach which is also caused by internal bleeding.  The doctors think that this is slowly draining on its own so we are thankful for this. 

Late Sunday night Alaina was able to hold her little girl for the first time!  They said they wanted to start off with just 10 minutes which they gladly accepted and in the end were able to extend that to about an hour!  What an immense blessing!

Last night, (Monday), the doctors told Brian and Alaina that Seraya could breath the level of oxygen that the rest of us can!!  They didn’t need to add oxygen, (as they had been doing), to give her a boost when she needed it. 

When Brian and Alaina came back to the NICU this morning (Tuesday) the doctors and nurses told them that they were starting Seraya on a different ventilator which puts less pressure on her lungs and will have less adverse long term effects as the one she was on.  The ventilator is still helping her but she is partially breathing on her own!  This is being done in the hopes that she will have to work a little bit, encouraging the muscles to start taking over.  For this, Brian and Alaina are very thankful!!   

They also heard today that her stomach is looking quite a bit better and if things continue to progress they hope to start feeding her soon.

Brian and Alaina are so happy to be able to pass on some small bits of good news.  Today they felt they could relax a little bit and not be so anxious.  They realize every day will have its ups and downs but they are just thankful for the progress she was able to make today!

On Monday Brian and Alaina were able to move into the Ronald McDonald House.  They still request only immediate family for visiting and that their privacy be maintained.  Seraya is a very sick little girl and their time, energy and thoughts are consumed by her progress and prayers for her at this time. 

Updates will be posted when possible but Brian and Alaina and their families thank everyone for their thoughts, expression of concern and prayers.  They truly feel lifted up and comforted by our Father in Heaven through the outpouring of the communion of saints!

“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40: 29-31