Growing Pains

Hey little man, you Aunt Nikki is really in full-gear missing you mode. I was so blessed to be able t be a part of the benefit that raised money for you and your parents this past weekend, but it made me miss you all the more. I can't wait until I get to see you on November 2nd. I'll be on a cruise to Bermuda the week before, and I can't imagine anything that would make getting off the boat sweeter than knowing I get to drive to see you right after. I can't wait to give you a big kiss.

I talked with you mom yesterday and you're doing very well in that you are growing, you are nearly 8 lbs now! In fact, you grew nearly a whole pound just in the 6 days your mommy was away for the benefit (which, by the way, I can tell you that was very hard on your mom. She went home because she had to be there for that benefit but she cried every day for missing her little boy)! You are such a fighter, little Devon man.

And it's a testament to God's goodness and hand on your life that you are growing so quickly, becuse that is precisely what you need to do right now, little man. The doctors say that they want to try to do surgery again to stop your acid reflux problem, but they can't do it until you grow some more. Your liver is still too big compared to your other organs, so you need to grow into it, and your lungs needs to get stronger and better developed, too. This acid reflux has been very hard on you, buddy, it's painful and it's dangerous because it's slowly eating away at your esophogus, which is not a good thing. So we're all praying for you that you will grow grow grow in the next six weeks, when they will reevaluate you and see if you're ready for surgery.

Your Grandma Laurie is down visiting you today and I know she is beside herself happy to get to put her arms around you. She has missed you so much, in all honestly probably even more than your aunt Nikki, because a grandmoter's heart is only a tiny step away from a mother's heart when it comes to love and longing, so I know how much this trip has meant to her. She's be there more if she could, but she has to work and she's too far away to just pop down. But you're always in her thoughts and prayers, as you are in mine.

They have you on ibuteral right now, which is an inhalant steroid to help your lungs grow, and they continue to feed you directly into your intestines instead of into your stomach. Thankfully you have not had any really scary reflux episdoes in about a week and a half, but there is still reflux happening, and we are praying you will be strong enough soon to allow them to correct that.

We all love you so much, Devon. Your Aunt Nikki is counting the days (16!) until she gets to see your little potato head again.

Love,

Your Aunt Nikki