Not Much Change

Mike just got off the phone with Shane this morning, and there has not been much change in Ryland's condition. Doctors have told them that the fungus actually looks a little bit worse. Shane said that the antibiotics that they gave him aren't really doing much. They are going to give him a steroid shot this morning and see if that helps his body fight off the fungus. If nothing else helps, they are talking about flying Ryland to Dallas where he can hopefully receive better care. Keep praying!!! I'll update more hopefully sometime this afternoon.

***Urgent***

Please pray! Ryland has had a major set back today. Doctors have found a fungus growing in both of his lungs. The fungus is from all of the antibiotics that he had to take. They said that both lungs look very bad, and that the only thing they could do is give him the strongest antibiotic that they have available and see if it can kill the fungus. They gave him the meds this evening. Doctors have told Shane and Shana that if the medication does not work, they can't do anything else.

Let's all agree together in prayer that God will once again intervene and heal Ryland's body. Pray that his immune system would be able to handle the round of harsh meds that they are having to give him, and that doctors would have the wisdom and knowledge needed during this challenging time. Pray for Shane and Shana to have strength of mind and to remember that God is still in control. May they keep in mind that God didn't give them a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. May a spirit of peace engulf them tonight as they wait and pray for the fungus to leave Ryland's body.

Thank you for all joining in prayer with us! We know that there is power in prayer, and power when two or more gather and agree together in the name of Jesus! We'll update as soon as we hear something!

Ryland's Surgery Update

Late yesterday evening we heard from Shane that Ryland's surgery had gone well! The doctors only had to remove the middle section of his right lung instead of the middle & lower section that the x-rays had shown needed to be removed. The surgery lasted about 4 - 5 hours, and when we briefly talked to Shane, Ryland had just gone into recovery. The late hours of yesterday and the early hours of this morning were really crucial. Ryland's body had to accept all the changes from the surgery, as well as a blood transfusion.

Just a few minutes ago, I received an email telling us that Ryland is doing very well! His body is seeming to accept everything so far. He is resting and in stable condition!! Shane and Shana's email also said that during surgery, the doctors removed the tube from his left lung and replaced the one in his right lung to continue draining off blood. The doctors have said that they are hoping to wean Ryland off of the ventilator within a week and move him to a regular room where he can continue to recover and begin therapy.

We need to continue to pray for Ryland's body to recover quickly and completely. Since he has been laying still for 12 - 13 days, his muscles are very, very weak. Because of the downs syndrome, he has more obstacles to overcome. Shane told us that he probably won't be able to hold up his head on his own when he wakes up. He will also more than likely have to relearn everything. (crawling, walking, etc.)

Let's continue praying for the Reese family. Pray that their strength would be renewed as they begin the road to recovery, and that Ryland's body won't take long to remember how to do things. Pray that his muscles would quickly find their strength again, and that therapy wouldn't be as tough as the doctors are saying. Let's all agree together for God to receive the glory for Ryland's healing!!

Ryland's Surgery

Ryland is going to go ahead and have surgery tomorrow on his right lung. The doctors believe that he is strong enough for it. So, let's all be in prayer for him as he goes in at 12 noon tomorrow. Pray that the surgery would go well, that his body would remain strong, and that the doctors wouldn't find anything wrong. We're believing for a complete healing for him. Pray that the surgeon would have wisdom and discernment concerning the care of Ryland, and that the surgeon's hand would be guided by the Lord. Also, be in prayer for Shane and Shana as they wait for the surgery to be completed. Pray that they would have peace and strength of mind as they wait for the surgery to be completed. We'll update as soon as we hear how it goes!

I've been tagged . . .

This is a picture of us with our friends Trent & Katy. This is the day that Trent graduated from Parker last summer. Katy was just about to get ready to have little Jenz a few weeks afterward. We are so blessed to have them as some of our closest friends!

Directions:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer.

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder.

3) Explain the picture.

4) Tag people to do the same.~No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.) Have fun!!

You're it!

The Halls

The Bruns

Please join me!

As I was praying for the Reese family today, my heart broke. I started sobbing and couldn't quit for several minutes. I felt several emotions all at once. I thought about how they must be feeling right now. (scared, worried, fearful, helpless, etc.) The Lord gave me a verse to pray over them.

Proverbs 18:10 - "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe."

As I was praying this over them, I was reminded of how powerful the name of the Lord is, and how many names He has. These are the ones that I am praying they will come to see God as during this time. PROVIDER, HEALER, HELPER, OVERCOMER, VICTOR, FRIEND

Please join me as I pray that the Lord will touch them in a special way today. I pray that they will know God as their provider, healer, helper, overcomer, victor, and friend. May they run into the arms of a mighty God, who is strong in their weakness!

The Last Few Days. . . .

Ryland Reese - 7 years old

Ryland has had a lot happen the last few days. This Thursday the doctors decided that in order to keep his good lung strong (the left one), they would have to go ahead and puncture it to drain off the fluid that has been building up. They could not do it with a needle for fear of collapsing it, so they had to make an incision on the side of it. They also decided to turn Ryland on his stomach and side every few hours to get the fluid moving around so it would rise to the surface where it could be drained out. When they went to move him from his stomach to his back again, he was not ready for the change. It took several hours to get his heart rate, oxygen levels, and his body to settle back down. With each turn after that, his body dealt better and better with every move.

Ryland has been waking up more often, but is really scared and disoriented. He gets really mad and tries to talk, but can't. So, he starts biting the tubes in his mouth and grinding his teeth. They are having to sedate him when he wakes up to keep him from moving around too much, and to help him stay calm.

Saturday we heard that he had a really good night on Friday, and that his oxygen levels are almost down to regular room air!! The doctors are going to give him about a week to let his lungs heal and his body to gain some strength back. Then, they are still talking about surgery if he is stable enough to handle it. That's all the news we've heard so far, but we'll keep updating!

Let's continue to stand in the gap for the Reese family! Keep praying that Ryland's body will continue to heal and that he would be at peace as he gains back strength. Pray that Shane and Shana would be able to rest their own bodies and minds, knowing that God is in control and watching over them. Pray that God would continue to lead and guide the doctors as they care for Ryland and that they would have supernatural wisdom in making decisions for him. Let's keep believing for a miracle in the Reese family!!