Much has happened

November 4, 2006

Well Hello Everyone!

I am finally out of the hospital, and I don't have a gigantic belly blocking my way to the computer. A lot has happened since we last wrote. Five days after we lost LeOra I was in having our regular ultrasounds for Rhea our surviving baby. As we proceeded through that we all noticed (we got really good at deciphering ultrasounds) that the baby had fluid around her skull and in her abdomen. After the Doctor looked I was in the preparation room for an emergency C-Section within a half hour. The delivery took over an hour and I will admit that it was a HORRIBLE experience to be numbed past my lungs. It was hard to breath. But I survived and so did Rhea. LeOra came out first at 1 pound 13 ounces and Rhea came out at 2 pounds 6 ounces 14 inches long..

After the surgery was over Leif brought LeOra to me to see. She truly was beautiful. She just looked like she was sleeping peacefully. At that point her skin was still pinkish and it was a good experience to see her for the first time. After I was out in the recovery room and not quite as sedated, they brought LeOra in for Leif and I to hold. We were humbled to see the love and tenderness that the hospital rendered us. They brought her to us dressed in a pretty pink outfit with a beautiful knitted hat, wrapped in a gorgeous knitted pink blanket. It was a very special experience for us to hold her. Tears were shed. But we still felt the comfort of the spirit. They let us see LeOra any time we wanted for the next day and a half. This made it possible for both sets of grandparents to have the opportunity to hold her. She will be buried in the same plot as her name sake Grandma LeOra on Wednesday.

Rhea is our precious little one who has unselfishly made the choice to stay with us so far. The first night that we saw her she looked little and pink and seemed to be hangin' in there. But as time has gone on her little body has had to put up a fight. At this point the majority of her vital organs are at least stable. But her Kidney's and bladder have never functioned. She is going on day 6 almost 7 days of life. Her abdomen and her head/face are very swollen with fluid and she seemed to be in noticeable pain for the first time today. They have given her mass amounts of diuretic medications to try and get her renal system to jump start.

Rhea was given a blessing her second night of life. At that point Father in Heaven gave her the choice whether to stay here with us, or go back and serve with her sister in Heaven. It was hard for us to hear those words when you want so badly to just say "BE HEALED!" and have everything all better. We could feel that the Vail was very thin between here and heaven for the next couple of days as Rhea made her decision. In the mean time she was given another blessing and this one again turned out to be a blessing of comfort (As the men have No idea what they will be saying until it is said) Leif and I hit our sorrow point for her when we came in one morning a few days ago and her abdomen had turned purple like a bruise. We cried many tears that day and night and pled with our father in heaven throughout the night.

By the next morning Leif and I felt renewed faith from our experience of pleading with the Lord. We went in to visit Rhea and we felt her spirit letting us know she was staying. That day we were happy when the doctors told us that other than the kidneys and bladder her body was stabilizing. She had a really good day yesterday.

This morning we went in and Rhea seemed to be in pain and they were upping her pain and sedation medication. Leif and I still feel peace for her future. But we need the tides to turn. Leif felt that it was appropriate to give Rhea another blessing. This was another very special blessing. Rheas body was commanded to begin the healing process and allow Rhea the chance to honor her decision to stay on this earth. Needless to say Leif and I were given much peace from this blessing. As of this evening Rhea was stable and the doctor had decided to up her meds to help her kidneys. She did this because there have been three diapers that MIGHT have had urine on them and she wants to give her all the help she can.

We are in good spirits. It is VERY hard to be patient. But there is more to this then we can see and we have to leave everything up to the Lord. He is the master physician. We truly believe that!

We love you all and thank you SO Very much for all of your love, support and prayers. Thank You! We hope all of you are well!

Love Lena and Leif