Saturday, May 30, 2009

A Little Visitor

I found this little guy in our backyard when I took Kona out this evening (after getting home from a date which included dinner at Stevi B's - with a coupon - and a movie at the dollar theater; total price - $16.68. Now that's a Hotalen date!).




He didn't look too happy with us. He just sat and stared at us staring at him.



Kona was surprisingly uninterested. He's a sweet dog. Not a smart one.


Don't you just want to take him home and make him your fluffy little birdy pet?


I think his name should be Pierre. He looks French to me.


Maybe it's the aloofness.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Jack's Memorial Service

The service for Jack was last night. Everything went well and it was really a very nice time of celebrating his short life. So many friends and family came out to support Shannon and George and we all really appreciated the outpouring of love. Several members of the family shared testimonies. Here's the text of what I was able to share:

"When my I first heard that Jack was sick and might not make it, my first response was sadness followed quickly by anger. Where was God? Why was He allowing this to happen? But over the two weeks we got to share with him, my heart changed.

When we first got to CHOP two days after Jack’s birth, I expected my sister, who is so crazy about her kids, to be devastated. And she was. But she was also drawing so much strength from her faith in God. I watched her and George over those two weeks exemplify what it means to really, truly trust God. I know their hearts were breaking at the thought of losing Jack, but over and over again I heard them say that they KNEW God was able to heal him and they KNEW His will for Jack was perfect. No matter how much they wanted Jack to stay here with us, they trusted that whatever happened God was still good, still in control and still the perfect, loving God they believed him to be before Jack got sick.

I also watched their beautiful example of love for each other. All marriages go through tough times, but I can’t imagine anything tougher than this. And Shannon and George allowed all of those around them to see what real love looks like. I watched them support each other, pray for each other, comfort each other. I watched each allow the other to cry when they needed to, laugh when they wanted to and grieve in their own way.

And I watched hundreds of people – many who have never even met Shannon, George or Baby Jack – pull together to pray for him, faithfully for two weeks. I saw close friends and strangers touched by Jack’s story and his parents example of faith.

Shannon – as my big sister, you have always been my idol. But never more than now. Thank you for showing me such a perfect example of faith; of what it really means to trust God in every circumstance. Even when we don’t understand His plans.

Shannon and George – thank you for your example of true love. Thank you for allowing us to learn by watching you. Thank you for showing Jamie and I what a Godly marriage looks like even in the toughest of circumstances.

And Jack – thank you for the two weeks you spent with us. Thank you for allowing God to use your short life to draw many of us, including me, closer to Him. I will miss you little buddy, but I so look forward to the day we can worship our Savior together.

I still don’t know why God allowed this to happen. But I can still trust Him. And I’m no longer asking where He is. He’s right here and has been all along. And though I’m heartbroken over Jack’s death, I know God is still in control and He is good. No matter what happens, He is still good."

Friday, May 15, 2009

Remembering Baby Jack

Memorial services for Jack will be held Wednesday May 20th at Laurel Hill Bible Church, 1260 Blackwood Clementon Rd. Clementon, NJ. The service will start at 7:00 PM and you may arrive at 6:00 PM if you wish to visit with the family beforehand. There will also be refreshments served in the church fellowship center following the service.

Shannon and George would like anyone who would like to share how Jack has touched their lives to write down their thoughts and email them to us. These will be displayed in the welcome center of the church on Wednesday night. You may email George and Shannon directly, send a message to my mom's Facebook inbox with the subject "Memorial Service", or leave a comment here. Just be sure to let me know you want it shared at the service.

We are all so thankful for your kind words and prayers over the past couple of days. I wanted to let you know that Shannon and George have suggested that anyone who wants to honor Jack's memory could send a donation to Compassion International or consider sponsoring a child. There is a button now on my sidebar to take you directly to Compassion's website.

People have asked about meals and their financial needs. They have requested that instead of prepared meals, gift cards to grocery stores or restaurants would be more useful at this time.

Thank you again for all your love, support and prayers!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

With Hope

Our Baby Jack is home with Jesus.

God is Still Good

We may not have our sweet little baby boy with us for much longer. He's struggling to get the oxygen he needs, and the doctors are saying they cannot turn his ventilator up anymore. He's having some bleeding on his lungs and doctors are afraid any more pressure in them will cause him to bleed more severely. While adjusting his ventilator could buy him more time, the bleeding would eventually lead to his death and would be painful for him. Doctors are encouraging Shannon and George to have him taken off the ventilator. Right now, we are at CHOP waiting for George's family to join us. Once they are here and have gotten a chance to see him, doctors will be taking him off the ventilator. There is always the possibility that Jack could start breathing on his own. This would take a miracle, but we know God is more than able. If we don't get that miracle, Jack may live off the ventilator for only a short while or he may hang on for several more hours.

Pray that we get our miracle.

Please be praying for Shannon and George as they deal with this heartbreaking time in their lives. Pray that God would strengthen them and comfort them and show us how to best support them. Pray that God's will is done in this little one's life and that we are all able to trust in His loving sovereignty. And pray for the lives that have been touched by Jack in his short time with us.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Oh My Stinkin' Goodness

Not that my night with the girls was crazy or anything, but today, after having spent the past 18 hours with Shannon in her house, I got home and checked Jack's Facebook group to see if there were any new updates. To say that Christin had a stomach bug would be grossly understating the magnitude of the yuckiness we encountered last night. Poor little Christin was absolutely miserable, and while I'll spare you the details suffice it to say there was more than one point during the night that I vowed to NEVER have children of my own. Christin was ill, Lindsey was beyond exhausted but refusing to sleep choosing to scream instead. At one point, I was holding Lindsey - in absolute hysterics - in one arm and holding back Christin's hair and "assisting" her with the other. It was a bit insane for a while there. But we all managed to get a few hours of sleep and after several truly miserable hours, Christin seemed to rebound quickly. And I may just be willing to give Jack and the girls a cousin or two at some point. But I'm shipping them up to Aunt Shannon's house if they ever get the stomach flu.

Jack is holding steady and is trending upward again, but very slowly. Doctors were considering trying to run his new pic line again today, but I haven't yet heard if that's a sure thing. Shannon and George have a meeting today - right now actually - with Jack's doctors and hopefully I will have some news from that meeting soon. In the mean time, prayer requests remain the same: liver function, kidney function, lots and lots of urine!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

So I Don't Get in Trouble...

I wanted to jump on here really quick for a super brief update. I'm at Shannon's again for the night helping with the girls (who are NOT thrilled about bedtime today!!).

Jack had a decent day and his urine output was up from the previous days, but not what it needs to be. They tried to move his pic line from his belly button to his arm or leg. The veins around the belly button close as a newborn grows and cannot be used for too long. They were unable to run them and the poor little guy had to endure a few attempts in his right arm and leg before they decided to wait. They'll try again later; possibly tomorrow, but I'm not totally sure on that.

Shannon said she did see him open his eyes at one point, so that was very sweet for her to see! He's still with us and fighting!!

He had a good day, but he still needs to have some major improvement in his kidneys and liver. Keep praying!!

Monday, May 11, 2009

A Note About Visiting

Shannon and George wanted me to let you all know that they are so grateful for the cards, calls and visits (not to mention meals, babysitting, etc.!) everyone has offered. They (as well as the rest of us!) really appreciate the support and love they've been shown over the past couple of weeks. They love having people stop by to see them and to pray for them and Baby Jack at the hospital. Now that their schedule is changing, Shannon and George will only have a couple of hours a day together with Jack, so they are asking that anyone who wants to come by does so before 2 or after 5:30-ish. Just give them a buzz or send a text message - probably better since they can't take calls at Jack's bedside - when you're planning on stopping by and they'll let you know if they're available. Sometimes they are meeting with doctors, sleeping or otherwise taking care of things and can't see anyone and would hate to have you drive up there if they can't see you. Thanks so much for your love, care, concern and prayers. We have been really, truly blessed by all of you!!

A Much Belated Update

I apologize for not updating yesterday. Our Mother's Day was a bit frantic. Jack had a bad night on Saturday, and by Sunday afternoon they did not think he was going to last much longer. All of his supportive machines were turned up as high as they could go and he was still struggling.

Thankfully, our little fighter once again pulled through. He's still in very critical condition but he's hanging on. Yesterday, the swelling started effecting his lungs and his ventilator had to be turned up again, but he has been able to pass some urine today (on track for about .65 by the end of the day - remember 2 is desired) and they've been able to tweak a few things to help his oxygen intake. Today they have been able to turn down the ventilator a bit. George said he is basically back to where he was last weekend.

Basically, his kidneys are not functioning well and his liver isn't functioning. They cannot do anything to make these organs work, so he is on what they call "supportive care", which means they are doing everything they can to buy him time so his body can repair itself. It is possible for him to stay like this for a long time. Technically his kidneys and liver could start working at any time, but it is likely it will be a long, long road. The prayer is that he can keep fighting until this happens and does not get to a point where his body is too damaged to keep going.

I'm sorry it took me so long to get you all these updates. I know so many people were worried yesterday and I hope most of you were able to get some info from Facebook. Last night Shannon came home for the first time to sleep in her own bed and get some time with the girls. I stayed with her to help with the grunt work, since she still can't lift her daughters or drive. Lindsey welcomed her by developing a small stomach bug and vomiting a few times for Mommy. So I was a bit busy last night and this morning helping with the girls. I hope you all can forgive me!!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Weary But Hopeful

I don't even know what to write tonight. Jack is still struggling and did not have a good day today. His urine output was only about .5 (it needs to be around 2) and he continues to look very swollen. Yesterday Shannon told us he weighs 11 pounds with the excess fluid but his "dry" weight is only about 7 lbs. 2 oz. It looks very uncomfortable for the poor little guy. My heart breaks for him.

Please keep praying for his kidneys and liver. He could really use a miracle. And God has shown us He can do that.

Virtual Prayer "Meeting"

Jack's kidneys are not doing as well as we would hope today. We haven't been up to see him yet, but Shannon tells us his urine output is low and his swelling has increased.

Shannon and George's small group from church is asking everyone to spend some time in prayer for Jack tomorrow (Sunday May 10th), at 6:00 PM EST. Please join us in praying for his healing, specifically his liver and kidneys. Pray that they would be functioning normally and our little guy will start seeing some dramatic improvements soon!!

Note from Vanessa James (friend and small group memeber) on Jack's Facebook group:
"Every time we check this page we are amazed at how many people have signed up to pray for baby Jack. Whether you know George and Shannon or not, you're support for their beautiful baby boy and their family has been overwhelming. And, on a personal note, you have been an encouragement to everyone who is concerned for Jack. It's just nice to know you're out there.

Last night, when the “Young Couples” Bible Study that George and Shannon participate in gathered to pray for baby Jack and the DeVol family, we couldn't help admitting to each other the feelings of complacency creeping in among us all. That's when we had an idea . . .

We know you're already praying, but we ask for you to join us, Sunday, May 10th 2009 at 6:00 P.M. EST in specific prayer for baby Jack.

The Bible tells us in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

This Mother's Day, at 6:00 P.M., we ask you to specifically pray for Jack's liver to heal and to show signs of improvement this week.

It's easy for the non-believer to dismiss the miracles of God we see everyday, but whenever I see a picture of baby Jack or read a new update about another hour in this child's life, I thank God for the miracle he's working. Your prayers have been answered. Over and over they have been answered. Please join us in praying for another miracle, and trust in your faith that God will hear our prayers.

Thank you,

The Young Couples Bible Study"


Shannon also added a note there including a link which provides a medical description of what happened to Jack in utero:
I found an article that explains a little bit of what happened in utero to lead to Jack's condition.
I am still searching for an article that really explains what is going on now in his little body. As you are reading here are some answers to questions you may have:
1. When did I aquire these antibodies? I had a blood transfusion when I had an ectopic rupture in 2005 (after Christin, before Lindsey)
2. Why didn't this happen with Lindsey? Apparently Lindsey had a different blood type without any of the antigens that I have antibodies to.
3. How was I monitored? I had regular tests to check my antibody levels and doppler ultrasounds every six weeks. These never showed a reason for concern.
I will keep searching for an article that explains his current condition.
Keep Praying!


Don't forget to join us in prayer tomorrow at 6:00 PM EST!!!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Brief Update

I wish I could report that Jack is doing better than he actually is. The report yesterday that his urine output is up where it needs to be was a little off because of a misunderstanding with the doctors. His kidneys are doing better than they were a week ago, but they still have a long way to go. And his liver really needs to start healing. It's the liver problems that are causing the swelling and also effect his ability to clot, so every time he must be stuck for tests or IV's they have trouble stopping the bleeding.

Please keep praying for him and his family. Shannon and George are going to change up their schedule this weekend so that one of them can be home with the girls while the other is with Jack. Unfortunately, Jack will probably be at CHOP for a long, long time so they are having to figure out what their schedules will look like taking care of two kiddos at home and one in the NICU. Staying with him all day every day is just not feasible. While this will be hard on them, I'm sure the girls are looking forward to being back at their own house and spending more than a couple hours a day with Mommy and Daddy (though they must be getting used to the hospital routine; today as we pulled up to the hospital Lindsey pointed out the window and said, "Home! Home!" Not quite Linds, but it's starting to feel that way, isn't it?).

Please don't grow tired of praying for Jack. He is going to need his prayer team for the long haul. He is still very critical and has a long road of healing ahead of him. We all know how easy it is to grow weary of praying when we aren't seeing great strides, but please don't stop lifting him and his family up in prayer!! We are so grateful for it!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

One Week Birthday! :)

Jack has been with us now for one week - amazing when we consider how 6 days ago we thought he was not going make it through his first weekend. But he continues to fight like a real little trooper. We had a little party with brownies and Chick-Fil-A in the hospital cafeteria tonight and celebrated Jack's first week of life.

Good news for today: George told us at dinner that Jack is on track to produce two units of urine today. Two is the optimum number. At first, he was only producing .03 and has gradually worked his way up. This is great news for his kidneys!! Unfortunately, his liver is not following suit. Shannon said the "liver people" (I'm sure that's the technical term for them) were not happy with the condition of his liver currently and that it has been severely damaged. This is what's causing all the swelling in his little body and some bruising around his midsection. It is possible for his liver to fix itself as his kidneys have and the doctors are hoping this will be the case. We are all praying extra hard to see some improvements. Pray for his bilirubin numbers to go down, his liver enzymes to stabilize, the swelling to go down, and a decreased need for blood products.

Doctors are still waiting to see if his brain is damaged and how severely. We want to see him wake up soon! Tonight when I was with him, he wiggled a bit when I tickled his side and gripped my finger when I touched his hand. These were both very faint, not full-strength normal baby movements. But I was still happy to see him moving! It was great to have him grab my finger - the first time he's ever done that with me. Be praying that he will become more alert and that there is no brain damage!!

Other prayer requests are that he would be less dependent on his ventilator and that he would be able to receive more calories, fat and fluid (the swelling has to go down before they can increase his nutrition intake).

Thanks so much for all your prayers!! I'll try to get some more recent pictures of Jack soon!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wednesday Night Jack Update

Just got home from the hospital visiting our little man. He may be only a week old and very sick, but this little guy brings us so much joy. Just to be with him and touch his little hands and feet and see the beautiful movement of his chest rising and falling is wonderful. Every moment with him is a gift, and all of us are so thankful to have more time with him.

Tonight after we got back from the hospital, I put Jack's almost-2-year-old sister Lindsey to bed. Because I was the only one here with her, because I'm a big pushover and hate to hear my nieces cry, and because I get to spend precious little time with them and figure I can't mess them up too much in just a few short days, I let her sit with me in the living room until she fell asleep instead of putting her in her crib. She sat on my lap, head on my shoulder, arms wrapped around my neck as she drifted off and I sat there hoping and praying for a day that I'll be able to snuggle with Jack and feel his little arms hugging me, too.

His doctors say he's had a "general upward trend". So that is, of course, a good thing. But the progress seems to be slower than they would like. He's moving his mouth a little bit and tonight reacted when my mom touched his bottom lip, but we're still hoping to see more alertness and movement. He has not opened his eyes since they stopped giving him sedatives and he is still not moving his extremities at all. We're looking to see some baby wiggles soon!! The more normal baby stuff he does, the better! And of course, more and clearer urine remains a constant prayer request!! (This is without a doubt the first time I've ever heard so many people praying so fervently for tinkle!!)

Please don't stop praying and know that we are grateful to each and every one of you for your part in the miracles that we've seen in Jack's little life!!

I know Jack has some people in his prayer corner who've never met my sister and her family. So for those of you who haven't seen Shannon, George and the girls, here they are:

Please keep praying!!!

This is just a brief post to ask you all to KEEP PRAYING for Jack! He has not shown any improvements over the past 12 hours or so and he really needs to make some strides. Please pray extra hard that he will begin waking up soon! It has been amazing to see God answer prayers for this little boy. Please don't stop!!

For those of you who don't have Facebook, here's a note George left on the wall of Jack's group:

"Today is the first day we have been able to check this page. We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and prayers from friends, family, and strangers. Please know that your prayers are felt and effective. We know that God answers the prayers of the righteous and that he listens to the persistant and you have been both those things. Please keep up the good work:)

Know also that we are praying for you. When we feel we are out of things to pray for Jack we turn our thoughts to praying for all of you. We thank God for you and pray that he will give you the stamina to keep praying Jack through the long road he has ahead of him.

We love you all!
In Christ's Love,
George and Shannon"

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Some Brief Updates

We just got back from our daily visit to CHOP to see Jack, Shannon and George. Everyone is doing well. Jack is doing well on the new ventilator, and the whole family agreed it was good to see his little chest rising and falling (on the old ventilator this didn't happen). Shannon told us they are still looking to see more, clearer urine. An EEG done on his brain showed no significant damage, which of course is wonderful news. There is still much that needs to happen before his full prognosis is known, but every positive sign is an answer to prayer.

Another item to add to your prayer list along with his kidney and general organ function: Doctors are wanting to see Jack wake up. They have not been giving him sedatives and if his kidneys are working and flushing out the sedatives from earlier, he should start to open his eyes more. Obviously this is something we would LOVE to see!! It would be great to see our little man looking more alert. Tonight one of the nurses suctioned some fluid from his mouth and he seemed to respond, so that was encouraging.

Best moment of the day for me personally: Shannon told us one of the doctors said they would like to do an MRI but that can wait and they may do it next week. It was just so wonderful to hear them planning to do something for him several days from now. It has been so touch and go that to hear the doctors planning ahead for him is great!!

Thank you for your continued prayers!!

Updates

Last night doctors switched Jack's ventilator to a more mobile, gentle one. They're hoping this will help him to get more oxygen and to breathe more on his own. He has taken a few breaths on his own this morning. He can be moved more easily now, so hopefully today they will perform an MRI to look at his brain and his other organs. He's still producing urine, but needs to be making more.

Several people have asked how Shannon and George are doing, so I'll do my best to answer that question.

Anyone who knows my sister and her husband knows that they love and adore their children and also that they are two people with a huge amount of faith and trust in God. They were absolutely thrilled to be having this little boy and want him to be with them for a long, long time. So of course, seeing him so ill and not knowing if he's going to live has been very hard on them.

But they trust that Jack is in God's hands. They consider every moment they have with him a blessing and know that God is watching over him and knows what is best for him.

Physically, Shannon is still recovering. Having her c-section and then having to get back on her feet right away to be with Jack has been tough. She's sore and has had some swelling in her legs from being up too much. She's getting better, but she could definitely use prayers for her healing, too.

We've also had people ask what they can do for Shannon, George and the girls. Right now, the girls are with my parents and Shannon and George are staying at CHOP with Jack. Their biggest need is just prayer. Friends and church family have offered to cook meals and do laundry and things are pretty well covered for now. So please just continue to pray and we'll let everyone know if there's something the DeVols need.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and love!!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Monday Night Updates



We just got back from the hospital about 30 minutes ago. While we were there, Jack started peeing!! Hallelujah :) The more urine he's passing the better! It indicates kidney function, and that is his most critical need right now. George gave us some notes he had taken from a meeting with the doctor outlining Jack's needs like this:

#1 Priority: Kidney function. Over the next 24-48 hours Jack's kidney function NEEDS to start improving. This is absolutely vital for his survival. The fact that he was passing urine when we were there is an excellent sign, but there still needs to be a significant increase in the amount he's passing to show real improvement.

#2 Priority: Heart/oxygen levels. He needs to be able to get adequate oxygen to his lungs and the valve in his heart needs to close. So far, they have been able to gradually decrease the amount of oxygen he's receiving from his ventilator. This is a good sign, but we still need to see continued improvement.

#3 Priority: Brain function. As we've been saying, doctors have no idea what damage there is or the extent of the damage due to swelling and lack of oxygen. Once his kidneys and oxygen level improve, they will be able to learn more about the brain. He needs an MRI done on his brain to show the possible damage. Right now he is sedated because he needs to be still and sleeping while on the ventilator. Once the kidney function and oxygen levels begin to improve and he is not so sedated, we'll be able to watch for "normal" baby things like crying, wanting to eat and squeezing fingers to indicate brain function.

As we've been saying recently, the kidneys are the most important prayer need right now. Everything else is dependent on the kidney function. So pray specifically for the pee to keep coming!! As my mom's friend said, it's the "golden elixir of life"!!

More News on Jack

Doctors say today that Jack is stll "treading water" - he has not progressed at all but does not seem to be regressing either. The major concern and prayer request is for is kidney function. Right now they are only functioning nominally on their own. His inability to expel fluids causes swelling in his body which means his lungs and other organs don't have room to grow and function properly. Doctors say that it is reasonable to expect his other organs to greatly improve if his kidney function improves. Please pray that this will happen soon! It needs to happen in the next few days if he is going to survive.

Another pressing concern is Jack's heart valve. In utero, babies have a hole that allows blood to pass between the heart chambers. This normally closes on its own, but because Jack was premature and under so much physical stress, it has not. Doctors say they can give him medication to close the hole, but they hesitate to do so because he is already so medicated. It needs to be closed in order for oxygen to circulate through his heart and to the rest of his body.

We do not know much about his brain function or how severely his brain may have been damaged from his other health problems. Unfortunately, his movements seem to be lessening and this most likely means his brain is sustaining damage.

Please pray for his kidneys to start funtioning and his heart valve to close properly!!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Jack Update

Tonight around 10:00 we got a message from Shannon saying Jack's numbers were dropping and to please pray. Mom quickly spread the word to start praying and we all hurried over to CHOP to be with him.

Once again, God was listening and Jack rallied. Apparently too many adjustments had been made to the different medications and machines that are supporting him. The combination of all these changes at once had caused him stress and his oxygen numbers had started to drop from the high 90's to the low 80's (100 is perfect). But by the time we had reached the hospital, he was beginning to stabilize.

It's just past midnight as I write this and Jack, his parents, and his little sisters are all getting some much needed sleep. In a few minutes, we'll be heading home also to get some rest ourselves!

Continue to pray for stability and improvement throughout the night. You all have no idea how much the prayers of our friends and family have meant to Jack and his family!!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Jacob Price "Jack" DeVol


Thursday April 30, 2009 1:51 PM 7lbs. 2oz.

On Thursday, my sister's baby had to be delivered via c-section. We knew she was going to need a c-section, and it was originally scheduled for May 5th. But problems with the baby led to it being moved up.

A few years ago, Shannon needed an emergency blood transfusion. The blood she received was not an exact match with her own and so her body developed antibodies against certain proteins in the donor blood. This can become a problem when she's pregnant because her own body will attack her baby's blood if any of these proteins are present. I hope that was a decent enough explanation.

Throughout her pregnancy, the baby was monitored to make sure he did not become anemic (a sign that his blood was being destroyed by antibodies in Shannon's body). He did great all along, but last week Shannon noticed he was moving less and scheduled an ultrasound with her doctor. The doctor felt that the baby was becoming anemic and had to be delivered early to receive a transfusion. We all - including the doctors - thought he would be delivered, receive a blood transfusion and then be a normal, healthy baby.

Unfortunately, Jack's body had trouble accepting the transfused blood. Each time the doctors would give him a transfusion (3 total, I believe), his own blood would break down the donor blood. This caused him to become more severely anemic as the oxygen level in his blood dropped lower and lower. Because he did not have enough oxygen circulating in his body, his organs began to fail. His liver became a main concern and he was transferred to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. When he arrived at CHOP on Friday night, he was in such bad shape that they did not expect him to survive the night. As soon as we heard about his condition, Jamie and I headed right up to New Jersey to be with him and my family.

Thankfully he made it through the night, and continues to fight. His liver and kidneys were a main concern because he did not appear to be passing urine. This caused him to become very swollen as the fluids they were pumping into him were not being passed through his system. Thankfully, a check of his catheter showed it had become dislodged and when it was replaced, he passed a large amount of urine. A baby peeing has never been such good news before!! It means that his liver and kidneys are functioning at least to some extent and already the swelling has begun to subside.

The long-term effects on his system are not yet known. Currently he is in stable but serious condition - an upgrade from last night, but he's still no where near out of the woods. He may continue to surprise us by regaining more and more organ function, but as of right now, we just don't know. If he makes it, we're not sure what organs will be effected and what problems this may cause long-term. A brain scan was performed earlier today and hopefully we'll know the results sometime tonight.

Please keep little Jack in your thoughts and prayers, as well as his family - especially Shannon as she tries to be there for her little boy and recover from her c-section. She was discharged barely more than 24 hours after the procedure to accompany Jack to CHOP. Right now, every time we've prayed for a miracle, our prayers have been answered. Pray this continues!! My whole family appreciates the prayers and support from everyone!!