Update October 17, 2007

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
The good news is that Sierra Rose is getting close to being released from the hospital. The bad news is that she still hasn’t learned to suck from a bottle and may require a gastrostomy tube insertion (a feeding tube surgically inserted into the stomach).

MORE INFORMATION
The estimate is that Sierra will be receiving all milk and no IV fluid by Friday. Her feeding schedule will be changed from once every hour to once every three hours. Once she gets to that point, the doctors will begin pushing to have Sierra discharged from the hospital (because she is in pretty good health otherwise).

If Sierra isn’t able to drink all her milk from a bottle by the time the doctors want her to leave, they will surgically insert a gastrostomy tube into her stomach so her parents can feed her directly. This may be temporary or permanent—some patients have to use the tube for life; others graduate to traditional eating. The therapist said that it’s possible that Sierra’s current lack of a strong sucking reflex may be due to brain damage, but this isn’t conclusive.

PRAISE
Earlier today Sierra did suck lightly on her pacifier. When R noticed this, she gave Sierra the bottle. Sierra drank 5 cc of milk. She still has a long way to go and not a lot of time in which to make her progress, but at least there’s a little bit of hope. We’re still counting on you to join with us in prayer.

PRAYER REQUESTS
-Please pray specifically that Sierra Rose will be able to suck from the bottle the full amount of milk that her body needs.
-Please pray that Sierra will not need a gastrostomy tube.
-Please continue to pray for Sierra’s mental healing.