Liam Updates and Praising God

Picture above is on the way to a doctor appointment:)

Mar. 11

Liam update: another pretty god day (few rough grumpy moments for Liam but pretty good). So thankful for all the "Liam" personality coming back everyday...he talks more and more everyday! The part that made me laugh the most was when the physical therapist was walking with him and he said to her "hold hands! Let's go this way lady!!" And he started turning the opposite direction:) He asks for drinks and snacks now...he asks to go to the park (a plastic castle with a slide out in the hallway:) he asks to go home...soon buddy soon...we get to take you home. Prayer Targets: for Liam to continue to say more words...for him to continue to improve in great strides , with his mobility. Please pray for peace for Liam and comfort and understanding. BELIEVE WITH US AND PRAY FOR A MIRACLE OF COMPLETE RESTORATION....EYES TO SEE EARS TO HEAR! Please pray for wisdom and crystal clear answers about a possible cochlear implant....for God to open and/or shut doors where needed. Thank u Jesus for a fun day with my sweet boy.

Mar. 12

Night Post: feel like I have a lot to say tonight (surprise surprise haha) before I give the update I just wanted to thank all my friends and family who have , without ceasing, been praying for us, supporting us, encouraging us, spreading the word to pray....sooo very thankful for you all and pray tht God may richly bless you! Update: Liam had another nice day. He got to swim for PT today and absolutely loved it...he even said he didn't want to get out when it was time to leave. He knew we were swimming as soon as his therapist gave him an innertube he grabbed it and said "we're goimg swimming!? I want to bring this with!" For speech she has been practicing drinking thin liquids with him...swallow test tomorrow! The audiologist is going to try a sound box with Liam tomorrow while he has his hearing aides in. We meet with the deaf coordiantor and the deaf blind specialist again tomorrow....I talked with Liam's Rapid City Deaf specialist today...she sounds awesome and sounds very excited to work with Liam...she said Liam has a whole team of people ready and excited to work with him:) this makes me happy. Liam got to play at the playground for afternoon pt...he loved tht as well..it was a busy day for our little man. I have a reg. OB appt Wed. Liam's cat scan Friday....busy week! Liam quote of the day...he said his name today...those of you who know Liam well will laugh...he said "it's Limas". Yes, he still calls himself Lima. Prayer Targets: Swallow test tomorrow morning @9:30, cat scan Friday (he will have to be sedated)for everything to go smoothly and safely, pray for wisdom for Liam's new team of teachers/therapists and for them to just love him like his therapists here do, wisdom for Casey and I, safety for family traveling, and best for last...please pray and believe with us for eyes to see and ears to hear...complete restoration! Thank you Jesus for this day. Thank you for hope.

Mar. 13

Night Post:
Feeling very thankful today for my son's life:)

Updates:
-Swallow test: failed:( He is back to drinking thickened liquids for now. Liam's speech therapist has an intense plan for the next week and a half...between her working with him and then we have an hour appt. a day at Sanfords where they put some type of electroids on his throat while the feed him to strengthen the swallowing 'muscles'. We will try retesting not this Friday but next again. (that was supposed to be the day we were going to be discharged but now I'm not sure if that will still be the day---whatever it takes I guess:)

-Hearing box test-no reaction to sound using hearing aides-not surprised here since we knew that we weren't seeing any reactions to sound using the hearing aides on our own but now it can be documented for eligibility for implants.

-We met with the deaf/blind specialist and a deaf caseworker (the one who works with Liam's caseworker in Rapid)....learned some more about implants and also some more techniques to communicate with Liam with signing. Everyone here that meets Liam is extremely impressed with Liam's speech and cognitive abilites.
-We now have an appt everyday of the week except for weekends. Please pray for patience for us because Liam is really not that fun to take to appts...it wears us out. Please pray for Liam to find comfort in new situations.
Catscan still on Friday-pray everything go smoothly and that we are okay with the results no matter what. Pray for wisdom for us if he turns out to be elligable for implants.
Liam quote of the day: I was sitting on my knees and Liam wanted to stand on my legs...so I let him climb on me and he said "take a picture!"...that's my boy:) oh and by the way...Liam isn't a lion anymore..he's a dinosaur.

Thank you Jesus for this day...Thank you for my family...really, we have so much to be thankful for (and hopeful!)

Please continue to pray for a complete healing for our little man...please pray he continues to find joy in life.

Mar. 14
Liam update....my nice lengthy post got deleted...I wil do a morning post tomorrow when I'm back on my computer...quick version: Liam had an awesome day...had some great learning and fun moments with the deaf/blind specialist...electrode appt went well...Liam took 8 steps on his own with no help...stood alone for 10 seconds....we can't stop him he always wants to walk holding our hands now,crawl, or pul himself up on everything...we also have our chatterbox back...he rarely stops talking now:) pls continue to pray, hope, and believe for our Liam....thank you Jesus for all the work you are doing in our Liam!! More details about today in the later morning tomorrw

Mar. 15
Night post: seriously annoyed....I just deleted my post again for tonight ugh. if I get a chance I will add more details tomorrow) Prayer request for tomorrow early morning....cat scan at 8:30 am. Liam can't drink or eat b4 and this has potential for a pretty good tantrum....please pray for us all...today was a good day hope I will have time to fill u all in with details tomorrow

Mar. 16

Night post: whew! I am wiped out...Liam is the one to blame for that:) he is one busy , active little man. But that's how any 2 year old (almost 3!) should be so I am glad I am worn out;) We have had a few really good happy Liam days in a row...we are learning to communicate with him more and he is learning from routines and thriving in them. I know we have a long road ahead of us but I am hopeful....and trying to still take it one day at a time and not worry and give it to God...We have an official dicharge date....one week from today!! Very ready for that...so is Liam. He often asks to go home..and of course wants to bring his new toys with..haha. Please continue to pray for God to heal him...eyes to see ears to hear...it will take a miracle. (We need to keep "knocking" and keep on "asking"). Please remember to thank God for all the healing he has done so far...he truly is already a miracle baby...we just love tht boy. Thank you Jesus!

Mar. 17

Weekends around here are pretty relaxed..no real appts, fill in therapies only one time each...Liam can take a nap as long as he wants-kinda a nice break. Liam was happy today-wanting to walk lots. When he wants to go walk somewhere he says "hold hands!" like, c'mon, let's go! Can't wait to get that little man home so he can get the courage to walk without us. Today was also an emotional day and we could use a lot of prayer. For one, Liam kept saying often "I can't see." or "it's dark in here" or "turn on the lights". At one point he said, "momma, I can't see" and it broke my heart...I still tear up just thinking of it. I know God can heal his eyes...I wonder everyday why he hasn't. But I keep being reminded in the Word to keep asking, keep praying, keep believing. And I will-till the day I die (hoping it doesn't take that long but I am going to stay faithful!) Later today, I heard from my hubby-His grandfather died today. Please pray for Casey as well. He has a lot on his shoulders. Please pray especially for my mother in law as well-this is very hard for her.

Prayer Targets:
-Liam's eyes and ears--We need a miracle.
-Understanding for Liam-and comfort
-Wisdom for us to communicate and be there for Liam during all of this.
-For Liam's swallow therapies to work miracles! Swallow test on Friday (discharge day!!)
-For Casey and his parents during this time of his Grandfathers passing.
-Safety for everyone traveling (and health!)
-For some good news--we just need it.
-For God to continue to call people to pray (with urgency!) for our sweet little man.
-For the transition home...
-We also have a huge test Monday or Tuesday--not sure the exact name of it but I'll explain more later--it has to do with his cortizol levels. It requires Liam to be an inpatient at Sanfords...not sure what that means either time wise but be praying for comfort for Liam, peace, and also for me (depending on when Casey gets here it might be just me with him)

Thankful for much, need prayer for much.

Thank you friends for continuing to pray, pray, pray. Thank you Jesus for never leaving us.

Mar. 18

Liam update:
Sorry this won't be a long-detailed post today I am wiped out and sore...this 8 month pregnant body isn't in shape to chase around a 2 year old deaf/blind kiddo...he just wants to go go go and I am either holding his hands everywhere he goes or making sure he doesn't fall down when he's walking along furniture (they have hard floors in his room here) or bumping his head crawling...he already has a few little bruises on his forehead from today alone! I have to say I had a few just awesome 'mommy' moments with My Liam that truly reminded me how happy I am to have him very much ALIVE, very much with his little personality. Yes, it is extrememly painful to me that he is deaf and blind...and sometimes I catch myself thinking about what he is going to miss out on in the future...but I can't do that. For one, I don't know what the future holds and for two, the Bible says ... "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34" Thank you for all of you who have been dilgently praying for us...

Prayer Targets:
-I have an 8:00 in the morning speach appt for Liam at the Sanford Castle and then they are going to try to do that cortizol test right after...I need a lot of prayer for patience for me, comfort for Liam, and for everything to go smoothly.
-Test results from cat scan should be in tomorrow or Tuesday, pray that we are okay with whatever the outcome.
-Please pray that this intense therapy at the castle works and Liam can swallow thin liquids safely.
-Please pray for traveling family members
-Transition back home to go smoothly

Thank you friends. Thank you Jesus.

Mar. 19

Night Post:
Just me and Liam today for most the day...It's hard to even have time to eat when you're by yourself, and I am thankful for the help, but for today it was nice to spend some quality time with my boy. Today he felt my stomach, and he said "you have a baby in your belly" then he added, "I have a belly too. So does Daddy". :) He is starting to understand a few of the signs we have been working on and a lot of the routines have been helping.

I still have a few pity parties here and there but please pray for me to focus on ALL WE DO HAVE and for us to put our hope in Jesus.

No real news on the cat scan, the doctor is out for the week, yeah, annoying. But we do know that there is some good news on the cat scan as far as being a possible canidate for cochlear implants...please be praying for wisdom for us and for us to accept whatever news we do get. We will update you as soon as we know more.

That cortizol test will be on Wed. now. So Casey will be able to be with-please pray that it all goes how it should. Swallow test will be on Friday-discharge day! Please be praying for Liam to pass it with flying colors. We are still continuing one hour intense therapy at the Castle everyday. It's been good practice for us for taking Liam places. He likes getting into the car and being in his 'seat'.

Liam is getting better at walking only holding one hand now (he still prefers two: he says, "let's walk, hold hands!") Seriously...he very rarely stops 'going'. ;)

Thank you for praying for all of our appointments and testing this week. Please continue to 'ask' and 'believe' for a complete healing for our little Liam.

Thanks again! Thank you Jesus for today.