Remembering Danny

Here is a video that Diana and Angie put together for Danny's funeral that I have wanted to share with you.  Diana translated it into English so that you could enjoy it!

I so want to write about how we are doing, all of the feelings and dealings around our hearts and home, but I am still struggling to put all of that into words.

We are heading out this morning to go camping with the kids for a week.  We had agreed to go camping as a family when Danny got out of the hospital.  Since he is no longer in the hospital it is time to go camping! We are praying that it be a relaxing, special time as a family and will help us adjust to our new normal and launch us back into school and our other activities upon our return.

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Danny's Funeral and Burial/El Funeral y Entierro de Daniel

Danny's casket at the funeral with the Fishers of Men crusade shirt that he never got to wear, given to him by Adrian.

El ataud de Danny en el funeral y la playera de las caravanas de Pescadores de Hombres que nunca llego a poner.  Fue un regalo de Adrian. 

Our precious Danny

Nuestro Precioso Danny 

Some of his siblings saying goodbye

Algunos de sus hermanos despidiendose 

The service

El servicio 

We will choose to praise the Lord

Escogeremos alabar al Senor

We asked for balloons at the funeral to celebrate Danny's life! 

Quisimos tener globos en el funeral para celebrar la vida de Danny!

Praise Jesus for so much love and support!

Gracias a Dios por tanto amor y apoyo! 

 Victor and a part of his family.

Victor y una parte de su familia.

Walking to the burial.

Caminando al entierro.

I thank the Lord for my husband who slept on the hospital floor for an entire month and who has been strong at our side!

 Le doy gracias a Dios por mi esposo quien se durmio en el piso de hospital todo un mes y quien ha estado fuerte a nuestro lado.

 The cemetery

El cemeterio

Starting to dig the hole...many of the men who have played an important role in Danny's life

Empezando a escarbar el hueco...muchos de los hombres que han jugado un papel importante en la vida de Daniel 

Daddy helping dig Danny's grave...Jesus help us!

Papa ayudando a escarbar la tumba de Daniel...Jesus ayudanos!

Adrian digging...God give us strength!

Adrian escarbando...Dios da nos fuerza!

The two grandmas

Las dos abuelas

Danny's siblings: Leo, Fatima, Alejandro, Miguel and Daddy carrying Danny's casket

Los hermanos de Danny: Leo, Fatima, Alejandro, Miguel y Papa cargando el baul de su hermanito 

Saying goodbye!

Diciendo adios!

 Sweetheart, I miss you so!

Mi amor, te extrano tanto!

David spent most of the funeral and burial stationed right there....at Danny's head! His first question when he understood that Danny had died was: "Who am I going to play with?" 

 David paso la mayoria del funeral y entierro aqui mismo...a la cabeza de Daniel! Su primera pregunta cuando entendio que Daniel habia muerto fue: "Con quien voy a jugar?"

Jesus will help you, David!

Jesus te ayudara, David!

Another kiss!
Otro beso!

Thank you Jesus, for all of those who attended the burial and helped us transition into our new life without Danny! Gracias, Jesus, por todas las personas que asistieron al entierro y nos ayudaron a hacer la transicion a la vida sin Daniel!

  

Daddy, Josiah and Grandpa helping fill in the grave

Papa, Josias y Grandpa ayudando a llenar la tumba

Placing flowers

Poniendo flores

Victor and I with Danny's two sets of grandparents at his grave

Victor y yo con los dos pares de abuelos en su entierro

Danny's grave

El entierro de Daniel

Dinner at the house after the burial

La comida en la casa despues del entierro

A wonderful time of sharing and friendship that helped take the sting out of the day for a few hours
Un tiempo maravilloso de companerismo que ayudo a quitar el aguijon de ese dia por un par de horas

 Irma, Lolis and Diana
Irma, Lolis y Diana

 The faithful, loving, generous kitchen crew
El equipo fiel, amoroso y generoso de la cocina

We love you, sweetie! Can't wait to see you again...and hold you!

Te amamos, amor! No podemos esperar verte otra vez...y abrazarte y cargarte!

Goodbye....for now, Danny! Adios...por ahora, Daniel!

Many of you already know this, but our beloved son Danny went home to be with Jesus at 12:00 a.m., this Sunday, September 8th, 2013. So many are already saying: "I don't know what to say" Well, guess what? "I don't know what to say!" He went into cardiac arrest, they attempted to bring him back for 30 minutes and then we were able to hold him, sing to him and tell him "The Little Red Hen" one more time. Victor and I were with him for nearly an hour. Then we waited for the funeral home to make arrangements until 6:15 a.m. After that, we borrowed Ricardo and Susana's car and went to my in-laws where three of our kids had spent the night: Martita, Lolis and Fidel. We broke them the news and then took them home and told the rest of the kids. By then, we had already told Adrian, Vero and my Mom by phone. So, right now we are officially in a daze....we have cried, sang, read the Bible....we are having a private time with Danny at 5:00 p.m. and then an open-to-everybody service/showing/wake from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at our church. His burial is tomorrow at noon at the little cemetery at the bottom of our hill...near Aunt Patty and Cirino and Nancy's little girl Lucia. Thank you for sustaining us with your prayers! May God be glorified!

Es con gran tristeza y gran gozo que escribo para decirles que nuestro hijo amado, Daniel, se fue para estar con Jesus justo a medianoche para amanecer hoy domingo, 8 de septiembre, 2013. Muchas ya nos han dicho: "No se que decir." Y, adivinan que? Yo no se que decir! El entro en paro e intentaron 30 minutos reanimarlo. Luego nos dieron la oportunidad de estar con el: Victor y yo tomamos turnos cargandolo, cantandole, orando por el, por nosotros, le conte "La Gallinita Roja" una vez mas. Victor y yo estuvimos con el casi una hora. Luego esperamos para la funeraria hasta las 6:15 a.m. Entonces fuimos a la casa de mis suegros porque Martita, Lolis y Fidel habian quedado alli anoche para ir al primer culto hoy. Les dimos las noticias primero a ellos y luego juntos venimos a la casa para avisar a los demas de nuestros hijos. Ya les habiamos avisado a Adrian, Vero, mi Papa (quien llega hoy en avion) y mi Mama (quien sigue aqui en el Rancho).

Ahorita estamos, bueno, yo siento que estoy en un sueno, una nube....se que es real, pero me cuesta creerlo. Como familia, ya hemos llorado, y mucho, cantado, leido la Biblia.

Les invitamos a todos y cada uno de Uds. a acompanarnos hoy para celebrar los cinco anos de vida que Dios le dio a Danny y empezar a ser testigos de la Gloria de Dios que sabemos que se vera por medio de esta situacion. Lo estaremos velando en la Iglesia Cristiana de Paz, Zaragoza #7, Tlalpizahuac, Ixtapaluca, Edo. de Mexico de las 6:00 p.m. a las 10:00 p.m.

Su sepultorio sera manana, lunes, 9 de septiembre, a mediodia aqui en un panteoncito abajito de nuestra casa en el Rancho. Les pedimos que los que puedan y quieran que traigan un guisado para compartir tacos de guisado despues de su sepultorio.

Gracias por sus oraciones que nos estan sosteniendo! Que Dios sea glorificado!

Emergency Prayer Request

Another emergency prayer request: Thanks for riding this roller coaster with us! 

We hadn't had news of Danny all day and there was no visit at noon. At first we thought that was good, but as the afternoon wore on and there was no visit nor report we realized that it was probably because the doctor was too busy. Well, that second assumption was true....Danny and another baby, Armandito, have literally kept her running all morning! The Dr. came out a few minutes ago to so that Danny is doing very poorly. He started a wacked out arrhythmia at 9:00 this morning and his heart hasn't had a normal rhythm since. The Dr. shocked him once, upped his meds, added another med and he is barely responding to the medication...which means his heart is tiring out. She expected him to go into cardiac arrest, but she was able to pull him out of it before he did. The crash cart is back next to his bed and he is lying on the tablet they use when doing CPR just in case they need it! We re-expressed our desire to be present if Jesus calls him home!

Here's a new analogy for today: when we get good news I tell myself to not get excited because you know that it can change at any moment in time! But, yesterday I decided to fully rejoice in any good news because it is still good news! Although you tell yourself the bad news can come you really believe that the good news is the start of a string of good news.

So, here's the analogy: it's like blowing a bubble outside....you so enjoy that bubble's beauty, how it floats through the air, the colors that it reflects off the sun, how you can even see the clouds in the bubble. The whole time you are enjoying that bubble you know it is going to burst, but when it does pop you are disappointed! That is exactly how we are feeling right now! A few weeks ago when the kids came to visit, we blew bubbles out in front of the hospital. One of the bubbles was starting to go higher than the others...we all started cheering it on! It reached the first floor, then the second, looked like it was going to crash into the building, but pulled away and kept going up....another close encounter with the third floor windows and another tight escape....that bubble flew higher than the five story hospital! Even though that bubble blew out of sight, had it popped we would have been so disappointed, like happened with hundreds of others afternoon. Yesterday we enjoyed the bubbles of good news and that bubble has popped! Today we are looking at a smaller bubble and hoping with our entire being that it doesn't pop....but knowing that it is much more likely that it will pop than that it will simply disappear into the horizon.

Thank you for sustaining Danny, us and our family in your prayers! May God's perfect will be done! I so hope that my will is His will, but I KNOW that His will is good! So, may HIS will be done!

Interestingly, the woman that has become my best friend in cardio, Carla, is suffering. Her one year old son, Armandito, is doing very poorly. During this last month we have comforted each other when one of us has been sad or struggling, but right now we are both walking through the valley of the shadow of death! Please pray for her and her son, too!

We will be sitting on our metal yellow bench and waiting....waiting on the Lord! Good thing that He promises that those that wait on the Lord will renew their strength because I really need some of that right now!

P.S. Ditto the post below regarding "Blessed Be the Lord!"

Summary of Where Danny's At Now

THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY JULIE FOR FACEBOOK LAST NIGHT (SEPT. 6)  I (HER DAD) AM POSTING IT HERE ON SATURDAY.

Sorry for not updating last night....I had the update just about written and the money on my broadband ran out. It was 11:30 p.m. and no place to purchase more time on my broadband. (There is no internet in the hospital, but I have my laptop with me and my USB broadband.) But, we are back in business now. So, here is last night's update:

Today was a calm day...praise the Lord! I hadn't written an update because there wasn't much to update and, after all we lived through yesterday (Thursday), my brain wasn't much good for anything beyond the very basics today. I struggle with saying that Danny is doing "well" because that may imply that he is awake, talking, eating, sitting up, etc. We are a long away from any of that! The best description for his condition right now really is: "Danny is alive!" We saw him twice today. At the beginning of each visit the doctors ask me: "How are you?" My answer today was: "Thrilled to be at a visit with my son still alive!"

Praise Jesus that Danny is doing better now than this afternoon, and this afternoon he was doing better than this morning and this morning he was doing better than last night! However, to understand our new perspective of "better" please imagine a marathon race and then imagine moving one inch forward. That is "better" for us at this point in time! So, in that sense of the word "better", Danny is doing "better"...in other words, he moved forward an inch or so in his recovery. Please just remember that his simply being alive today is a miracle and a blessing...we really aren't too worried about making progress at this point. Our doctor told us from the get go, that as long as a patient in intensive care isn't going backwards he is moving forwards!

In summary:
*they are gradually reducing some of his medications...reducing means lowering the med by two tenths of a milliliter per hour, waiting to make sure that Danny reacts favorably, then lowering another med two tenths of a milliliter, waiting, etc. He currently has 11 IV pumps.

*he is TOTALLY sedated: I tell him stories, tell him what day of the week and what time it is, what his siblings are doing at home, sing to him and pray for him assuming he can hear me, but I have no indicator if he can or not. His eyes are taped shut so that they don't partially open on their own and bother him. He doesen't move his head, squeeze fingers or move at all. They plan on keeping him totally sedated until Sun. or Mon. because....

*as I previously mentioned they took his trach out. So, the hole in his neck is now covered by a special substance (I call it caulking, for lack of the right medical term in my vocabulary) and covered by gauze and tape. He is intubated with the ventilator going in through his mouth like he was after surgery. They keep him totally sedated because if he starts to move and air leaks out of his trach site, that will cause his heart to work harder, which they believe was partially what caused his heart attacks...leakage from around his trach. (He was leaking from around the trach because, due his malnutrition, his skin did not close in tight around the trach, allowing some of the air that was going in to escape back out again.) So, it is important he is totally still for now. However a HUGE praise is that his oxygen saturation when I went in to see him this evening was 99%! That is amazing! A normal human being should have an oxygen saturation of 99-100%. Danny has a normal saturation....I think that's the first time Danny has ever been normal! Before surgery, Danny lived with a daily oxygen saturation rate of 70-75%! After surgery, he was saturating at 85-90%, but we had never seen such good levels as today! Let's keep those numbers right there!

*more good news: they started him back on his IV nutrition, called TPN...he had been on a fast since his heart attacks and they hadn't expected to start him on the nutrition until Monday because there was a certain substance in his blood that skyrockets after a heart attack...it should be at a level 1, and yesterday it was at a level 10, but today the levels were back to normal, so they started him on the TPN. This is good because it will get some calories in him.

*his blood pressure and heart rate have been good, but are being controlled by medication, although he is no longer connected to the pacemaker! He hasn't had any arrhythmia today, although in my first visit today I watched his blood pressure plummet and they shot some extra medicine into him to bring it back up

*he continues to drain fluid from his right lung, this is due to the chylotorax condition he developed after surgery, but the fluid isn't accumulating and is draining well

*they moved the crash cart out of his room (There are 6 beds in Cardiac ICU in one big open area. However, there are two isolated beds that are set apart by glass walls. Danny is in one of those...so now the crash cart is out in the general area instead of right next to his bed.)

OK, I think that's everything! Was it enough to read? By now you probably had to refill your coffee cup!  Love you all!

Now the not so good news..../Y ahora las noticias no tan buenas....

Danny suffered another two heart attacks today at 4:15 p.m., numbers five and six for today. The doctors called us in, as we had requested, and watched the doctor do chest compressions and then shock him twice to get his heart back in rhythm. Danny is still with us! He is extremely unstable, but has a good heart beat and good heart pressure again and LOTS of medications! It was a surreal experience and I truly felt a peace that passes all understanding. With the same breath I said: "Lord, if it is your will, take him. Lord, breathe your life into him." My Jesus knows my heart: "Not my will be done, but yours, Father."

Thankfully our Pastor, his wife, two of my friends from church and Ricardo and Susana (our hosts where I sleep, we bathe, etc.) were downstairs, bringing us something to eat, at the time and could pray during and with us afterwards.

Danny sufrio dos paros hoy a las 4:15 p.m......la quinta y sexta del dia de hoy. Los doctores nos hablaron como habiamos pedido y miramos mientras el Dr. le hacia compresiones y luego dos veces con una carga electrica para regresar su ritmo cardiaca. Pero....Danny sigue aqui con nosotros! Esta extremadamente inestable, pero tiene un buen ritmo cardiaca y una buena presion y MUCHO medicamento. Fue una experiencia irreal y senti una paz que verdaderamente pasa todo entendimiento. Con el mismo respiro dije: "Senor, si es tu voluntad, llevalo. Senor, sopla su respiro de vida en el." Mi Cristo conoce mi corazon: "Que no se haga mi voluntad, Padre, pero la tuya."

Gracias a Dios que el Pastor Ruben, Ely, la Hma. Isabel, Bere, Ricardo y Susana estaban en planta principal y pudieron orar con nosotros despues de que paso.

Some Good News!

Dr. Palacios just came out from seeing Daniel and he said things are looking a bit better. He feels that most of Daniel's problems have been related to his breathing. After the trach, due to Danny's malnourished state, he did not heal tightly around the canula (the tube in this throat), so there was oxygen leaking out of that. That may have led to the other heart issues. Right now, with the ventilator going through his mouth, he is oxygenating much better and his heart is beating regularly and well. Praise Jesus! He is totally sedated. Since he is "stable" they are going to just leave him like that today and not move anything. They are considering doing a heart cath tomorrow to check his heart function and see what is going wrong on the inside, but are going to give him today to just rest. There is always a risk of another heart attack, but we are in a better position than just a few hours ago. Praise, praise, praise Jesus! He is soooooo merciful! We still trust Him to do His perfect will!

El Dr. Palacios acaba de salir de ver a Daniel y dice que los cosas se ven un poco mejor. El siente que los problemas de Daniel estan relacionados con su oxigenacion. Despues del traqueo, debido a su malnutricion, no se cerro la herida alrededor de la canula (el tubo que entra en su garganta), y habia oxigeno fugandose por alli. Esto puede haber causado algunos problemas con su corazon. Por ahora, con el ventilador por medio de su boca esta oxigenandose mucho mejor y su corazon esta en un ritmo normal. Gloria a Dios! Danny esta totalmente sedado. Ya que esta "estable", no le van a mover nada hoy para ver como evoluciona. Estan considerando hacer un cateterismo manana para checar su corazon y ver si encuentran lo que esta fallando adentro, pero le van a dar hoy para descansar. Siempre hay un riesgo de otro paro en cualquier momento, pero estamos ahorita un poco mejor que hace un par de horas. Alaben, alaben, alaben a Jesus! Es tan misericordioso! Todavia le confiamos para hacer su perfecta voluntad.

Some Good News

Two praises: Last night, after getting the bad report on Daniel, several other Moms came around to hear how things were going and hear Daniel's story. Four people accepted Christ last night: two Moms, a Grandma and a security guard!

Secondly, this morning when Danny went into cardiac arrest the doctors "just happened" to be at his bedside! All the CICU doctors were together doing their rounds and they watched his oxygen go down and realized the moment he went into cardiac arrest. They immediately started chest compressions....so the cardiac arrest was what they called "assisted". His brain was never without oxygen because they were right there. God is soooooo good!

Nos dijeron hace poco los doctores que Daniel esta un poco mas estable ahora que despues de sus cuatro paros cardiacos (no fueron simplemente paros respiratorios). Las cosas, por supuesto, pueden cambiar de un momento para el otro..solo queriamos decirles lo mas reciente! Victor y yo estamos aqui en sala de espera del hospital; los ninos estan en casa con mi mama y Vero. Los ninos saben lo que esta pasando y cancelamos escuela para hoy. Por favor, sigan orando por mi Mama, Vero y los ninos! Hemos llorado, hemos reido, orando?...lo hacemos con cada respirar. Como puedo expresar nuestros sentimientos? Sabemos la gravedad de la situacion en que nos encontramos y hemos pedido que si los doctores lo tienen que volver a reanimar que estemos presentes y que si ellos determinan que ya no se puede hacer nada que me lo pasen...lo quiero en mis brazos. Pero, NO HEMOS DEJADO DE CREER EN LA TOTAL E INDISCUTIBLE PODER DE DIOS DE LEVANTAR A DANNY Y SACARLO DE AQUI CORRIENDO! Dios es perfecto, Dios es bueno...que se haga su voluntad!

Danny Critical

Danny is extremely critical....he went into respiratory arrest four times this morning and was gone for a total of 16 minutes. Everytime they brought him back he was totally awake and aware, so they have sedated him. The doctors are clueless as to what is going on. He doesn't have clinical signs of a blood clot; they can't move him to do any testing; they are doing another ecosonogram right now, hoping that something shows up! The doctors haven't given up, Danny hasn't given up and they say we shouldn't either! They took out his trach and he is back on the ventilator through his mouth. We can't say thank you enough for your prayers!

Thursday Morning Report

Well, it is 7:18 a.m. and nobody came out to talk to us in the night! We finally fell asleep a little after 2:00 a.m. and got up at 6:30 a.m. The first official report they give us everyday is supposed to happen between noon and 2 p.m. The only reason they would come out before that is if something has gotten worse or if they have decided to do some kind of test, for example, the heart cath or the MRI. As soon as I know anything I will let you know! If you don't hear from me.....we trust that all is well and the Lord is moving in His power! We continued cradled in His arms through your prayers...thank you!

Bueno, son las 7:20 a.m. y nadie salio a hablarnos anoche! Gloria a Dios! Finalmente nos durmimos a las 2:00 de la manana y nos levantamos a las 6:30 a.m. El primer informe oficial de cada dia no es hasta entre mediodia y las dos de la tarde. La unica razon que nos dirian algo antes es que si hay algun problema o si han decidido hacer algun estudio...por ejemplo, el cateterismo o la tomografia. En cuanto nosotros sepamos algo, yo les aviso! Si no escuchan nada....seguimos confiando que alli van las cosas y que el Senor esta moviendose en su poder. Seguimos abrazados en los brazos del Senor por medio de sus oraciones. Muchas gracias!

Recent Posts from facebook

Posted by Dad (Dave) from Julie, a series of 3 posts from facebook.....

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Have you ever played Candy Land? When I was a little girl playing Candy Land with my brother and I was my father's parental sacrifice! Then, when I became a Mom, Candy Land was the ONLY board game our daughter Martha would play for over a year (and she played it many times a day) when she was about 6 years old. In Candy Land there are some special squares that are swamp squares. These colored squares have a block dot in the middle of them. (See accompanying picture). If you land on one of those squares you are stuck in the swamp and must stay there until you happen to choose a card the color of that square. Do you know how many turns it can take to, for example, pull a red card to get out of the red swamp?

Well, Danny landed on a swamp square and is stuck! Recently, as they have increased his nutritional intake to pull him out of his malnutrition, the drainage from his lungs has increased due to the chylotorax condition he developed after surgery. The doctors had taken him off the medication for the chylotorax because it was contributing to his heart arrhythmia which caused the need to be connected to the pacemaker. However, now that his nutrition is stalled, they need to start him on the chylotorax medication, but are risking the return of his heart arrhythmia. So, they are debating which is more important: meds for chylotorax to up his nutrition and risk heart arrhythmia, or no meds to prevent heart arrhythmia, but stall his nutrition. The last we heard they were leaning towards starting the med for chylotorax because his malnutrition seems to be contributing to the fact that he doesn't have the strength to get totally off the ventilator. (He lasted 8 hours on Mon. without the vent, but only 5 hours yesterday.) For now, the pacemaker will take care of any heart arrhythmia that would occur. However, if the chylotorax condition persists, and the heart arrhythmia returns with the use of the medication, then it may become necessary to implant a permanent pacemaker. We are praying for a miraculous "card of the right color" to get us out of the swamp we're stuck in!

We are so glad God is in control because I certainly don't know what He is up to! We will just have to continue to choose to trust...and we can trust because God is good and God is love and God has a perfectly good plan for each of us (good as He defines it, not as we define it in our finite earthly existence). But, I trust my Heavenly Daddy!

We only got to see Danny once again yesterday and only for 15 minutes! We looked at vacation pictures and he mouthed to me: "I want to go there!" Yeah, I do too, buddy! He seemed rather sad and was breathing quite labored, although he was back on the vent. I am so glad Jesus is always with him even thought I can't be. I just pray that Danny can feel Jesus and even see him and his angels, if necessary!

Our biggest prayer request? May God be glorified!

____________________________

Emergency prayer request: Danny is not doing well. His oxygen saturation (level) dropped way down today despite the fact that he is on the ventilator at its full settings. His heart rate is increasing (from 90 to 144 about an hour and a half ago) and his heart pressure was dropping. They started his heart pressure med again. He is very asleep but should be very awake because he has almost no sedation medication right now. They don't know why: the ecosonogram and x-rays show nothing. They suspect a possible blood clot, but don't know where. If his oxygenation keeps going down they will do a heart cath to look for the blood clot inside. Because he isn't able to wake up they believe it may be a blood clot in his brain, they need to do an MRI but that is too risky vs the benefit for now. So, throughout the night the doctor will be observing him: if the oxygen goes down, time for a heart cath. If he can't wake up, time for an MRI. If it is a blood clot and it gets stuck, then Danny will get to see Jesus before us! Please call out to our Lord and Savior, the perfect Healer, on Danny's behalf. We trust the Lord. We love the Lord. We will serve the Lord. But, we will call out to Him until He tells us to stop! Thank you!

_ucho en la tarde aunque el ventilador esta a todo lo que da. 
Sus latidos de corazon estan aumentando (de 90, lo normal, a 144 hace una hora y media y su presion arterial esta bajando. Ya le comenzaron su medicamento para la presion de nuevo. El esta muy dormido, pero deberia estar muy despierto porque tiene muy poco medicamento de sedacion. Los doctores no saben que esta pasando, solo que esta empeorando: sospechan un posible trombo, un coagulo de sangre. El ecosonograma y los rayos x no muestran nada. Lo van a estar observando durante la noche. Si su oxigenacion sigue bajando, tendran que hacer un cateterismo para buscar el coagulo por dentro. Si no lo pueden despertar, tendran que hacer una tomografia para buscar el coagulo en su cerebro.
Por favor, clamen a Dios por Daniel! Confiamos al Senor. Amamos al Senor. Serviremos al Senor. Pero, le clamaremos hasta que nos diga que no. Muchas gracias!
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From Victor: One time the little kids were talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up. I was just watching and listening...they didn't even know that I was there. Danny said that he wanted to be a pastor. I prayed and asked God to use him to preach to the people as a pastor. But, in these last 27 days, thanks to the fact that Daniel has been here at the hospital, there have been 7 people who have accepted Jesus Christ; we have given out about 50 Gospels of John with the plan of salvation inside and 15 New Testaments. Danny doesn't know that, but even now his life is leading others to the Lord. About two hours ago, I went in to see him and I prayed with him. Even though he didn't move he did squeeze my hand. I leaned down to his ear and told him: "Danny, I'm Papa. (That's when he squeezed my hand.)" I told him that his siblings were waiting for him at home, but that if it was time to go and be with Jesus that he would wait for us there. We will keep praying....asking God, that whatever His will may be, that He would be glorified!

Wednesday night, September 4, 2013/miercoles por la noche, 4 de septiembre, 2013

Emergency prayer request: Danny is not doing well. His oxygen saturation (level) dropped way down today despite the fact that he is on the ventilator at its full settings. His heart rate is increasing (from 90 to 144 about an hour and a half ago) and his heart pressure was dropping. They started his heart pressure med again. He is very asleep but should be very awake because he has almost no sedation medication right now. They don't know why: the ecosonogram and x-rays show nothing. They suspect a possible blood clot, but don't know where. If his oxygenation keeps going down they will do a heart cath to look for the blood clot inside. Because he isn't able to wake up they believe it may be a blood clot in his brain, they need to do an MRI but that is too risky vs the benefit for now. So, throughout the night the doctor will be observing him: if the oxygen goes down, time for a heart cath. If he can't wake up, time for an MRI. If it is a blood clot and it gets stuck, then Danny will get to see Jesus before us! Please call out to our Lord and Savior, the perfect Healer, on Danny's behalf. We trust the Lord. We love the Lord. We will serve the Lord. But, we will call out to Him until He tells us to stop! Thank you!

From Victor: One time the little kids were talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up. I was just watching and listening...they didn't even know that I was there. Danny said that he wanted to be a pastor. I prayed and asked God to use him to preach to the people as a pastor. But, in these last 27 days, thanks to the fact that Daniel has been here at the hospital, there have been 7 people who have accepted Jesus Christ; we have given out about 50 Gospels of John with the plan of salvation inside and 15 New Testaments. Danny doesn't know that, but even now his life is leading others to the Lord. About two hours ago, I went in to see him and I prayed with him. Even though he didn't move he did squeeze my hand. I leaned down to his ear and told him: "Danny, I'm Papa. (That's when he squeezed my hand.)" I told him that his siblings were waiting for him at home, but that if it was time to go and be with Jesus that he would wait for us there. We will keep praying....asking God, that whatever His will may be, that He would be glorified!

Peticion de oracion de emergencia: Danny no va bien. Su saturacion de oxigeno bajo mucho en la tarde aunque el ventilador esta a todo lo que da. 
Sus latidos de corazon estan aumentando (de 90, lo normal, a 144 hace una hora y media y su presion arterial esta bajando. Ya le comenzaron su medicamento para la presion de nuevo. El esta muy dormido, pero deberia estar muy despierto porque tiene muy poco medicamento de sedacion. Los doctores no saben que esta pasando, solo que esta empeorando: sospechan un posible trombo, un coagulo de sangre. El ecosonograma y los rayos x no muestran nada. Lo van a estar observando durante la noche. Si su oxigenacion sigue bajando, tendran que hacer un cateterismo para buscar el coagulo por dentro. Si no lo pueden despertar, tendran que hacer una tomografia para buscar el coagulo en su cerebro.

Por favor, clamen a Dios por Daniel! Confiamos al Senor. Amamos al Senor. Serviremos al Senor. Pero, le clamaremos hasta que nos diga que no. Muchas gracias!

De parte de Victor: Una vez los ninos pequenos estaban platicando entre si acerca de lo que quieran ser de grandes. Yo estaba cerca escuchando, pero ni se percataron de mi presencia. Danny dijo que queria ser pastor. Yo ore y le pedi a Dios que lo usara para predicarle a la gente como pastor. Pero, en estos 27 dias de estar en el hospital, han habido 7 personas que han aceptado a Cristo, 50 personas recibieron una copia del Evangelio de Juan con el plan de salvacion y 15 Nuevos Testamentos fueron regalados. Danny no sabe de eso pero debido a su vida ya hay gente salva y escuchando del amor de Cristo. Yo entre a verlo hace unas 2 horas y aunque no se movia me apreto la mano. Me acerque a su oido y le dije: "Danny, soy papa." Fue entonces que me apreto la mano. Le dije que sus hermanos lo estaban esperando en casa pero que si era tiempo que ir con Jesus que el nos podria esperar alla. Seguiremos orando...pidiendole a Dios; lo que El decida que todo sea para su gloria.

Wednesday morning, September 4, 2013/miercoles por la manana, 4 de septiembre, 2013

Day 27 of Hospitalization; Day 24 since surgery; Day 9 since tracheostomy

Have you ever played Candy Land? When I was a little girl playing Candy Land with my brother and I was my father's parental sacrifice! Then, when I became a Mom, Candy Land was the ONLY board game our daughter Martha would play for over a year (and she played it many times a day) when she was about 6 years old. In Candy Land there are some special squares that are swamp squares. These colored squares have a block dot in the middle of them. (See accompanying picture). If you land on one of those squares you are stuck in the swamp and must stay there until you happen to choose a card the color of that square. Do you know how many turns it can take to, for example, pull a red card to get out of the red swamp?

Well, Danny landed on a swamp square and is stuck! Recently, as they have increased his nutritional intake to pull him out of his malnutrition, the drainage from his lungs has increased due to the chylotorax condition he developed after surgery. The doctors had taken him off the medication for the chylotorax because it was contributing to his heart arrhythmia which caused the need to be connected to the pacemaker. However, now that his nutrition is stalled, they need to start him on the chylotorax medication, but are risking the return of his heart arrhythmia. So, they are debating which is more important: meds for chylotorax to up his nutrition and risk heart arrhythmia, or no meds to prevent heart arrhythmia, but stall his nutrition. The last we heard they were leaning towards starting the med for chylotorax because his malnutrition seems to be contributing to the fact that he doesn't have the strength to get totally off the ventilator. (He lasted 8 hours on Mon. without the vent, but only 5 hours yesterday.) For now, the pacemaker will take care of any heart arrhythmia that would occur. However, if the chylotorax condition persists, and the heart arrhythmia returns with the use of the medication, then it may become necessary to implant a permanent pacemaker. We are praying for a miraculous "card of the right color" to get us out of the swamp we're stuck in! 

We are so glad God is in control because I certainly don't know what He is up to! We will just have to continue to choose to trust...and we can trust because God is good and God is love and God has a perfectly good plan for each of us (good as He defines it, not as we define it in our finite earthly existence). But, I trust my Heavenly Daddy!

We only got to see Danny once again yesterday and only for 15 minutes! We looked at vacation pictures and he mouthed to me: "I want to go there!" Yeah, I do too, buddy! He seemed rather sad and was breathing quite labored, although he was back on the vent. I am so glad Jesus is always with him even thought I can't be. I just pray that Danny can feel Jesus and even see him and his angels, if necessary!

Our biggest prayer request? May God be glorified!

Dia 27 en el hospital; Dia 24 desde cirugia; Dia 9 desde su traqueostomia

Hay un juego en los Estados Unidos que cada padre o madre de algun nino pequeno problablemente haya jugado. Se llama Candy Land (vean la foto de abajo). En este juego vas dando la vuelta al tablero al tomar una tarjeta en cada turno y mover tu munequito a un cuadro del color correspondiente. Es un juego divertido para los peques y algo monotono para los padres. Cuando yo era nina, era el sacrificio de mi padre jugar ese juego con nosotros....pero nos amaba, asi que jugaba! Ya como Mama, nuestra hija Martha fue adicta y reina de este juego cuando tenia unos 6 anos. Pedia jugarlo varias veces al dia por mas de un ano entero! Bueno, hay unos espacios especiales y odiosos que son del "pantano". Dentro del cuadro de color hay un punto negro. Si caes en uno de estos lugares, te quedas atascado hasta que vuelvas a sacar una tarjeta del color correcto. Sabes cuantos turnos te puede llevar en sacar una tarjeta, por ejempo del color rojo, para salir del pantano rojo?

Bueno, parece que Danny ya se quedo atascado en el pantano! Recientemente, conforme le han ido incrementando su formula por su tubo de alimentacion, el liquido drenando de su cavedad pulmonar tambien se ha ido incrementando debido a la condicion de quilotorax que desarrollo despues de su cirugia. Los doctores le habian quitado el medicamento para el quilotorax porque causaba arritmia cardiaca (un ritmo no normal del corazon), lo cual hizo necesario contectarlo al marcapasos. Pero, ahora que se nutricion se esta afectando, se ven con la necesidad de comenzar de nuevo su medicamento para el quilotorax, sabiendo que eso puede causar la arritmia de nuevo. Asi que estan entre: comenzar su medicamento para el quilotorax para mejorar su nutricion aunque cause arritmia en su corazon, o dejarlo sin el medicamento para que no haya arritmia, aunque su nutricion se estanque un poco. Lo ultimo que nos comentaron es que estan mas convencidos de comenzar el medicamento de nuevo porque su desnutricion parece que esta afectando su habilidad de quitarse del ventilador porque esta muy debil. (El lunes duro 8 horas sin el ventilador, pero ayer solo duro 5 horas.) Por ahora, el marcapasos corregira cualquier arritmia que se presenta. Pero, si la condicion de quilotorax persiste, puede llegar a ser necesario un marcapasos permanente. Estamos orando que nos salga la "tarjeta milagrosa" del color correcto para sacarnos del pantano! 

Encontramos paz en el hecho de que Dios tiene el contro....que bien, porque yo no tengo idea de lo que El esta haciendo! Tendremos que seguir escogiendo el confiar....y podemos confiar porque Dios es bueno y Dios es amor y Dios tiene un plan perfectamente bueno para cada uno de nosotros (conforme Su definicion de bueno, no como nosotros lo definimos en nuestra existencia terrenal). Pero, yo confio en mi Papito Celestial!

Solo pudimos ver a Danny una vez ayer y por unos pocos 15 minutos! Vimos fotos de nuestras ultimas vacaciones en mi tableta y Danny movio sus labios para decirme: "Yo quiero ir alli!" Yo tambien, mi amor, yo tambien. Se veia algo triste y estaba respirando de manera bastante laborado, aunque tenia el ventilador puesto. Estoy tan agradecida de que Jesus siempre esta con el, aunque yo no pueda (y con nuestros otros hijos). Solo oro que Danny, y todos mis hijos, puedan sentir la presencia de Jesus con el (ellos), y si fuera necesario, pudiera(n) ver a Jesus y sus angeles que estan a su alrededor.

Nuestra peticion de oracion? Que Dios sea glorificado!

Day 26 in Hospital/Day 23 since surgery/Day 8 since Traqueotomy; Dia 26 en el Hospital/Dia 23 desde cirugia/Dia 8 desde la traqueostomia

The Latest: I had a wonderful weekend with the kids at home....very normal...Saturday chores, Sunday church, a soccer match (which my team lost:-(....but normal felt so wonderful! Victor is getting tired, but I think having is wife back to share the yellow metal bench with him has perked him up:-) Truly a wife and mother goes where her hubby and kids need her to be! (I learned that one from my Mom!) As for Danny, I only got to see him for 10 minutes in the entire day yesterday! Boo hoo! He was soooooo excited when I walked into the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)! His little lips just mouthed "Mama, Mama" over and over again! He is in good spirits and we just pray he can be patient and persevere! We are in a definite holding pattern....which the Lord has confirmed over and over in the last few days as every single time I open the Bible, a devotional book, whatever....the verses always deal with waiting on the Lord!

Ventilator update: Danny lasted over 8 hours off the vent yesterday! Praise Jesus! They keep him on the vent at night so that he can rest and not have to work so hard all the time! They hope that he lasts the entire day today....12 hours or so! Let's pray him through it!

Heart update: He continues to be connected to the external pacemaker, but it is no longer on the constant setting...it is on a different setting where it only kicks in if his heart rate drops below 68. As of last night it hadn't kicked in for hours...and he is maintaining his own heart around 90 beats a minutes...perfect!

Nutrition: They believe that Danny's lack of being able to breathe on his own is due to exhaustion caused by malnutrition. Any of you who have ever seen Danny eat know that his malnutrition was not from a lack of food intake!:-) Dr. Palacios told us yesterday, which I already suspected, is that, due to his heart condition, although Danny ate and ate at home, his body was not able to fully use the nutrients. Right now, he continues on a nutritional feed via IV and his special formula through the breathing tube in his nose. They are giving him about 1000 calories a day. They would like to give him more, but when they up the amount of formula, then the drainage from his right lung increases, which is due to the chylotorax condition he developed after surgery, but the drainage isn't good. He was on a medication for the chylotorax, but they took him off of it because that med may have been contributing to his heart arrhythmia. So, they are debating how to handle the nutrition: put him back on the med so he can eat more, which he needs, but which may cause more heart arrhythima, or keep him off the med, but have to be more patient and slow-going at increasing his nutritional intake. May the Lord give them wisdom and may he heal the chylotorax, Daniel's inability to absorb proteins and lipids. The chylotorax is "temporary" (that word means something very different in this situation than the way I have defined it my whole life), but Danny will have to always live on a low-fat, low-protein diet.

I am at Ricardo and Susana's apartment, where I slept last night. Victor joined me for breakfast, but now I can hear him softly snoring while I work on the computer...maybe I should keep working...or just sneak out and go to the hospital?  Love you all and thank you for your prayers!

You can do it, Danny!  Tu puedes, Daniel!

Lo mas recien: Pase un fin de semana maravilloso con los ninos...muy normal con quehaceres el sabado y a la iglesia el domingo, pero normal se sintio increible! Victor se esta cansando ya, pero el tener a su bella esposa  a su lado en nuestro bank amarillo le ha dado nuevas fuerzas (creo!). Verdaderamente una esposa y madre esta donde su esposo y sus hijos la necesitan (Gracias, Mama, por ensenarme eso!)

En cuanto a Daniel, solo lo pude ver unos 10 minutos en todo el dia de ayer! Que triste! Pero, se puso muy emocionado al verme y sus labios movian diciendo "Mama, mama" muchas veces (aunque sigue sin voz.) El estaba de buen humor, pero pedimos sus oraciones que siga siendo paciente y perseverante! Estamos esperando, esperando y esperando....lo cual Dios ma ha estado confirmando ya que todo devocional, versiculo, et cetera que he leido en los ultimos dias incluyen muchos versiculos acera de esperar!

El ventilador: Danny duro mas de 8 horas ayer sin el ventilador, respirando solo por medio de su traqueostomia! Alabado sea el Senor! Le ponen el ventilador en la noche para que pueda descansar y no tiene que seguir trabajando. Hoy esperan que dure todo el dia respirando solo...unas 12 horas! Vamos a ayudarlo orando por el!

El corazon: Sigue conectado al marcapasos externo, pero ya no es constante. Solo se echa a andar cuando su ritmo cardiaco baja de 68 latidos por minuto. A noche tenia muchas horas sin que el marcapasos tuviera que trabajar y el solito esta manteniendo su ritmo en unos 90 latidos por minuto...un buen ritmo!

Nutricion: Creen que parte de la dificultad de Danny en respirar solo es porque esta muy desnutrido. Cualquier de Uds. que haya visto a Danny comer sabe que la desnutricion no viene de una falta de alimentos! El Dr. Palacios confirmo nuestra sospecha ayer, aunque Danny comia y comia su cuerpo no podia aprovechar los nutrientes debido a su defecto de corazon. Por ahora, le siguen poniendo nutrientes via su veina y su formula por medio de su tubo de alimentacion que va por su nariz a su estomago. Le estan dando unos 1000 calorias al dia. Quisieran darle mas, pero cuando aumentan la formula el liquido drenando de su area pulmonar tambien aumenta, debido a la condicion que tiene que se llama quilotorax, lo cual hace que su cuerpo no puede digerir proteinas ni lipidos. Le estaban dando un medicamento para el quilotorax, pero ese medicamento causa arritmias cardiacas (latidos irregulares). Por lo tanto, le quitaron el medicamento para el quilotorax para bajar la arritmia, pero entonces no le pueden aumentar su alimentacion. Asi que, estan tratando de decidir cual opcion es mejor: darle el medicamento para que le puedan alimentar mas (lo cual necesita para fortalecerse) y arriesgar la arritmia, o seguir sin el medicamento para no causar mas arritmias, pero tener que limitar su alimentacion. Nos dicen que el quilotorax es temporal (pero esa palabra significa algo muy diferente en esta situacion comparada con la manera en que siempre yo lo habia usado!). Nos dicen que Danny tendra que siempre tener una dieta baja en grasas y proteians.

Estoy ahorita en el departamento de Ricardo y Susana donde dormi anoche. Victor vino a desayunar conmigo, pero ahora lo escucho roncando mientras trabajo en la compu. A lo mejor debo seguir trabajando...o aun salir de secreto al hospital  Los amamos a todos y gracias por sus oraciones!