Isabell Update

Another 24 hours has passed....and I honestly don't know that I would say she is doing better. She is looking better and acting stronger. However, with that comes downsides all over the place. I picked up the phone late yesterday afternoon to hear Jen say "the doctor finally came....they are saying she has Cerebral Palsy." How do parents do it? How do they hear news like that and absorb it? What is the expected response....and how do you deal? I'm not Isabell's mother but there is a huge part of this heart that already thinks it is. As Jen told me the diagnosis and went on to remind me that it meant she could never come live at Casa I felt my heart sink. I couldn't find my voice as tears threatened to burst from my eyes and never stop. They are saying she won't live past 12 years of age (meaning at least a third of her life is already over) and there is nothing they can do for her. Determined to make the best of the time I have with her I went ahead and offered to stay the night with her again. So around 7 last night I walked back through the doors of the hospital and into the new room they had placed her in. Within 30 minutes everyone else had cleared out and gone home and I was once again alone with little Isabell. Sometime in the afternoon they had put a feeding tub down her nose and they were finally giving her meds for the pain and for her seizures. Settling in the chair with her cuddled in my arms she eventually fell asleep until about 12:30 when her body suddenly began to jerk, twist, and convulse every direction. Her little eyes began spinning in the back of her head and for the next 10 minutes she would have the worst seizures I've witnessed up to this point. Putting her in her bed I called for the nurse ...(who quickly called for the doctor) She was unresponsive to anything they tried and not long after her temperature spiked to 106. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity her eyes flickered open and peace returned to her face. The rest of my evening (as if the hours before weren't...) were spent crying and praying over that sweet sweet girl. The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful and I even managed to get some sleep...curled up beside her of course. We are working on options of where to go from here and what is going to be most beneficial for her. Again I beg for your prayer support. They did an EEG on her today to see about the seizures and brain activity. We haven't heard the results but I feel good that they are doing something. The doctor seems to think she isn't dying anytime really soon but that she won't ever be able to get out of bed and run around like 4 year olds should. I'm still praying for a miracle.....banking on God shocking all of us one day as we watch her chase and be chased in a fun game of tag. That is the cry of this heart tonight and the longing from the depths of who I am. Along with your prayer support I am asking for anyone who feels led to donate financially to step up and do so. Even if it is only $10 ...everything helps. Although medical care is significantly cheaper here than in the states we are still going to have a decent sized bill from her stay there and the tests they are having to run. So again I'm asking for your help. If you can and wish to donate financially you can send checks to 3515 St Rt 266 Stockport OH 43787 made out to Stockport United Methodist Church.