Antonio & Elizabeth Update

Elizabeth got her braces put on the 15 of July this year.  You can read about it here.  That was 12 days ago.  She has an upper and lower appliance that we have to turn with a key daily to slowly widen her upper pallet and lower jaw.  I am amazed that in 12 days there has been so much progress.  She now has a huge gap in between her front teeth.  The orthodontist told us this would happen as her upper pallet seperates and spreads.  It is just interesting to see.  That just 12 days ago her top teeth looked like this.

And now 12 days later after turning the key twice a day looks like this.  Look how much her pallet has separated already.  Look at that gap!  She still has a little over two more weeks of turning the key daily and then once the orthodontist says that it is the right width we wait for four months till the bones grow back together again.  Then the orthodontist will start to work on getting those teeth in the proper positions.

She just started to be able to chew a bit, with out pain, two days ago.  She can chew soggy cereal and soup now.  :(  Bless her heart.  So that is nice to be able to chew again.  Hopefully as time goes on she will feel better and better and be able to eat all she wants again soon.  Everything that is, except crunchy things braces wearers can not eat.  :)

Just in case you were praying for her or wondering about her.  She is doing so much better and thank you for your prayers.  We could really feel them.  She is doing very well now.

Now for an Antonio update in case you were praying for him and thinking about him.

We took Antonio in to see his doctor and we talked a long time about his lungs, asthma and eating by mouth.  We came up with some medications to try.

I am not a mom who likes to go to or take her kids to the doctors.  I avoid medications at all costs and always try to find natural ways to deal with issues when possible.  BUT....When doctors and medications are the only answer, I am so grateful for what they have to offer and can be used to help us and our children.  God is so good.

We have decided to not feed Antonio at all by mouth anymore except for a cookie or treat every day, just to keep those swallowing muscles working.  We don't totally want to ever loose that.  We want to protect his airway as much as possible.  This is the only way I can see to do it anymore.  He is just not consistiant anymore in protecting his airway when eating solids.  After every meal he was always gurgly and coughed sometimes till he vomited.  (He is a lot of work to clean up as he can not move or care for himself at all, so many times a day and though the night we were having to do a total clean up on him)  If he is eating just a cookie he is so excited and concentrating on it and it is just a few bites so he can do that with out aspirating any of it, it seems. 

He has been suffering with constant wet lungs and asthma attacks for the last year or so.  Lots of gagging while eating and swallowing air in the night causing pain and vomiting.  Since starting on these new breathing treatment meds and oral meds, added to not oral feeding very much, he is feeling 100% better.  Praise God! Sleeping thru the night, not swallowing air or vomiting.  He is on meds for his tummy, allergies and lungs.  Praise God this cocktail worked. 

He has always been such a happy laid back kid.  Such a joy to be around always.  And he still has been.  He is a very good patient even when he does not feel well.  Still keeps a smile on his face and prays for help from God to make him feel better.  But over the last year he has had times of being down and just tired from not feeling well for so long.  It was just hard to watch him put on his best "happy"  when I knew he was not feeling that way deep inside.  This last week has truly been wonderful as he is back to his happy self all the time.  I can tell he is feeling so much better.  And not that I minded cleaning him up all the time and working with him more but it has been nice to not have him getting sick all the time.  I felt badly for him every time.  He would just keep apologizing and it was not his fault, bless his heart.

So thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and love.  They are always so appreciated.

I will leave you with a picture of cuteness from out in our barn.  Carolyn and I were playing with one of the new baby goats yesterday.  It is a little buckling that is white with black spots all over it.   While playing with it we noticed that he had a perfect little black heart (spot) on his nose.  To cute.  She is now calling him Valentine.  :) 

Philippians 4:4-7  Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

May God be with you now and always,

blessings,

susan