180 a Change in Trajectory

 

Dear Prayer Warriors,

 

I don’t know many people who can say they went to the ER for a blister but that is our story. Our nurse supervisor recommended we go. It was worthwhile as the “wound care” team created a better protection around the blister. They stocked us up on the right pads to use to further protect her skin. We were also able to get the Valium we ran out of that day. Since the ER, Anna has been doing much better during the day but still up half the night. 

 

These last few nights, I’ve been giving a foothold to complaining. Maybe it’s the comfort foods with no exercise or the numerous visits to Anna’s room. The bottom line is that I am no longer thinking about Anna’s discomfort but mine. After 5 or 6 times of getting up to care for Anna I start to grumble out loud. A couple of moments later Lindsey pops in to make sure everything’s ok (because my complaining woke her up), now nobody’s sleeping.

 

I have confessed this in prayer and asked that before my feet touch the ground to help Anna -no matter how many times in the night, that my hands and words would be that of Christ. Gentle and loving to that which has been entrusted to me. The Lord is helping me keep my eyes on the prize, which is life in Him. My great reward is knowing Jesus and having a Good Good Father. 

 

In taking a step back, Anna had a worsening condition that one day was abruptly repaired. Now healing is her trajectory not worsening. Anna had a total hip 180. I know Anna’s surgery is a provision for her good future. The x-rays show the soon-to-be benefits so well. The sockets were once vacated and the femurs straight; now the socket has a ball in it and the femur bones are correctly bent. The doctor said that the grafting takes place and the bones fuse back together because it is such a blood-rich part of the body. A year from now, Lord willing, the bolts will be removed and this 180 will be complete. 

 

Comparatively I had a heart 180. My life degenerated from birth, being fatherless drove my rebellion. I grew diseased by my choices, deceived in my thoughts, whittled down in addiction to the bottom at 28. I was spiritually dead in my sins until November 10th 2006 when Jesus revealed Himself to me as absolute Truth. On that day I was abruptly repaired. Now healing is my trajectory not worsening. I became spiritually alive; the Bible showed these soon-to-be-benefits so well. Jesus vacated the despair and operated on my sin and deposited His Spirit into my heart victoriously. My Doctor says I was grafted into the family of God and fused to Jesus by the richness of His blood over me. Transformation came, a heart 180 just ask my momma.

 

 

Please Pray For:

-our nights to be filled with Angelic support and the Holy Spirit’s healing.

-the best timing to dispense medication for Anna to maximize rest. 

-no more skin sores.

-encouragement when waking to care for Anna.

-Thursday’s fishing trip with Simon, Renee and I that we would bond in love and catch a fish:)

-Refreshing from the Word of God and from the treasuries of  hymns, songs and spiritual songs the Spirit puts on our hearts.

-us to pray confessionally, casting our cares, laying our burdens down and beholding our reward in exchange! 

-us to know more fully what it means to have the Lord as our helper.

 the x-rays shows the hip with ball in socket and the pieces of femur wedged in place to be grafted in to lower the socket.

With Love,

The Currats

Looking for Prayer Help

 

Dear Prayer Warriors,

We planned the hospital days so well as the Lord confirmed His authorship and we were united with you all through prayer and amazed at the surgery results. Looking back, we didn’t plan our return so well, ok we were winging it there for a while. But God brought us a mailbox full of encouragement, we got a stovetop crowded with other people’s baked goods, spring flowers on the table, and well wishes filling up Anna’s walls. There are still many people eager to serve Anna and us. Praise God. 

 

As the lord would have it, we find ourselves again at the receiving end of generosity. It is always humbling; we have learned to ask for the help we need. The life of special needs parenting is best lived out with a large stack of “thank you” notes. We are coming to find that our church and friends have lined up many meals (that resemble feasts) for us. Our homeschool co-op has arranged many play dates for Simon and Renee. God even equipped us with next door neighbors eager to lend a hand at a moment’s notice. All this shifted us into rest mode and being able to focus on Anna. Mostly God has given us rhythm in the days since the hospital. With rhythm comes time to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and time in sharing the Scriptures with Anna. 

 

“...For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on them in their suffering.” Isaiah 49:13. 

 

After a strong first week post-surgery where the medicine has kept the pain manageable, Anna's joyous personality was most often on display. Last night marked a turn in her care. Since 3AM Friday night Anna has been suffering through tears and feet twitches which we assumed were further muscle spasms. That smile went away and things became hard. she has been going through spikes of pain every 15 minutes or so crying in discomfort. Her heart rate would shoot up 20+ beats with each spike. We tried every position possible. A couple of hours ago we gave her a bed bath, removed the braces and found a blister the size of a penny at the base of where the brace meets her ankle. There was a gauze pad there but it had lost its stick. We covered the blister, and cut a hole in the brace at the spot of the blister. 

 

Can you imagine the discomfort, almost a days’ worth of acute pain on top of all the surgery stuff? It’s times like these that make me grieve her inability to speak, or to point, certainly we would have found it sooner. Add to that, my pride/flesh is trying to twist my thinking into “you should have found it sooner. Isn’t she having a hard enough time?” Why can’t I be the one with the blister?

 

But in faith I trust God is maturing me in this, “I (God) have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.” Isaiah 48:10

 

“It’s been a hard day”, I told Simon as we watched the rain fall at our front door tonight. We have heavy hearts for Anna right now, thanks for praying and helping us talk to God about these things. 

 

 

Please join us in praying. We will most likely be heading over to the ER tomorrow to see if there is another way to ease her pain. Because even our fixes have only done little to comfort her. May God bring Anna comfort, healing through the night, and rest for us.

Thanks for interceding,

The Currats

Healing at Home

 

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Sunday afternoon we were discharged and it has been an increased challenge ever since. Suddenly there is no nurse helping us with Anna, no cleaning crew, no free breakfasts, no more restaurant food, or endless supply of coffee. God seems to be our only constant. He brought us back to our little life on Dye street. I was overjoyed being reunited with Simon and Renee. We got a glowing report of how they did in their days apart from us. Talk about an answer to prayer! They even came home with a suitcase of clean, folded clothes. Praise God for such a loving brother and sister in Christ serving us in this way.  

I must have misplaced that supernatural peace we had been living with for the last 5 days because that first night back was bananas. Getting backing into the pace of disciplining and guiding the children was hard, I don’t recommend taking 5 days off of that. I forgot how our little toddler wants to call all the shots (like who gets to read her books). Her boundary pushing made for a noisy, tiring night. Simon encouraged our hearts though, he wanted to counter Renee’s behavior. He put some soft calming music on while he waited for us to tuck him in. 

Regarding Anna’s care, biggest struggle was going from hospital medication management by a computer program to homecare. Anna is taking 5 different muscle and pain medications at scheduled times on top of her 4 regular prescriptions. She was in noticeable pain a couple of times. Amid the layers of things going on, I had misunderstood my bride which caused conflict as she was wrangling in a medication plan that will work for us. Frustrations abounded, at one point I stopped in my tracks, mid-hallway and prayed “Lord help!”

But that was yesterday. Today Renee remembered that boundary-pushing comes at a cost. Simon, Renee and I played in the back for hours. Renee was busy making dandelion bouquets while Simon was the bull and I the matador. Anna joined us outside while I cut the grass. Lindsey has been incredible in focusing on Anna, being with her, getting questions answered, resuming services. Lindsey championed the medication planning for sure. I hold the caregiving torch during the night, by God’s grace it hasn’t been too hard without a nurse. Praise the Lord Anna is sleeping well at night through this. 

It’s a good thing we got half of the Sam’s Club frozen food catalog. I wanted to be brave and slam-dunk the cooking. But certainly it would be more comforting and restful if we could take up those offering a meal for us. I’m going to put together a meal train tomorrow reply to me if you would like to serve us in this way and we can find a day the works. 

Please Pray for:
-Continued healing and comfort for Anna.
-the right night nurse, We are on the list at 3 companies who recruit nurses.
-us to find home care, respite, and hippotherapy services  
-rest and renewal in Christ as He brings us through this with much mercy and grace
-Angels upholding us, the Holy Spirit anchoring us as we learn to conform to the mind of Christ in moments of feeling overwhelmed. I get a bit too emotional and reactionary when things go bananas.
-God’s strength, miracles and love imparted to us.

Thankful with an outstanding debt of love towards you,

Nic for the Currats

Grace, as in Undeserved Favor

 

Dear Prayer Warriors, 

Much has happened since the last update. For a while there it seemed Anna was suddenly more of a respiratory patient than a post-op patient. But God in His mercy and grace normalized her breathing, we took her off of breathing machines yesterday and she has been doing great on room air. The need for suctioning and airway clearing has been greatly reduced. Around dinner time last night her lungs cleared up enough to send us out of the ICU one day ahead of schedule. Throughout last night Anna got sound sleep, and a healthy resting heart rate.

Starting feeds again in her tube was a struggle because the hospital doesn’t supply what we give her normally. We didn’t know, so they gave a Nestle substitute that made her vomit. But God wanted to give Anna the best! “It just so happened” that a special needs parent group on facebook posted that a family had 5 cases too many of our type of formula and was giving it away (they even offered to deliver it to the hospital for us once they found out we were inpatient). First thing this morning i snuck out to get it. Since then, we have been increasing her feeds without complications. She is almost at her regular rate.

Also, this morning they confirmed that her lungs remain clear and good. They pulled out the epidural and catheter.  Anna had her first bowel movement. The only setback today was the switch in pain meds after removing the epidural. Too much was given so she slept all morning. They cut the dose in half at noon and still she is zonked out. Pray that we would find a solution to mange the pain without making her sleep all day. 

Can i get a “Glory Hallelujah?” What a testimony of God’s grace and mercy for Anna and us, answers to prayer!

Lindsey and I have had so much time to talk and have eye-to-eye time because we are so well taken care of on every level. We are still being offered meals and gifts are coming in. For such a hardship there certainly has been so much to boast in the Lord about. Our two younger ones are in such good care. We have been humbled with notes of encouragement through texts and replies to these prayer updates. If I may give advice, share your burdens with the praying saints knowing that God will act!

We got a modified date night planned for tonight, movie in the hospital room. Anna received about 20 get well wishes from the hospital’s online card writing program. They are up on her wall along with some bible verses. 

I find that the more vocal we are about our faith in this setting, the more the we find God-fearing people employed here. A cleaning lady, last night’s respiratory tech, the CNA, they have this eagerness to speak of the Lord and trust that they have a part in Anna’s healing. I know our ordeal is not over at all, but right now it just tastes sweet. All this has allowed me to think of others, to pray for those crying in the room next door, those without parents at their bedside. As I walked around the ICU, and saw the quarantined COVID cases, or the saw machines other kids need Anna is now free of, the thought came to me: God is here all the time, night and day working millions of miracles. Knowingly or not God controlled the hands of the surgeon, He gave wisdom to the care team, perfect timing to the nurses, He gave us a hope that override our worries and joy in the journey. How can i keep from singing His praise?

“Do not be anxious for anything but in everything with prayer and petition, submit your requests to God. And a peace that transcends all understanding will be yours in Christ Jesus.”

Please pray for Anna’s medication and pain management. And pray in thanksgiving to the Lord for His rich grace and mercy.  All praise and honor to Him. 

In His unfailing love,

The Currats

Thanking God for Today

 

Dear prayer Warriors, 

I just said goodnight to my bride who went to sleep in the hotel. Earlier in the day I checked us in to the hotel and took an epic nap. As we said our goodbyes I told her that I felt so comforted by how the day has gone. Sometimes you need trials to remember what supernatural comforting from our loving Lord looks like.

Now that I see Anna’s pain and discomfort, I am tempted to remember that it was our decision that brought this pain on her. Instead of turning that temptations into sin and wishing away my circumstance, The Holy Spirit reminded me that God knows how I feel: It was His will to give His Son to be the sufficient sin sacrifice restoring the lost to Him forever.  

The surgery side of things went so well. Blood loss was half as expected. The images that Dr. De showed us accompanied by his explanation made us praise God. 

We are however struggling with breathing. Perhaps its the meds, the transition off of the anesthesia, or her fatigue but pray the Lord to restores her. She has been on supplemental oxygen for 6 hours and triple the air pressure. As of a hour ago they are weening, she is responding well keeping the Oxygen saturation up. With only double the pressure. We need wisdom to know when to make these weening moves. 

There is water retention going on (swelling) due to the IV fluids, we have not tried anything through her feeding pump yet because of the breathing issues. Pray that the swelling reduces. She has a full face mask but is used to a nose only one, at times she is doing a uppercut jab to the mask let us now she wants the nose only. 

We are suctioning a bit more than normal but its productive and Anna rests better after. On average she is waking up every 30 minutes, crying and moving around for about 10 and then back to sleep. 

Some obvious signs that the Lord cared and carried us through today besides the medical include:
-A encouraging visit and time of prayer with the Pastor who married us. 
-A chance encounter in the cafeteria with friends we haven’t seen in years. Their kid was having an MRI done. After I got saved, I met them at church, God used them as a godly example of being a young adult seeking to live for Jesus. 
-Our ICU Doctors were both named Grace (Anna means grace in Hebrew). Our night nurse is named Sophia (wisdom) which is just what we need right now for these decisions. 
-Simon and Renee had an epic day of fun, sun and love from our dear brother and sister in Christ.
-God’s Word opening up to us. Lindsey and i had our minds wondering about what the “Sun of Righteousness” means in Malachi 4. Pastor and I marveled at God’s power and control.
-mini hymn sing bedside. 
-I had more worry yesterday than today.

*May the Lord build on the many the good things from today because He loves Anna and has good in store for her!!!

For His fame, Glory!

Nic, Lindsey, Anna, Simon, and Renee

Prayer for tomorrow’s surgery

Dear Praying Warriors,

We have been keeping Anna hydrated an well fed these last few days. We will be stopping her feed at 11:00PM. She remains healthy, engaged in her activities, and as always a great joy to be around!! We noticed that she is teething, pray that this excess saliva would not make her breathing difficult. 

Tomorrow surgery is scheduled for 7:30 AM. We will be leaving Colorado Springs around 4:15 AM. The surgery is said to take about 4 hours. After general anesthesia they will place an epidural in her spine to numb the legs for the following two days. After the surgery she will be transferred to the icu for two days for close monitoring. The primary complications are excessive blood loss and difficulty breathing from the heavy sedation. She will have forced air through her bipap machine (that she uses every night) this will be in place for about 48 hours straight. After the ICU, she will be transferred to a recovery/regular hospital room for her remaining two days. 

To more fully understand the “how” and the “why” of this surgery, click on this link to watch a computer animated video made by our hospital.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ8xjZAeCIs

Many graces have been poured out for us. Through the treasury of God’s generosity, a hotel suite walking distance to the hospital was reserved in our name for 4 nights. So lindsey and i will rotate being with Anna and having the best rest possible without driving 1.5 hours to be home. Secondly, About a month ago we received a "mini-blessing jar" from a family who knows what is like to raise a child even more medically involved than Anna. They filled it with money for when we need "a lift up from our circumstances" like a coffee, music, etc. Something to promote eye-to-eye time with my bride. I plan on bringing this in the hopes that the hospital still has those pecan sweet rolls that we share over a cup of coffee during Anna’s inpatient stays there. Thirdly, May Dennis and Nancy meet the needs and have a joyous time with our younger two kids. They have what my bride calls a "ministry of availability" keeping time open so God can ask them to fill it as needs come up. Praise God for them. Lastly, Lindsey and Simon made a picture book titled "where did mom and dad go?" For Renee who may struggle with our time apart. theses things are worth their weight in gold and encourage our hearts. 

 As a parent the surgeon’s words are on repeat as we try to wait and surrender all these burdens to Jesus. “This is probably the biggest surgery Anna will ever face." "It's worse than spinal surgery in many ways." "It would be concerning if you weren't anxious...it's a big surgery." After acknowledging these statements, in response, we cling to Anna’s life verse. “ Be gracious to us God, we wait for you. Be our strength every day and our salvation in times of trouble.” Isaiah 33:2. 

We would greatly appreciate your prayers for these times. Below are some specific ways to pray: 

-Pray for Dr. Sayan De and his surgical team: to be led by The Holy Spirit, steady hands, a clear mind, and great communication and team work. 

-Pray for Anna to rest in God’s hands, to receive His peace, and sense His presence as she goes through this pain and the accompanying disorientation.

-Pray for Nancy and Dennis who will be watching Simon and Renee for 5 days. Pray for Renee that she will sleep well at Dennis and Nancy’s house, continues safety and good relationships. 

-Pray against these common complications and risks of the surgery: significant blood loss (resulting in need for blood transfusion), pulmonary distress (due to anesthesia, intubation, and being bed bound), infection, nerve and muscle damage in the surrounding areas, the femur bone healing incorrectly, and bed sores and skin breakdown. 

-Pray for God’s mercy, healing and comfort post surgery. We hope By God’s grace Anna will not experiance The expected muscle spasms and cramping in her hips and legs that is a typical response to the operating.  

-Pray for our family’s health and against catching ANY type of germs during her hospital stay and 6 week recovery. 

-Pray for strength and physical rest for Nic and I. That we would be attentive to Anna and address all her needs. She will require scheduled pain meds every 3 hours, in addition to her respiratory and feeding needs for at least the first week of recovery and we hope to gain a night nurse to help with this in God’s timing. 

-Praise for all those people who are the very hands and feet of Jesus to us through this, for prayer Warriors new and old, all glory to God. 

God is going to take care of us, 

-Nic, Lindsey, Anna, Simon, Renee

Preparing our hearts

 

Dear Prayer Warriors,

My God can seize the surgical knife like He did Abraham’s knife and say “Don’t lay a hand on her, I’m healing her today.” That is the glorious God I know. Also, God orchestrates His will through human suffering via our trusting. “So then those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Peter 4:19) Another translation offers “if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God...”

I don't think God is pleased to see the physical suffering of an innocent little girl. What I think pleases Him is seeing His beloved children “commit themselves to their faithful Creator.”  This is what we Currats are doing, join us. May the ripples of prayers from surrendered hearts hopeful in Christ bring great joy to the Lord! 

 

What’s better than stopping the knife or seeing Anna “get up”? The actuating of deeper healing, eternal healing. Today I’m reminded that Jesus is more interested in saving sinners than healing Anna. Blessed be the Lord. His promise is to heal Anna and I cling to it, But God’s first agenda is the gift of redemption.  That is a truth and physical healing will always have a back seat to that. I remember how Jesus healed me from my diagnosis of bi-polar 1 and schizophrenia years after my conversion.   

 

Isn’t it good how God didn’t leave us with a still born child 7 years ago? Wasn’t it His power that kept Anna’s traumatic birth from ending in death? 7 weeks in the hospital, brain surgery at six weeks didn’t end in devastation but in life. 7 years of provision and counting, God is our reward in all things to come. 

 

God has been building up my daddy heart for this upcoming surgery now just a week away. In His gentleness has been dropping hints of leading us into surgery and suffering.  He has confirmed this by the peaceful unfolding of our needs being met and Anna’s medical needs being clarified. I reviewed some of the last prayer requests and said to myself: “God is working.” The Lord has answered our requests and furthered our direction. We have a chair lined up to accommodate her brace, our family logistics have been answered for the time during the hospital stay, my leave of absence has been approved at work for one month. Everything is aligned and it’s a matter of due process now should the Lord direct our steps down the hall to the OR. 

 

Praise the Lord God who is with us, nearer than we can imagine. Listening to our hearts, our fears and faith. Bidding us to come, take courage, be of good cheer, lay down burdens and rest. He is our victory! He is our Good Shepherd calling us.

 

Please pray for:

-Songs of praise and worship to flood our lives

-memory verses, passages, to cling to at each step

-prayer to shelter us in the shadow of His wing 

-the full healing of Anna today

-health and strength for all of us

-our dear friends Dennis and Nancy who will care for Simon and Renee during our 4 day inpatient stay

-We are still asking and hoping in the Lord to provide nursing care overnight.

-Christlikeness to be seen through us to the cloud of witnesses that God has placed in our path at the hospital.

-Anna’s suffering to be met with the fullness of God’s purpose therein.

-teachability for us to learn about lifting options for transferring, positioning, diapering once the brace is on both her legs

 

*For those of you that may remember an entry about two years ago where a doctor said to me “Anna’s saving grace is that she is not always spastic with her tone.” To which I objected saying: “Anna’s saving grace is far greater… we’ve seen miracles.” Well that is the same doctor who will be performing the surgery, with his fellow. May they experience the richer grace that I alluded to.

At His service, with love,

The Currats