A Birthday Gift...

Thank you everyone for your kindness and prayers. As more and more requests on information come our way we realize that concerned friends and neighbors generally don't know exactly where to go to get updates on Ammon. For now, this blog is where the most current updates will continue to be posted. Please feel free to share this location with all those that are concerned for and love Ammon, and in strength we'll together walk next to Ammon through his long journey.

Let me give a brief status update, followed by a birthday celebration invitation. All the items in the previous posts continue to exist, but Ammon remains stable due to the various medications, IVs, and procedures being performed. Ammon's breathing continued to become more labored, rapid, and painful throughout the day, particularly in the afternoon hours. The bipap machine helps, but even with the assistance he was clearly in pain and further wearing himself out. Another x-ray showed the liquid continued to pool around Ammon's left lung, causing additional pressure on his swollen pancreas and other afflicted organs. The lasix medications weren't working as well as hoped on the liquid around his lung, so the PICU doctors decided that a chest tube was necessary. The chest tube is inserted through the ribs and directly into the pleural space where the liquid is pooling. Due to concerns of puncturing his lung during this process the radiology doctor attended the procedure and with the ultrasound pinpointed exactly where to make the incision and insert the tube. Summer and I bowed out for this procedure, but everything went well and the liquids have been draining. This is good news! They gave Ammon another platelets transfusion earlier in the day and followed up the chest tube procedure with another transfusion to ensure there was no excessive internal or external bleeding. We continue to wait with Ammon for all the other issues to resolve or stabilize. Each day is a victory, each day is a blessing.

Many of you have expressed desires to do something, anything for Ammon as he goes through this difficult process. Many others have specifically wanted to do something to celebrate Ammon's special birthday this Thursday. Here's a little insight into Ammon and what gifts make him really happy, and you'll also find an insight into what he inspires so well in others. Though we always celebrate Ammon's birthday in similar ways you would celebrate any other child's birthday, Ammon is not particularly interested in streamers and decorations, or sweets and cake. Ammon has taught us so much about those things that are really important, things that have eternal significance. Ammon's favorite gifts are those that involve a little time and a little love. Ammon would much rather be warmly held on a concerned person's lap, and read a book where he can turn the pages. Ammon would love to hear a silly song sung just for him, where the words don't have to make sense and the actions are intentionally not perfect. Ammon would love to play ball on his belly or do horsey with Mom. Ammon would love to be at the top of a big family wrestling match, with his arm held high by his Mom and his Dad calling 'Uncle' down below. More than a piece of cake that he can't eat, and decorations that he can't touch, the gifts that Ammon loves best are time and love.

With these gifts in mind, for those of you that would like to join us in celebrating Ammon's birthday this year, we would invite you to follow Ammon's inspiration and give the gifts that he loves best, the gifts of time and love. Since Ammon is in isolation, and not even Mommy and Daddy can hold him close, we would encourage you to give these gifts to others on Ammon's behalf. On Ammon's behalf a child might be inspired to love his Mom and Dad by making his bed, putting his shoes away, or willingly doing his homework with no complaints. A Mother or Father might be inspired to renew an old friendship, take the steps to create a new one, or set aside the very pressing duties of the day to read a book to a child, complete beautiful colorings, or some other act of service. The gifts of time and love can be given by the youngest children to the oldest adults, and every family member can give a gift. In celebrating Ammon's birthday, we would love to learn of what gifts of time and love you were inspired to perform. Maybe you can take a sentence or two, or even just a few misspelled words, and let us know the gifts of time and love that Ammon inspired in you, that you performed on Ammon's behalf. Then on Thursday as we celebrate six wonderful years of life, we will share these gifts with Ammon as we tell him about them or read them to him beside his bed (maybe we can continue this new tradition with Ammon each Thursday thereafter, as new experiences roll in). It is our hope that over the alarms and hums of the machines, Ammon will hear and receive all the gifts given on his behalf, and the greatest thing of all is that each of those gifts are the gifts that he loves best, they each are exactly what he wants.