Effects of a Common Cold

It is looking as though Roscoe's life was nearly ended by a common cold. Normally a cold is something you'd shrug off with a few vitamin C, or maybe a half day of rest. With the complications of Roscoe's surgery recovery and pulmonary hypertension, the added struggle of breathing against the mucus of a cold was too much for his little body to handle. He probably won't come out of this trial unscathed, as his heart has endured additional stress on the right side and his lungs have been subjected to higher pressure support to keep him alive. We are hoping that the short periods of decreased oxygen have not harmed his brain. We have prayed to God for Roscoe to have wisdom and for his heart and lungs to not have any long-term damage from this fight for life.

He had another good night, so they have been able to completely remove the dopamine and gradually increase his feedings. Overnight he also got a blood transfusion (for additional oxygen-carrying capacity) and an x-ray to check the condition of his lungs. The doctors have also started to wean him from the higher pressure breathing support to try and get him back to the pressures he was at just 7 days ago. He still has a long way to go, but he is making good progress and hasn't hit any new stumbles. Once he starts getting weaned from the sedatives/painkillers, a whole new set of complications will arise as his busy hands will be able to disconnect his own air supply. He still has 2 nurses for just him, when most newborns in the NICU have a single nurse for 2 babies.

A picture Alisha took while I wrote a blog entry on Saturday.

Through this whole time, we have received volumes of support from around the globe. When I last checked Roscoe's Prayer Map, he had people praying for him in Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the U.K., Israel, and Kenya in addition to nearly every one of the 50 United States. These prayers have been ultimately powerful and have saved his life by God's power. Last night in a prayer, Alisha and I acknowledged to God that we owe Roscoe's life to him in a way that few parents do. God rescued Roscoe from the grave and now Roscoe's life is his.

We received many supportive messages through calls, email, text messages, and comments on my facebook profile and this blog. All of these messages have been encouraging, whether they were a simple note that said "Praying." or a personal message of how Roscoe's struggle has touched you personally. I'd like to share one message which touched me the deepest. One of the truest servants of God I know sent this text message on Saturday when Roscoe's life was near its darkest.

"Shaun and Alisha, this is the way our Heavenly Father works. Sometimes he shines as a constant ever-present light in the life of one of his children over many years. But he also shines as a brilliant super-nova star that suddenly sends its overwhelming light out in what must seem like a moment of explosive energy and then is gone in one sense. But that light still travels through the universe touching amazing distant corners of the universe. The Father has worked in this latter way through Roscoe's energetic captivating smile, repeated answers to prayer and through your incredibly deep faith expressed in so many inspired messages you have sent out to places you are not even aware of. Let his light continue to shine through your constant abiding faith. Roscoe's light keeps shining! This is the way the Father works."

- Raymond Fox

If someone had told me that a common cold could spread itself around the globe within the course of 24 hours, I wouldn't have believed them. However, as we have seen with the power of God working through Roscoe's story, it can happen. The effects of this little common cold which nearly took Roscoe's life have echoed across our small world. God has responded.

PS: I don't think the 20 people who live in North Dakota have the internet yet, so someone should write them a letter to let them know what has happened.