Will Davis - update #7

We finally got to play with Cara and the kids today. It was great to have them back in the playgroup. We visited a new park just a few blocks away. Will was able to join us and enjoyed the fresh air. He spent most of the time in his stroller, but walked around a bit at the end and seemed like a happy (albeit skinny) little boy! It was so good to see him. He had his antibiotic infusion pump attached to the little port in his arm, but was so good not to mess with it.

Left to right: Will, Miss Cara, Tug, Austyn, Davis, Miss Julie, TJ, Alli Jean, and Jack Everett

Thank you for continued prayer for Cara who is struggling to keep up with all the doctor visits, labs, pre-natal appointments, medicine infusions, x-rays, etc. She is concerned about the long-term effects these strong antibiotics might have on Will's body. She has specifically asked for prayer in regards to Victor, her oldest son. They finally decided to take Vic out of therapy (for his Autism) as they can no longer afford it. Please pray that he does not regress during this time and that he continues to function through the upset of his much-needed structure and routine.

Will, with his new glasses, receiving his antibiotics through the line.

Cara has been overwhelmed by the help she and Greg have received from the church and from readers of this blog! Frankly, I, too, have been completely blown away by your generosity and quick response. It has been so heartwarming to check my mail and see envelopes for little Will. It has also been a joy to walk them over to her and see her graciously accept God's provision.

May you all be blessed! I will keep you updated.

Will Davis - update #6

I just received a call from Cara. Greg's father passed away this evening. Greg's Mom and sisters were with him, and he passed peacefully in his home. Cara and Greg are still trying to decide whether Greg will fly back to Indiana for the funeral. Thanks for continued prayers for their family.

Will Davis - update #5

Guess what!? The Davis family pulled into the neighborhood last night around 3:00am - all seven of them in the Suburban! God is so good! I want to send a special thanks to those who helped with gas money to get the family home.

Will is very weak, having trouble walking, has lost a lot of weight, but he is happy to sleep in his own bed. When I called, he was "tied" to the medicine machine for his one-hour dose of meds through the tube. Cara said that the more mobile he gets, the harder it is to administer the medicine and keep the port secure.

He cannot walk up or down the stairs, and has trouble sitting up on his own, but his smile is definitely intact.

The women in Cara's Bible Study have arranged two weeks' worth of meals for the family, and they go to the Pulmonologist first thing Monday morning to determine when they think he can wean off the medicine and when they will schedule removal of the line.

He had just gotten new glasses before the trip, so I can't wait to see him in them. I will post a picture when we see him next.

Please continue to pray that Will will fully recuperate before his 2nd birthday in March, for Greg's Dad, whose body is finally shutting down, and for the fifth little Davis Baby, due in May.

Will Davis - update #4

Santa finally visited the Davis family last night! The kids were excited and were happy to have Will home. The home health nurses check in on them two times per day to observe the administering of the medicine and check his vitals, breathing, etc.

The medicine takes one hour to administer (through a controlled pump system into the port) and I found out today that it costs $370 PER DAY out of pocket! To make matters worse, his $2500 PER PERSON deductible starts over tomorrow... when the New Year begins. (Insert your own opinion about our health care system now.)

If he continues to remain stable, they will leave for San Antonio on Friday morning with all four kids in the Suburban. They plan to arrive home Sunday night with all the stops required.

On a lighter note, Cara can now feel the new baby moving in her tummy. She will be glad to resume her pre-natal care as soon as she gets home. That little guy or girl will be entering into the most amazing family.

Thank you (again!) for considering assisting the family in this time of need. E-mail me directly or leave a comment if you are interested in offering a gas card, gift card, check, or want to send a greeting card of encouragement. They are so incredibly appreciative!

Will Davis - update #3

The prayers are certainly working. Will Davis had an AMAZING 24 hours!

Late late last night they started weaning him off of the oxygen, and by this afternoon, he was pretty much breathing on his own! Kids are resilient I guess. His fever hovers at 101.4, but is not getting much higher and responds to the Motrin/Tylenol. Up until last night, he had just been whimpering, but he was finally able to really cry this morning. They allowed him to cry as it helps re-inflate that right lung. They will know Friday when they see the Pulmonologist how his chest/lungs look.

In the meantime, they are releasing him to go home to Greg's Mom's house in Fort Wayne, Indiana where he will receive treatments via something called a pick tube. I guess it's some sort of port into which Cara will make injections every 2-3 hours and will have to be flushed every eight hours. They are releasing him because of their confidence that Cara can maintain the treatments, and Greg's sister is an RN and will be on-hand to monitor him.

If he continues to improve (he tried walking today!) they will try to begin driving home after this coming weekend. The Pulmonologist has to determine whether he can withstand the immobility and the carseat restraints. You can tell I am not a medical person, and I don't ask any questions when Cara's mom Sue gives me updates.

I know the Suburban is in the shop as well but should be ready in the event that he is released for travel this weekend. If they are able to leave, his care will be transferred to a Pulmonologist here in town who has been actively consulting the docs in Indiana for the past 2 1/2 weeks.

Thanks again for the donations we have received, and the expenses will not stop once he is home, so every bit helps. Your response has been awesome.

Will Davis - update #2

Will is on oxygen 100% of the time, and is now receiving the highest amount allowable for his age. His temperature is still hovering around 104.2, but cultures are not showing any bacteria, baffling doctors and making him more difficult to treat. His right lung has now partially collapsed.

The other children are beginning to feel the effects of so much time away from Cara. Victor, her oldest, has Autism and relies on his specific routine to feel secure and under control. They miss their Mom and little brother, and are wondering when it will finally be Christmas. They are considering requesting an empty hospital room to have Santa visit there. Right now, it would be too much for Will with his racing heart.

Thanks to those of you who have responded via e-mail to donate to the family.

Cara's Mom, Sue, (who lives with them two doors over) has access to their checking account. As soon as I receive a check for Cara or Greg Davis, I will walk it over for her to deposit so they will have immediate access to the funds.

Thanks again for your prayers and gifts! What a blessing it is to be a part of the family of God.

... more to come as I get more info...

Will Davis - update #1

Will had improved quite a bit and was released into a regular pediatric unit and taken off the morphine. He was more himself and able to move around better, so his siblings were able to visit with him for a few hours.

Today, however, I received word that he has taken another down turn. His white blood count is back up and his chest x-rays look as bad as they did five days ago. He will not be able to be released next week as they had hoped.

When it IS time to come home... Will can't be restrained for extended periods of time, so he can't return by car. He has a skin flap open from the tube they put in, so he can't fly. Cara will have to bring Will home by train (30 hour ride) to allow him to move around safely.

In the meantime, their Suburban broke down in Indiana. It must be repaired in order for Greg to be able to drive the other three kids home.

Also, Greg's dad is not expected to live (a matter of days). He's been bed ridden for 10 years and the family keeps getting called in to say goodbye.

I will keep everyone updated, and if you can help with gift cards, gas cards, donations, or well-wishes, please let me know. I will send off the first package tomorrow morning.

Prayer for Will...

Our neighbor and little playmate Will Davis needs prayer, so I am calling out to my blog community to intercede on his behalf. He is a very sick little boy. I will keep it short, but God knows the details.

My neighbors Cara and Greg left Tuesday for Indiana as Greg's father was expected to pass away any day. They took all four children on the road. By Friday, Will had developed bronchitis, which quickly became pneumonia. He was admitted to the hospital in Indiana and has progressively gotten worse. The last I heard was that they had to open up his chest and physically clear out his lungs for him. The chest tube wasn't working to drain his lungs.

His white blood cell count is through the roof. It is now almost one week later, and they still do not know why his body cannot fight whatever is attacking it. He is in an isolation unit of the ICU and is on morphine. His temp is still hovering around 104 degrees.

Cara and Greg are hundreds of miles away from home, and have three other small children and one more on the way. They have decided not to celebrate Christmas until little Will can join them.

The Davis kiddos: Tug (4), Victor (5), Austyn (3), and Will (2)

If you want to help, here's how:

First, please pray.

Second, the expenses are piling up. They will need a way to get Will and Cara back home in the event that Greg has to bring the other children home without them. Aside from train or plane fare and an upcoming mountain of medical bills, feeding their large family on the road is expensive and Victor has a very special diet like Jack's.

Several of the ladies at church will be setting up a fund to assist the family and I will post the information when it is all set up.

If you would like to donate to the family, you can mail a check to me made out to Greg Davis, or you can send gift cards to Costco, HEB, or Wal*Mart. If you do not have my mailing address, submit a comment and I will forward it to you via e-mail. You can also call or e-mail me directly if you wish to remain anonymous to the family.

If you have been meaning to find a way to serve, a family to help, or some way to minister during the Christmas season, please consider the Davis family. They are a precious (growing) family trusting the Lord to provide during this scary time.